378 - (KLS) - Time has been suspended at Collinwood, while one woman makes an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to the year 1795, where she finds a family unknowingly held in the grip of an evil force which no one can fight.
Ben is out in the woods sharpening an axe when Angelique summons him. He tries to ignore her call, thinking how much he'd rather help Barnabas than Angelique, but when her face appears before him, growing bigger, telling him he can't fight her, he knows he can't escape, and runs back to the Old House.
Barnabas is hurt and confused when Jeremiah tells him he's going away, right now.
At first, Jeremiah won't say that he's coming back for the wedding, at which he's supposed to be his nephew's best man, but tells him, evasively, he will do nothing to interfere with his and Josette's happiness, giving Barn the impression he will be back in time. Jeremiah tells Ben to get his bags and horse; he'll be taking the stage out of Collinsport.
Angelique isn't happy to hear about Jeremiah's sudden trip, and asks Ben to help her figure out a way to keep him from leaving. He tells her Barnabas already spoke to Jeremiah, trying to convince him not to go, but it didn't work. Ben says Josette must make Barnabas prevent Jeremiah from leaving; it's the only way, and Angelique is pleased that her slave came up with such a great idea--to make Barnabas' fiancee keep her lover in town. Angelique takes the headless doll and kneels before the fire. She tells the doll, "Jeremiah is leaving you, only Barnabas can stop him. Make Barnabas stop Jeremiah or you'll never see your lover again."
Josette immediately runs downstairs to Barnabas, who spots the mark on her hand. She dismisses it as a bruise. Trancelike, she tells him to stop Jeremiah from leaving. She knows why he's going--he hates her and disapproves of her marriage to Barnabas! Barnabas denies this--everyone loves her! Suddenly, the spell seemingly broken, she falls into his arms. He caresses her hair and professes his love--he'll talk to Jeremiah if it means that much to her.
Let him go, Josette says, it's for the best. He finds her change of heart rather peculiar and asks if she's all right. She notices the bruise is gone and is thrilled. Jeremiah should go, she says, she loves Barnabas and no one else! They kiss ardently.
Ben carries down Jeremiah's bags, signalling to Angelique that her plan didn't work. A triumphant Ben teases her about it, telling her Barn and Josette went to the stables to go riding together. Should she make their horses turn around? He smirks--he can tell her their names, if it would help. Joshua comes down and overhears Angelique telling Ben off, and demands to know if he said something improper. Angelique says he sure did, getting petty revenge, and pissing Ben off at her. Ben shouts at Joshua that he's rather be in prison than working for Joshua, and the latter orders Angelique to avoid Ben in the future--she's been warned! Angelique realizes that Jeremiah couldn't go if something happened to Joshua. Do something mean to him, chortles Ben, and Angelique promises that whatever she does, it will be a present to him.
Joshua and Jeremiah argue over the latter's impulsive decision to leave. Joshua has plans for him (Millicent), and he's being cruel to Barnabas to leave (which Jeremiah rightly denies); is he leaving because of some slut in the village?
The duPres' will take this as a sign of instability in the family; what if Joshua gets sick--who will take care of the business. . .Jeremiah listens impatiently, says he's lost control and must leave on a personal emergency, he's leaving, and that's it!
Angelique works the clay as Ben suggests what she should turn Joshua into--a snake, spider, jackass (oh, he'd work him to death, Ben gloats, and beat him good).
Jeremiah, having proclaimed his decision to leave no matter what, turns around to face Joshua. There is a black and white cat sitting there, but Joshua is gone!
Angelique hands the clay cat to Ben, who takes it in his hands and and laughs as Angelique says, "THERE is your master!"
379 - (Alexandra Moltke) - Time has been suspended at Collinwood while one woman makes an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to the year 1795, where in this house, a new mystery has started with a cruel and eerie disappearance.
Drawing room - Everyone is talking about Joshua's mysterious disappearance. Vicki tells Natalie that Naomi is very upset about Joshua, but the Countess insists that if SHE had lost a husband like Joshua, she'd order champagne. She insists that Vicki re-enact the circumstances under which the master of the house disappeared, and does a dead-on impression of Joshua's pomposity. Vicki, regarding this as cruel and embarrassing, isn't at all pleased about being asked to participate in this charade, ordered to look out the window as Jeremiah was during the argument, but the Countess feels if they do, the cat Will show up--and it does! The women stare at it, but Natalie warns Vicki not to touch the animal. The cards showed evil, and they were right!
Barnabas, exhausted from searching, comes in. There wasn't a trace of Joshua, he says forlornly. What is he going to tell his mother? Natalie asks Vicki to leave and Barnabas more kindly requests that she check on Naomi. Natalie asks Barn if they usually have a cat in the house, and Barnabas says no, Abigail calls them the devil's pet. Natalie believes Joshua was taken, and witchcraft is involved somehow.
She predicts he won't be found in any conventional places like the shipyards, and the cat is the laughter after the joke. Nathan bursts in--they've found footprints on Widow's Hill. Barnabas tells him where to find a pair of Joshua's boots to see if there is a match. As Nathan eavesdrops, Natalie tells Jeremiah that someone, a witch, didn't want Jeremiah to leave, then asks if Barnabas trusts Vicki.
Nathan heads into the study to get the boots, and when Vicki comes in, he tries to make another pass at her. She tells him he lacks taste and reminds him she now has to tell Sarah about her father. Does he really think she has nothing better to do to fly into his arms? He pronounces that a good idea, since she is beautiful, but Vicki is annoyed with him--she can't turn her emotions off and on as he apparently can. He gets quite serious then, and tells her she is going to need all the friends she can get--because Natalie thinks she's a witch! She refuses to believe him, and he says if Barnabas or Jeremiah told her, she would do so.
He remembers her weird dress and behavior when she first came, and assures her that her position isn't as secure as she thinks. She won't be blackmailed, says Vicki, and he advises her not to take this lightly--it's very serious.
The Countess sits in the study, having a drink, and Vicki comes in. She mentions Widows' Hill and Vicki says to herself, "Where Josette will die." She asks Natalie if what the cards say about the future can be changed, and Natalie says of course, then invites Vicki to sit down. The Countess has a severe coughing fit that causes tears to come to her eyes. She starts questioning Vicki about herself, and Vicki explains she was born in Boston. She almost reveals her birthdate to be the 20th century, but catches herself. She says she's 22, born March 4, 1774, but she doesn't know the hour for the Countess' offer of a horoscope. Vicki does says she no longer believes we are in charge of what happens to us (I guess the trip to 1795 has changed that view). Natalie notices Vicki's nervousness, which Vicki says is caused by the presence of the supernatural.
Vicki denies being clairvoyant, that it's a joke between her and Barnabas, and the Countess accuses Vicki of walking a thin line. Natalie gets nasty--something terrible is going to happen and she can't prevent it unless she knows what it is! Vicki knows she can't outright tell Natalie that Josette is going to marry Jeremiah, so when the Countess leaves the room, she quickly changes the cards in order to clue the other woman in. Nathan and Barnabas come in from searching, the latter exhausted. Natalie offers him a drink, and Vicki assures Barnabas that Joshua will be all right, immediately fanning Natalie's suspicions again. Vicki snuffs out the candles in the living room while Natalie gives Barnabas brandy in the study and takes another for herself. Barnabas tells her he's been considering the possibility of witchcraft, but Natalie has noticed the changed cards and is horrified.
Barnabas wants to know what they said, but she refuses to tell him anything except that he and Josette must get married tonight--if he loves her, they must wed within 24 hours, or it's not going to happen!
Love, Robin
