Episode #259 - Collinwood for 18 years has held one woman captive. But the true prisoner has been the lonely secret locked within her heart. Terror is the reason that must be paid, and freedom is more terrifying than captivity. But the stones of Collinwood are not impregnable to the thrusts of love--and the time will come when even the embattled heart must yield its long held secret to freedom and to light.
Upon learning from Vicki that Roger isn't in, a highly upset Liz tells Vicki the sheriff reported that Carolyn got arrested for DWI--and nearly killed a woman! Vicki is horrified. The woman Carolyn struck dragged her out of the wrecked car before it exploded in flames. Carolyn, unhurt, was actually rude to the woman who saved her life. Liz, frantic, explains to Vicki that she sheriff will only release Carolyn to a member of the family. When Vicki suggests Liz go herself, the older woman reminds her that she hasn't left Collinwood in 18 years. Prove you love your daughter, urges Vicki--that locked basement room holds no memories, so there is no reason for Liz to remain in the house. Liz keeps repeating that she can't do it, and Vicki gives up trying. Liz starts to leave word for Roger to call when he comes in, then drops the phone back in the cradle. Vicki assures Liz that she will drive her to the sheriff's office to pick up Carolyn, but Liz is still unsure. Vicki fetches Liz' coat and opens the front door. Slowly, Liz walks from the drawing room to the front door and Vicki drops her coat over her shoulders. For the first time in 18 years, Liz leaves the estate, Vicki at her side.
Carolyn slams down a coffee cup and defiantly paces the sheriff's office. Patterson works at his desk. Carolyn's wrist and arm are bandaged (the actress actually was injured, and they worked this into the script). Lock me up! She orders Patterson, who totally disapproves of the bitchy Carolyn,
and informs her that her mother was "plenty worried" when he spoke to her on the phone. I'll rest in an empty cell, insists Carolyn, and leaves with Patterson. Liz hesitantly enters Patterson's office. He's astonished to see her, and immediately leaves to bring Carolyn in. Liz waits nervously, staring out the grillwork windows in the sheriff's office.
Carolyn enters and is shocked to see her mother. Liz tells her how worried she's been, but Carolyn's response is to ask her why SHE came to get her. I care for you, says Liz. You've forgotten all about my father! accuses Carolyn, and now you can leave Collinwood any time you want to--neither my father nor I mean anything to you! Liz pleads with her daughter--I love you! she protests. All Carolyn wants is to be left alone. I want to go back to my cell! She yells to Patterson, who comes out and orders her to go home with her mother. My mother only pretended to be worried about me, insists Carolyn, but finally, mother and daughter leave together.
Back at Collinwood, Jason tells Liz she can't help Carolyn until the girl calms down. Liz feels compelled to scream out the truth,
but Jason advises her to give up on Carolyn--let her go. (I hate this man!) No matter how much they hurt each other, I cannot stop loving Carolyn, Liz says.
Overhearing Liz crying in her room, Vicki knocks at her door and insists on being let in. Carolyn is still trying to punish you, Vicki explains--and Liz is also punishing herself, adds Vicki wisely. Carolyn has been trying to stop me from marrying Jason, agrees Liz. Suddenly realizing that Jason does have a hold over Liz, Vicki gently suggests that it can't possibly be as bad as giving in to Jason's demands. "It's worse," confesses Liz,
"I killed Paul Stoddard, Carolyn's father."
NOTES: The prevailing keyword was heartbreak. Learning that Carolyn stupidly got herself arrested for DWI was horrifying to Liz, and although she surely would have sent Roger to clean this up if he were available, he wasn't, so she was forced to take care of it herself. Leaving Collinwood for the first time of her own volition had to be the toughest thing she's ever done. Sheriff Patterson was stunned to see her, as was Carolyn at first. I wanted to slap Carolyn for the horrific way she treated her mother, twisting Liz' altruism and love into something untrue and ugly. Vicki was so sure Carolyn would read Liz showing up at the jail as a showing that she cared for her, but Carolyn, instead, decided hell, no, Liz only stayed at Collinwood all those years because she was waiting for Paul Stoddard to come home, and now she's remarrying, so her reason for staying is no longer viable! Frankly, I wish Sheriff Patterson had given Carolyn a sound spanking. She was acting like such a spoiled brat!
Jason, of course, had to make sure that Liz was still willing to marry him, and suggested that she cut her daughter loose and stop loving her. Liz craftily pointed out that if she did as Jason suggested, she would have no reason to marry him--she's only giving in to his blackmail to protect her beloved daughter, whether the bitch deserves it or not (my words, folks). Jason is kind of caught between a rock and a hard place--he wants Liz to marry him, but Carolyn has tossed a huge monkey wrench into his plans by making his fiancee miserable--and Liz loves her daughter and hates Jason, so he knows if forced to choose, Liz will not pick him.
Driven to the breaking point, Liz finally sobs out to her trusted confidant, Vicki, that she killed Paul Stoddard--her husband, Carolyn's father. SHE is the murderer! They didn't show Vicki's reaction, just poor Liz all crumpled up against her bedpost. You felt glad that Liz finally told someone the truth, or at least I know I did. Now what is going to happen? Will telling Vicki gives Liz the courage to tell Carolyn, too, freeing her of Jason McGuire forever?
Episode #260 - A brilliant afternoon sun brightens the walls of Collinwood, and all is silent except for the cries of the gulls that circle overhead, and the buzz of the bees in the meadow. But not far from the great house, there is one who cannot know the sunlight, only the darkness of the prison cell in which she is to die. There is one who would save her, but he is haunted by fear, fear that her salvation would mean his own death.
Old House basement cell - Maggie lies on the cot, holding Sarah's doll in her arms. Upstairs in the drawing room, Willie gazes out the front window, terrified--he knows Maggie only has a short time to live. He gazes at Barnabas' portrait, thinking to himself that HE should die, but he imagines what might happen if he attempted to kill Barnabas and fail, and his terror gets the best of him. He cries in frustration.
When Willie enters her cell bearing food, Maggie has no interest, and only remarks that she found the doll. Willie urges her to at least drink the milk, but as she brings it to her lips, he takes it away from her, telling her it's poisoned. You're going to die soon, says Willie sadly, and I wanted to spare you a horrible death. Maggie again begs him to help her escape, but he tells her he can't do that. He leaves.
She is in despair.
Sarah appears in Maggie's cell, playing "London Bridge" on a flute. Don't cry, says Sarah--I'll let you keep my doll. Realizing Sarah is real, Maggie begs her to go to Sam Evans, her father, and tell him she's here. Sarah assures Maggie she doesn't want her to die. Tell me how to get out of this cell, pleads Maggie, and Sarah tells her a riddle that will show her how-
one, two, away they flew, three four, near the door, five, six, count the bricks, seven, eight, the clue is great (grate), nine, ten, home again. This makes no sense to Maggie, but Sarah refuses to repeat it and disappears. Maggie calls to her, but receives no response.
Sarah goes to Sam's cottage and asks him to paint her picture. He offers to draw a sketch instead. The little girl sits on a stool; Sam begins to sketch her. My name is Sarah, she tells him, and I went away for a long time. Sam remarks about her unusual dress, and speaks of his daughter, Maggie, who is gone--he misses her.
Sarah strongly hints that Sam should look on the beach below Widows' Hill--tonight. He turns to finish the picture, and when he looks up again, she's gone. He is perplexed.
Sunset, Old House basement - Barnabas lies in his open coffin. In her basement cell, Maggie seeks to remember and solve Sarah's riddle. Remembering, "The clue is great," she goes to the door and feels around it, but it still makes no sense. Barnabas opens his eyes. Cell: Maggie looks around and notices a grate above the wall of the cell. She touches the bricks beneath it, trying to figure out if there is something behind the bricks. Barnabas rises and surveys the room. Cell: Maggie traces her fingers along the wall. Barnabas walks along a passage. Cell: Maggie hears footsteps in the distance and presses on the wall. Corridor: Barnabas descends steps, then goes through another passage. Cell: Maggie presses on the wall and finds a loose brick, but can't move it. A door slams. Barnabas turns a corner, walking slowly, purposefully along. Cell: Maggie pushes and the wall swings back; she crawls through the opening she sees. Barnabas appears outside the cell door, unlocks it and enters. Spotting the open wall, he calls to Maggie. Maggie walks along a dark labyrinth, hears Barnabas' voice and hurries around a corner, clutching Sarah's doll. Barnabas enters the opening in the wall. Maggie and Barnabas continue to move through the passageways under the Old House.
Maggie approaches two doors and has the option of opening either. Barnabas, in close pursuit, calls in a threatening voice, "Maggie Evans, I can hear you! I know you are very close! You won't escape! You can NEVER escape!"
NOTES: The suspense in that last sequence is outrageous, pulse-pounding, and I already know what's to happen! Incredibly done, both in writing and directing.
In his own sweet, odd way, Willie tried to save Maggie from worse death by poisoning her milk. It's a strange way to say "I love you," but that's what he was saying. It was the only thing he could do, since he couldn't bring himself to kill Barnabas. Bravo, Willie, you lovely guy.
Sarah single-handedly engineered Maggie's rescue by first telling Maggie the riddle that would allow her to be freed, and then by going to Sam and telling him he should try checking the beach again. She appeared and disappeared into the two Evans' lives just long enough to bring them back together. I still can remember and recite that riddle, all these years later!
Love, Robin
