Fashion notes first . . .
I would have thought that repeated footage David Ford's naked upper chest is a sight we should have all been spared.
Are we really supposed to believe that Roger Collins doesn't have access to an iron? Were they that beleaguered in wardrobe that no one could be bothered to press out that cheap crappy raincoat of his?
Instead of staying put, Roger's at the Evans Cottage and on Sam's case about quitting the portrait commission. Sam isn't encouraging or all that cooperative. Honestly, you say "I don't want to do this. I have my reasons. I'm sorry that you feel differently, but there it is. Here's your money back. Bye bye." It's not that hard. But since Roger lacks my perspicacity and isn't doing Monday Morning Quarterbacking, he's forced to go hide in the bathroom/bedroom like somebody in a French farce when Burke shows up for his first sitting.
Bill Malloy (yay!) wants Elizabeth to fork over some cash for new cannery equipment. She doesn't want it to put anyone out of work. Like that's believable. One-time outlay to make your business more competitive and profitable versus having to lay out continuous financial support for comparatively less reliable workers? She's supposed to be a hard-headed business woman. Anyhow, Bill informs her that Burke's been doing some intense digging into her finances. He gets literary on us and compares Burke to Captain Ahab. Okay. So Elizabeth is what in this analogy? The great white whale? Or is that Roger? Whatever. Bill's very devoted anyhow. Then we get Ned's off-screen call and suddenly Bill looks even more upset. Liz offers the unheard Ned his old job as manager back (that would be the one Bill currently holds). Ned apparently needs to think about this. From subsequent dialogue, we learn that Ned used to be yet another one of those devoted guys buzzing around Elizabeth. Eventually, he got fed up and quit. Since we've had several scenes now that mention this guy, my guess is that they had planned on casting the part. Calder would have then presumably played Elizabeth's love interest. I wonder who they had in mind to play the role?
The French farce is going ahead full steam. Sam is busy sketching Burke. We learn that Sam apparently spent a little time up at Collinwood eighteen years ago and thinks of Liz fondly. Not that there's any implication that he and Elizabeth were an item, thank God, but it is mentioned. The mind boggles. Burke is in low gear and isn't being too obnoxious. He's also obviously planning on the long haul with Sam though when he takes off. Sam is distinctly uneasy and the shots of Roger that we see don't show him looking happy either. Finally released from the prison of the bathroom/Maggie's bedroom (it's never clear exactly where he's holed up), he orders Sam to leave town. He offers him $5 grand expenses and suggests California. I do believe this is the first of several times that Roger names that state as a destination. Sam evidently doesn't see himself walking down the beach, his pallid puffy chest exposed for all the golden goddesses. He ain't moving.
Bill Malloy is in a sour mood. Considering that his beloved employer casually just offered his job to his rival over the phone without consulting him, I can well believe it. I forget where this conversation with Burke takes place (blame it on the cough medicine), but he's being pretty blunt with Burke. He states that Roger is fair game, but Burke needs to leave the rest of the family the hell alone. He goes onto make an offer: if Burke will leave town, Bill promises to try and clear Burke's name. Burke is taken aback and agrees to think about it.
At Casa Evans, Roger and Sam are busy sniping at each other. Roger's making with the veiled threats again. I honestly get the feeling that he's dreaming sweet dreams of mowing Sam down with his car, so it's probably a good move on Sam's part to reveal that he's written a Letter that will Reveal All Should Roger get any bright ideas. Poor Roger loses it. Totally loses it. Then Bill shows up. Yay! I'm sorry, I really really like Bill Malloy.
The two men act like they've been caught in flagrante delicto. Bill's in a particularly snarky mood. He basically bullies his way in and there is far too much talk about coffee--much too much talk about coffee. There's also some particularly lame cover story about Sam and Roger arguing over the price of a painting. Roger hoofs it back to town and Bill sets down that second cup of coffee in favor of the hard stuff.
If you will recall, last episode Carolyn was being devious and subtle (only in her own mind) by leaving large pieces of jewelry where tall, dark, handsome men would be bound to find them. Burke calls dutifully enough with the news that he has her ring. Unfortunately for him, Carolyn gets her ideas of man-catching from The Patty Duke Show and finagles a meeting with him in town.
Bill starts pouring drinks with a very liberal hand.
I gather they got The Patty Duke Show in the pokey or at least in Brazil because Burke knows what Carolyn is up to. That or the man has been around the block a few times. His plans for the day include a visit to Bangor to see Bronson so he can move ahead with annihilating Carolyn's family. Roger pops up and it looks like his day is just not going to improve any time soon. He spots Carolyn's ring and there's quite the to-do. It would happen to be the ring that Roger got her for her sixteenth birthday and all. Ouch. Roger knows damn well what she's up to and takes the ring off Burke's hands.
Unsurprisingly Carolyn is less than grateful when Roger hands it back to her as she's on her way out the door. What's more she resents his telling her to stay away from Burke. She sees it as an affront on her freedom or something. They give her orders but not reasons. I guess that business of his swearing to destroy her uncle and her family for imprisoning him doesn't qualify as a reason. Burke's a really great guy, you know.
The really great guy doesn't fall for it when in the next scene Carolyn shows up claiming not to have seen Roger. In fact, he grabs her handbag and fishes out the ring. I will say she handles what should have been an agonizingly embarrassing scene very well. But then she reverts to behavior that a five-year-old would be above. She all but begs him to take her to Bangor. He tells her no dice, but it is heavily inferred she's getting to Bangor one way or another.
The Let's Get Sam Sloshed movement is in full swing. Sam waxes lyrical about his lost talent. Bill pours them stronger. Roger may be an ass about a lot of things, but he's so right about Sam and his big fat mouth. The man talks like his tongue is unhinged. Sam mentions that he's "the only thing standing between Roger Collins and a prison sentence." Oh dear. Sam passes out and Bill leaves. Guess Roger's day is doomed to get a lot worse.
