370 - (KLS) - Time has been suspended at Collinwood. It waits for the completion of an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to the year 1795. The young woman who has made this strange journey has already learned that over the years the history of the Collins family has been twisted to conceal certain truths. She will soon learn that the past holds as much evil and terror as the present.
Angelique, having swiped Barnabas' toy soldier, stands in the drawing room. She questions Jeremiah about the toy, which he, amused, identifies as "a member of the Regiment," one of his nephew, Barnabas', favorite toys as a child. He offers to take it back to the playroom, but she asks to hold onto it for a while, and he says OK. She tells herself she's going to use that toy to cause Barnabas severe pain. Vicki greets Angelique, who slips the soldier into her dress pocket. They chat, and Vicki points out they're both servants from foreign places and should be friends. Angelique says she's sure they will be.
Vicki sits down to do some needlepoint. Jeremiah enters in. He's impressed to hear she told Sarah to take a nap and the child did so. He hopes she'll stay with them, he says, and she says she will, having no place else to go.
She says she still doesn't remember details about herself, and he assures her that he has more influence with Joshua than Abigail so Vicki shouldn't worry about the latter's accusations. When he tells her he finds her charming and mysterious, she seems uncomfortable. He recalls his resemblance to this man and asks if she loved him. Yes, she loves him still, she says. Is he the reason you might leave us? Jeremiah asks, and Vicki says it's the reason she is staying.
Angelique is in her plain servant's room talking to the soldier and playing with one of Barnabas' handkerchiefs. She's going to use these two items to make Barnabas sorry for that he did to her, she vows. Hearing a knock at the door, she hides the items and answers. It's Barnabas, come to apologize for the incident the night before. He wants them to be friends, something she insists he could have told her anywhere in the house-- the fact that he came to her room puts a different light on things. She hugs him, clings to him. "We can't resist each other," says Angelique--does he remember their nights in Martinique? Oh, yes, he sure does, he says, but. . .the two of them are the only reality, she cries, her lips only inches from his. Giving in to his base passion, Barnabas pulls Angelique into his arms and kisses her hard--then pushes her violently away.
NO! We cannot resist each other, Angelique repeats, but he says he will, he has to, he lost control and he's sorry. She grips his lapels and tells him when two people are drawn to each other, as they are. . . . He says any relationship between them would be. . .quite wrong, for he loves Josette. So, Angelique says, her face furious, you didn't mean all those sweet things you said to me in Martinique (presumably in bed)? Yes, but only at the time, he says, flustered. So it was only an experience of the moment? Don't think of it that way, Barnabas says (even though is sounds that way)? She asks him to leave her room, she wants to be alone. Can they be friends? he quietly asks. "I will always be much closer to you than you think," she promises him, and they exchange a long stare before he leaves the room.
Andre duPres, a bluff, blustery man, arrives, decrying Collins hospitality, infuriated because there's no one to greet them. Vicki comes downstairs and of course, immediately notices the Sam Evans resemblance, and, when Andre ushers in his stunning daughter, Josette, Vicki is staring even harder at her.
Josette notices and asks Vicki why. Jeremiah greets them cordially, apologizing for the delay, but reminds them the ship was late and they weren't aware exactly when they were arriving. Jeremiah sends Vicki to tend to Sarah, then leads Andre away to his room. Left alone, Josette takes off her bonnet and gazes happily around what will be her home. Angelique runs in and the two young women hug, babbling to each other in French. Barnabas enters, proclaiming it a beautiful language and Josette runs eagerly into his embrace. He welcomes her to her new home as Angelique jealously watches, plotting against them. Hold him close, Angelique thinks, make the most of it, Mademoiselle,because he won't be yours much longer! Barnabas and Josette do some major smooching while Angelique jealously watches. Josette tells Angelique to take her bags upstairs and unpack,and the maidservant leaves, not at all happily. Barnabas and his fiancee exchange romantic patter. It seems more like three years than three months since they last saw each other; he was worried about her ship; I'm so happy to be in your arms, Barnabas. They exchange heartfelt I love you's, then more kisses. Angelique, in her room, puts her cruel plan into motion; she ties the handkerchief around the wooden soldier's neck. There won't be any wedding for Josette, she vows! She applies just a little pressure, and when Barnabas, in mid kiss, feels a choking sensation, he tells Josette his collar is too tight and loosens it. They kiss some more. She wants to see the estate, meet his family, and he promises her the grand tour--after one more kiss.
Angelique's eyes are gloating as she pulls tightly on the handkerchief.
Barnabas begins to choke in earnest, terrifying Josette, who helps him into a chair. He grabs his throat--he can't breathe! He begs her to help him, but she has no idea what to do. The room is getting dark! He cries. Barnabas, hand clutching his throat, falls from the chair and collapses on the floor, gasping for breath. Josette, horrified, screams.
NOTES: That Angelique sure does know how to have fun with her ex-lover, doesn't she? What do you think? Is she justified? Was Barnabas a pure cad? Is she overreacting just a tad?
371 - (Alexandra Moltke) - Time at the great house on the Collins estate is held in suspension. Before it can go forward again, they must await the outcome of one person's perilous journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There in the old Collins mansion, a strange, disenchanted and evil young girl has planned the destruction of Barnabas Collins.
There's a great deal of commotion in the Old House drawing room as Jeremiah and Josette minister to the stricken Barnabas, who continues to choke under the spell Angelique has cast. Jeremiah helps Barnabas upstairs to his bedroom, ordering Vicki to stay with Josette, who is beside herself with worry about her fiance. Vicki assures her, with conviction of knowing the future, that Barnabas will be all right, and Josette runs upstairs to be with Barnabas. Jeremiah can't understand what happened so suddenly and leaves to get the doctor, Josette begging him to hurry.
Angelique continues her tight stranglehold on the soldier with Barnabas' handkerchief.
Dr. Thornton tells Jeremiah he can't find anything physically wrong with Barnabas.
Sure, he's clearly sick, but without cause, and if it doesn't let up as quickly as it came on, Barnabas could die. He suggests a family member stay by his side, then leaves. Vicki assures Jeremiah, too, that Barnabas will recover, because it didn't--er, it can't--happen that way. Oops, almost gave herself away there! Vicki expresses surprise at Jeremiah's concern and affection for his nephew, which immediately makes him angry. He chides her for her strange, rude impressions,
then yells that he and Barnabas are the same age and as close as brothers--don't ever say such a thing again! He calms down and apologizes; he's just feeling so helpless right now.
Josette clings to the suffering Barnabas, crossing herself, praying for him to get well. Angelique comes in and smiles cruelly at this scene, but quickly gets down to the business of pretending to be Josette's faithful handmaiden and friend as they hug and Josette brings her up to speed on Barn's condition, which is really terrible. Angelique observes that he's obviously in pain (and oh, is she enjoying it), sympathizes, and expresses concern that the doctor couldn't help. She offers to pray beside Josette, and the two of them kneel at Barnabas' bedside. Ang suggests the Medal of Saint Pierre, and when Josette goes to get it, and she is left alone with Barnabas, the witch closes the door, gazes with satisfaction at the writhing man, and says, "Poor Barnabas. I know what's wrong." He's a foolish man who will learn from his suffering, she gloats, and feel differently towards her. He looks so pathetic, but it's his own fault! She asks if he has something that she'd like to hear, and when she caresses his throat, he is able to gasp out a few words--but they aren't what she wanted to hear. "Help me," he begs. I can't, she says, even the doctor is at a loss--besides, I'm only a servant, not worthy of you. He tells her he's going to die, upsetting her greatly. Death is so close, he whispers. She rises in tears, realizing she loves him and doesn't want him to die.
If that happens, she'll have no one! She won't lose him! Josette returns with her medal and Angelique flees the scene. She runs to her room and tries to loosen the bonds around the soldier's throat--too tight! She searches for a knife but can't find one, and, growing more and more frantic, finally works out the stubborn knot she had tied around the soldier's throat. (This is one instance where we learn that Angelique is neither a very experienced nor deft witch--there will be others.) Barnabas finds himself able to breathe again--the pressure is gone! Josette, thrilled, kisses her medal. Jeremiah comes in and hears the good news, which is what the doctor had suggested might happen. Josette, tearfully grateful, holds his hand against her cheek. Barnabas said that when the pain was most severe is when it stopped--he was a moment from death, he could feel it whispering to him.
Angelique tells the soldier she was foolish--she'd have had nothing if Barnabas had died. No, she'll seek revenge by preventing his marriage to Josette, but keep him alive--then he'll turn to her and she will be his! (Isn't there a song with those lyrics?)
NOTES: This is Angelique's first spell in Collinsport, and our first realization that she's a witch with uncertain powers. That she nearly killed Barnabas even after realizing she didn't want him to die after all proves that she's fairly fledgling at this voodoo thing and perhaps needs more schooling. Now that she's realized she wants to keep him alive but prevent his marriage to Josette, what will her next move be?
Vicki notes how close Barnabas and Jeremiah are, and unwisely says something about it to Jeremiah. She's also blathering about knowing that Barnabas will be all right, which is the root cause of problems that will shortly befall her. The original Vicki who came to Collinwood on that train wasn't this foolish. God help her.
Love, Robin
