367 - (Joan Bennett) - Time stands still at Collinwood, for one girl has mysteriously disappeared. She has embarked on a strange and dangerous journey-a journey that transcends time and space, and inexplicably she finds herself trapped in time.
When Vicki awakens in bed in the simple room Barnabas originally showed her to, she's wearing a red gown of the period and is being watched over by the dour Abigail Collins. Of course, Vicki thinks it's Mrs. Johnson, who the woman resembles, but it's not. Abigail identifies herself and remarks how shockingly immodest Vicki's clothing was. Vicki asks the woman what the year is and is stunned to hear 1795 again. Abigail questions Vicki about who she is and what she's doing there, and why is she pretending to be a governess? Vicki is unable to answer these questions and Abigail doesn't give her much of a chance to.
She looks into Vicki's eyes and sees devil possession, pronouncing Vicki Satan's handmaiden! Ridiculous, Vicki says, she loves the Collins family! How can that be? demands Abigail-you don't even know us! She wants to burn Vicki's shocking clothing, but Vicki begs her not to. She locks poor Vicki in the room, taking the clothes with her. Vicki bangs on the door to be let out, then finally climbs out the window (upstairs?)
Vicki goes to Collinwood, which is, indeed, under construction, only to find Burke Devlin's twin, Jeremiah Collins (in a magnificent powder blue waistcoat). She runs into his arms but quickly realizes this isn't Burke. She explains that the man she loved is dead, and apologizes for her mistake. He kindly tells her he's sorry he isn't who she thinks he is. She bursts into tears and he gives her his handkerchief. She introduces himself, although she can't explain where she's from. He tells her that everyone is really curious about her, and this business about her arrival in place of the other governess is really strange. Naomi and Sarah already like her, he points out. Vicki tells him what Abigail did to her, and how she threatened to burn her clothes. He assures her not to worry about his sister; she's a flake and only Joshua listens to her-Abigail has always had this thing about witches. Vicki tells Jeremiah she came to Collinwood because she thought she'd feel safe there--again, she has no idea why. She has nowhere to go. Jeremiah is sure she isn't a witch, because witches don't cry over the men they love.
He promises to protect her and asks her to trust him; she says she will.
Vicki is pacing her room at the Old House when Jeremiah comes in with her clothes--keep them hidden, he advises. He tells her they must concoct a story, a plausible lie, to tell Joshua, or she'll be in danger.
Downstairs, Abigail tells Joshua that Vicki is in league with the devil--she feels evil vibrations from her. Naomi requests permission to speak, and tells her husband that his sister speaks nonsense--Vicki is a sweet, frightened girl, Abigail is twisted and cruel. Abigail tartly suggests, re Naomi: "the little bird has finally found a tongue," and that her sister-in-law isn't usually in any condition to run the house.
When Naomi retorts back, Joshua implies he'll send her to her room. (Fascinating family dynamic here.) Naomi points out to her husband that Sarah needs a governess, and Jeremiah enters and quickly agrees. She's got the references, he says, and continues, explaining that the carriage overturned, she was wandering around the woods, and the name Victoria Winters popped into her head--which is why she gave that as her name. Abigail suggests he's bewitched by her beauty, and Jeremiah insists she's jealous of it (get her)! He goes on to wonder just who is the head of the household, Abigail or Joshua, and the latter insists that he wants to see Miss Winters. Angry, Abigail suggests her little brother has turned against her, too.
Vicki comes downstairs for her interview with Joshua and immediately notices the Roger resemblance. She wisely keeps it to herself this time, although her face betrays her for a few moments. Joshua questions Vicki about her odd behavior, and says he knows about the carriage accident. He asks if she reads and writes, and, seeming surprised, says she does both, plus knows history, English lit, math and can play the. .clavichord? suggests Joshua. Yes, she quickly agrees.
He asks where she got her education. I was brought up in a Boston foundling home, replies Vicki. He asks her to step into the light, looks her over, pronounces her intelligent and harmless, and offers her four bucks a month plus room and board. She's to be in the nursery 8 AM the following morning; Sarah will be ready.
After Vicki goes back upstairs, Naomi tells Joshua she's glad he made the right decision. Abigail disagrees, and Joshua's pissed at both for eavesdropping. Abigail reminds him of something their mother taught them--when the face of evil presents itself, it must be crushed! Remember that, Abigail warns Joshua-remember it well. Naomi looks upset.
Such fun, huh? Gotta love the brother/sister relationships here, and isn't Nathan Forbes a hoot?
368_369 - (Joan Bennett) - Time has been suspended at Collinwood, while one woman makes an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to 1795. When that woman from the present lives in the past she has always loved, she will discover that tragedies often start before we're born.
Too bad this ep was in black and white; Angelique is too beautiful to be seen in anything but color, and those eyes!
Barnabas stares out the window at the storm, fretting about Josette's ship, which is two weeks overdue. Vicki assures him his fiancee will arrive safely, and she's so sure of herself, Barnabas eagerly asks if she's psychic, which Vicki vehemently denies. She wouldn't tell the future if she could, she assures him. He pursues the subject, asking her to predict when Josette's ship will arrive, and she's saved from answering by Joshua's entrance. He orders Vicki to fetch Sarah, who has wandered into his study because Vicki wasn't with her. Once Vicki leaves, he lambastes Barnabas for not being at the office and for worrying about Josette's safe arrival. Josh puts down the whole concept of love and when Barnabas insists Josette is his life, Joshua scoffs at that--a woman isn't a future! (what about the children she will produce?) There's a knock at the door, and since servants seem hard to come by (Curtis didn't want to pay extras at this point), Barnabas opens the door. It's Angelique, the duPres' gorgeous blonde, blue-eyed servant, bringing word that the Countess' carriage is stuck in the mud. She seems REALLY happy to see Barnabas and even though he says, "You must be wet" (I ain't touching that one with a ten-foot pole, folks!) insists on accompanying him back to the carriage, gazing at him with proprietary interest.
Naomi, hanging out in her room, pours a drink. Joshua comes in and is annoyed because she's drinking such good sherry at such a bad hour.
He pours her drink back into the bottle, then tears her a new one for not seeing to it that the house is run better. The servants aren't where they should be, nothing is ready for the guests, and Naomi is obviously drunk. Perhaps they'll think her ill, he suggests. She promises she'll be all right, and he coldly says she had better be--they're here!
Natalie duPres, an obviously difficult woman, haughtily complains to Barnabas, who tries to placate her, about Josette's failure to arrive before she did. He assures her that, although they didn't expect the Countess yet, they're thrilled to see her. She looks over the Old House, which is to be Josette's home, with disdain, complaining about the lack of color, the coldness, the rain. Barnabas assures her that his love for Josette will overshadow all else, and Natalie seems skeptical. When Barnabas introduces Joshua and Naomi to Natalie, she calls Maine a wasteland and says she hated New York, a city Joshua says he likes.
He scoffs at the affectation of her title of Countess, she says she hates France and walks off, Angelique in tow.
Joshua orders Barnabas to get his buns to work, then, upstairs alone with Naomi, expresses hope that Josette is nothing like her aunt. Natalie is a snob, he rants, people are created equal, after all. He is pleased with his sugar-cane shipping deal with Andre duPres, and Naomi complains that he should care more that Josette was brought up with love in the house. It's always business first with him, she says, clearly miserable, and we can already understand the reason for her heavy drinking.
Down in the living room, Natalie is showing Barnabas her tarot cards, laying them out on a table and explaining what they mean--she believes in it completely. Barnabas, she says, is the magician who has won Josette's love. He spots the sign for infinity on the magician card and she asks if he'd like to live forever. "Of course," the innocent, unknowing Barnabas says. Natalie spots something terrible and says, "No you wouldn't!" Vicki enters, and Barnabas introduces Natalie to her. Vicki mumbles that she looks like someone she knows, which irritates the Countess.
Barnabas rattles on about Vicki's clairvoyance, which she denies having. Natalie points out that Josette, as represented by the High Priestess, is safe aboard ship--but she spies a Wicked Woman beside Josette! Natalie, upset, hastily ends the reading, telling Barnabas this wicked woman in the house will create much grief. Natalie looks pointedly at Vicki when she says this.
Alone in his bedroom, Barnabas wonders why Natalie ended the tarot reading so abruptly, and decides if anyone is the wicked woman, it's the Countess herself. There are several knocks on his door, he asks who it is, but the knocks continue. He finally opens the door--it's Angelique, "a ghost from your past," she says teasingly. She waited for him, all day, but he didn't come. She embraces him--she doesn't have his pride, and has awakened many times hearing him say her name. She asks if he thought about her, and, embarrassed, admits he did, yes, she's pretty, but what happened between them was a mistake and wrong. It was his fault, his weakness, but he loves Josette. "But you came to ME!" Angelique reminds him, and says she loves him. No you don't, he protests--sure. he's glad to see her, but Josette is coming. She's not here yet! Ang reminds him, perturbed because he is so different and cold towards her now. I must be cold, he asserts, I knew I loved Josette, but didn't realize she reciprocated my feelings, but now that we've written each other and are engaged, what was between you me is impossible. They have different roles to play, he insists. The only role I want to play is that of your servant, and no one else's, she says, trying to touch him.
He turns her down her generous, passionate offer. Angelique, eyes blazing even in black and white, promises, "You will see, Barnabas!", angrily closing the door behind her.
NOTES: I always found it so freaky to learn that all Barnabas' problems stemmed from having sex with this jealous, angry woman! It seems so mundane a crime for being made a vampire.
Adored Grayson Hall as Natalie. She's so full of herself, telling everyone exactly what she thinks, and oh, did she ever piss off Joshua! They're hilarious together.
Angelique is sultry, passionate, and you can easily see why Barnabas dallied with her. She apparently expected the erotic games to continue, at least until Josette arrived, and probably after, but Barnabas is determined to be the faithful fiance, even though he knows Angelique's goods are there for the taking, and probably without strings. What would have happened if he'd given in? Would she still have set out to ruin his life?
Naomi is a sad woman, an alcoholic, apparently, but married to Joshua, who seems so cold, having to deal with Abigail, who is so judgmental and bitchy, who can blame her?
Love, Robin
