Episode 1297

Aired: Tuesday June 15, 1971

Grayson Hall's voiceover: "Dusk has come to Collinwood, once again becoming the liberating force for one who lies cursed deep in the basement of the old house on the Collins estate. For Barnabas Collins, the return to an existence only by night was a sacrifice to save the lives of the Collins family, but his success can be little solace when compared to the private hell he must now suffer, a hell with seemingly no escape...."

Barnabas rises and leaves the basement, locking the metal door behind him somberly. When he comes into the living room, he sees Julia standing with Willie Loomis, who meekly says hello to him. "Willie!" Barnabas answers. "You are back."

After the titles, Willie tells Barnabas how Julia called him at his job as groundskeeper at Windcliff because "she told me you needed me again, Barnabas." "Yes, Willie," Barnabas says. "It seems that way." "Barnabas, how did this happen? I mean, when you and Dr. Hoffman and Professor Stokes came back from the past last time, you were all right, you were all better again! What happened?" "Does that matter?" Barnabas answers, but Julia pipes in "Willie, it's a long story, but an enemy of Quentin's did this to Barnabas when Barnabas managed to save Quentin from him." Willie thinks about this a moment, and then says "Is that true? You got this way this time by saving someone else?" Barnabas says yes and sits down. "Well, then, Barnabas! Maybe things'll be different this time, you know? I mean, you're trying to help people now, that might not change! Maybe this time you won't be like you were before!" "Perhaps, " Barnabas says, "but I don't know what this curse will do to me, Willie. I cannot make any promises about my behavior." Suddenly, the dogs start howling and Willie gets nervous. "Oh, those dogs! I hate those dogs howling!" he says. "I know, " Barnabas says. "I'd still like you to come back here and work for me." Willie says that he likes the job Julia got him at Windcliff because it gives him a lot more responsibility, and that "they respect me up there, Barnabas! Yeah, me!" Julia tells Willie that Barnabas needs him more than ever now, and Willie says that he understands, but that "I gotta have my own life you know. I can't keep coming back here every time something weird starts happenin', I just can't!"

Barnabas offers to match the pay that Willie got at Windcliff and reminds him how everyone will be happy to see him around again, like Carolyn and Liz and David. "Maybe," Willie answers. "But up at Windcliff, I made a lot of friends. And I got to see Maggie a lot too, you know? She's doing pretty well up there, getting better all the time." Julia reminds Willie that getting too close to Maggie may not be a good idea, considering "all that's happened." Willie looks at both Barnabas and Julia thinking over that subtle hint, and asks Barnabas if he could arrange it so he wasn't only working for Barnabas, but for the Collins family as a whole. "If I can be groundskeeper at Windcliff, why not at all of Collinwood, right?" Barnabas reminds Willie that it's not up to him, but up to Liz. After more pleading from Willie, Barnabas promises to ask her.

Later, Barnabas and Julia are preparing to go up to Collinwood when Julia has doubts about Liz hiring Willie. "We must ask her," Barnabas says. "Someone has to be here during the day, and it would be impossible to expect you to do that." Julia says she would be willing to, but Barnabas reminds her of her obligation to Windcliff, and that she cannot "simply push her entire life aside to protect me." Julia thinks a moment about how often she's done that and can only say "I...don't mind." "Nonsense," Barnabas tells her. "I am sure I can convince Elizabeth to take on Willie, especially after she hears how well he has done in his position at Windcliff." Julia tells Barnabas that Liz has not been herself lately, and Barnabas asks why. Julia tells him that her memories of Anderson and what he did to her are "not quite gone." Barnabas asks her what she is doing about it, and Julia tells him that she has been hypnotizing Liz to forget. "Good," Barnabas says. "We can't afford anything that might lead to unwanted questions."

At Collinwood, Liz is watching the large clock strike 9 when there is a knock on the door. Liz ignores the knocking and continues to watch the clock. Barnabas and Julia enter and see her, and she is startled when they call to her. She apologizes for not "being herself" and they all go into the drawing room. Barnabas begins to ask her about hiring a new groundskeeper without mentioning Willie by name, but Liz seems very distant. She starts to babble about the "passing of time" and how she feels "unconnected to it all." Barnabas tries to change the subject to how he thinks there ought to be a single groundskeeper for both Collinwood and the old house, but then Liz stands and walks to the window, saying "I was standing here, looking at the window, at the reflections...." She turns the window as Barnabas approaches her, and she sees that he shows no reflection. "Not there! He's not there!" She grabs her neck, screams, and faints. Barnabas looks at Julia shocked, fearing his secret has been discovered.