I suppose one could argue that Barnabas changed everything just by going back to 1897. He did arrive in his coffin in that year and had to send out a message, which the hapless Sandor obeyed. But after that, things started changing just because of his mere presence.
I wonder if at this point the writers had any idea how they were going to wind up the whole 1897 story. There are still a lot of plot points for us to get through.
Stokes seems fine with the idea that they may never know why Barnabas's corporeal body disappears. But poor Julia is near tears.
We get another fine scene with JF and LE. In his prison cell, Barn tries to reach Edward (who is still wearing both his coats) by telling him that the entire future of the family is at stake, but Edward isn't having any. Barn guesses that Edward plans to shoot him with a silver bullet--after all, his father was supposed to, so this is familiar ground. Edward thinks that vampirism is a lifestyle choice. It was impossible for me to prevent what I became, Barnabas says with patient sorrow. As long as I live and I breathe [though in fact a vampire can do neither], I carry the Collins name. I know you would never do anything to hurt a member of the family. It is my duty to kill you, and I will do it, Edward retorts. Then do it, Barnabas dares him. Edward aims somewhere in the area of Barnabas's chin rather than his heart, but in the end, he can't pull the trigger. As a fly flits by, he decides that he will return an hour before dawn and watch whatever will happen to Barnabas when he can't regain his coffin.
Barnabas sits on the cot to think about how he can escape. (Petofi’s mark is presumably still on his hand, so he can’t simply Dematerialize.) He stands and paces the cell--and notices a tall secretary-type desk against the back wall. Having decided on a course of action, he takes the only candle and sets it on the desk, finds a pencil and paper in the desk, and sits down to write. A few moments later, we hear him read over the note to himself:
My dear Julia: I am writing this letter on the fifth day of September of the year 1897. I am locked in a cell in the basement of the Old House. In another eight hours I will die. It is my fervent hope that this letter will somehow survive time and be brought to your attention in the year 1969 in order that you may know why my mission to the past was a failure. I learned only during the last twenty-four hours that on September the tenth next, Quentin Collins will die. (Barnabas hears something, gets up and walks over to the cell door to look out into the basement. Standing there, he finishes reading the letter.) As prophesied, three events were to happen before his death. Two of them have. Only the third remains--his rejection by Jamison. My plan was to return to the present, contact Quentin's spirit, and find out who killed him. With this knowledge I could have prevented his death and thereby saved David Collins. All of this has been prevented by one Edward Collins, who learned my secret some months ago and became my implacable enemy. He has trapped me here. There is no escape for me. I am, and shall be to the end, your good and devoted friend, Barnabas Collins.
Barnabas folds the letter, puts it in an envelope addressed to Dr. Julia Hoffman and seals the envelope. He presses a knob to open a secret compartment in the desk (half as wide as the desk) and puts the letter inside, then closes the compartment and steps away from the desk.
In 1969, Amy Jennings is still staying at the Old House, so we know that Quentin the ghost is still the master of the Great House at the top of Widows’ Hill. She is in the drawing room, playing with her dolls, Debbie and Amanda. (They look remarkably like poor Jenny’s “babies,“ and Amy has even named one of them Amanda.) She reaches for a book at the top of the tall writing desk and accidentally triggers the knob that opens the secret compartment--now just as wide as the desk. Lo and behold, she finds the envelope.
Downstairs, Stokes very kindly suggests to the despondent Julia that she should go upstairs and rest. He will stay on watch. Amy is just about to open the letter when Julia comes upstairs. She spots the letter, opens it, starts to read it, and stops with a gasp. Without another word to poor Amy (who must be pretty lonely), she hurries back down to the basement.
Julia shows the letter to Stokes. This is the most astonishing thing I have ever seen in my life! he declares, absolutely delighted. The date on the letter is September 5, Julia points out. And today is September 5, 1969, Stokes replies. Barnabas is in a past that somehow runs parallel to our present, he concludes. Then Barnabas is still alive! Julia exclaims. Stokes points out, According to this letter, not much longer. Somehow, he will die in less than eight hours. Julia cries, We have got to do something! Stokes says, First of all, I must find out if my understanding of this letter is correct. I am assuming that you know something about Barnabas Collins that I do not know. Julia says evasively, I don’t understand. Stokes explains: One passage in this letter is a complete mystery to me: "But all of this has been prevented by one Edward Collins, who learned of my secret some months ago and became my implacable enemy." What does that mean, Julia? What is Barnabas Collins's secret?
I don’t know, Julia insists (after the commercial break). Surely she must have know that Stokes would ask this very question if she showed him the letter, but this indicates how desperate she is. Surely you know what Barnabas meant, Stokes insists, but Julia is adamant in her denial. The letter takes it for granted that you do, Stokes points out. He waits for her answer. Finally Julia has an inspiration: Perhaps Edward has discovered that Barnabas came from another time, she says. Stokes thinks that Edward must be crazy. Julia loyally declares that this is entirely possible--and that they must proceed on what they know: If Barnabas dies, then all will be lost for David Collins and Chris Jennings. Stokes is baffled. True, he says, but I don’t have any idea of what to do. I have two ideas, Julia says: I am going to try to reach Quentin (she means via Amy), and then I am going to try to go back into the past to save Barnabas. Stokes points out that David is near death, but Julia says that Amy isn't in any danger--if Quentin had wanted to possess both children, he could have done it long ago. Eventually Stokes agrees to help, mostly by studying up on the I Ching.
Upstairs, Amy is terrified to return to the Great House but agrees to help for David's sake. We’ll go right away, Julia declares. Get your coat--it’s storming outside. Stokes comes upstairs. As Julia puts on her own coat, she assures him, I feel sure we _will_ return safely. He nods, then with Amy’s dolls to keep him company, sits by the fire and adjusts his monocle to read the Book of Changes.
Julia and Amy arrive at Collinwood, now dark and empty under the reign of its ghostly master. Julia is apprehensive, Amy is terrified. What part of the house might Quentin be in? Julia asks. It doesn’t matter, Amy explains. Quentin always knows when someone is here. Then call to him, Julia suggests. Amy calls out, Quentin! Quentin, can you hear me? The only response is thunder rolling through the house. Amy calls again: Please answer me! I’ve got to talk to you. It is terribly important. The thunder and lightning continue. It’s no use, Amy decides sadly. Quentin isn’t going to answer. Please, let’s go back to the Old House. Julia hesitates, then sadly agrees. As they turn to go, Quentin’s music starts to play. Julia listens to find the source of the music, but Amy shrieks, He’s coming, he’s coming! and bolts out the door. Lightning flashes through the stained-glass windows as the camera pans to the door at the end of the landing. Alone in the foyer, Julia prepares to face Quentin....
