384 - (KLS) - A seance was held in the great house of Collinwood, a seance which sent Victoria Winters back on an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to the Collins family who lived in the year 1795, where she watches an oft-read story in the family history become a living nightmare.
Angelique goes into Josette's room and overhears Andre and Josette discussing the plan for Barnabas and Jeremiah to engage in a duel. Josette wants her father to stop it--they were as close as brothers, and look at what's happened, thanks to her! Which man does she most fear dying? her father asks pointedly. He assures her he's still puzzled by her elopement, but loves her as he did before--what's between them must be settled, by blood.
Angelique, very upset, runs from the room. Barnabas is examining his pistol when she comes in and begs him not to fight. She reminds him she told him she loves him and cares if he's hurt or killed. She assures him she still believes in blood and scathingly says he is enjoying his self-pity. It's pride, he must fight, he must do SOMETHING, isn't that right? Yes, he says. If they were in Martinique, she says bitterly, he'd just find another woman, but damn it, they're not. He asks her if she knew about them, and she tells him Josette went to Jeremiah's room. He doesn't want to hear this, and she points out this is clearly how he'd have reacted if she tried to tell him about it at the time. She forces Barnabas to admit he's never even seen a duel or killed a man. Although he knows Josette wouldn't have him if he killed her husband, he would still have her, he confesses, making Angelique totally furious, I'm sure. She gives Barnabas an amulet to wear to the duel, for luck. It's always worked for her. He slips it around his neck and thanks her. Andre comes in, is wondering what she's doing in Barnabas' bedroom (she claims she's returning a book), and he sends her to Josette. Andre tells Barnabas he feels the duel is ridiculous, and asks him if he loved Josette and wishes happiness for her. "She ruined my life!" bleats Barnabas. Don't save some pride by destroying Josette's life, cautions Andre.
Josette's room - Josette and Jeremiah quarrel about the duel. He has no choice, Jeremiah explains--they broke the rules, and now they have to pay the piper--Barnabas has asked for satisfaction, and this must be done. People can't be brought back to life, she wails. Josette is only too aware of how close Barnabas and Jeremiah were before she came into their lives. No, Jeremiah says, he begged her to elope, they shared some kind of madness--but not love. If she still loves Barnabas, she says, she won't even admit that to herself. Jeremiah tells her that if he lives, they'll have a good life together, and if not...well, she'll be free. She gets very upset at this remark and threatens to go to Barnabas herself to stop it. No, because Barnabas will think him a coward for sending his wife. This is payment due, a little sooner than they expected, but. . .Josette accuses her husband of wanting to sacrifice himself, but he says that's what Barnabas wants. Andre comes in and tells his son-in-law that Barnabas wishes to see him. Jeremiah is reluctant, but Andre says he must--settle it without violence, perhaps, so the men can live without each other's friendship. Jeremiah refuses to go, but Josette begs him to let their lives together be their punishment, not his death (how depressing is that)?
Barnabas' room - Barnabas is holding one of the pistols when Jeremiah comes to see him. Jeremiah tells him he's sorry, and Barnabas curtly says this really gives him a reason to hate his uncle, because if he doesn't love Josette, he's ruined their lives for nothing! Jeremiah couldn't avoid it; Josette came to him. Barnabas refuses to believe this, but Jeremiah tries to explain--he attempted to go away, but Joshua disappeared. He couldn't go to Barnabas--it was as if they were under a spell! Blaming witchcraft? Barnabas asks sarcastically. No, it was a lack of character--you saw Josette, wanted her, and made her love you. You took advantage of her--"You must have hated me all of your life", accuses Barnabas. Jeremiah, heartbroken, denies this. He and Josette HAD to be together, there was no choice! Barnabas says he has none, either, and takes the pistol from the case.
Josette sits at her vanity, brooding about the mess her life has become. Angelique runs in and reports that Barnabas and Jeremiah have left, pistols in hand, on their way to duel! Josette faints and Angelique takes the love potion/rosewater and revives her by sponging her forehead with it. This causes Josette to awaken, calling, "Jeremiah!" They must stop the duel! Cries Josette--"He will kill him!" (Who will kill WHOM?)
Woods - Barnabas and Jeremiah stand back to back, discussing the Duel Rules. Ten paces, turn, count to three, fire. Jeremiah tells Barnabas he never lied to him, and this one lie made them strangers. Then it's a stranger he will kill, vows Barnabas, face stony. They count the paces (I don't think they made 10, the set wasn't large enough), turn, count to three--but only Barnabas fires. Josette and Angelique come running onto the scene, Josette screaming "NOOOO!" as Barnabas' pistol goes off. Josette, the love spell back in force, kneels beside her fallen husband, sobbing. When Barnabas tries to help, she insists he back off and sends Angelique for help. "You monster! You madman!" she accuses Barnabas--"You were so full of pride, you couldn't stand to see us happy! You've killed the only man I've ever loved. I will take care of him, my husband, my life!" "He'll die without my help," says Barnabas miserably. "And you will have killed him," retorts Josette, her face set in spell-twisted fury.
Barnabas walks slowly away from his fallen uncle, his face contorted with sorrow.
NOTES: Another class DS episode! Doncha just HATE Angelique today?
385 - (Clarice Blackburn) - A seance was held in the great house of Collinwood, a seance which sent Victoria Winters back on an uncertain and frightening journey to the past, back to the Collins family who lived in the year 1795. Sadness and fear pervade the old Collins mansion on this day. There has been a duel between two men. One of them has been mortally wounded. There are those in the house who believe that witchcraft is at work here, and they have taken steps to see that the witch is found and destroyed.
Natalie paces the drawing room. Nathan comes down to report Jeremiah is hovering between life and death. When Natalie tells him she believes someone in the house wants Jeremiah to die, he calls her superstitious and says that, given how Barnabas was treated, the duel was inevitable.
The Reverend Trask, on of DS' most enduring and beloved villains, arrives dressed in black from hat to shoes. Nathan assumes he's there for Jeremiah, but Natalie reveals he's there to get rid of the witch. Nathan questions Trask, and realizes he's a self-appointed cleric, not affiliated with any church "but his own".
Vicki is perusing the Collins history book when someone knocks at her door. She puts it away. Nathan burst in to warn her that she's in big trouble now--he wants to take her to the Collinsport Inn or she'll be accused of witchcraft! Vicki thinks this is another attempt on Forbes' part to get her into a bed at the Collinsport Inn, and tells him that, since she isn't a witch, she has nothing to fear. Stay and find out, says Nathan, irritated that his offer of help is being pushed away. Oh, she can take care of herself, Vicki assures him (oh, yeah, right)!
Drawing room - Natalie and Abigail talk to Trask, who asks for evidence of witchcraft. Abigail gleefully regales him with all that has been happening, focusing on the mysterious disappearance of Joshua, who was turned into a cat, then transformed back. Of course, Abigail could see the devil possession in Miss Winters' eyes the day she arrived! Barnabas overhears what's happening and reluctantly shakes "Mr. Trask's" hand. It's absurd, he scoffs, Miss Winters is a fine young lady, no more a witch than he is! The devil can appear in the guise of purity and innocence, Trask warns Barnabas. Barnabas refuses to give credence to the idea that his choking was caused by black magic, even though it disappeared as suddenly as it came. Natalie reminds Barnabas about Josette's odd behavior, but Barnabas puts that down to lack of character on her niece's part (OUCH!) Natalie disputes this, but Barnabas says it's indisputable. Natalie did see evidence of an evil woman in the house the day she arrived! Trask agrees, but Barnabas says his aunt and Natalie both have vivid imaginations. Abigail haughtily tells her nephew that Joshua gave her permission to take care of this matter as she sees fit.
Despite Barnabas' protests, Natalie, Abigail and Trask all barge into Vicki's room. Trask immediately gets into Vicki's face, accusing her of lying, of being responsible for the evil that has happened in the house. He examines her shocking, immodest clothing, and she refuses to tell him where she got it. She refuses to tell him anything, and orders him out of her room. He orders her to deny Satan and seek God's salvation, then tries to push her onto her knees to pray. Things escalate into violence. Trask grabs her, she slaps him, calls him a fantatic; he slaps her back. Natalie is especially troubled to see this, but things get even more out of hand--he and Abigail gag Vicki, tie her hands behind her back. Then, saying he is going to prove her a witch and exorcise the evil demons from her, he drags Vicki bodily out of the house.
Later, waiting for Trask to return from his task, Natalie frets about how vehemently Vicki denied being guilty, and says he was unnecessarily violent. She might have reacted the same way Vicki did, under those circumstances. She wishes she knew what he was doing to her.
In the woods, Trask has Vicki bound to a tree. He gives her one last chance to confess and repudiate Satan, and she calls him insane. He's going to leave her tied to that tree all night, he vows. If she is guilty of witchcraft, in the morning the tree will be dead. She starts begging him not to leave her there, and he, hand on her head, goes into a long, long speech ordering Satan to depart from Vicki's body. Vicki screams for help, and he says, "Scream all you wish--there will be none to hear you. . .none but the Lord!" Vicki continues to scream for help as he walks away.
NOTES: Trask is one fun villain, isn't it? No church but his own, he says? HA!
Love, Robin.
