1236 - Julia and Morgan behold the two perfectly preserved, cobweb-covered bodies of Amanda Collins and James Forsythe, lying side by side on the tables where Brutus left them so many years ago.
Voice trembling, Julia says, it's horrible for them to lie this way, never changing, never finding the comfort of the grave. She steps forward toward the bodies. Morgan takes her arm and stops her. Don't go over there, he warns--I remember going in there and touching him--and then I remember nothing else. Then that moment of contact was when his spirit possessed you, she says. Yes, that's when it happened, he agrees. We can't let them lie here any longer, protests Julia--it's time for them to be taken away and given a Christian burial. We can't take them anywhere, says Morgan--that's not in Brutus' plans for them. But he can't punish them forever, she insists. The lights go out. We've got to go, right now, she says, but the door closes. They find it locked. Julia panics. Morgan, banging on the door, assures her, someone will come, you shouldn't be afraid. Julia looks back at the bodies and cries out. One of them moved! she wails.
Catherine, asleep in bed, awakens from a dream with a horrific scream. Melanie, sitting with her, runs to take Catherine in her arms and comfort her as Catherine sobs. Forget your dream, it's all over, says Melanie. How can I forget what I've done to Daphne? asks Catherine, sinking back to the pillows in misery. You've done nothing to Daphne, Melanie assures her. I'm responsible for her being in a coma, insists Catherine, crying. You're exaggerating, says Melanie. She was calling out to me again and again but I wouldn't listen to her, says Catherine--that's what she was doing in the dream--and when I tried to help her, I couldn't!--they wouldn't listen to me, I begged them to stop, but they wouldn't, it just went on, closing her grave! Listen to me, urges Melanie gently, you had every right to choose what you wanted and to marry whomever you wanted--Daphne had the same right. But I didn't have the right to make her life miserable, protests Catherine. Even if what you say is true, says Melanie, you weren't the only person who didn't realize help was needed--all of us have failed someone. That's not the worst of it, if it was, says Catherine, perhaps I could live with it. What else have you done to Daphne? asks Melanie. Catherine begins to cry again, unable to reply; she just lies back down and sobs, "Bramwell!"
Records room - Julia and Morgan survey the bodies. In the darkness, he says, it must have appeared that one of them moved--but they are way beyond moving again. They're just as Brutus wants them to be, says Julia, adding, frightened--and what plans does he have for us? What do you mean? asks Morgan. He sent us into this room nobody knows about, she says, he's locked the door and nobody will ever find us--help!--help! she screams, banging at the door.
In the outer room, Brutus' ghost, laughing, appears.
Catherine's bedroom - It's best not to think too much at a time like this, advises Melanie, you don't want to see things as they really are, you only want to punish yourself, and that won't help Daphne get well--you must accept that, Catherine.
You're right, the other woman admits, and yet... It takes so much time, finishes Melanie. I do feel better, though, says Catherine, perhaps I can sleep now, without dreaming. Would it be all right if I leave you alone for a few minutes? asks Melanie--perhaps when I come back, I could read to you, or... Realizing Catherine has fallen asleep, she covers her with an afghan. Melanie leaves the room, passing by Gabriel, who is hiding in an alcove. Gabriel sneaks into Catherine's room, where she lies asleep--vulnerable. He quietly walks over to her. Is that you, Melanie? she asks, eyes still closed. She opens her eyes and sees who it is--"Gabriel!" she cries, staring up at him fearfully. I haven't much time, he says. What are you doing here? she asks. What is Gabriel doing? he repeats, referring to himself in the third person--Gabriel is leaving--nothing became his life more than the leaving it--I read that in a play somewhere--oh, you didn't know Gabriel could be clever and witty, did you?--he chuckles. Catherine sits up, then stands--I should call someone to help you, she says. He grabs her--call no one, he orders--no one must know anything about this--we wouldn't want anyone else to know what we're up to, he asks, would we? His face is very close to hers, as though he's going in for a kiss. Terrified, she asks, what do you want from me? Money! he cries, that's the only way I can get out of here--the only way I can get them to open the gates of hell and let me out! I don't have any money, she says, not enough for you to get away from Collinwood! Desperate, he says, you must--you're my only help--if I stay here, I'll die--that's what staying here means--dying. That's not true, she says. You know it is, he says, you and I are the only sane ones here--we knew the lottery was wrong--all the others, they didn't believe us, they didn't believe us--they're all mad!--they couldn't kill me before, but they'll keep at it until they do! He has drawn very close to her, doing something we can't see. All they want to do is take care of you, she says, that's all. He draws back and sarcastically says--they want to take care of me?--they'll take care of me by locking me in a room and throwing the keys away so no one will know what they're doing to me--I remember, in the tower room, you know what my mother gave me?--a book!--my father's favorite book of meditations--ease your mind with this, she said--well he's gone now, and now they want me to take his place--they always want a victim, that's the way they play their little game--well I'm not going to be their victim--and that's why I came to you. I want to help you, I really do, she says, terrified but under control, but I don't have any money. You're lying! he accuses. I'm not, she says, I only have a few dollars, that won't get you away from here. So they've taught you to lie, he says--well, now I'm going to have to teach you something--he pulls out a knife and holds it up threateningly. Gabriel, no! she screams. It's not difficult to die, he assures her in a calm voice, it's very easy to kill. Please listen to me, she begs--you said I was your friend, killing me won't get you away from here. You're not my friend, he says, you're no better than all the rest! Please listen to me, begs Catherine, I do want to help you. You're lying, I can tell! he cries. No, she says, I do want to help you!--I don't have any money, but I do have something else I can give you--she runs to the dresser and takes out a shiny, glittering piece of jewelry. Give it to me! he demands.
Give me the knife, she counters, holding the bauble out of his reach. Give it to me, he orders again. No, she says--go ahead and kill me if you want to, but I'll scream first and someone will hear me, and then they'll come in here and perhaps you won't get away after all. He charges at her; she slips away and, shaking the necklace, says, give me the knife, then go on your way. He lifts the knife and looks at it, then nods and hands it over. She passes the bauble on to him. Looks fake to me, but he might not know.
Records room - Morgan lights an oil lamp. Julia, still terrified, says, now we can see death when it comes for us. Stop talking like that, he says, annoyed. It's the truth, she says, he's coming for us, we're going to die, we're dead just like James and Amanda, we're dead--she goes into hysterics, sobbing. Morgan slaps her across the face, stopping her hysteria, then places a comforting hand on her shoulder as she cries.
Melanie hears Morgan banging on the door below, and his cries for help. She enters the room--Morgan? Come down, he says, we are behind the iron door, which can only be opened from the outside--please open it. Are you sure you're really Morgan? asks Melanie. Yes, of course, he assures her. She opens the door. Julia races past her, crying wildly. Our aunt was a little frightened, says Morgan. What do you mean? Melanie asks, trying to see into the room. He prevents her from viewing the grisly sight of Amanda and James and says, let's get out of here. They leave.
Gabriel comes downstairs and heads for the door. Gabriel! calls Brutus. Who are you? asks Gabriel. It is not yet time to go, says Brutus. Who's calling me? asks Gabriel. Come to me, orders Brutus. Wherever you are, what do you want from me? asks Gabriel. Come to me, says Brutus--you will find out! Gabriel looks around and slowly walks back upstairs as Brutus' voice beckons, "Come to me!"
Drawing room - Morgan looks into the flames--we have got to do something about Brutus' room, he says, and the two in the other room--after tonight, it's impossible to just leave it. He rises. Melanie is tending to Julia. If we do something, she says, it might make him angrier, more dangerous--and what would happen to us then? She looks at him helplessly.
Gabriel goes to the corridor, to the lottery room, following Brutus' voice, but once he reaches the door, refuses to go in. I demand it, says Brutus. Not again! protests Gabriel. I demand it! yells Brutus--you hear me?--come inside--I am here! Gabriel opens the door and enters. All right, he says, I'm here, where are you? He finds a knife lying there, waiting for him. Brutus appears to him. Brutus Collins! says Gabriel. Yes, says the ghost, the master of Collinwood--then, now and always--why did you not pick up the knife as I commanded you? I don't understand, says Gabriel, sweating. A servant need not understand, only obey! orders Brutus.
A servant? asks Gabriel. Make no mistake, says Brutus, you are my servant and will do my bidding--it pleases me to see them all die--and you will kill them, one by one, with that knife--and anyone who crossed me will die!
I have given my orders, says Brutus, you will carry them out--do you not appreciate the honor I am bestowing on you?--allow you to kill my enemies--you must prove yourself worthy of such a mission. I will be, says Gabriel, picking up the knife, and he leaves. Brutus' ghost fades away, but not before we hear his laughter.
Their bedroom - Catherine relates to Morgan what happened with Gabriel. My poor Catherine, he says. I'm all right, she assures him, he didn't hurt me. I'll go get Quentin, he says, and we'll look for him together. Let him go, says Catherine--if he can find some kind of peace away from Collinwood, let him find it! What do you want me to do, then? he asks. Take me away from here, she begs. Yes, of course, he says, sounding a bit loony, you have been through a lot--you need a rest--perhaps a trip to New York. I don't want a trip, she says, I want to go away from here forever, and never come back! That's not possible, he says. Anything is possible, she insists, if we just will it so! I'm not so sure, he says--what I have to say to you might sound very cruel. Cruelty is nothing new at Collinwood, she says. Between us it is, he says--I love you very, very much--but I don't think you love me. Of course I love you, she says. You say anything is possible if we will it, he says, but can you will love to come and go?--I don't think so. You're talking nonsense, she says, I don't know what you're talking about. I think you do, he says reasonably, but I'll speak more plainly--if anything happens to Daphne, Bramwell will be free again--and I think that's what you're afraid of. I am afraid, she says, you're right, but it has nothing to do with Bramwell and Daphne--it had to do with us, and this house--so many terrible things have happened to us, and will happen to us--I'm so afraid of losing you--she embraces him--we could have such a wonderful life together somewhere else! He holds her close and says, anywhere else is not my home. This house is cursed! she insists. We are all cursed, says Morgan, and where we go we take it with us--it does no good for anyone to run away, not me, not you, not Gabriel--Catherine, do you love me? Yes, she says, of course I love you. Then stay here with me, he says--I will deal with my ghosts, you will deal with yours. I have no ghosts, she says. What about the feelings you once had for Bramwell? he asks. They are dead, she assures him, they will not rise. Then there is no reason for us to leave Collinwood--ever! he says. (what his wife wants doesn't seem to concern him in the least.)
10:40 - Collinwood drawing room - Julia, I should think after what's happened to you in this house, you'd be glad to see me leave, says Melanie. Julia says this is not an ordinary house, nor are you an ordinary girl. Perhaps I will be after I marry Kendrick, says Melanie. It's not as simple as that, says Julia. I KNOW it's not as simple as that, says Melanie, but he loves me, knows what I am and wants to take care of me--he could make me well! Everybody wants to help you, insists Julia. I know, says Melanie, but your idea of helping me is to keep me confined in this house, cut off from life--and love, but you can't anymore, not now--I have Kendrick, and I am going to marry him! All right then, says Julia, you will marry Kendrick, you will have a husband--but what will Kendrick have?--not a wife--a patient, perhaps, not a wife. Stop it! commands Melanie, refusing to listen further to her aunt--don't waste your breath--none of your arguments matter any longer--I have my own life, my own dreams and hopes, and Kendrick and I will make them come true. I wish you would just wait a while, says Julia. No, says Melanie, no more waiting--whatever happiness is coming to me, I'm going to take--right now! All right, says Julia, annoyed, I suppose all I can do now is give you all my best wishes. Upset, she leaves the room. It will be all right with Kendrick, says Melanie exultantly, now alone--I'm going to live, really live for the first time in my life! She turns to see Gabriel standing there, grinning. Where did you come from? she cries. Through the secret panel, he says, didn't you know there are many secrets and panels all over this house? What are you doing here? she asks. I've come for a specific reason, he says in a soft, dangerous voice--he raises the knife--to kill you!
Kill me--no! she cries, and tries to run past him. He stabs her in the shoulder. She falls to the ground. Gabriel surveys his handiwork with pleasure.
NOTES: The bodies in the records room--eww. Brutus was a sick puppy, no doubt about it, and he chose the best vehicle for his murderous intent--insane Gabriel, brilliantly played by Pennock. Now he has Gabriel doing his dirty work, and he's already stabbed Melanie, who is so joyously anticipating a life with Kendrick. I sure hope he doesn't finish her off, and she gets to marry the guy she loves.
Even Catherine can't escape Collinwood. Her husband doesn't want to go. Both Harridge gals asked their respective hubbies to leave the old homestead, but both got negative responses. Collinwood won't let its own go; even Bramwell, who wants to stay, I'm sure, because of his and Catherine's baby.
Julia showed herself to be extremely vulnerable in this episode. Who would have expected her to be so upset seeing the two bodies--and her fear at being locked in was way beyond what I'd expect of the stoic Julia we've seen thus far. Is it possible she, too, was somehow possessed by something evil in that room that altered her personality? It looked that way to me.
