Angelique extorts the location of the hand from Aristede, then leaves him unconscious on the docks.
Edward tells Beth that she is to accompany him and Judith to the Rushmore Sanitarium, where he plans to deposit Judith. She protests that she's looking for Quentin. Edward sneers that he's probably out on a spree and tells Beth not to waste her time. Telling him basically that it's her time to waste, she goes out.
Down by the docks, a man’s patent-leather shoe nudges Aristede (he’s still on the street in Collinsport) in the ribs to wake him up. The shoe belongs to a man with improbably curly gray hair, mustache, and chin beard and blue-tinted granny glasses, with a cape over his dark suit. My head is throbbing! Aristede complains as he gets to his feet. Look at me, the man orders in a strangely hoarse voice. When Aristede does, the older man slaps him across the face. You didn't get the hand, did you? the other man asks angrily. I did get it, says the terrified Aristede, but I have it no longer. I swear I’ll get it back! The older man asks, Was it a woman, assailant, or combination? She was no ordinary woman, Victor, Aristede tells him. She possessed powers. She almost killed me! Pushing him back up against a pillar, the pitiless Victor snarls, She _should_ have killed you and spared ME your ineptitude! I swear I’ll find her and get it back! Aristede vows. No, Victor declares, now that I’m here, I’ll get it back. If that fails, we must employ our alternative plan. That might not be necessary, Aristede points out. The hand is vitally important, Victor says. I suspect its power has already been used--am I correct? Yes, Aristede replies. Then I must put in an appearance, Victor declares. My credentials are in perfect order. I'll go to Collinwood at once--as soon as you answer a few questions, especially about the woman you met. Nervously Aristede wipes his face with the handkerchief that got him into so much trouble.
Beth enters the Old House, which is almost completely dark, and calls to Magda but gets no reply. In the darkness she almost misses the man sitting in the hooded chair. When he gets up, she sees MF Quentin and screams. He begs her not to run, and she recognizes his voice. Quentin explains what happened and declares he'd rather die than look like this for the rest of his life. Go back to Collinwood and forget about me, he tells her [in a display of at least a little actual selflessness!]. I can't do that, she says. It's for your own good, he insists. You have no future with me, not the way I am--go away. No, she declares. We’ll find a way to free you, and I’ll stay till we find it. She leans her head against his shoulder and embraces him. He hesitates a moment, then puts his arms around her.
Having retrieved the little casket with the hand and wearing a dark red gown instead of her garish "puppeteer" get-up, Angelique goes to the Great House to start her campaign of reinstatement. Edward is extremely skeptical and suspects she knew what Barn was all along. Edward adds, I believe you know where he is now. No, she says, and I don't want to know. If you had nothing to fear, he asks, why did you run away? Angelique clearly enjoys plying her feminine wiles and powers of fiction on Edward. In faltering tones, she stammers prettily, I was terribly confused. I knew everyone would suspect me of helping Barnabas. I didn't know what else to do. Then you did know about him, Edward declares. No, she replies, only after we became engaged, not before. And you remained silent while he was victimizing this community? demands the indignant Edward. She looks up, turning the full force of her gaze on him. The victim of a vampire has no choice, she says. I wanted to expose him, but he robbed me of my free will--just as he did with Charity Trask. I was a helpless slave. It was the most shameful, degrading thing that ever happened to me, she says, turning away as if in deepest humiliation. I refuse to be taken in by this show of emotion, Edward says stiffly. She puts down the casket and says, You may banish me from Collinwood if you wish, but you must know the truth. When I met Barnabas, for the first time, I was impressed by him. He was so charming, kind, and when I was with him, I felt warm, safe, secure. When I finally realized the truth, it was too late--I found myself trapped. Barnabas invited me to the Old House one evening. When I arrived, the house was dark, but the door was open. So I went inside and called to him. He answered me from inside the drawing room. When I turned to greet him and saw him, he was not the Barnabas I had come to know and love. Instead, he was a horrible, evil-looking creature!
I was terrified, too frightened to move! she continues. And then … he slowly put his arms around me, and in a moment, I felt his teeth sink into my neck. Again Angelique turns away as if at the horror of it all, then resumes. I fainted. When I awoke, Barnabas told me that I was to become his bride, that I had to agree. I had no power to resist him. I had to agree! she finishes with a sob. You poor child! Edward cries. I had no idea it was that way! Shortly after Barnabas was exposed as being a vampire, Angelique concludes, the marks disappeared from my neck quite suddenly, and I was free again. That's exactly what happened to Charity! Edward exclaims. Angelique rises from her seat and says, I don't know what I will do or where I will go, but I'm ready to leave Collinwood. Edward gallantly assures her. You can remain here, until you make your future plans. There's a knock at the door, and Edward goes to answer it. Angelique smiles triumphantly at her wonderful performance.
The visitor is of course Victor, carrying a letter of introduction from their mutual friend, the earl of Hampshire. Victor claims he has lived an active and sometimes dangerous life and has come to America for a rest. Edward is so impressed with Victor Fenn-Gibbon (to give him his full name) that he invites him to stay at Collinwood for the duration of his visit. Angelique steps into the foyer, carrying the little casket containing the hand. Victor sees her--and the casket. He stares at her avidly as Edward tells him, You will be an honored guest of ours. Edward introduces Angelique DuVal to Victor. DuVal, Victor repeats. Are you French? I was born in this country, she replies, but most of my ancestors were from Martinique. I've been to most of the French colonies, says Victor, and may I say that I have never found one of them to be as exquisite as I find you. Thank you, she simpers, adding, I must be on her way--I promised to take something to a friend in town. Victor's face is livid with fury as Angelique thanks Edward for his kindness and understanding. We will speak later, Edward promises. Carrying the casket with its grisly contents right under Victor’s very nose, she leaves.
What a charming girl! Victor enthuses. Edward invites him into the drawing room for brandy and conversation. Victor explains, I apologize for being unable to speak barely above a whisper. I was with Kitchener in the Sudan. [This would have been about nine years before our present story.] A weapon in the hands of a native pierced my neck and damaged my vocal cords. They almost gave me up for dead! A splendid man, Kitchener--pride, too much perhaps, but a man among men. Victor laughs.
Beth is still kneeling beside Quentin when Angelique arrives with the hand. She orders Beth out, telling her, What must be done has to remain between Quentin and me. Beth insists frantically, Quentin, I can't leave you here! Gently he reminds her, You said you would do anything to help me--go back to Collinwood. All right, Beth agrees, I'll wait for you there. She glares at Angelique and the box, then leaves. Angelique opens the box to reveal the hand.
Victor thanks Edward for his hospitality and leaves. Where he goes we will soon see.
Let’s get started! Quentin says impatiently. You've waited this long, Angelique reminds him. You can wait a little longer--and besides, we haven't settled on my price. I had forgotten that, he admits. These are my terms, Angelique says: I want you to marry me, Quentin. Marry you? he asks, shocked. Why would you want to marry me, knowing what I am? I have my reasons, she replies. I want to know what they are, Quentin insists. It isn't necessary for you to know, Angelique says flatly. Agree, and I will help you. Disagree, and you fend for yourself. Well, I certainly don't want to stay like this, he says--I accept. Good, she says. Let's get started, he repeats. Sit, she says, indicating the hooded chair. I will be ready in just a moment. She lights a blue candle, holds the magic hand in hers, and intones, I call upon Lucifer, master of all revolted spirits! Protect me! Allow me to use the powers of the hand to do my bidding! But she stops suddenly. Quentin asks, What's wrong? The hand is pulling away from me! Angelique cries. I have no control over it! I don't understand its powers--it's alive! It's on me! Quentin screams. And the hand is in fact on his chest as he screams wildly. The pain is starting! he screams. There's no full moon, but it's happening! Do something! he pleads. Nearly as hysterical as Quentin, Angelique confesses, I don't know what to do! Don't let it happen again! he pleads. But as we watch, and as Quentin moans in pain, his hand sprouts the thick pelt of the werewolf. Angelique holds onto herself in shock, terrified as she looks at the hideous creature sitting in the hooded chair.
Through the window, Victor Fenn-Gibbon watches too....
