Welcome back, Marie Wallace and Denise Nickerson!
The madwoman is taller and stronger than Rachel. She quickly stuns the governess and escapes from the Tower Room amid thunder and lightning.
Judith is now out of mourning (in her knockout reddish gown) and doing her petit point when Dirk walks into the house. She calls to him. Aren’t you supposed to be checking the grounds? Dirk replies, I just came in to see if Mr. Edward (should be Mr. Collins!) had any special orders for me. He will have none tonight or any other night, Judith informs him. He might be expecting someone, Dirk objects, and I’d need to leave the gate open. In the future you should come to me about that, Judith tells him. Flustered, Dirk starts, I still think I should ask Mr. Edward-- Don’t pretend you don’t know about my grandmother’s will, Judith interrupts him. I know how the servants gossip about the family. Collinwood is mine now, she announces. You would be wise to remember that. Dirk finally gets it and asks Judith for orders.
We see the madwoman’s feet, shod in soft, indoor slippers, as if she never goes outdoors. She moves silently through the corridors of the house, arriving just outside the drawing room in time to hear Dirk wind up his description of his nighttime rounds. After he leaves, Judith calls out, and the madwoman beats a hasty retreat.
Dirk is outside when he hears a noise, which turns out to be Nora. Judith hears her screaming that she won't go back in the house and sends Dirk off. I want to see _her_ when she she gets back! Nora insists. She doesn't want to say who at first because she knows her aunt Judith doesn't like her and Jamison's mother. She insists she's dreamed about her mother two nights in a row. From Judith we learn that the kids' mother is ill and "in treatment," but it hasn't worked. Gently (for her), Judith tells her, You and Jamison must try to forget your mother. Then she relents and says Nora and Jamison can write to their mother. Nora says, We both tried writing to our mother, but we know the letters were never mailed, because we found them in Father’s desk. You won’t let us write to her or answer any of our questions! Nora wails. Finally worn out, Judith tells Nora, When you’re older, you’ll realize that there are some questions for which there is no answer. Now go upstairs to bed. You get cranky when you don’t get enough sleep. Reluctantly, Nora goes upstairs, with Judith escorting her.
In the upstairs hallway, the madwoman hears Nora and Judith talking as they approach. The madwoman searches for someplace to hide, opens a door at random and steps into the room, leaving the door open. It turns out that she is in Nora’s bedroom. She picks up an anachronistic Raggedy Ann doll (not created until 1915) from the table and ducks into an alcove behind the drapes. You never let me do anything! Nora complains. The next moment they arrive at Nora’s room, and the little girl is surprised to see that the door is open. You must have left it open, Judith says. No, I didn’t--I closed it, Nora says nervously. You mustn’t let an open door scare you, Judith chides her. A draft probably blew it open. There’s no one in the house that shouldn’t be here. Nora and Judith enter the bedroom. Have you said your prayers? Judith asks. Yes, Nora replies dutifully as she climbs into bed and pulls up the covers. Apparently it never occurs to Judith (who doesn’t seem particularly fond of children) that the little girl might like to be tucked in, but she gives Nora a perfunctory goodnight kiss. Please don’t leave, Nora begs her aunt. I’m frightened. Please stay, just a little while. If you leave, I’m sure I won’t go to sleep. Judith sits by the bed and tells Nora to close her eyes. While all this is going on, the madwoman is still hiding in the alcove behind the drapes, stroking the doll she took. Lightning flashes across her face, which is distorted by some terrible grief and topped with a mane of wild, dark red hair.
Rachel finally revives and starts calling for help.
Nora has finally fallen asleep, but tosses and turns in bed. The madwoman starts to leave, sees that Nora is restless and runs back to her hiding place in terror. To console herself, she whispers Nora’s name over and over, smiling as she holds the doll close.
Downstairs, as Judith walks by the front doors, they suddenly blow open. She looks outside and calls out, Who is it? Who is it? But no one is there. She shuts the doors and backs over to the Great Staircase nervously, as if expecting the doors to open again.
Rachel calls out the window, and Dirk finally hears her. She explains the situation but says there's no key. Dirk heroically charges into the door to free her, and she practically falls into his arms with gratitude. He tells her sternly, You shouldn’t be here. What’s wrong? she asks. Dirk replies, You’d better to see Miss Judith (should be Miss Collins!) and tell her what happened. I don’t want to know, so don’t tell me. He escorts her out of the room. The camera pans around it, and in the dim light we can see a narrow cot in a corner.
Nora has fallen sound asleep at last, and so the madwoman steps out from her hiding place and returns the Raggedy Ann doll to the table. She spots a photo of Edward in an ornate frame on the mantel. She picks it up and looks at it with hatred. This is your father! Your father! she spits out at the sleeping Nora. Will the madwoman smash the picture on the floor?
Rachel confesses to Judith and says she saw a light in the Tower Room. Judith asks if she saw who attacked her, but Rachel says it was too dark and whoever it was moved too quickly. Judith insists it must have been Sandor, looking for something to steal. I spoke to Magda just before, Rachel has to admit. Did the gypsy know you were going to the Tower? Judith asks. Yes, Rachel says, but Magda would have stopped me if she had known Sandor would be there. The gypsy woman never knows where he is, Judith says irritably. It’s not the first time he was caught lurking around Collinwood. The mystery is solved, she insists--unless you intend to keep bringing it up. I’m sorry, Rachel says humbly, turning away from Judith. She adds, I don’t understand why Sandor-- Are you doubting me? Judith asks haughtily. No, Rachel says, holding her head. I’m just not feeling well. Go to your room, Judith orders, dismissing her. Tomorrow I will decide how serious I think these infractions have been. Rachel wants to say more, but Judith orders, Go straight to your room! Rachel heads upstairs.
The madwoman doesn't smash Edward's photo after all. Instead she takes the doll out from under Nora's blankets--the doll that Beth brought back from the village--and slips out into the hallway, rocking the doll slowly, as if it were a live baby. She hears Rachel coming and hurries back into Nora's room. After Rachel goes by, the madwoman carefully replaces the doll, tucking it back in. She glances at Nora before leaving.
Almost at her room, Rachel stops and decides she might as well finish what she started. She finds Dirk outside the front door, waiting for Judith despite the storm. Rachel asks him if he's seen Sandor. Yes, he says, at the Old House half an hour ago, and he was there all evening. Rachel turns to go, but Dirk grasps her arm and asks her, Did Miss Collins say that Sandor locked you in the Tower? Yes, Rachel answers as she tries to pull out of his grasp. I will explain tomorrow, she promises as she runs away.
Judith comes to Nora's room, looking for the madwoman, but she is long gone. Instead, she practically jumps on Judith in the hallway and takes off, laughing wildly, with Judith in pursuit.
Nora wakes up, gets out of bed and opens her door. Rachel is standing outside. Were you in my room? Nora asks. Did you close my door? No, Rachel replies. Someone did, Nora says. Rachel turns on the light in Nora’s room. While Nora gets back into bed, Rachel looks around the room. What are you looking for? Nora asks. Rachel answers, Nothing. Are you expecting someone too? Nora asks. Who are you expecting? Rachel asks. Nora says sadly, It doesn’t matter, because they aren’t going to come. She climbs out of bed and throws her arms around Rachel, asking forlornly, Oh, Rachel, why do people disappear? Why do people die? No one else here will disappear, will they? Promise me you won't disappear. Promise me!
Judith has followed the madwoman back to the Tower Room. She walks down the corridor and enters the room. She looks around and calls out, You are in this room, aren’t you? The door suddenly slams shut behind her. Judith whirls around. Laughing wildly, the madwoman lunges at Judith--brandishing a very large pair of scissors....
