I am a huge fan of JF's voiceovers, whether at the beginning of an episode or when he's reading a letter that Barnabas has written. He had a wonderfully resonant, magnetic speaking voice.
Quentin does a pretty good job of grilling Jeb, even he doesn't get anything out of him. Quentin in these eps. seems to be wide awake and interested in other people, not just himself.
Carolyn goes out to the foyer to phone the police. Left to themselves in the drawing room, Jeb and Quentin indulge in mutual threat display. I feel we’ve met before, Jeb says. I wonder where. Quentin replies, The only place we could have met is the only place I’ve never been--hell. That’s where your ideas seem to come from. Maybe I can pull off a few special ones for you, Jeb suggests. Quentin laughs. I’m sure you’ll try, he says. But let me tell you something, he adds, letting the smile drop from his face to expose a snarl. I have learned to take care of myself! For a long time, I imagine, Jeb agrees. Quentin’s big blue eyes widen slightly at the depth of Jeb’s knowledge, but he never takes those eyes off his enemy. You don’t believe the sad story of Philip Todd, do you? asks Jeb as he helps himself to a drink. Never! Quentin declares. With truly disgusting smugness, Jeb says, Why don’t you try to clear Philip. I’m going to, Quentin replies. You won’t make Philip change his confession, Jeb says. Do you want to make a bet on that, Mr. Hawkes? Quentin asks with a sarcastic smile.
Presumably Jeb knows nothing about Quentin's portrait or he would have destroyed it immediately. He seems to know that Quentin is more or less immortal but no more than that. Did OberHaza tell him?
Meanwhile, Carolyn tells the police they should get a psychiatrist to examine Philip. Since when is she an expert? But I guess the writers had to get her out of the drawing room so Jeb and Quentin could do their male chest-beating thing--and it is a fun scene. Barn arrives and, since he can't very well accuse Jeb in front of Carolyn, has to be content with opining that Philip is isn't capable of murder.
Once again, Carolyn leaves, this time to tell her mother about Philip, clearing the field for both Barnabas--who has given up any pretense of allegiance to the Leviathans--and Quentin to confront Jeb. The score is now Leviathans 2, Collinses 0.
Barnabas is more anxious than ever to get the box. He warns Quentin that he shouldn't have gotten involved, even though Julia asked him too. They realize their one chance will be when Jeb brings Carolyn back to Collinwood. (Funny how they assume that Jeb is a gentleman, just like themselves.)
In the upstairs room, Jeb tells his new pet, Your time has come, my friend--just as we knew it would. He takes the bat out of the cage. It squeaks fitfully, and he comments that it isn’t even afraid of him. Somehow he stuffs it into the Leviathan box (off camera). When he closes the box, we can hear the bat flapping around inside, struggling to escape, but it quiets down when Jeb picks up the box. We are alike, he tells the bat. We know who our enemies are. Then he hides the cage, puts the box back in the wardrobe and leaves the room. As he leans over the railing he thinks to himself with a smile, Barnabas Collins, the box is yours. Do with it whatever you wish.
Apparently Carolyn has been waiting downstairs while Jeb set his trap. He comes back down and claims to have given Megan a sedative. Carolyn grieves for her and especially for Philip, who loved the shop and all the antiques he had collected. This line of thought brings her to tears, and Jeb puts his hands on her shoulders. She turns in to his arms and keeps on crying. Jeb is extremely pleased at this result of his actions but is nonetheless at least somewhat upset that Carolyn is crying. I didn’t want to come and tell you, he says. Carolyn, please don’t cry. Honey, I hate to see you cry. She looks up at him and the next moment he’s kissing her passionately. Taking a handful of her her hair gently, he says, I don’t want you to be sad, then can’t resist asking, Do you like me at least a little? I don’t understand you sometimes, she answers. Oh, I like you, but [after a moment’s hesitation] you are so harsh with people sometimes--like Quentin. When I walked into the room this evening, I knew that you had been fighting--at least arguing. Well, honey, Jeb replies, I like Quentin Collins. I mean, there’s no reason for me not to, is there? he asks smugly. He just doesn’t like me, that’s all. This thought is more than enough motivation for him to kiss her again, this time hard and possessively.
Barnabas and Quentin leave Collinwood together on their mission to find and destroy the Leviathan box. The lobby of the Collins Port Inn affords a clear view of the antique shop, so they decide to wait there until Jeb and Carolyn leave. Quentin is sure there’s a trap. If there is, I will have to escape it, Barnabas says, we must destroy that box.
Jeb brings Carolyn back to Collinwood and asks if she’ll be able to sleep now. She says yes and asks him to call her as soon as he speaks to Megan. He pulls her in for a kiss. Running his fingers through the irresistible shining mass of her hair, he asks, Would you tell me if “people” talked about me? I don’t believe what they say, she answers, bringing on another kiss. Jeb leaves, and Carolyn goes into the drawing room to sit and think.
Quentin and Barnabas arrive at the shop. Barnabas tells Quentin to stay outside and keep Jeb from entering the shop, then unlocks the door and goes in.
Instead of thinking, however, Carolyn falls asleep and has her nightmare about Jeb all over again.
Barnabas emerges from the shop, box in hand. Quentin tells him that Jeb hasn’t returned, and Barnabas tells him to stay near the shop. Where are you going? Quentin asks. The only place I can destroy this, Barnabas answers. I’m coming too, Quentin says. Barnabas warns him, Once I’ve destroyed the box, I don’t know what might happen. Something might happen even to Jeb. Stay here and see, he tells Quentin. When I’m finished, I’ll go to the Old House. If Jeb returns and then leaves again, it will be because he knows the box is missing. He will start looking for me. He will know where to find me.
Barnabas returns to the Leviathan altar and sets the box on it. I first saw this box here, he murmurs, on the blackest day of my life. Whatever spirits are listening, he declares, I no longer need you! I will spend my days ridding the world of Leviathans! He raises his cane to smash the box, but his eyes widen in amazement and then horror as the lid opens by itself. The next moment a very tiny bat appears inside the box (which has a blue velvet lining), then grows larger and larger until it flies out of the box [with very visible wires] straight at Barnabas. He tries to pull it off him but fails. The bat lands on his chest and sinks its fangs into his neck as he screams in agony.......
