435 - (Lara Parker) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one woman on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past-back to the Collins family in the year 1795. As another day comes to a close, Victoria winters finds herself closer to being convicted on a charge of witchcraft, for which the penalty is death by hanging.
When Barnabas rises for the evening, Ben tells him how badly the trial is going for Miss Winters, that a snake, Nathan, testified against the former governess in regards to Abigail. Trask has turned Abigail's death against Vicki, and, as Ben rightly points out, Barnabas is responsible for that. Since he can't go himself, Barnabas orders Ben to go to the courtroom and be a witness for Vicki--tell them about Angelique being the witch! Ben is terrified that Angelique won't let him--look how many times she made him mute before, to protect herself! And besides, Joshua might send him back to prison for testifying for Miss Winters, and Trask will be quick to point out that Ben is a convict.
Barnabas doesn't want to hear any arguments or objections; he's sure that once Ben is on the stand, he'll convince everyone. "Tomorrow morning, Ben!" orders Barnabas harshly, and after Ben leaves, Barnabas is so angry and probably feels so impotent to help Vicki, he puts his hand to his mouth and looks like he's gnawing on his knuckle.
At the trial, Peter asks that Nathan's testimony be stricken from the record in light of the testimony just given by the respected Naomi Collins (wish we could have seen it, but I guess it wasn't really necessary). What Mrs. Collins says is opinion, not proof, insists the head judge, and says that both testimonies will stand. Trask rests his case, surprising Peter, who hasn't been able to round up any witnesses. Ben Stokes enters the courtroom and confers with Peter and Vicki, who thanks him for coming forward. He has much to say, he tells her, and hopes he will be believed. No sooner does Ben take the stand than Trask brings up his prison record, but the judge says he's under oath. A nervous Ben admits that he protected and helped Miss Winters because he knew she wasn't a witch. He knew who the real witch was (and here Trask does a comical double take)--"Angelique Collins!" gulps Ben.
Vicki is stunned. Ben explains how he saw Angelique performing acts of witchcraft and forced Ben to help her. She made him steal a lock of Jeremiah's hair to perform the love spell on Josette and Jeremiah. Angelique wanted Josette to be unfaithful to Barnabas, her fiance, because she wanted Barnabas for herself--and got him. Miss Winters had nothing to gain, points out Peter, but Angelique had much--that's a motive for the acts of witchcraft. Peter requests that the case be dropped, but the judge says Trask must be allowed to cross-examine the witness. Where is Angelique Collins? asks Trask. Ben doesn't know; he is no longer under her spell. She left the day after Barnabas went to England, a month ago. Trask accuses Ben of lying--the acts of witchcraft continued, nay, escalated, in the past month. There were three deaths in the Collins household, plus all the attacks in the village--witchcraft is still being practiced--and by Victoria Winters! NO! screams Ben, Angelique is guilty. He saw her turn Joshua into a cat; she was responsible for Sarah's death--not Miss Winters! Pandemonium breaks out; everyone is yelling at everyone else.
Outside the courtroom, Angelique materializes out of the air. "THAT WOMAN IS DEAD!" screams Ben, pointing at the smiling ghost--I saw her in her coffin, buried her!
Angelique and Ben stare at each other. Trask demands that Ben's testimony be stricken from the record--look at the discrepancies! First he says she's gone away, then that she's dead. Peter insists Ben be allowed to explain, but the judges order poor Ben from the courtroom. As he goes, he covers his face with his hands, terrified, despairing--he can't escape her, even in death!
Trask wants Angelique to take the stand, and Peter confers with Vicki as to whether or not this is wise. She realizes now that Angelique WAS the witch, it all makes sense! (DUH!) They decide it would be in their best interest to let Mrs. Collins take the stand.
At first, when Angelique is questioned, she says that Vicki was always courteous and kind to her, and displayed no strange behavior. However, Miss Winters was living with her and Barnabas after their wedding-her husband believed Vicki innocent and was protecting her.
When Trask performed his exorcism, however, Miss Winters was the only one driven from the house. She was calling fire, but Angelique checked the room and there was no evidence of such.
Peter, looking defeated, refuses to cross-examine Angelique. He has no witnesses, but asks for more time to find some. The judge tells him they will be back in the courtroom at 9 AM Monday, and if he doesn't produce any witnesses, the trial will be over.
Outside the courtroom, Angelique fades just before Trask, Vicki and Peter pass her by, then, giggling, she reappears, gazing after them in triumph.
NOTES: She can't even let Vicki get away with the witchcraft-and since she's dead, what difference does it make for her to be branded a witch-especially since she IS one! Angelique, you are such a witchy woman! Mean to the bone!
Some great scenes in this ep, and that last one, with Angelique disappearing before anyone sees her, is one of the classics.
436 - (Alexandra Moltke) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past-back to the Collins family in the year 1795. At this moment, she is in great danger, for she has been charged with witchcraft and is on trial for her life. And she is beginning to make a strange and terrifying discovery.
Poor Alex Moltke had a cold in these eps; you can hear it in her voice.
Vicki and Peter sit in her cell, where she tells him she believes Ben was telling the truth about Angelique being the witch. She describes to him how she found Barnabas' toy soldier and handkerchief in Angelique's room, and realizes she probably was responsible for the choking incident. She thought Sarah had left them, but now, since Angelique talked her out of mentioning them to the child, she's not so sure.
Peter says it doesn't matter; there's no proof, but Vicki insists that Angelique is the only one with a motive for keeping Josette and Barnabas apart-she could see Angelique's love for Barnabas, explains Vicki and used to feel sorry for her, thinking it hopeless. Peter reminds her that Ben's claim that Angelique was dead after she walked into the courtroom, obviously alive, certainly blew his testimony out of the water, and Vicki admits she's grasping at straws. Vicki is dejected, but Peter promises to follow this up.
On the wharf, Ben frets over his failure to help Vicki. He fears what Barnabas will say, and that Joshua will punish him for what he did. He considers running away, but believes Angelique will pursue him, even from her grave. Nathan shows up and offers Ben money to share information with him. Ben tells Forbes he doesn't like him and has no desire to talk to him, then hands his money back to him. Nathan insists he knows the truth about Barnabas Collins, giving Ben some bad moments there. Then Forbes points out that Millicent has seen Barnabas, he himself thought he spotted him, and Ben, too, has seen Barnabas--so, he apparently never went to England! Ben denies this, saying Millicent isn't right in the head, thanks to what Nathan did to her.
Nathan investigated and learned that no ships went to England the day Barnabas disappeared, nor any in the month since. Ben claims Barnabas didn't leave from Collinsport, and Nathan points out he can check out ships leaving from anywhere and check the passenger lists. Ben grabs Nathan's shirtfront and warns him that if he doesn't stop probing and prying, he's going to kill him with his bare hands!--leave the Collins family alone and stop making trouble for me, orders Ben. Nathan is clearly scared, but as Ben lopes off, he realizes that Stokes already answered his question--Barnabas never went to England and Ben knows where he is. Nathan will learn the rest himself.
Peter catches up with Ben at the door to the Old House. Ben says he can't do anything further to help Vicki. Peter's been searching for Angelique, in town and now here at the Old House. He won't find her, says Ben, she's dead and buried, and it was her ghost that appeared in the courtroom. Ben knows she died, he buried her (although he refuses to reveal how she died). Peter asks to see Ang's grave, and although he's afraid, Ben takes him to the spot. Peter asks for a shovel and begins to dig.
Vicki paces her cell, hoping, wondering what's keeping her boyfriend/jailer/lawyer.
Peter finds no body in Angelique's grave and Ben pronounces that she vanished into thin air. Maybe she never really died, he speculates, but she wouldn't stay in her grave, anyway. Ben believes her hears her laughing in the distance. He races off nervously, making a big tree shake in a blooper.
Peter returns to Vicki and tells her he thinks Ben has lost it--he's a babbling maniac! It's weird that there's no trace of Angelique, says Vicki, and says she still believes Ben is telling the truth.
Peter tells Vicki that rather than bringing up the business with the handkerchief/soldier, he's going to put Vicki herself on the stand to tell the entire truth about herself, including her coming from another century. He hopes they will see what he, Peter, saw when she told him--a lovely, girl incapable of witchcraft. Vicki fears, and rightly so, that they will take it as proof positive of her guilt. Peter caresses her face and says this might be her only hope, which upsets her. They hug, clinging together.
NOTES: I think Peter's plan is foolhardy, but given the current situation, perhaps he has a viable plan. With Ben's testimony discounted, Nathan having testified against her and Naomi's testimony well-meaning but apparently useless, Peter hopes Vicki's sweetness will shine through for the judges as it did for him. He's falling in love with her, however, and the judges aren't looking at her romantically. Tell 18th century men that you come from the 20th century? Get the gallows ready; methinks Vicki hasn't a chance in hell!
Love, Robin
