Episode #41 - "My name is Victoria Winters. This great house called Collinwood is the only home I've ever known, and yet I've known it such a short time--a short time that terror has made ageless." "And friend has turned against friend." At the cottage, Sam Evans pensively surveys his sketch of Burke Devlin. The phone rings. Sam looks unhappily at the ringing phone, rubs his face, and drops the sketch on the sofa. He answers the phone. "Hello?" At Collinwood, on the phone in the drawing room, Roger tightly demands of Sam, "Are you alone?" Yes, Sam answers--except for the devils in his brain. Roger demands to know what kind of answer that is, then asks if Bill Malloy is still there. Sam doesn't answer, he glances uncomfortably at the room, rubbing his face, looking as if he wishes he were anywhere else. Roger, not receiving any response, demands to know if Sam is still there, and asks again if Malloy has left. "Yes, he's gone," Sam finally responds. "If you want him, you'll probably have to get him at the office." Irritated, Roger says it isn't Malloy he wants--he wants to know what happened between the two of them last night? "Nothing," Sam mutters. They merely had a few friendly drinks, is there any harm in that? "All the harm in the world," Roger says darkly. "I know how whiskey can loosen your tongue--probably blabbed everything you knew, didn't you?" Sam presses his thumb into the table next to the phone as if trying to grab hold of his emotions--and his guilt. He finally admits to Roger he doesn't know what happened. He wasn't feeling too well, and didn't pay too much attention to what Malloy was saying. "You mean you were too drunk--you couldn't remember," Roger sneers. Sam gazes angrily at the phone, places it on the table, walks away, stares at it hatefully and pours himself a drink as Roger rants, "Let me tell you something, Evans--just because you wrote a letter telling everything you know, or think you know, don't for a second imagine you're clear of everything. You're as involved as I am. Well answer me!" Sam takes a heavy swig of the drink and slowly returns to the table. Roger peevishly continues, "Evans, are you there? I haven't finished with you yet! Evans, I know we're still connected, so don't try any of your drunken tricks on me!" Decisively, Sam picks up the phone and drops it firmly back in the cradle, hanging up on Roger. At Collinwood, Roger fruitlessly pumps the cut-off button, then finally slams the phone down in fury. At the cottage, as the phone begins to ring, Sam picks up the sketch of Burke Devlin and slowly and methodically rips it up into four neat pieces. He drops them on the coffee table, gulps more of his drink, and runs his hand miserably through his hair.
Roger is on the phone still, hand impatiently perched on his hip. He drops it back in the cradle, dials, then cuts off the call with a guilty expression on his face when Liz comes in. He claims he was trying to get the office on the phone, and she asks if that isn't where he should be. He faces her and says he had a valid reason for being home--he prevented Carolyn from meeting Burke. Why would Carolyn want to meet Burke? Liz asks. He claims that question is open to the wildest of speculation and she orders him not to be silly. She asks how he prevented the meeting, and he explains how Carolyn deliberately left her ring at the restaurant, where Burke found it. Carolyn had every intention of going back to get it from him. Liz pooh poohs this idea, but Roger, grinning, asks smoothly, "When you were a girl, didn't you ever accidentally on purpose leave something behind as an excuse for returning?" Liz imperiously asks her brother if he thinks Carolyn is really interested in this man, and Roger kindly responds that it's her daughter, her problem--he has his own with his son. "Well at least your problems with David won't be financial ones," Liz says pointedly. "Oh, I see," says Roger disgustedly, "now we're going to discuss what happened to my inheritance!" He wanders to the piano, smiling, then faces her. "Well, if you must know, I spent it, but I had fun with my money, Liz, I enjoyed it--can you say the same?" Liz approaches him. "No I can't," she says, "the difference is, I still have some. I had enough money to buy up the shares in the company that you offered to the general public for sale." "Well, they were my shares, I could sell them if I wanted to," Roger says defensively. Liz retorts, "If an outsider had bought those shares, controlling interest in the Collins enterprises would have gone out of the family entirely--I couldn't allow that to happen." Roger, his hand disdainfully indicating Collinwood, says "Did it ever occur to you that you could have left this mausoleum, my dear sister, and gone out into the outside world?" "My place is here," Liz says. "I know, I know, 18 years of self-imposed imprisonment," Roger says. "And for what? Surely a departed husband isn't worth waiting for." "Why do you say departed?" Liz asks, and Roger answers, "Well, he departed from this lovely house on Widows' Hill, didn't he?" She says she has no intention of discussing Paul with him. She changes the subject and demands to know why he didn't tell her about Ned Calder's telephone call the night before. Roger, heading for the sideboard for a drink, airily says he forgot, and if it's anything important, he'll call back. Angrily, Liz informs him it was very important--Calder was returning her call. Roger demands to know what she called him about, and she says she wanted his advice. "Don't tell me you're bringing him down here to manage the plant," Roger says uneasily. Liz says it isn't Ned Calder Roger should be worrying about, but himself. Slighted, Roger leaves the drawing room and heads upstairs without a word.
Maggie returns to the cottage, where Sam is sifting through the torn pieces of Burke's sketch. Maggie greets him, slipping off her scarf. Sam mutters, "Maggie's at work--who are you?" She forgot her shopping list and decided to come home and get it. She sits on the arms of the chair. He sips his drink and asks why she didn't phone. She says she did, but mysteriously got no answer. He admits he heard the phone ringing, but was busy. She joins him on the sofa. "Doing what," she giggles, "crossword puzzles?" He hesitantly says he started a sketch, but didn't like it. Maggie pieces the torn sketch together. "It's Burke!" she says delightedly. "Pop, you caught him just right. Why did you want to destroy it?" "I had to," Sam says desperately, "I wanted to destroy it before it destroys me...Maggie, I tried to run away once--why did you stop me, why didn't you let me run away when I had a chance?" She surveys him sadly as he takes another gulp of his drink and says, smiling wanly, "Don't worry, Pop. We'll lick 'em yet."
Maggie pieces together the sketch of Burke, then gives up and takes the pieces and sets them on his work table. Worriedly, she surveys Sam, then, feigning good cheer, finds the shopping list she claims she had forgotten--she can't imagine she walked off without it. "I can," Sam says sarcastically. "It gave you a chance to come home and see if I was all right." Now that she sees he's all right, she can get back to work, right? Looking perturbed, she asks her father is there's anything she can get him. "What a question," he says, taking more of his drink, "is there anything I want?" She offers to talk about it; perhaps she can help. He shakes his head, indicating no one can help. She offers him a hot cup of coffee, and he irritably asks, "No. Why is it that all women think that a cup of coffee is a cure-all?" Maggie sits beside her father and tells him he'd be surprised if he knew how many of Collinsport's solid, upright citizens come into her restaurant in need of a hot cup of black coffee. "Maybe I should go into the blackmail business," Maggie chuckles. Sam takes it seriously. "What did you say?" he demands. "Nothing," she says, scared. "Oh, what it is, Pop? Come on, get it off your chest." He shakes his head. It's nothing. He tried to do a portrait of Burke and it didn't work out. It's been a long time since he's done one and he wanted to find out if he'd lost his touch. Maggie doesn't think that's it; she thinks it's Burke himself. "Burke?" Sam asks. "We were always good friends--why should that make any difference?" Maggie points out that Burke himself is different, and his returning to Collinsport has made everyone else different, too. Sam rubs his eyes his head and wishes Burke had never come back. "Then it is Burke that's bothering you," Maggie suggests. Sam denies anyone is bothering him, besides for himself--when he has too many drinks, he talks too much. He drains his drink. Maggie lifts the almost empty bottle of booze, and, chuckling, says that from the look of that bottle, he's recited everything he ever knew. He stands, walks. "I...hope not," he says, troubled. Maggie asks who he was doing all this talking to--Burke? No, not Burke. Distractedly, Sam says, "I like Burke...I like him very much, I hope that he likes me. I would hate anyone that did him an injustice." Maggie approaches her father. "Are you talking about what happened 10 years ago--the accident? Then it must be Roger Collins you mean." "Maggie," Sam says, voice growing ragged, thrusting his hands away from him as though warding off the evil of his conscience, "you don't know anything about it, now just let it alone!" Almost screaming, he cries, fists clenched, "Just let it alone!" He disappears into a bedroom and Maggie picks up the phone and dials, tucking her hand into her pocket and looking like she's determined to get to the bottom of this. At Collinwood, Vicki answers. Maggie tells her who it is, and Vicki cheerily identifies herself. Maggie asks to speak to Roger, it's important. Vicki suggests trying his office; he's usually there this time of day, but Maggie says she already tried, and he's not there. Maggie asks if Vicki has any idea where he is, reiterating how important it is. "I'm afraid Mr. Collins doesn't confide in me," says Vicki, half-humorously. "Miss Winters," says Roger, appearing through the double doors. Vicki indicates she's sorry, as Roger adds, "Is there any reason why I SHOULD confide in you?"
Vicki holds out the phone. "It's for you," she says. Roger says if it's the office, to tell them he's on his way. "It's Maggie Evans," Vicki says. Roger asks, "Maggie Evans, for me?", looking none-too-happy. Vicki tells him Maggie said it's important. Roger takes the phone from Vicki, gazes at it, then rudely hangs it up, glaring at Vicki as if daring her to challenge his doing so..
Vicki demands, "Why did you hang up without evening talking to her?" Roger turns his back on her to leave and says he's late for the office as it is, and "I have nothing to say to Maggie Evans." Vicki follows on his heels and protests that if Roger had told her that, she could have said she was busy. Drolly, Roger asks, "Are you presuming again to teach me my manners?" Of course not, Vicki says, and he says if she is, she's wasting her talents on the wrong person--she's supposed to be tutoring David, not his father. Liz stops Roger and asks him if he knows where Carolyn might be. "Not the faintest," he says, seeming quite disinterested. She asks him to look for Carolyn in town, and he inquires, bitterly," And neglect my vital tasks at the office?--oh, dear me, no." He brushes past his sister, who glares after him as he exits. Liz goes into the drawing room and asks Vicki if the phone rang. Just a little while ago, Vicki explains, and it was for Roger. Liz laces her hands and said she'd hoped to hear from Carolyn. Vicki brightly reveals that Carolyn called her earlier and said she would be out and possibly not home for dinner. Liz wishes she could have spoken to her herself, but Vicki says Carolyn didn't want to disturb her, she just told Vicki to tell her mother that. Liz wonders (hopes) if Carolyn has a date with Joe. Vicki agrees that of course, that must be it. Vicki gushes over what a nice boy Joe seems to be, and Liz smiles and agrees. Liz speculates that Carolyn might be looking, instead, for a very clever man. Vicki assures Liz that if she's worried about Carolyn being serious about Burke Devlin, she's not; Carolyn hardly knows him. Perhaps that's what intrigues her, Liz frets, and explains that she's sure Carolyn had planned to meet Burke this afternoon, but Roger was fortunately able to stop her. Pronounces Vicki, "If Carolyn planned to meet him, I don't think anyone could stop her!" Vicki excuses herself; she must get back to David. Liz dials the phone, her face worried, and asks for Joe Haskell. We see Joe sitting in a busy-looking office, with walls of brick. He is shuffling paperwork and seems flustered to be hearing from her. "Oh, Mrs. Stoddard, I meant to call you, to apologize." She assures him there's no need, but he says, "I'm sorry I made such a fool of myself." That isn't why she's calling, she assures him, she assumed he's seeing Carolyn tonight. (The clock says it's 11:30 AM.) "To tell the truth, I haven't even talked to her," Joe says, "I'm afraid she might be a little sore at me." "Then you didn't plan on having dinner with her?" Liz asks.
"No, at least I don't think so," Joe says. He chuckles. "I'm not too sure about anything that happened last night, maybe I do have a date with her." Liz expresses hopes this is so. She asks if Mr. Malloy is there and Joe glances around and says he isn't. He doesn't know where he is, but he hasn't been in all day. Liz asks Joe to come by and see her when he has a chance--she'd like to talk to him. Uncertainly, Joe says, "Sure...sure, Mrs. Stoddard. 'Bye." He hangs up, looking perturbed.
Maggie is writing a note when Sam comes out of the bedroom and pours himself a drink. "Oh, what are you trying to prove, Pop?" Maggie asks him. He asks why she isn't at work and she says she's just leaving. She folds the paper and explains she was writing him a note. Perhaps he could sleep. "Sleep it off, you mean," he says sarcastically, sipping his drink. "It's not as easy as that." "What isn't?" she hastily asks. "Nothing, it needn't concern you," he quickly responds. She stands and comes around behind the couch where he stands with his drink in his hand, and tells him that's the silliest thing she's ever heard him say--"Don't you know that anything that bothers you is a concern of mine?" Sam, drinking, says there's nothing she can do about it. Tucking her hands in her pockets, Maggie says despondently, "I know that. I even tried to call Roger Collins." Sam stares at her. "You did what?" he asks, horrified. She explains she just wanted to find out what was bothering him. Disbelieving, Sam says, "You...called Roger Collins..." "Yes," Maggie admits. "Don't get into such an uproar, Pop, he wouldn't even talk to me." "Of course he wouldn't," Sam rages. "Why should he?" His voice rising with anger, he continues, "Didn't I ask you to stay out of this? Didn't I tell you that it was none of your business? You and your infernal prying are likely to be the death of me yet!" Maggie: "Pop..." Sam continues ranting, "And I'm saying that literally! For all I know you may have signed my death warrant!" Maggie tries to placate him, "Pop..." Sam, fists clenched as though he's about to strike his daughter, growls, Don't argue with me!" "I'm not," Maggie says, clearly cowed.
Shaking his hand, then pointing at her, Sam cries, "Go back to your job and your fancy restaurant and just leave me in peace!" He turns away from her. Maggie says, "Pop, I can't leave you..." He interrupts, threateningly, "You do as I say, or so help me I'll..." Maggie puts a calming hand on his wrist and says, quietly, "Pop, OK, OK, I'm going, just settle down...don't aggravate yourself!" She backs away from him, heading for the door, looking very upset. At the door, she says, forlornly, like a lost little girl, "Remember--you're all I have." She turns and leaves, closing the door behind her. Sam drinks, then walks to the door and pushes the dead bolt closed, leaning his head against the door miserably.
Roger is pounding at the door, demanding, "Open up, Evans, I know you're in there, open up!" He bangs furiously at the door, over and over. Sam exits the bedroom, running a hand through his hair. "Who is it?" he asks in a low voice. "Roger Collins." "What do you want?" "I want to talk to you, don't be an idiot, open the door." Sam unlatches the dead bolt and opens the door reluctantly. Roger comes in and sarcastically inquires, "Is your phone in working order?" Sam says he knows Roger didn't come there to ask about his phone.
"No," Roger says, adding sarcastically, "but when I was talking to you earlier, we were somehow disconnected, and when I tried to call you back, there was no answer. Naturally, I assume that your phone was out of order." Sam goes into the living room and grabs his bottle of booze. Roger rushes over and takes it from him. "You've had enough of that," he insists. "I want you to tell me exactly what you told Bill Malloy last night." Sam tells Roger he already told him--he doesn't recall telling him anything. Roger asks if he spoke to anyone else. Sam grabs his glass and asks, "You don't think much of me, do you?" "No," Roger says. "Well," Sam says, "what we think of one another is infinitely less than we deserve." He points a finger at Roger and says, "But you got me into this!" Roger protests, "No, I didn't--your greed did!" Sam sits on the sofa and drinks. Roger adds, "And since you are in it, you've got to stay in it." Sam asks why Malloy's been pumping him. Roger says sternly, "The question is not why he was asking for information, but whether or not you gave him any." Sam is sure he told him nothing, and Roger asks what he told Maggie. Nothing, Sam asserts. Then why did she call him at his house? Roger demands. Sam says he doesn't know. "You know that she did call me?" Roger asks. Yes, Sam knows, she was just here--"She said she tried to talk to you, but you wouldn't talk to her on the phone." "Why should I--unless she has information--to give--or to sell," Roger says significantly, seating himself on the coffee table in front of Sam. Sam quickly insists Maggie doesn't know anything to say against Roger, she just wanted to know if Roger could tell her what was upsetting her father so much, that's all. "Then she's more naive than she looks," Roger says. Raising his hands in an imploring gesture, Sam says, with self-loathing, "I threatened her...do you hear what I said, I almost raised my hand to her!" "I think it might have been an excellent idea if you did!" says Roger. Sam, bristling, says, "I never thought I could hate a man as much as I do you!" Roger stands, staring down at Sam, and says, "The feeling is entirely mutual. What a pity that neither of us can do anything about it." Roger turns on his heels and opens the door. "Just remember one thing," he says as a parting shot, "I have no intention of letting your weakness carry me down." Says Sam, "You just said there was nothing we can do about it." "Perhaps I'll think of something," Roger says, and leaves, closing the door behind him. Sam rises from the sofa, drink in hand, and pours more in his glass. "Perhaps I will, too," he says.
Liz is on the phone in the drawing room, asking the operator if there's any other number where she might reach Mr. Calder. "Very well, try him there," she asks. She spots Vicki and says, "Never mind, I'll call him later," and hangs up the phone. Vicki says she didn't know Liz was on the telephone, and Liz assures her it was nothing important. Vicki says she's going into Collinsport--is there anything Mrs. Stoddard needs? No, Liz says, and asks how she's going to get there. "Walk," Vicki says. "The exercise will do me good. I don't see why you don't get out more..." Vicki catches herself and glances down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," Vicki says softly. Liz says there's no need to apologize. She knows it seems odd she hasn't been off the grounds in all these years; Liz is sure Vicki wonders why. "I think that's your affair," Vicki says. "Yes it is," Liz agrees. "Will you be home for dinner?" Vicki says yes. Liz asks her to tell Carolyn to call her if she happens to run into her in town, and Vicki promises she will. "See you later," Vicki says. Liz closes the double doors and goes back to the phone.
She dials the operator and says she wants to put in a person to person call to Ned Calder in Portland. 311-500-098. If Mr. Calder isn't there, she would like to talk to his secretary. Liz reaches the secretary. She identifies herself and asks if Mr. Calder was planning to come and see her. "I see...is there no way you can reach him? Very well. When you hear from him, ask him to call me--he has my number." There is a banging at the front door. "Tell him that it's most important. Thank you." Liz hangs up, opens the double doors, and opens the front doors. Sam Evans is standing there, and he and Liz survey each other silently.
Notes - Notice the rich man and the poor man--Roger and Sam--both deal with phone calls they don't want in the same rude way--they hang up on the offending caller. Roger assumes Maggie has information she wants to buy or sell, which is the way HE thinks, but her love for her father is something he would find alien, since he has a real lack of it for everyone in his life--and everyone for him.
You have to feel sorry for Maggie when, after her father's diatribe, she reminds him that he is all she has. His actions towards her seem terribly cruel, and you wish he would tell her what's troubling him. Somehow, you sense she would understand. Right now, both of them are being eaten alive by what he can't tell her. That she went over his head to call Roger Collins shows how very concerned she is for his welfare. She had to know she would incur his wrath in trying to pursue the truth, and the fallout was very unpleasant. Sam seems a basically good guy; Maggie is a sweetheart. You want to see them out from under Roger's oppressive yoke.
Roger and Sam make strange bedfellows. They are joined at the hip by what happened 10 years ago with Burke Devlin, and hate both each other and themselves for this enforced tie. You know Roger would be disdainful toward a poor artist under normal circumstances. Roger comes off as cold, calculating and very cruel towards Sam, whose drinking problem started with this whole ugly mess. Very sad.
We also see the bone of contention between Liz and Roger--she bought up the shares of stock he was willing to let the public purchase. He spent his inheritance having fun; she spent hers responsibly. There is much resentment between them on this point, and Roger feels contempt for his sister for doing what was right for the Collins family instead of being true to herself. You feel he hates his job, Collinwood and most of all, himself. It makes Roger look like a real bastard when he refuses to help his sister with her daughter, and yet Roger, in his own way, does seem to love Carolyn.
I repeat--Who is Ned Calder and why does Liz seem so anxious to get hold of him?
There is real tension in the last scene as Sam faces Liz. What is he planning to do--tattle on Roger? He is so hateful, you almost wish he would.
Episode #42 - One hundred and thirty years ago, the love of a man and woman built this mansion on the crest of Widows' Hill--today, fear, distrust and hatred have almost destroyed it.
Excuse me for disturbing you, says Sam, I'm looking for Roger Collins. He's not at home, says Liz, I'm his sister. Are you expecting him? asks Sam. Sometime later, says Liz--you'll probably find him at the cannery. It's a private matter, says Sam, I wouldn't want to disturb him there. Do I know you? she asks kindly. Forgive me, says Sam, I'm forgetting what little manners I have--I'm Sam Evans--the painter. I'm going to have to ask your pardon, apologizes Liz, we haven't met in some time. More than 18 years, he says, I've changed since that time. She invites him in, and he asks if she's sure he isn't disturbing her. Not at all, she assures him, and he enters Collinwood, rubbing his mouth. Perhaps I can be of help, she suggests. No, I have to see your brother, insists Sam. I told you he wasn't at home, she reminds him--if you'd care to use the phone. No, if you're sure he isn't at home, says Sam, I have to confess--I didn't want to see him at all. Who did you want to see? she asks. You, he says--I want to talk to you about your brother. I don't want to hear any gossip abut Roger, she says. This isn't gossip, it's the truth, he says. I think I'd better ask you to come back when my brother is home, she says. No, I want to talk to you alone, says Sam, a hint of desperation in his voice. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave, she says. Even if my staying would help your brother out of some serious trouble? Asks Sam. A short time ago, my brother was almost killed in an automobile accident, says Liz--no trouble could be as serious as that. Even if it concerned another time, another automobile accident, says Sam, say, 10 years ago.
What are you after, money? she asks. Not more money, he says. Then what do you want? she asks. TO save my soul, he says, and Liz gestures to the drawing room.
Sam looks around, entranced. Well, Mr. Evans? Liz asks. This is the first time I've ever been in this room, remarks Sam--it's beautiful. It's dark and gloomy and you know it, says Liz--please get to the point. To me, says Sam, any room that has paintings on the walls is a beautiful room--they're all ancestral portraits, aren't they? Yes, says Liz. Do you know that your husband once consulted me about doing his portrait? asks Sam. Paul? asks Liz. Yes, I remember distinctly, says Sam, it was the same size as that one over the mantelpiece--I believe I have some prelimnary sketches, if I could find them, perhaps you'd be interested in seeing them. No, I don't want to see them, says Liz, turning away. Strangely enough, someone else asked me to do a portrait with the same specifications, says Sam--well, that is, he mentioned the size he wanted--identical to that one up there (he indicates Jeremiah). You don't often find subjects in a small place like Collinsport, remarks Liz, not customers who can afford to pay the price--is it a local person? You might know him, says Sam, he used to be a friend of your brother's. You must mean Burke Devlin, says Liz with distaste--did you agree to do the portrait? Burke is a very persuasive fellow, says Sam, besides, he has an interesting face. Have you had a chance to talk to him at any great length? Asks Liz. Not yet, says Sam, but if I do the portrait, of course, it will mean several days of sittings. I wondered if he mentioned why he came back to Collinsport, asks Liz. It is his home, says Sam. I know, but a man like that who has a chance to travel, see the world, you wouldn't think he'd be content to settle in a tiny place like this. Who knows? asks Sam, he might have had the incentive to make money just so he could come back here. Why? asks Liz. I suppose he has his reasons, says Sam uncomfortably. I see people so seldom, says Liz, I'm afraid I've become a poor hostess--would you care for a drink? If you're sure it's no trouble, says Sam (probably frothing inside for one). No trouble at all, says Liz, going to the sideboard and pouring--my brother keeps quite a supply on hand--he likes to drink himself sometimes. Yes, I know, says Sam, and quickly downs the glass of booze with a sigh of relief.
Burke enters a fancy restaurant in Bangor and shakes hands with a man sitting at a table--Mr. Blair. (?) Will Bronson be joining us? asks Burke. I don't think so, says Blair--would you like to order? No, I'd like a drink, says Burke, we can talk about business later. (There is a waiter wearing a tuxedo and other patrons.) Burke orders a scotch and water, then asks Blair what he's got for him. Just what you asked me for, says Blair. Good, says Burke. I think we're not in a position to start picking up the outstanding notes that are held by the bank, says Blair. This will give me complete control of the Collins canneries, says Burke. Blair tells him that if he wants to go further, he imagines he can gain control of any property the Collins family has an interest in. Burke smiles and says he wants to go further--much further. A waiter brings over the drinks. Carolyn enters the restaurant and is seated at the table. She tells the waiter she'll order later--she's expecting someone to join her. Burke, not knowing she's come into the restaurant, sits with Blair, oblivious.
Carolyn can see Burke clearly from her vantage point. Other people enter the restaurant. Burke flips through a pad of papers that Blair has given him and asks if that's the full list. To the best of my knowledge, says Blair. Your knowledge had better be perfect, says Burke, that's what I'm paying you for. You can check it out for yourself, says Blair. The first thing I do, says Burke, is check out the people that I hire--then I leave the details to them, so I don't have to check on this--I've already checked on you. Satisfactorily, I hope? Asks Blair, sans humor. You wouldn't be sitting there if it wasn't, Burke assures him. I'm ready to move when you give the move, says Blair--I think Mr. Harris at the bank is expecting a call from me. There's no possibility of him connecting you with me? asks Burke. Not the slightest, says Blair--all he knows is that I represent a New York investment company interested in acquiring notes and mortgages--when do I start? There's not much of a rush, says Burke--part of the pleasure I get from ruining the Collins enterprises is the anticipation of doing it--he smiles. Carolyn looks at her face in her compact and puts in powder. She's smiling. The thing I like about your work is that it's thorough, says Burke, handing the other man what looks like a legal document--you never ask any questions. That's what I'm paid for, says Blair. Good, says Burke. You must have noticed that the only property that has a mortgage is the big house itself--Collinwood. Carolyn watches. I suppose pride prevented them from putting that up for hock, says Burke. Not at all, says Blair--Mr. Harris said that Mrs. Stoddard inquired about borrowing on it, but it's not an asset--more like a liability. That's interesting, says Burke. Who'd want it? asks Blair--big house like that, unless somebody wanted to turn it into a resort hotel or something--not too long ago, Mrs. Stoddard put in a petition for the property tax to be reduced--the reason for it was that half of the house is shut off and nothing used. The petition was granted, I suppose, asks Burke. Yes it was, Blair tells him. I'm not surprised, says Burke bitterly, that family owns everything there is to own in that town
--except me. And you want to see that reversed, says Blair--you want to own everything that's there to own--except them. Including them, says Burke firmly--now, shall we eat?--and he turns and spots Carolyn sitting at another table--excuse me, says Burke. Hi, greets Carolyn--you surprised? Not really, he says. Wont' you sit down? she asks. Burke exchanges glances with Blair and says yes, he thinks he'd better. Carolyn gazes fondly at Burke.
Collinwood - Sam drains his drink and tells Liz he thinks he needed that, thank you very much. Now if you're sufficiently refreshed, she says, why don't you tell me why you came here to see me. I wanted to see the portraits, I've heard so much about them, says Sam. Nonsense, says Liz--I'm not a mind reader--what do you really want? Well, says Sam, I want to tell you something about your family--something I learned, you might say, accidentally. Why come to me with it? asks Liz. Who else? asks Sam. Why go to anyone? asks Liz--why not keep it to yourself? That's the trouble, he says, I've kept it too long to myself. I hardly know you, says Liz, rising and walking around the room, I certainly don't know you well enough to discuss family affairs with you. Please, begs Sam. I have no idea what you expect to gain by coming here, says Liz, her voice rising, I knew you'd sunk low, but I didn't think anyone could sink so low as to try to sell information about someone who'd done something foolish. Sam tries to interject, but Liz, on a roll now, orders him to please not interrupt. Someone knocks at the door. Liz looks disapprovingly back at Sam, who drains the last few drops from his glass. It's Joe at the door, reminding Liz she said she wanted to see him. Yes, she says, closing the doors--it's about Carolyn--have you seen her? No, says Joe, but I have a pretty good idea where she might be.
You said you knew where Carolyn went, Liz reminds him. Look, says Joe, uncomfortable, I don't want to sound like a spy. I'm worried about her, says Liz--she left word that she might not be home for dinner. And you thought she might have had a date with me, says Joe. She didn't say where she expected to dine, says Liz. Or with whom, says Joe--all right, I'll tell you--earlier, she was in the restaurant with Burke Devlin--later, a friend of mine told me he saw her in her car, on the road to Bangor. Perhaps she had some shopping to do, suggests Liz. Maybe Burke Devlin had some shopping to do, too, says Joe. What do you mean by that? asks Liz. I stopped by the hotel before I came here, says Joe, and I asked to see him--the clerk told me Mr. Devlin had gone to Bangor for the day. Do you think they arranged to meet there? asks Liz. I don't know, says Joe, upset. I'll speak to Carolyn when she gets home, says Liz. If she gets home, says Joe. I don't think it's that bad, Liz assures him--did you see Mr. Malloy? No, he hasn't been near the plant all day, says Joe. That's odd, says Liz, oh, Joe, Sam Evans is in there, will you go talk to him, close the doors, I'll see if I can get hold of Mr. Malloy--there's a drink in there if you want it. Don't even suggests it, says Joe, and goes into the drawing room with Sam. Liz dials the phone.
That's quite a coincidence, says Burke to Carolyn, you just happening to drop in here. It could have been a coincidence, she says, I come here a lot. But today it wasn't, he says. No, she admits--I followed you from Collinsport--I'm a curious girl. You certainly are, he says, very curious. I wanted to see who you were going to meet, she says. Oh, did you expect I'd come here for a rendezvous with a glamorous, sloe-eyed siren?--do I detect a slight note of jealousy? Why should I care what you do? she asks. That's a good question, he says, but I'm the one who should be asking it--why should you care what I do? I told you, she says, I simply was curious--you're the one to blame--acting so mysterious all over town. here's nothing at all mysterious about my trip to Bangor, says Burke, I came here to meet my first love--money--Mr. Blair is my banker, and since you've come this far, you might as well join us for lunch. Oh, no, I don't want to interfere with your business appointment, says Carolyn--I thought maybe afterwards. You'd be surprised how quickly I can wind up my business, he says, leading Carolyn to his other table, a dark expression on his face. He sighs.
Burke introduces Blair to Carolyn Collins Stoddard. How did you know my middle name? asks Carolyn. It had to be that, says Burke--Mr. Blair is a nefarious old swindler who I am engaged with to defraud your mother out of every single one of her vested interests. Oh, come off it, giggles Carolyn, it's nice to meet you, she says. Mr. Blair is an old friend of mine from New York, says Burke, who just invited me up here for a drink--how will that do? I'll buy that, she says. I thought you would, says Burke--and I will buy you lunch. She sits in the booth. Unfortunately, says Burke, Mr. Blair has another appointment, don't you, Mr. Blair? Yes, says the letter, checking his watch, I'm rather late now--great pleasure, Miss Stoddard. He leads Burke away from Carolyn. Burke tells him to go back to the hotel, he'll call him later. Blair agrees, then turns to Carolyn and asks her to forgive him for not joining them, but business before pleasure. Burke sits beside Carolyn, who asks him if it's possible he got rid of him so he could be alone with her. Why not? asks Burke, you're much prettier than he is. But I thought you said money was your first love, she says--and Mr. Blair must represent money. Oh, he does, my dear, says Burke, he DOES!--Mr. Blair represents more money than I'll ever see--and of course it's true I do have a fondness for the stuff, but only to buy pretty things for attractive young girls. Are you putting me on? she asks, grinning. Why on earth would I do that? he asks. I admit, I acted like a child, following you here, she says, but please don't treat me like one. Very well, Miss Stoddard, he says, how would you like to be treated? Oh, well, like a girl you really had a lunch date with, she says, Splendid, says Burke, now we shall start by ordering a splendid lunch--he takes out a pen and signs something brought over by the waiter--since you are a very special girl, he says, you shall have a very special lunch--salads, baked potato and steak, medium rare--how does that sound? Can I have French fries? asks Carolyn. Yes, I forgot, he says humorously, I'm worrying abut my age--French fries for the lady, please. The waiter leaves with the order and Burke asks Carolyn, "Will the witness answer as directed--where did you have lunch on the after noon in question, and with whom?" Right here, she laughs, with you. Is that what you're going to answer when questioned by your mother? asks Burke--your uncle, Joe Haskell and even Victoria Winters? She nods and says she'll tell the truth--unless he doesn't want her to. Always tell the truth, advises Burke, it's much better in the long run--now, to continue--how was this lunch date arranged?--did the prisoner insist?--did he drag you there against your will?--you'll note of course that I am the prisoner. Oh, she says, well, then, your honor, I must say the prisoner did none of those things--I alone am to blame--I confess and throw myself on the mercy of the court! The court recognizes the sterling qualities of the witness and as a reward, presents her with this sterling silver pen--and he hands her the pen he used to write down their order for the waiter. Carolyn laughs and says she hopes the case is dismissed--here's your pen back. That's not mine, I gave it to you, says Burke seriously. It was just in fun, says Carolyn. I never do anything in fun, says Burke, gazing at her intently, the pen is yours. I couldn't, she insists, it must have cost a lot. Do you think I would give you anything that didn't cost a lot? asks Burke, handing it back--I insists that you take it. She thanks him very much and takes it back. Yes, perhaps you can write down your innermost secrets with it, suggests Burke. I have no secrets, says Carolyn, gazing at the pen. Then you're very fortunate, says Burke. Maybe I'll use it to write down what happens to me every day--I'll start a diary, she says.
You're right, says Burke, everyone should have a diary from the day they are born--the pen is yours. She examines it, takes off the cap (it's a fountain pen), replaces it.
Are you sure Mr. Malloy isn't there somewhere? asks Liz on the phone--if you see him, ask him to call Mrs. Stoddard--it's very important--thank you. Liz hangs up and enters the drawing room, where Sam stands and Joe sits. Did you find Mr. Malloy? Asks Joe. No, says Liz, I didn't. What do you want with Malloy? asks Sam. He manages my company, says Liz--is there any reason I shouldn't want to see him? No, says Sam, I guess not--if he ever tells you anything about me, don't you pay him any attention. What should he want to tell me about you? asks Liz. Nothing, I suppose, says Sam anxiously, he doesn't know one single thing! I've been very patient, says Liz--suppose you stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want. Well, says Sam. Joe asks Liz if she wants him to leave. No, says Liz, with Mr. Evan's attitude, it might be well to have a witness to what he's going to say--well, Mr. Evans? No, I can't do it, I can't! cries Sam, and leaves the house.
Puzzled, Joe and Liz watch him go. Do you know what he was talking about? asks Liz. No, says Joe, while you were on the phone, he just stood there, he wouldn't say a word--do you want me to go after him, bring him back? No, says Liz, the worst part of a secret is not being able to tell anyone--Sam Evans will come back of his own accord--when he can no longer stand keeping it to himself.
NOTES: Is Liz right? Will Sam break under the weight of his secret and come back and tell? I don't know, but I suspect if she'd been kinder to him, less impatient, he would have spilled. Who could talk to someone as icy as Liz behaved toward him?
A big deal was made of Burke giving Carolyn that pen. It's going to turn up again, and again, a significant plot point. What WILL Carolyn tell everyone when she gets home? Burke is becoming predatory, wanting not just the Collins family assets, but Carolyn, too. Is he planning to break her heart? She isn't a baked potato girl, but a French fry girl. Will she be sorry she ever chased Burke to Bangor?
So Burke is moving forward on his plan to destroy the Collins family, and Blair is helping him. Interesting to have another Mr. Blair in the picture, even if it isn't our Nicholas.
I loved the restaurant set in Bangor, it looked really fancy and real. There was also a touch of realism in the two waiters, other customers, etc.--you didn't get the idea that the Collinses and their friends are the only people in the universe.
Have a great weekend!
Love, Robin
