471 - Mrs. Johnson (long time no see) comes downstairs and into the drawing room and notices the painting of Angelique is gone. Liz comes in and tells her to hang the picture over the desk in the drawing room. Mrs. Johnson tells her she can't--Roger and the painting are both gone, and his room hasn't been slept in. Both women are concerned. Mrs. J asks if she should call the police. Liz says no, they will wait until evening. Liz asks the housekeeper to let her know when Vicki returns, and Mrs. J asks if her son, who's been out of the country a long time, could stay at Collinwood--he won't be any trouble. Liz is fine with it. Barnabas stops by and Liz is surprised to see him out of the hospital--his swift recovery is wonderful, she says. Liz takes her cousin into the drawing room and asks if he found Roger's behavior unusual at the hospital. Barn agrees he seemed remote. Liz is worried it's something serious--he's been missing since early the previous evening and didn't sleep in his room; she has no idea what happened to him. If Roger is troubled, says Barnabas, he'll work it out--he's a stable man. Liz says he ISN'T stable right now; he's been acting weird since the painting came into the house.
Barn is immediately worried about this. It's like the painting has possessed him, frets Liz. The other day, Roger didn't know her, he insisted he was master of the house and accused her of drinking too much, believed she was Naomi and himself Joshua. Barn doesn't know what's happening, but does think it wise to remove the portrait at once. It's gone, says Liz, it's missing. Vicki comes in and relates what happened the night before with Roger and the painting, explaining Roger's odd behavior, his belief he was Joshua. She tried to get him to come back to the house. Liz says she'll have the grounds checked, and if they can't find him, she'll call the police. Barnabas asks Vicki if she has any idea what is going on with Roger--she doesn't, but it scares her. Why does he think he's Joshua? wonders Barn. Vicki suggests that only Joshua escaped Angelique's witchcraft (what about Millicent and Daniel?), but perhaps she's trying to finish what she started. That sounds too incredible, opines Barnabas, but Vicki says after what she's been through, anything is possible. He suggests she shouldn't let her imagination run away with her, but she says it's not her imagination, it's her memory she fears. Barnabas notes the marks are gone from Vicki's throat.
If Ang uses her powers, says Vicki, no one in the family will be spared--this scares her terribly. Vicki notices how remote Barnabas seems, but he assures her he's all right, he just felt weak (translation: he felt like biting her for a moment there). Vicki thinks he left the hospital too soon, and he agrees to see Lang. She wants to call Lang to come to Barnabas, but he insists on going to Lang, and departs. Liz comes back in and Vicki tells her Barn went to see Lang. Liz hopes their talk didn't upset Barnabas. Vicki answers a knock at the door--standing there is a man who looks exactly like Noah Gifford. The sight terrifies Vicki, who screams and runs back into the house. She tells Liz, "That man, it's impossible!" The man introduces himself as Harry Johnson, Mrs. J's son. Harry apologizes for startling Vicki, who explains about shooting someone in the past who looks exactly like the man who just arrived. Mrs. Johnson comes in and asks what's going on. It's a case of mistaken identity, says Liz. Harry starts to talk, but his mother shushes him. Liz assures her that Harry will explain all while she takes Vicki upstairs. Mrs. J leads her son into the drawing room and shuts the doors. He gazes around, finding the place to his liking. His mother demands to know what he did--why did Vicki scream? Harry doesn't know. If anything is wrong with anyone, it's him, says Mrs. J. Vicki thought me someone else, says Harry in his defense. She doesn't believe him. Just like the old times, complains Harry--you don't believe anything I say. You're always in trouble, she reminds him. He asks her to give him a chance--he's changed. She reminds him he's on trial until he proves that to her. You didn't get off to a very good start, complains Mrs. J.
He agrees he should have used his head, but he didn't know a girl would scream upon seeing him, says Harry. You should have come to the back entrance, she says. He goes to the window and pulls out a cigarette. She hopes he'll behave himself, if he gets "itchy fingers," again, she can't help him this time--they'll send him back to prison and throw away the key! (Bad Mrs. Johnson, telling Liz her son had been out of the country when he was actually in the slammer! Harry seems like bad news!)
Mrs. Johnson comes down to the living room and Liz assures her Vicki is fine. Harry is settled, says Mrs. J, but, damndest thing, she found a doctor's headpiece in Roger's room. Dr. Lang's name is on it--the doctor who treated Barnabas.
At Lang's house, Barnabas tells Lang he felt completely helpless at Collinwood, that if he didn't leave the house, he'd have "harmed" Vicki. A grave mistake, says Lang, which Barnabas is well aware of. That's why I came here, agrees Barnabas. Lang is going to arrange an immediate transfusion, which he'll need once a week for the time being--by the way, did Barnabas consider Lang's offer to help him and Vicki, in return for cooperating with Lang? Barnabas needs more time to think, and needs far more info about Lang and what his plans are. Lang says this will free Barnabas from the curse that has plagued him so many years. You haven't told me how, Barnabas reminds him, and Lang says that he could have the physical appearance of Jeff Clark--does he think it possible? No, says Barn, but Lang says it is--and it would help him win Vicki back.
Barnabas says he finds Lang interesting, but mysterious--the doctor never gives him the specifics of his revolutionary plan. Lang says he can't be specific yet, and Barn apologizes, but can't consign his future to him unless he's honest with him. Lang will reveal all soon, he promises, and Barnabas will begin a new life.
Harry, looking like he's already up to no good, comes downstairs, looks into a drawer and rifles through the papers inside. He goes to another drawer, looking disgusted that he hasn't found anything good.
NOTES: Never did like either Noah or Harry. Both were really creepy. Addison Powell's Lang is overacting through the roof, and I don't blame Barnabas for not trusting him too much. Somehow, he just seems to me like a used car salesman.
472 - Julia, on the phone, tells the sheriff Mrs. Stoddard is resting. Barnabas comes in; Julia tells Barn she had to give Liz a sedative because she was so upset about Roger's disappearance. Roger checked into the Collinsport Inn, according to the sheriff, and locked himself in a room, staying all day until checking out this evening. What's he up to? wonders Julia--he took Vicki's painting with him.
Barnabas looks uncomfortable when Julia asks if he knows who the woman was. To Julia's astonishment, Barnabas explains her name was Angelique Collins and he was once married to her--the witch who placed the curse on him. Why would Vicki feel compelled to buy the painting, or have such a strange affect on Roger? muses Julia. Barnabas is more scared of this than anyone. Julia then asks Barnabas why Roger would take something belonging to Lang, and shows him the headpiece found in Roger's room. This is how she did it, says Barn, they're going to Dr. Lang--his life is in danger from Angelique-- she's angry and wants to kill the doctor for helping him. He grabs her arm and hustles her out the door--they must help Eric before Angelique does something.
Roger appears in Lang's office on a matter of utmost importance, Roger is behaving very peculiarly indeed. Lang reluctantly invited him in. Roger just stands there. He asks Lang if he believes in prophecies. Roger isn't there to waste his time--he's been instructed to come to his office, although he can't say by whom. Roger asks if he thinks he's crazy, then says he heard a voice that warned him that he must see a doctor immediately, or die before dawn.
How will you meet your death? asks Lang. A stroke, responds Roger. Why didn't you consult your family doctor? queries Lang. Out of town, responds Roger, who is glancing at the harpoon collection hanging on the wall. Lang asks if Roger has ever had heart trouble before (?, he said a stroke). Roger explains there have been many deaths in his family, then launches into admiration of Lang's harpoons. Lang wants to examine Roger, who prefers to discuss harpoons. Lang, however, doesn't want to discuss them. Roger is surprised--why doesn't he want to discuss his hobby? Roger asks to look at the topmost harpoon, which Lang takes down. Roger asks to examine it, then asks if he has some equipment to prepare for his exam. What about the harpoons? asks Lang, and Roger says he'll look at this one while Lang prepares. Behind Lang, Roger holds the harpoon and advances on him, about to bury the harpoon in Lang's back. A knock at the door shakes Roger out of the spell, and he falls into a chair. Barnabas and Julia rush in, and Julia asks Roger if he's all right. Confused, he says, wondering what he's doing there. She helps him up and leads him out--she'll take him back to Collinwood. Barnabas, left alone with Lang, takes the harpoon into his hands and explains that Roger was not there for an examination, but to kill Lang!
Lang takes back the harpoon, shocked at Barnabas' pronouncement. He asks Barn if he's lost his mind.
No, replies Barnabas--but Roger temporarily lost his. Why would he harm him, asks Lang--Roger is a wealthy man with a rep to protect, why would he kill someone he barely knows? Barn explains Roger had no choice--he didn't know why he was there--Roger was possessed by Angelique. Ridiculous, insists Lang--this witch lived 200 years ago, so how could she reach across time to possess Roger? Her spirit is very much alive and determined to perpetuate the curse, says Barn. Lang, a man of science, doesn't buy this. What about your brutal headache and blindness? Barnabas reminds him--a spell caused by Angelique and executed by Roger from Collinwood via black magic. Roger stole your headpiece, says Barn, returning it to him. I misplaced it, insists Lang. No, it was stolen, says Barn, found in Roger's room. Lang sits down, considering all this information with astonishment. It's true, says Barnabas, and although Roger failed to kill him, Ang will order him to try again. Barn answers a knock at the door--it's Julia, who is very upset--Roger leaped from her car at an intersection and ran away, disappearing into the night. All three of them are concerned.
Prof. Stokes, monocle in one eye, sits reading a book that amuses him. He answers the door to Roger, who asks to come in. Stokes was expecting a student. Roger has Vicki's painting with him and says Stokes can have it--Roger is no longer interested in the painting.
Stokes can't accept it for free, but Roger suggests he send Vicki a reasonable check the next day. Superstition, says Roger, he and Vicki feel the family has been dogged by ill luck ever since the portrait came into the house. Stokes tells him to leave it; he'll call Vicki the next day and arrange a price. Roger uncovers the painting and seems stunned--the painting is gone from the frame!
Collinwood - Julia and Barnabas wearily return home. She wants a drink, he refuses one. He points and says, "Julia, look!" Angelique's portrait is back on the easel!
NOTES: So how did Angelique's portrait return to Collinwood? Did she sense Roger withdrawing from her power and spirit her painting (and her spirit) back to where it was? Roger was all set to give it to Stokes, but she wasn't going to have that, was she?
What a shock to Julia to learn the man she loves, who she always must have considered a bachelor, was once a married man (not for long, but the vows were said). How do you imagine she feels at this time? She learned about his wife and the fact that she was a witch who cursed him in one sentence!
What is Lang planning? I still wonder if he's a good guy or not. He seems so slimy somehow.
Love, Robin
