I guess the opening VO is supposed to be from Maggie's point of view, and she still thinks that Barnabas is a vampire that should be exposed and destroyed.
Barnabas and Willie return dispiritedly to the Old House after an unsuccessful search. Barnabas fully expects the police to arrive at any moment but is stoical and resigned, quite unlike the frantic Willie. (Sadly, though, Barnabas doesn’t make the same generous promise to Willie as he did to Julia.) They hear the expected knock on the door. But instead of the police, it's Joe, who says, I’m here to deliver a message: Maggie would like to see you at her house whenever it’s convenient but as soon as possible. Joe delivers his message with gentlemanly courtesy and leaves, but conceals himself to watch Barnabas and Willie go out. (The doors swing open after Willie follows Barnabas out.)
At the cottage, we get a glimpse of a sketch of Barnabas, which is described as a preliminary sketch for Sam's portrait of the present-day Barnabas. [The sketch looks as if it could have been made when Jonathan Frid was first cast as Barnabas (no pointy hair). Bob Costello provided all but the face of the original portrait of Barnabas, and this sketch may have provided the face. DS Wiki has a frame grab of the sketch
here.] The peripatetic multicolor afghan lies across the sofa. Maggie greets Barnabas and Willie with her normal friendliness. She tells Barnabas, I found some sketches my father made for your portrait. I thought you might like to have them. Though completely baffled by her behavior, Barnabas accepts the drawings, even in this great crisis still the epitome of courtesy and good breeding. (Naomi would have been proud!) Maggie surprises them even more when she invites Willie to stop by.
Once he and Willie are outside, though, Barnabas comments, Only one other person could have erased Maggie’s memory when even Julia failed--Nicholas Blair. This is the second time that Blair has helped me. [The first time was when he restored Carolyn to life.] He must have some plan. Whatever it is, Barnabas muses, it must be diabolical (so to speak). But what could it be?.........
