1050 - In the drawing room, Liz despondently tells Julia, I'll skip my usual cocktail before dinner--not tonight--did you see Carolyn this afternoon? No, answers Julia. Liz sits on the sofa and says, Will's death was a great shock to Carolyn--you've been with us a long time, Hoffman, Carolyn never drank much before, did she, when I wasn't around? Of course not, Julia assures her. It's all so sudden and unexpected, says Liz, I hardly know what to do, I suppose I'll get over it, but I wish I could help her now. (She sounds so desperate!) I'm sorry, says Liz, I know this isn't like me, to go on like this, but the way Carolyn goes on about Angelique's murder--if she comes here, you must get me--she rambles on so about the secrets of this house, and is convinced she knows who Angelique's murderer is. Julia's eyebrows shoot up. She doesn't of course, adds Liz--it's a delusion. Roger comes downstairs (he's been dressing a lot more formally these days, in a three-piece suit and tie), and looks preoccupied, to say the least. He enters the drawing room and asks Liz, will you excuse me and Hoffman?--it isn't very important, just about my room, he says. He closes the double doors, leaving himself and Julia alone in the foyer. Listen carefully--I don't know how to tell her, he says rapidly to Julia--Carolyn has been murdered!
Julia reacts fairly stoically, saying in a monotone voice, "Carolyn, murdered." Roger explains--I heard her scream, I left my room, I heard another from upstairs--Carolyn is in the tower. Call the police, says Julia. Not until I've told my sister, says Roger.
However, Liz has exited the drawing room and overheard. Her eyes are huge. In the tower--she knew, she did, says Liz--she knew who the murderer was. Liz, says Roger--please. He attempts to comfort her. Refusing to believe it, insisting, "I must see her," she hurries upstairs, Roger on her heels.
1100 - Julia, on the foyer phone, tells someone, Mrs. Stoddard is accepting no calls--yes, it's true, Mr. Collins has asked not to speak to anyone, either, I'm sure you understand--I'll tell them you called--I'm sure they'll appreciate your kindness. Julia enters the drawing room. Liz and Roger sit on the sofa. He holds her hand--please let me call Dr. Blum, he pleads. I'm all right, she says, wiping her eyes with a tissue. A brandy might help, Julia suggests. Liz refuses, as does Roger. It doesn't seem the moment somehow, says Roger, I've been accused of drinking to escape reality, well, perhaps reality has caught up with me this time--I think a brandy would be pointless--if only the police would find something--if only I'd gotten there a moment or two earlier. Liz bursts into tears and buries her head in Roger's shoulder. What was she doing there? he wonders--why was she in the tower? It was the room where Will died, sobs Liz. This house, says Roger, looking around with hatred, there's a curse on it, everything that happens here--poor Carolyn--she's with Will now, I must think of that--she was so very fond of him. Liz sits up. We've got to find Quentin, insists Roger. I can't believe he did this, says Liz. No one wants to, says Roger, but... He was always so fond of Carolyn, Liz reminds him. He's not as he was, says Roger. Why is he like he is, why? demands Liz--what made him this way--if I'd only listened to Carolyn when she said she'd seen him. She must have been telling the truth, says Roger. Julia listens to everything; hearing this latter, she carefully asks Liz, when did Carolyn say she saw Quentin? Yesterday, she said, reveals Liz. Roger speculates--Carolyn must have gone to the tower to try to see him again. If I'd only talked to her, reasoned with her, laments Liz, instead of just dismissing her story as a mad delusion. I'm guilty of that, too, confesses Roger--Carolyn told me a secret, one (he turns to Julia and stops)--it's all our fault, really, he says, we've gone on living in this house half suspecting Quentin was here, ignoring all the signs that pointed to more violence. Liz rises from the sofa--I'm going to my room, she announces. I'll go with you, Julia offers. No, says Liz, please--if there was only something constructive I could do to let me know I won't feel this way forever. You shouldn't be alone, insists Roger. I want to be alone for a few moments, says Liz, and leaves. "The sum total of my life seems to be that I can never help anyone," says Roger bitterly--I'll have that brandy now. Julia goes to pour it. Roger asks is "he" in this house, do you think? No, she says. Roger downs the brandy--oh, how I need it, he says. About the secret Carolyn told you, says Julia--did it have to do with her life--or Will's? No, says Roger--was Alexis upset over Carolyn? Terribly, says Julia. How strange is it, having her in this house--don't you think so, Hoffman? he asks. I'm enjoying her visit, says Julia, walking away from him, guarded. Are you? asks Roger--do you think that she reminds you of Angelique--you know, often, the two could be as one, don't you think so? Julia is saved from having to respond when Liz returns--Roger, I want you to come with me and decide where Carolyn is to be buried. Not tonight, says Julia. Yes, insists Liz, I must start believing that she's gone, and it would help me to decide one thing--where she is to rest--please, Roger! That can wait until tomorrow, her brother says. No, it must be tonight! says Liz--you must come with me to the mausoleum.
Cemetery - We spot Jenny Collins' gravestone, then a figure entering the tomb, a man. He closes the gate and opens the secret panel. He's wearing gloves. He enters the secret room, opens the stone step and closes the secret panel. The dagger is back on the chair. He lights the red candles, and gives a start when he hears someone entering the outside gate.
Liz and Roger stand in the outer tomb. I understand your grief, he assures her, but this is not right. I had to come here, says Liz.
The figure strands inside the secret room, menacingly clutching the dagger in one hand.
Why have we come here? Roger asks his sister. I don't want Carolyn buried next to Angelique, insists Liz, you can understand that, can't you? Yes, agrees Roger, she should be buried in the cemetery, with her husband. No, she's a Collins, says Liz, she belongs here--her ancestors are buried here. I'm certainly not going to argue with you, says Roger--if it's settled, we should go back to Collinwood. Not yet, says Liz--we have other things to do, and if you don't want to do them with me, I'll do them alone. I don't know what you're talking about, he says. You will, she promises. They leave the tomb. The secret panel opens and the mysterious man exits. He leaves the mausoleum, too.
Loomis House basement - Roxanne lies on the table, twin peaks perky, the electric headband once more encircling her head. I must learn to bring you half alive so that Angelique cannot function, Julia thinks to herself--even though she's not directly responsible for Carolyn's death, everything that happens in that house is because of her--yet, if you rise and talk, Angelique will die, she told me that, and Quentin will be trapped!--I must be careful, very careful not to go too far. She attaches the wires to the machinery, but stops when she hears a door opening and closing upstairs.
Loomis House drawing room - It's extremely masochistic for you to even be here, Liz, says Roger. No, she insists. Why are we here? he asks. Liz rifles through papers on the desk. What do you expect to find? asks Roger. The name of her murderer, of Angelique's says Liz, gathering blue papers into her hands--if Carolyn wrote what she knew and how she knew it... Your loyalty to Quentin, under any other circumstances, would be commendable, says Roger, but... If Carolyn wrote that it was Quentin, says Liz, I'll believe it. She glances through the stationery. I don't need any written proof, says Roger. Quentin isn't the only suspect, says Liz. Who else? asks Roger. Trask, suggests Liz, the police haven't been able to find him--Trask is such a coward! Cowards kill, asserts Roger, and Barnabas, what about him? Barnabas wasn't here when Angelique was killed, says Liz. She discards all paper but one, and says, "Her handwriting--she never finished it." What? asks Roger, taking the paper from Liz and reading--"If anything happens to me, it is because he knows that I have the proof." She meant to tell us, says Liz sadly. Yes, agrees Roger, you found what you came for, now let's go back. She agrees. They leave the house in a funeral pace.
(Roxanne has extraordinarily long eyelashes!) This brought Adam and Eve alive, says Julia to herself, perhaps I'm taking too much of a chance with her--if Barnabas were only here...but he is NOT, and I must do what I think best. She turns on the power, sending the equipment humming to life. Have I set the dials correctly? she frets, she must be barely conscious, that's all! Am I taking too much of a risk? No, I must do it! She examines an oscilloscope, fiddles with some switches. The equipment gurgles and hums. Roxanne lies still as the equipment buzzes and thumps into life around her, fluids bubbling, endeavoring to bring her to life. Her lips move. Julia shuts off the power. When she unhooks Roxanne, however, there is no change.
What did I do wrong, wonders Julia--why didn't it work? Alexis said Stokes used both science and black magic--I must learn what that black magic was! The mysterious stranger from the mausoleum approaches the door of Loomis House, about to try the knob, but when he hears Julia exiting, he hastily retreats. Julia gathers her coat around her. The stranger returns to the house and opens the unlocked (!) door. The steps creak as he heads upstairs.
Roger tries to comfort Liz--of course it's a shock to you, he says to the grieving woman, but it can't be unexpected, I tried to tell you. If I hadn't seen those gloves, she says. Julia enters. Did you see the police leaving? Roger asks her. No, says Julia, I was at Mr. Stokes'--Alexis asked me to go tell him--he was very fond of Carolyn and Will. They found the murder weapon, says Roger--a knife, on the grounds near the cottage--but more incriminating, they found the gloves that he wore--Quentin's gloves--Liz gave them to him last Christmas--someone else might have worn them. No, it was Quentin, says Liz, even I believe that now. Are the police searching the grounds again? asks Julia. This time, says Roger, they don't think he'll be around--he'd better not, because if I find him...He must be caught, he must, insists Liz. Julia doesn't say a word, but looks upset.
Loomis House - The man comes downstairs. In the basement, Roxanne sits up, then stands.
She wanders to the stairs. The man exits Loomis House, or is about to when he hears a sound. He walks to the locked basement door and rattles it. He is about to leave when he hears someone coming, unlocking and opening the door. He brandishes his knife, ready to do away with whoever it is. Roxanne looks at him, smiles, and reaches out to him.
NOTES: Someone is trying very hard to make it look as if Quentin has killed the murder victims, but Roger is acting peculiar, more so than usual. One has to wonder...
They sure are dying quickly in this timeline, aren't they? Another series of toppling dominoes to lay at Barnabas' feet, one might say, because if Roxanne's beauty hadn't blinded him to what had to be done, perhaps Will, Bruno and Carolyn wouldn't have succumbed. Without Angelique, how many deaths would have been averted?
I felt terribly sorry for Liz, first in he agony over not being able to help her daughter deal with her loss, and then with the loss of her only child.
Roxanne always "comes to" after Julia and/or Barnabas have given up. She's smiling at the man holding the dagger--could it be the mysterious Claude North?
Who else will die? Stay tuned for even more surprises!
1051 - The man draws Roxanne into his arms and hugs her. In a British accent, he says, I knew I'd find you again, and was foolish to let you go. She looks at him, not speaking.
Why don't you speak to me? he asks--you're not able to speak!--what has Stokes done to you, and why has he brought you here, to this house-and where IS he? He looks around, frustrated, then moves her head to look at him--I am Claude North, he says--there must be some way I can get through to you! He takes from his pocket the familiar dagger. "Surely you remember this," he says, holding it in front of her--"Look at it, Roxanne, speak to me! You do remember it, don't you." She caresses it, but still doesn't speak. North holds it in front of his own face, gazing at it--she does remember, he realizes, but it no longer has the effect on her it once had...whatever Stokes has done can be undone--I promise you I'll find a way to do so. She stares blankly ahead, her face expressionless.
Collinwood - Shortly after 4 AM - Barnabas is on the foyer phone, telling someone, Elizabeth is under heavy sedation and cannot be disturbed-yes, I know, Inspector--has there been any progress?--I see--I'll have Mrs. Stoddard call you. He goes into the drawing room. Maggie comes downstairs and glances through a phone book on the foyer table. Barnabas enters--I thought you were with Mrs. Stoddard, he says. Roger is with her, says Maggie, I have to call Mr. Stokes---Alexis has had another seizure and is lying on her bed, barely conscious--I want to call a doctor, but Alexis insists that I call her father. When did this happen? asks Barn. Just a few minutes ago, says Maggie, she was perfectly fine, then collapsed. I must go to the Loomis House, says Barnabas, I have something urgent to attend to there--I'll be back, don't worry. Maggie picks up the phone.
Claude North orders Roxanne--keep looking into my eyes, I have the power to restore you to me--if you will it--keep looking into my eyes and come back to me, Roxanne! He repeats it twice, then grows angry--she has never resisted me before--what has been done to her?--if Stokes were here, I'd kill him with my bare hands--I'm taking her away from this place, I don't care about the deal I made with Stokes--I'll return his money to him, tell him the truth--he touches her shoulder and finishes, "That I can't live without you." Take my hand, he says, come with me. Hearing someone fumbling with the front door, he says, I must hide--and you must do nothing to reveal my presence here, do you understand? She looks at him.
Claude hurries into Julia's former hiding place. Barnabas enters Loomis House to find Roxanne standing where Claude left her. What are you doing up here, how did you get up here? he asks. Claude listens from the opposite side of the folding door. Barnabas finds the dagger on the desk--I know someone was here, he says--was it Claude North?--have you seen him? Roxanne doesn't respond. Do you know where North went? asks Barn--I'll take you downstairs. Escorting her down, he locks the basement door behind him. North exits his hiding place and goes to the basement door, looking down through the bars. He finds it locked, to his consternation, and promises himself, I will come back for Roxanne. He takes the dagger from the desk and leaves.
One o'clock (how could it have been four earlier?) Barnabas exits the basement. He finds the dagger gone from the desk. He must have heard me talking to Roxanne and will surely come back, sooner or later, muses Barn. He picks up the phone and dials Buffie Harrington--I'm bringing someone to stay with you, he says, someone who might be in danger--you've got to keep her there--I'm leaving right away. (Are we going to see Buffie again? Isn't it nice of Barnabas to possibly draw danger to Buffie, too?)
Maggie reads a book on her bed. She hears footsteps approaching and goes to her door to listen. She opens the door and looks out. Barnabas? she asks, have you come back? There's no reply. She returns to her room and closes the door. Hearing the footsteps again, she calls, "Who is it? Please answer me. Quentin is that you?" She quickly opens the door, hoping to catch someone, but, seeing no one, runs down the hall.
Claude North returns to Loomis House. He peers down into the basement and finds it open this time. He closes the door behind him and heads down, where he finds Julia's array of equipment, fluids and beakers. He hears the front door close; Maggie calls to Barnabas. She goes into the drawing room, still calling to Barnabas. Claude North drops his hand to her shoulder, scaring her. She asks who are you, what are you doing here? she asks. Suppose I ask the questions? he suggests. Stay away from me, she orders. I have no intention of harming you, he says--just look at me. Hypnotically, he asks, "Who is Barnabas?" Maggie, her face turned away, nervously says, Barnabas is the man who lives here. Tell me what you know about him! commands North. He's just a friend, answers Maggie. Where has he taken her? demands Claude. I don't know what you're talking about, says Maggie. She was here earlier! he rants--I saw her!
Maggie's forehead furrows--"Who is she?" she asks. North again orders, look at me. This time, she does, reluctantly. His brown eyes penetrate into hers--no, he says, you don't know what I'm talking about--when you see this Barnabas again, you tell him, "I'll be back!" (Just like Ahnold!) Who are you? Maggie asks. You just tell him what I said, orders North, I'll be back--he'll know who and what you mean. He leaves.
Collinwood - Barnabas heads downstairs, coughing. Maggie returns, nearly hysterical. Where have you been? he asks--I've been searching the house for you. Barnabas! she cries, I was to the Old House to look for you--I saw a man there, someone I'd never seen before, his eyes...they were frightening! He didn't harm you, did he? asks Barnabas. No, replies Maggie, I thought he was going to at first, but he just wanted to ask questions about you. Did he say who he was or what he was doing there? queries Barnabas. No, she says--I asked him, but he wouldn't tell me anything about himself--he wanted to know who you were and where you'd taken her--do you know what he was talking about? No, I don't, lies Barnabas. He told me to tell you he was coming back, she says--do you have any idea who that man is? No, says Barnabas, I'm sorry this had to happen, but why did you leave the house to look for me--you knew I'd be back? I was afraid, confesses Maggie, I kept hearing strange sounds--I made up my mind, I'm not staying here tonight--this house has a murderer in it, and it's not safe for anyone! And you're convinced the murderer is Quentin? he accuses. It's wrong of me, she admits--now there's so much evidence against Quentin, I can't believe he's innocent. He IS innocent, Barnabas assures her. How can you be convinced of that?--even his best friend thought him guilty, and tried to protect him, she says. Cyrus Longworth made a wrong assumption, Barnabas insists. I know how much Quentin loved Angelique, says Maggie, and I also know how insanely jealous he can be at times--now it is possible that he could have imagined some indiscretion on her part--if he did, it's possible he could have killed her. It's possible for anyone if they are angry enough to kill, agrees Barnabas, but not many do it. I want so much to believe he's innocent, says Maggie, but if he is, who killed Bruno, who destroyed Angelique's body, and why did Quentin run away from jail? I can't answer those questions, confesses Barn. I have one more, she adds--where is Quentin now?--in spite of the fact that the police have searched the house and grounds, I'm convinced he's in this house--and if he is mad, as Roger says... Roger had no right to say such a thing! says Barnabas, annoyed. If he is, says Maggie, it's possible he may intend to kill all of us, one by one.
And on the landing, hiding in the corner by the door, Quentin overhears his wife's words.
Roxanne lies asleep on a bed. Barnabas stands over her, and says aloud, I wish she could hear and understand me--she holds the key to so much!--the force of your life in another body has caused too much suffering, it must be ended!--we must find a way to restore you, not only for Quentin's sake, but because I so long to know you as you really are. Roxanne sleeps on.
4:10 - Maggie lies restlessly asleep, dreaming: Quentin returns home in a jaunty mood, calling to Maggie, "I'm home!" Whistling, humming, he goes into the drawing room and pours himself a drink. Maggie comes downstairs, giggling with pleasure. He greets her as the mistress of Collinwood, telling her how lovely she is, raising his glass in a toast to her. She's pleased he's home early--I didn't expect you until much later. The board meeting was only an hour, he says, kissing her forehead, and it was so short because I told them I had to get home to my lovely, lovely wife. She laughs. He kisses her forehead again. I also told them I was tired of long meetings and even more tired of long hours--and finally I told them they would have to do without my inspired leadership for the next six months. Maggie puzzled, asks, Quentin, what are you talking about? You and me, our life together! he says heartily, I've neglected you long enough! I don't feel neglected, she assures him. That's what you tell yourself, he says, grinning, but I have devoted too much time to the company and not enough to you--we're hardly ever alone together!--but that's going to change, and do you know why?--because you and I are going to take a trip around the world! What? she asks, stunned, delighted. The two of us, together, he says, we're leaving tomorrow. Tomorrow? she asks, astounded--Quentin, don't you think we ought to plan this? I'm tired of planning everything, he says, let's just start living--we'll just go! What's the matter? he asks--don't you want to go? I do, she says, of course, but I'm just overwhelmed. I'm glad, he says, hugging her, I'm going to see that you stay that way. She covers her mouth and laughs, thrilled. Quentin notices a bouquet of red and white flowers and is instantly angry. Where did the flowers come from? he asks. I don't know, says Maggie. You've been in this house all day, haven't you? he asks. Yes, she says. And you don't have any idea how they got here? he persists. I just told you I didn't, what's wrong? she asks. You know what's wrong, he says--these are the same flowers Bruno used to send to Angelique--now I told you they're forbidden to be in this house! He waves them in front of her face. Darling, I don't know how they got here, says Maggie, perhaps the children picked them. Bruno's been in this house, hasn't he? demands Quentin, his anger escalating--he brought these flowers to you. That's absurd, she says. DID HE OR DIDN'T HE? Quentin asks. He did not! she responds, upset. If you've been seeing Bruno behind my back...warns Quentin. How can you say such a thing? asks Maggie. Because I know what Bruno is like! says Quentin. Then you obviously don't know what I'm like, she accuses. Maybe I don't, he agrees--you have behaved rather strangely ever since I walked into this house! Quentin, stop it! she cries. You know, he says, there's a good reason you don't want to go on a trip around the world. I just told you that I wanted to go! she protests. No you don't! he says, and that reason is Bruno--he's the reason you don't feel neglected. No! she cries. Quentin reminds her--you said you were surprised to see me home so early--well if you'd known I was coming home so early, you'd have disposed of these! He tosses the bouquet to the floor. No! Maggie wails. You and Bruno, he says, how long has it been going on? I don't know what you're talking about, she insists. He grabs her shoulders in a painful grip. Please let me go! she begs. Quentin repeats his question: how long has it been going on--you and Bruno, I should have known better than to take your... She bleats, you're hurting me, but it quickly becomes more than that
--he's strangling her, still making accusations, tightening his grip on her throat as she begs him, again and again, to stop.
Maggie awakens and finds Quentin really there, beside her, hands on her shoulders, gazing down at her. She screams.
NOTES: Poor Maggie. That dream seemed to frame her fractured, odd marriage so well, unfortunately--bouts of love and joyous promises followed by a violent argument, although Quentin didn't abuse her physically. Now her psyche fears that he's mad, so of course, in her dream, he didn't just accuse her, but strangle her, too, reflecting her fear of him as a killer. Even though Barnabas does his best to convince her otherwise, the evidence against Quentin has mounted, thanks, probably, to the real killer of Angelique and Carolyn, and now she fears his murderous wrath will be turned on her.
Now Quentin has revealed himself to Maggie-does he know who the real murderer is? If not, it isn't wise to appear before her right now. I hope he can explain himself to her satisfaction.
Claude North seems mysterious, with an interesting ability to hypnotize. It seems he loves Roxanne, and she feels something for him, but he apparently gave her up to Stokes' experiment for money, despite his feelings for her. Strange dude! One has to wonder what kind of man he really is. One also has to wonder about that dagger, and why she actually seems to like such a violent weapon. She caresses it as if it were a lover. Makes you wonder about her relationship with Claude.
Interesting that we hear Barnabas call Buffie for help, but we never see her again. I guess he's been feeding from her, here and there, maintaining his hold on her, but it stinks that he'd ask her to give sanctuary to a woman in the same breath he says she's in danger--thus putting Buffie in danger, too!
I'm not all that interested in Claude North, although I was the first time I saw the series. I won't explain why right now, but you'll soon learn for yourselves.
Love, Robin
