285 - (Alexandra Moltke) - Today the sea beyond the cliffs of Collinwood is calm and motionless. What waves there are curl onto the beach with an almost tender touch. But the sea is never still. The unseen moon beckons with massive watery waste, and almost against its will, the sea is drawn from the shore in blind obedience to a distant force. And so sometimes it is with us--what force has beckoned, we do not know, but motionless and still we know the answer to something unseen--not knowing whether we are being drawn from or toward some final shore.
"Torn between two lovers, feelin' like a fool, lovin' both of you is breaking all the rules. . ."
Ah, Vicki! So engrossed in Josette's music box tune, you forget your regular, standing date with Burke, ignore Carolyn knocking at your door, etc., etc.!
Carolyn is perturbed by Vicki's apparent saturation in the past and seems to find her pilgrimage to put flowers on Josette's grave rather unhealthy. Even though Carolyn presses Vicki to stop listening to the music box, Vicki continues to do so while getting ready for her date with Burke, lost in thought.
Barnabas and Burke, meanwhile, are down in the drawing room. Barn has come to present Vicki with an ancient book, but Carolyn tells him she feels Vicki's too wrapped up in the past. Burke curtly tells him that HE'S got a date with Vicki and anyway, he thinks giving her that old book is a lousy idea. Barnabas feels her interest is harmless, but Burke ruthlessly insists it's not--why, she put flowers on Josette's grave. Barnabas feels this was a lovely gesture, but Burke tears into Barnabas about the mistake it was to wear those costumes and have that seance. And if Barnabas doesn't find Vicki's behavior excessive, she imagined not just that little girl, but that she saw MAGGIE in the cemetery the other day, too! This diss Barnabas on a different level--uh oh, she's supposed to be dead. That his little sister and former brainwashee might really have surfaced definitely has Barnabas upset.
Barnabas is leaving as Vicki comes down, and Burke crudely says Collins came to see her, not Mrs. Stoddard. Vicki seems surprised that Barnabas is much less enthusiastic than she thought he'd be about Julia Hoffman's book research, and she hopes he will consider helping her--because Vicki wants to help, too! Vicki spots the book in Barnabas' hands, which he had apparently changed his mind about giving to her in light of the browbeating Burke and Carolyn gave him.
Burke admits he didn't want Barnabas to give her the book, immediately placing himself on Vicki's bad side--especially after she looks inside and sees that Barnabas has inscribed it to her. Vicki expresses her gratitude to Barnabas, who, upset at the awkward situation (but glad it made Burke look like an SOB and him a gentleman), takes his leave.
Vicki and Burke immediately get into a fight--he insists she needs a loud, good time, she wants to stay home and preferably read her new book.
Burke, thoroughly pissed, leaves without her, but she barely notices; she's already opened the book to begin looking at it.
As a thunderstorm is breaking over Collinsport, Vicki races to the Old House to apologize to Barnabas for everyone's bad behavior and to thank him again for the gift. He's pleased they both share an appreciation for what has gone before, and assures her that he forgives them all, and will, at her request, consider allowing Julia to investigate the Collins family history. As Vicki is starting to return to Collinwood, the storm breaks in earnest. It's pouring. Vicki has to stay, at least until it lets up a bit--but she points out this storm looks like one that will go on all night. . .he says if she tires of his company, she can always rest, and Vicki herself won't allow him to send Willie out to reassure them she's all right (she could have gone back in a car, but we know she wanted to stay)!
Barnabas tells Vicki the house was made for storms and the candlelight and lightning will really enhance the place. Josette's room is always ready for her, he says, barely able to contain his lust,
but oddly, Vicki herself looks quite passionate herself at the prospect of spending the night with Barnabas at the Old House.
286 - (Alexandra Moltke) - On this night, a great storm rages over Collinwood, and all the elements of nature seem to be at war, clashing with monumental fury. Not far from the great house, there is one who has taken refuge from the storm--and unknowingly has found shelter in a place that is destined to be her tomb.
Interesting that Barnabas lied to Vicki and said it was Jeremiah chasing Josette on that stormy night.
Vicki, confused, suggested that if Jeremiah had loved her, he wouldn't have frightened her. "I can't defend everything he did--nor could he," responded Barnabas softly. (I believe this was the first episode in which he called her Vicki rather than Miss Winters.) Apparently trying to save Vicki from his bad self, Barnabas suggests the storm is letting up and perhaps she could go home. She'd rather stay, she insists, and heads happily off to Josette's room. I can't figure out why she lighted some candles, then almost immediately blew them out; did she need them lit to sniff the jasmine on Josette's vanity?
Barnabas and Willie speculate anxiously about a ball Willie found near the coffin (!)
Could it have been David? No, they'd surely have heard something by now. It makes Barnabas increasingly anxious to learn that this mystery girl is 9 or 10, and that Maggie Evans saw her, too. Maggie was nuts, and there is no little girl! Barnabas insists, and goes down to check the basement himself. Willie feels there's another presence in the house, although one can't say for sure if it's Vicki or Sarah he's sensing.
Back in Josette's room, Sarah decides to serenade Vicki with "London Bridge", but doesn't appear to her. Vicki troops downstairs, startling Willie, who's upset to hear she's spending the night in the brainwash--er, Josette's--room.
He's all set to take her home, but she tells him she prefers to stay in Josette's room. Vicki expresses surprise at Willie's thoughtfulness, which boldly lead him to tell her she's making a mistake. Barnabas overhears this and wants to know WHY Vicki's making a mistake. Her reputation, Willie says, it just won't look right, her spending the night there and all. Barnabas agrees with Vicki that Willie's a nice guy and will be "rewarded" for his kindness--and he shoots Willie a significant warning glance. Is it caning time at the Old House again? Barnabas is further upset when Vicki reveals the story of her nighttime chanteuse--it's her imagination and nothing more! insists Barnabas. God, how much evidence does the man need to be hit over the head with? Vicki has no fear about returning to Josette's room (wouldn't you?)
After Vicki returns upstairs, Willie quizzes Barnabas about the little girl, and hears, "It's your imagination!" barked at him, too. Willie doesn't deny attempting to warn Vicki about staying in Josette's room, and Barn seems pleased that his servant didn't attempt to lie to him. I guess the possible presence of his sister is making Barnabas soft, because he decides neither to kill nor punish Willie this time. As a matter of fact, he wants Willie to stay and talk to him, undoubtedly so he won't rush upstairs and put a hickey on Vicki. Willie suggests that Barnabas likes Vicki and doesn't want to harm her, and this audacity annoys Barnabas so much, he orders Willie to go to bed.
Barnabas goes up to Josette's room,
where Vicki lies innocently asleep. Fangs bared, he bends over her. . .
Barnabas can't bring himself to bite Vicki, however, even though her throat is well-exposed for him. Gazing at her tenderly, he backs away, looks at Josette's portrait, shakes his head as if admonishing himself, and leaves the room.
NOTES: A sensitive, soulful vampire who is in love and can't bring himself to take her blood. It was easier with Maggie; he was just trying to turn her into someone else, but here he really LIKES Vicki as a person, and it shows by his willingness to sacrifice for her. Sure, he wants her, but not this way! The way he behaved with Willie bordered on comical. He wanted to stop himself from biting Vicki, so he wanted Willie to keep him occupied. Poor Willie would probably rather be anywhere else, however, LOL!
Love, Robin
