Elizabeth demands to know why Barnabas always seems to know so much more than the rest of the family. He attributes it to a lucky guess. The only lucky part is that Elizabeth is much too concerned for Vicki to question him further.

When Vicki is sedated and calmer, Elizabeth comes to visit and regards her with pity and sympathy (quite as Naomi would have done). Julia has the grace to apologize for deceiving the family, and she too is lucky that Elizabeth is still concerned for Vicki. Both women are puzzled by Ben's rough field dressing, secured with two ends of the fabric rather than adhesive tape, and the fact that she seems to have been shot with a pistol ball.

Later, Barnabas visits Vicki. My dear, he calls her. (When Barnabas calls someone "my dear," it’s usually a sign that they are actually in mortal peril.) Vicki wakes up, but still confuses the past with the present and can't distinguish between the Barnabas of 1795 and the Barnabas of 1968. Sitting on the bed, Barnabas says, I apologize for coming to your room [some old habits never die, I guess], but I was concerned about you and wanted to make sure you were better. I’m very confused, Vicki admits. Feigning only mild interest, Barnabas asks, What about? About you, Vicki replies. She explains, When Josette came to see me in jail, she said you were dead. [I think it was actually Joshua who first told her.] You’re safe now, my dear--you’re back at Collinwood, Barnabas assures her. Anxiously, Vicki insists, I didn't put a curse on you--I never would. Barnabas reassures her (though he has to look away as he says it), I know you didn't (who better?). With remarkable presence of mind, he adds, I’ve never felt I was under a curse. Still terrified, Vicki continues, I tried to save Josette's life by telling her and the countess that on the last day of her life, Josette would lose a black onyx ring--like yours. Barnabas tries to hide his fear, but it only increases when Vicki says, Millicent told me it was a secret that you were alive. Fearfully, Barnabas asks Vicki, Why was it a secret? Still partly sedated, Vicki replies apologetically, I can’t even remember if I knew why or not. Just then the door opens. Get out, Barnabas, Julia orders him flatly. At first he refuses, but Julia warns him that she'll get Elizabeth and Roger. Barnabas reluctantly goes after glaring at Julia. I’m sorry I frightened him, Vicki says confusedly. Don’t worry about it, Julia tells her.

Much later, Barnabas summons Carolyn and seems to be threatening to kill Vicki!

Barnabas's industrial-strength eye makeup is nothing to the VINYL eyeliner that Vicki wears even in bed! Gone are the days….

The barmaid is overcome with a need to lie down after looking at a bat for ten seconds

*dies laughing*

Regarding your spoiler, I would think that simply being chained in a coffin for about 170 years would be enough to make anyone cranky.

This ep. is absolutely heart wrenching, one of the best in the whole series. Great work by everyone, but JB, LE, and JF are absolutely riveting.

Despite all of Joshua's efforts to prevent it, Naomi knows at least some of the truth about Barnabas. She finally realizes that Forbes threatened to tell her about Barnabas if Joshua didn't go along with his plans. Astonished, Naomi says, You were ready to sacrifice your pride and honor--every principle you valued!--simply to protect me. It’s been so long since I thought you cared, she murmurs as she leans against his chest. I do care, he answers, holding her gently. He begs her, Please promise me that you'll wait till the morning before you see Barnabas again. I promise--for you, she answers, but she gazes over his shoulder as if at something far away, her decision already made.

Naomi suddenly remembers Vicki and goes to the study to tell her goodbye. But Nathan is watching and captures Vicki, marching her off to town despite her pleas. So Vicki never finds out that Barnabas is not dead after all.

Naomi drinks what she has prepared and goes upstairs. Naomi opens the door to the Tower Room and slowly walks in. Barnabas slams the door (he was hiding behind it) but is stunned to see who his visitor is. Mother! he exclaims in shock, horror--and deepest shame. You shouldn't have come here! Thunder rumbles in the background as Naomi says, I had to see you one more time. Barnabas, look at me! No! Barnabas replies instantly, unable to meet his mother’s eyes. You saw me once tonight, he says bitterly. You saw what I am. Wasn’t that enough? Whatever else you are, you’re still my son, Naomi replies, reaching out her arms to embrace him. And to find you alive-- Mother, please! Barnabas interrupts her as the “vampire” theme swells. He turns away from her, facing the wall. Didn’t you see what was happening outside? he asks. Didn’t you see what I was doing? I saw, but I didn’t understand, Naomi replies urgently, never taking her eyes from him, knowing she has only a little time left. I-- I still don’t. But whatever you did, Barnabas, I know it wasn’t by choice. I’ll never believe that. And I want you to tell me why this has happened. Please, Barnabas implores her, don’t make me look at you and tell you. I can’t bear the thought of hurting you anymore. His anguish only deepens when she continues passionately, Barnabas, please understand. I brought you into the world. I watched you grow to manhood. I suffered agony when you died, watching you die. And by some strange miracle, you’re still alive! You’re not as you were, but whatever has changed you, it made you suffer and feel a deep shame, and I can’t leave you till I know what it is. Finally he turns toward her.

Downstairs, Joshua reads the note Naomi left for him. Horrified, he races upstairs. Even as her strength fails, Naomi declares that she will always love her son. Joshua arrives just in time to see Barnabas catch her as she faints. Joshua drops to his knees to hold her, but he is already too late.

True, MT. I don't think he would have wanted to stay around Millicent after driving her mad, either.

Naomi is wearing her beautiful gown of vermillion velvet with oyster satin.

Very nice scene at the beginning with Vicki and Daniel in the secret room as they wait for Nathan to leave. Although her left shoulder is hurt, Vicki holds the gun in her left hand. Finally, they hear Nathan open the gate and then close it behind him as he leaves. Quietly Daniel tells Vicki about being kidnapped by a stranger and escaping. Nice bit of writing here--charmingly and typical of a small boy, he starts every sentence with "and".

Daniel offers to warn Peter that Nathan is at Collinwood. I'm old enough to do it, David says resolutely.

Meanwhile, Naomi tells Nathan that Daniel has been missing all day. Nathan comments, Perhaps the witch has him now, since she escaped from prison. Naomi strenuously protests Vicki's innocence. Nathan makes light of Daniel's disappearance, but Naomi after all had a son of her own. I know that boys always come home for supper, she declares, but Daniel has not. I have Riggs and Ben out looking for Daniel now--while you sit comfortably here. What are you going to tell Millicent about Daniel? Nathan insists on not saying anything. Eventually and reluctantly, he agrees to join the search.

Naomi is shocked that Vicki is in such dire straits and immediately resolves to help.

I haven't seen this ep. in years, but on top of her governessing skills, Vicki must be a dead shot if she managed to shoot Noah dead while he was holding Daniel in front of him.

You're right, I think, MT. I believe the secret room at the OH isn't quite under the stairs. But I don't have the DVDs so it's hard to picture.