Episode 1317

Aired: Tuesday July 13, 1971

Thayer David's voice over: "It is a night filled with shadows at the old house on the Collins estate. The shadows of the past have reached into the present to cast darkness on Barnabas Collins and his bride as they have renewed their vows, first made almost two hundred years ago. As they have both lived on through the centuries, so it seems has their past...."

Barnabas tells Stokes that he knows who the spirit was and why he was here, and Stokes answers that he's eager to hear the details. "I'm not sure I can relate them without dredging up uncomfortable memories. The spirit you saw was my Uncle Jeremiah. He was once my friend." Stokes says "The Collins family history said Jeremiah Collins died of a sudden illness. I'll assume that isn't true." Barnabas grimly answers "No, Professor, it is not. It would have been far too embarrassing for my father to allow the truth into the history. You see, I killed Jeremiah." Stokes raises an eyebrow.

After the titles, Barnabas tells Stokes how he shot Jeremiah in a duel, and Angelique interrupts "Barnabas, no. I killed him as much as you did. I was the one who put the spell on him that made him love Josette." Barnabas answers "You did not put a spell on me to put me into a jealous rage. No, Angelique. I am to blame here." Stokes says "Yet he haunts you both. Why?" Angelique gets a little nervous, but answers "He first haunted Barnabas after he died. When he also appeared to me, I tried to use my powers to return him to his grave, but I could not. His spirit nearly buried me alive the first time I married Barnabas." Barnabas is surprised to hear this, and tells her he never knew that. Angelique smiles at Stokes and tells him another half-truth by saying that "Luckily, your ancestor was able to rescue me in time." Stokes remarks how more of the family history is beginning to make sense to him now. Barnabas remembers how Jeremiah's ghost vanished shortly after he and Angelique had married, and Angelique finishes the thought by adding "He only appeared when Barnabas and I were happy together." Stokes thinks that Jeremiah might only be concerned with "preventing their happiness," which Barnabas agrees with, saying that's why he fears for himself and Angelique, but Angelique thinks to herself "Unless Jeremiah is under the control of some other power, as he was after I first raised him...." Barnabas asks Angelique if she agrees, and she simply says "Yes" and that she's worried. Stokes hands Barnabas the medallion and says that perhaps it will help.

At Collinwood, Roger is having a nightcap in the drawing room and looks angry as Liz enters. She asks him why he's still up "after such a lovely wedding," and he grumbles. Liz says she's sorry if Alan upset him, but he's still getting to know everyone. "Too well," says Roger. Liz asks him what he means, and Roger says "I don't appreciate him telling stories about my childhood so as to embarrass me in front of my only son." Liz tells Roger that David was very happy to hear that Roger was "like him as a boy" and that "it only made him prouder to be your son." Roger scoffs at this, and says that he thinks that Alan "will be a bad influence on the boy. David had finally seemed to outgrow his ridiculous childhood imagination, and in one night, Alan has brought it all back." Liz tells Roger not to worry, but Roger answers that "As long as you're going to insist on Alan staying here, I will do whatever is necessary to make sure my son stays the course he has been on." As Roger bids goodnight and leaves the room, Liz wonders what he meant.

Stokes says goodnight to Barnabas & Angelique, and Willie asks them if they will need anything more from him. Barnabas says no, Willie leaves, and Angelique puts her arms around Barnabas and happily says "We're finally alone." Barnabas smiles and tells her "This time, we will have the life of happiness we should have." He leads her by the hand upstairs. They enter the master bedroom, and Angelique says "Isn't a groom supposed to carry his new bride over the threshold?" Barnabas says "Yes, I believe that it the custom," as he picks her up and carries her to the bed. He sets her down gently, and she smiles at him as she lets her hand glide over the blanket. But the smile soon turns to a look of terror as she looks at her hand and sees that it is covered with blood. She screams, and sees that she is laying in a bed covered with blood as she hears Jeremiah's laughter. Suddenly, she sees Jeremiah standing over her, his hands reaching out towards her throat. She tries to pull away, but cannot as his hands get closer and closer.....