1078 - Quentin enters David's room--did my camera do its job? he asks. Yes, says David, exiting the darkroom holding a photo--thanks for loaning it to me. He shows Quentin the photo of him and Maggie. Great clarity and good composition, praises Quentin. Do you get the feeling there's a face there, watching us? asks David. Quentin chuckles--it does look like a face, he says, but I think it's just the sun reflecting on the leaves, sort of like an optical illusion. He hands the photo back to David, who examines it again and agrees--it does look like the sun on the leaves.
Barnabas and Julia enter Collinwood. The carousel music starts to play. Barnabas, Gerard is here, she says, I can feel his presence.
Barnabas gazes at her, concerned.
Julia looks around. Do you actually feel his presence? queries Barn. Yes, says Julia, holding her jacket closed, I remember the first sensation I had of him in the future--terrible evil filled the house--and I have that feeling now, although not as strongly--but he's here! Wait for me in the drawing room, orders Barn--I'm going up to Liz--everyone must leave this house at once! You know she will never agree to that, objects Julia--she thinks nothing will happen, and will claim it's an illusion or trick of time--and she won't want to alarm the children. If I can only convince her Gerard is here, says Barn. What proof do we have? asks Julia, only my sense of his presence. The children are in danger, says Barn, everyone is, there must be something we can do. There is, says Julia, if he's here, we should begin to see the effects, and they will be what we'll use to convince Elizabeth. Wait for the effects? demands Barnabas--wait for the ceiling beams to fall in? Hallie is visiting her uncle, says Julia--you should see David and Quentin, find out if they've seen anything. Will you be all right? he asks. Yes, says Julia, he hasn't taken complete control of the house yet--I wonder how long it will be?
Quentin examines the room where he saw Daphne, going through closets and books. He opens the desk and takes out a daguerreotype of Gerard Stiles--a profile silhouette here in Daphne's room, muses Q--what did he mean to her?--what did they mean to each other? He continues looking through the desk, in which he finds Daphne's diary. David comes in--"Then it's you!" he says. What are you doing here? Quentin asks sharply, and what do you mean by, "It's you." I was outside and saw a light up here, says David, I just wanted to find out who it was. You saw a light, says Quentin, and that's what you're doing here? Don't you believe me? asks David, hurt. Yes, I'm sorry, of course I do, answers Quentin. Then you won't mind my asking what you're doing here, says David--nobody comes up to the West Wing anymore. I'm just helping Dr. Hoffman clear up the family history, says Quentin--going through the closed rooms to see if I can dig up any fresh information. And have you found any? demands David seriously. Quentin chuckles--none at all, he says--it's a pretty dull job. I wonder whose room this was? asks David. I doubt we'll ever know that, says Q--let's leave before anyone else sees the lights up here and there's a whole family reunion. As they're about to leave, David again says, I can't help wondering whose room this was. They go. The camera pans across the room to a smiling Daphne.
Barnabas knocks on David's door, and when he doesn't answer, enters. Startled to find the ship on David's desk, he picks it up to examine it. I've seen this before, he realizes, not here, but the playroom, in the future--was it there? There's no playroom now--where could it have come from? David joins him. Where did you get this boat? asks Barnabas.
David looks nervous, unsure of how to reply.
Barnabas repeats his question. I found it in the attic, says David--is anything wrong with my having it? Of course not, says Barn, but I've never seen it before. I only found it yesterday, says David, isn't it neat? Barnabas agrees--it's in very good condition for something that's been stored away in the attic. It was all wrapped up in paper, says David. Barnabas returns the ship to the desk--congratulations on your splendid acquisition. Thanks, says David. On the desk, Barnabas notices the photos David took. Quentin loaned me his camera, says David--it's much better than any of mine. I'll have to look at them sometime, says Barnabas, and I'm sorry your summer has proven so dull--it has been dull, hasn't it? Not so bad since Hallie's come, says David. Otherwise, says Barn, it's been like all the other summers? I guess so, replies David. Let me know if there's any excitement, says Barn. I will, promises David, but he looks downright terrified after Barnabas leaves his room. He goes into the darkroom and gets to work.
Drawing room - Quentin looks through Daphne's diary and reads, "Today I am going to kill him--his death is the only answer." Kill him? he wonders. Daphne, kill someone? Julia enters, a book in her hands. It must be interesting reading, comments Quentin. I didn't see you, she says. Quentin humorously remarks, whatever you found must be fascinating. It is fascinating, agrees Julia, but I haven't found out anything yet. About Tad and Carrie? he asks. Or Daphne Harridge and Gerard Stiles, she adds. Looking a bit guilty, he asks, what were you able to learn about Daphne? Only that she was a governess here, says Julia, in 1840, and she died in 1841. That's all? asks Quentin anxiously. So far, says Julia, unfortunately, yes--why do you ask? No reason, he says, if I'm going to be under her control, I want to find out everything I can about her. I wish you wouldn't make jokes about this, chastises Julia, you and everyone else. Barnabas enters. Did you see David? asks Julia--what did he say?--has he noticed anything unusual? If he has, he certainly didn't tell me about it, says Barn, yet I can't avoid having the feeling something has happened, and he's telling a good deal less than the truth. I wish we could tell him what's at stake, says Julia. No, says Barnabas, we can't. I think our real hope, if you can call it that, is that something will happen, that will be proof that we're telling the truth--oh Quentin, she almost begs, are you sure you haven't noticed anything? Barnabas gazes at his cousin sharply--Quentin, would you conceal anything from us? Of course I wouldn't, Quentin assures them with a smile. Julia and Barnabas, however, don't appear to believe him.
Barnabas and Julia implore Quentin, tell us if you're hiding anything. This is important for all of us, adds Julia. I know, says Quentin. Tell us anything you've heard or seen, says Barnabas.
Quentin goes to the window, from the other side, Daphne gazes in at him. What is it? Julia asks. Quentin, irritated, says nothing at all. Please! begs Barnabas--you were going to tell us something. No, says Quentin, I was just thinking, trying to figure out if I'd forgotten to say anything, but I haven't, I've very sorry--he hurries out of the room. Do you think he's telling the truth? asks Barn. Yes, she says, I don't think he'd do anything to hurt the children. I suppose you're right, says Barn. Julia gets that look on her face as the music begins to play. Do you still feel his presence? asks Barn. Yes, not as strongly as before, but he is in this house, says Julia. If we can only find out why he's here and what he wants! frets Barnabas--perhaps we could contact somebody through a seance that could tell us. Not a seance, cries Julia, no! What else can we do? he asks. Not a seance, she says, we don't know what we might bring into this house--we can't do it, it's too dangerous!
Quentin stops David in the hallway outside his room--I think I should warn you, says Q, I just came from the West Wing and stumbled over some loose boards--I think for your own good, you shouldn't go there, even if you do see lights. I'm always very careful, says David. The West Wing is very dark and cluttered, says Q--for your own good, stay out of there, is that clear? Yes, says David, probably feeling a mite threatened by his tall cousin. David enters his own room and finds an old-fashioned outfit, presumably Tad's, on his bed.
David examines the outfit and drops it back on the bed, then picks it up again. He puts it into his dresser drawer, the second, just as Hallie did the orange dress, goes into his darkroom/closet and takes an 8 X 10 photo, which he has enlarged--and reveals Gerard Stiles standing menacingly behind Quentin and Maggie. Daphne appears. Did you bring me the clothes? he asks--I have to know--why was I so scared when I saw them, and why were they so cold when I touched them? She gazes at him stoically. Can't you tell me? he asks. She doesn't respond. David brings over the photo and shows her the man in the leaves--I thought I saw someone watching us, and I was right--do you know who he is?
She grins at him. You do know, says David--what does he want, who is he? David hears Barnabas and Julia approaching, Julia saying, he's probably asleep by now, Barnabas insisting, it wouldn't hurt to look in on him. Daphne disappears. David leaps into bed, photo and all, and feigns sleep. He's asleep, Julia notes. How peaceful he looks, remarks Barnabas. We should leave before we wake him, she suggests. As soon as he's assured they're gone, David gets out of bed and gazes at the photo again.
Quentin enters the West Wing room where he found Daphne's diary. He calls to her, begging, appear to me--I was just about to tell Barnabas and Julia all about you, but I didn't, because I saw you standing there! Why did I do that? Daphne, he cries desperately, appear to me, I beg you. She does. Please, answer my questions--why did I do that?--Why wasn't I able to tell them? There's something much more important that I have to know--the terrible things Julia and Barnabas have predicted--are they going to happen--will David die, and I go mad, and Carolyn, too? His face is within kissing distance now, but she doesn't reply. Please, God, you've got to answer those, he begs. She turns away and beckons him to follow. She leaves the room, Quentin behind her.
David looks at the enlarged photo showing Gerard's hideous visage hiding in the bushes behind the smiling Maggie and Quentin.
Quentin, seemingly in a trance, walks downstairs. We hear the carousel music playing. The front doors open by themselves in a gust of wind. Quentin leaves. The doors close after him.
Woods - We see Daphne's tombstone next to Thomas Jennings'. Quentin stands before Daphne's headstone--I knew this was where I was to come, he says--but why--Daphne, where are you? She appears and steps toward him, gazing at him eagerly. I don't know why you've brought me here, says Quentin, but I do know you are very beautiful, and I want to hold you as close as I can. He takes her into his arms. She raises a knife above his back, about to plunge it in.
NOTES: We now have a ghost who appears to love Quentin, yet apparently intends him murderous harm. Who did she intend to kill, according to her diary entry? Quentin? Gerard? More mysteries.
You have to feel sorry for Barnabas and Julia, who are spinning their wheels with David and Quentin, both of whom feel compelled to keep their secrets--that they've been seeing a pretty dark-haired ghost and that David has found a cruel face in one of his photos. If the family doesn't tell Barnabas the truth, the catastrophe can never be averted. I still find it hard to believe that Liz is being so stubborn because of Shaw's horoscope. What if her cousin is right and Shaw wrong? What happened to blood being thicker than water?
Julia still feels Gerard's presence, but it isn't helping her or Barnabas come any closer to the truth. It's as if David, Hallie, Quentin, Barnabas and Julia all hold various pieces of the puzzle, and might come up with a complete picture if they would pool what they know--but Daphne seems to want Quentin's love--and his death--and David has his own reasons for keeping silent. They SHOULD tell him what they learned in 1995, but who knows if it would even make a difference, if Gerard and Daphne are working their ghostly wiles on them?
Will Daphne knife Quentin in the back? Does she want to, or is this the evil Gerard's plan? Does this mean yet another ugly knife mark in the portrait? Stay tuned, folks!
1079 - In Daphne's embrace, unaware that a knife is suspended inches from his back, Quentin gazes lovingly at her--I know almost nothing about you, he murmurs, yet feels I've known you all my life--if you can tell me why your spirit cannot rest and be at peace, perhaps there's something I can do for you. Hearing this, she drops the knife on the ground and walks away from him. Please, try and tell me, begs Quentin--I'd do anything for you, anything to put you at peace
--I don't understand why, it's just that you mean that much to me. She has disappeared. He stands amongst the gravestones, begging her to come back--I want to help you? Kneeling, he finds the knife and stares at it, confused.
David knocks at Hallie's door (he's learning)! He finds her wearing the orange dress again. Close the door before someone sees us! she hisses.
You mean before they see you, he corrects. She whirls around--do you like me in it? she asks. What I like you in or not has nothing to do with it, he says--I thought you were going to put it in the attic. Why does my wearing it upset you? she asks. He denies being upset, but can't say anymore. She angrily asks, has something happened that you haven't told me--something hasn't, has it? Yes, says David--I found clothes from the same period on my bed. Put them on! she orders happily. I don't want to, he says. Please, she begs, I want you to--and SHE wants you to. I can't explain it, he says, but I don't think we should have anything to do with those clothes. You don't want to make me happy! Hallie pouts, adding, you don't want to make HER happy--she flounces out, David following, calling her name.
Quentin returns to Collinwood. Julia enters from the drawing room--I've been looking for you, she says--you said you were working in your study. I just went out for some fresh air, he says, what do you want? Tell me about the picnic you, Maggie, Carolyn and David went on, she asks--the day of the picnic was the second clue in Carolyn's note, she reminds him. Yes, I'd completely forgotten about that, says Q, distracted. Did anything unusual happen? she asks. No, says Quentin, we had a very pleasant afternoon. I don't understand it, says Julia--so far, two of the clues have taken place. And nothing has happened, says Quentin, an edge in his voice. Nothing we can know of, amends Julia. She hears the carousel music and says, I still feel Gerard's presence in this house--not as strong as it was, but he's here. Do you feel anything else? asks Q--anything (like a female spirit)? Nothing, says Julia, except the fear that, as each clue happens, even if it doesn't have an incident, we are coming closer to catastrophe. If there ARE spirits in this house, says Q, we not only owe it to them but ourselves to put them at rest once and for all--by exorcising them from this house. When we were in the future, says Julia, Professor Stokes said he performed an exorcism and nearly lost his life! He may have been inadequate, says Quentin, or tried after it was too late, but so far, we've had no signs of a coming disaster, so our plan may very well work--and we must do it tonight! Julia shakes her head in disagreement.
Hallie waits in the playroom. David enters--I figured this is where you'd be, he says--you shouldn't have come here. Hallie, her voice pitched higher, says, I had to--I'm going to be punished. For what? asks David, you haven't done anything wrong. Yes I have, she says fearfully, I went to his ship today. Whose ship? asks David. Gerard's, she says. Who's that? asks David. I saw him in one of the cabins with Daphne, says Hallie, saw him take her in his arms and kiss her--I didn't mean to see them, I was just walking by--they're both very angry with me. Nothing you're saying is making any sense, says David, putting his hands on her shoulders--Hallie, what's happened to you? You called me that name again! she says shrilly, why do you do that? It is your name! he insists. No it isn't! she cries. Then what is? he asks. You know perfectly well what it is, she says, this is no time to play games! I'm not playing games, says David, I just want to get us out of here. The playroom door opens by itself; Daphne joins them. David tells Hallie, we must get out of here. I didn't mean to see the both of you! wails Hallie to Daphne--he said I was spying, but I wasn't--I just wanted to explore the ship, I didn't know anyone was aboard, that's the truth! Daphne gazes at her gravely. Hallie says, "You don't believe me, do you--all right, then punish me!" Daphne approaches Hallie in what appears to be a threatening manner. Leave her alone! orders David. Daphne glares at Hallie, who is scared. They lock eyes; Daphne offers her hand. You do believe me! says Hallie joyously, taking the ghost's hand--thank you, Daphne!" Daphne gestures to David. She wants you to take her other hand, instructs Hallie. David stands there, unsure and frightened.
Julia paces the foyer. Quentin brings out a forked branch (like a divining rod) from the kitchen area. Don't you think we should tell Barnabas? she asks. No, says Quentin, we don't need him--I know what to do--the ceremony itself is quite simple--the reaction to it may be something else indeed--if the ceremony is a success, there may be a severe disturbance in this house after it's over. He takes the branch, turns off the foyer lights and goes outside the front doors. Julia follows him. Whoever you are, and for whatever reason you've come here, the time has come! calls Quentin to the skies.
Quentin holds up his stick, and, his face framed between the branches, says, "I abjure thee, contemptuous and evil spirit, by the judge of the quick and the dead, by the maker, and the maker of all things, by him who hath power to put thee into hell, depart in haste from the confines of this house.!"
David, why are you frightened? asks Hallie--"She just wants you to take her hand." David surveys Daphne's outstretched hand and says, I don't want to hold her hand, I just want to go downstairs.
Don't you want to know about Gerard? queries Hallie, and all about his ship? Yes, I would like to know, says David. Then just join hands with her, says Hallie, and you'll know everything. David steps forward.
"Thou restless and unquiet shades," intones Quentin, "creatures of that nethermost pit where the fire is not quenched--return to thy winding sheets and set the living free, in the name of the Lord!"
David still fears taking Daphne's hand, but when he finally reaches for it, and is about to touch her, Daphne seems to have a problem, coming close to fainting. What's wrong, what's happening? cries Hallie--David, you should have taken her hand--now we're going to be punished. Daphne is gone, says David. Hallie looks around--no, she says, there's someone else here. Nobody else here, counters David. There's someone else here who's angry with us, says Hallie, who's going to punish us! There's nobody here, says David, climbing on a toy box, we're the only two people here, we're the only ones around. There's a clunking sound as a chair falls over. Hallie screams and faints.
"Alien spirits," continues Quentin "defilers of innocence, persecutors of virtue, in the name of the Lord, cast thyselves back into the outer darkness from whenst ye came!" Abruptly, he stops. Julia asks why. I don't know, he says, continuing--"Cast thyselves back into the darkness from which ye came," he says, but with far less conviction--and looks terrified. He hands Julia the stick--wait here,he orders, and enters Collinwood. Daphne looks at him from the landing, her face sad. Quentin stares back at her.
Playroom - David kneels beside Hallie, calling to her--can you hear me? She awakens, asking what happened, complaining, my arm hurts. You must have bumped it when you fell down, he suggests, and helps her up. What am I doing in the dress? asks Hallie. I don't know, he replies--there are a few things we must find out, like where this room came from, and who Daphne and Gerard are. How will they do that? she asks. I don't know, he says, but I do know I have to take you down and let Dr. look at your arm. What are we going to tell her about how it happened? asks Hallie, nearly hysterical. Don't worry, says David, I'll think of something on the way down. They leave the playroom.
Julia enters the foyer--Quentin, what's wrong? she asks. Nothing, he says, sounding far away, there's nothing I can do now--I thought there would be a reaction to the ceremony, but I never thought there'd be this kind of disturbance--Julia, if there are spirits at large in this house, then I think they don't mean anyone any harm. What do you think that means? she asks. Just what I said, he tells her, I don't think any spirits in this house mean anyone any harm. When you stopped out there, she asks, did you stop for any reason? Why do you ask that? he says. I thought you might have felt something I didn't, she explains. No, says Quentin forcefully, nothing. David and Hallie come down. Hallie hurt her arm running and falling, reports David. (She's back in her own clothes now; wonder if David helped her change.) I think I she twisted it, says Hallie. Julia examines it. Hallie asks, is it broken? I don't know yet, replies Julia--David, take Hallie to the drawing room--I'll be along in a moment. The kids leave. Julia says to Quentin, "You said that you felt the spirits didn't mean any harm--you were wrong, and your proof is right in there." (She points to the drawing room.) You don't know what you're talking about, says Quentin. Those spirits must have been aware when you did the exorcism, she says-- they committed a minor accident. You're letting your imagination run away with you, insists Quentin
--whatever happened was a pure coincidence--nothing happened! I don't know that I have any proof at all, says Julia, but I have a strong conviction that you are wrong and I am right.
The kids return to the playroom, Hallie's arm in a sling. How's the arm? asks David. It hurts, she says--David, you promised to tell me why we had to come here again! Remember when I told you there were some things we had to find out?--there's a way we can--we're going to hold a seance, just the two of us, here in this room. He begins clearing off toys from a table. Hallie objects--I don't know anything about seances. You don't have to, he assures her, I know all about seances--I've seen the grownups do it a lot of times (!!!!!) I'm scared, she says. There's nothing to worry about as long as you do exactly as I tell you to, he says. Why can't we do it somewhere else? she asks. Everything started to happen once we first came to this room, David reminds her, so this is the logical place to hold it. He drags over some chairs, lights a red candle in the middle of the table and turns off the electric lights--sit down, he says. She does, reluctantly. Put your hands on the table, he says, let them touch mine--the most important thing is, don't break contact--do you understand? She nods. David looks upward and says, "We seek the spirits that know about this room, the spirits who will tell us what we must know--there are questions that have to be answered--why are you so disturbed?--what do you want from us?--can't you please give us a sign?" They hear wind, and the sci fi noise, terrifying Hallie. "Let us live! Let us live!" cries a voice that sounds much like David's, over and over. "LET US LIVE!" Both kids look horrified.
NOTES: Let WHO live? Gerard? Daphne? It's apparent that Daphne already has a strong hold over Quentin, because he was going on and on about how the spirits in the house don't mean harm. Gerard looks like a sweetheart, doesn't he? NOT!
Daphne was going to kill Quentin, but his desire to help her rest in peace made her decide not to. What does it all mean? He had hoped his little ceremony would bring peace to Daphne, but it seemed to affect Hallie and bring her back to her own body. Hallie claims she caught Daphne and Gerard kissing onboard the ship--is theirs a forbidden love affair? Or is it love at all?
Whole lotta weird stuff going on!
Love, Robin
