Episode 1424

Aired: Thursday December 9, 1971

Jerry Lacy's voiceover: "Collinwood, in the strange and treacherous world of parallel time in the year 1897. Harrison Collins, the mysterious visitor from the future of Collinwood in normal time, finds himself amid a web of intrigue. While members of the family attempt to outmaneuver each other over control of the great estate, little do they know of a dangerous supernatural killer in the guise of a beautiful young woman, who is even now plotting to throw blame on another...."

Quentin is standing over the dead body of Evan and holding the handkerchief when Harrison appears. "I heard the screams," he says. "Is it another murder?" Quentin says "I'm not sure." Harrison looks over the body and says "This man is nearly ancient...yet there's something familiar about him. Those clothes....." Quentin holds the handkerchief and says "I'm not sure of anything anymore."

After the titles, Quentin and Harrison return to Collinwood discussing how "Gladstone will have to handle it from here." Kitty and Lucy are in the drawing room, discussing on what a "fright" it must have been for Kitty to have found that body. Quentin looks suspiciously at Lucy who asks him if they know who it was. Quentin says no, and then stuffs the handkerchief into his pocket. Harrison says that it's similar to another body that was found earlier. "Between this and the mutilated body, we seem to have two mysteries on our hands," Harrison says. Kitty remarks on how "Collinwood was never such a frightening place as it is now!" Lucy replies "That's not how I've always understood it, actually." Lucy says that she'll help Kitty upstairs so she can lie down. After they leave, Harrison asks Quentin why he was "looking at Miss Drew in the most peculiar way." Quentin takes out the handkerchief and says "Because of this. I found this on the body outside. I took it before Gladstone could see it." Harrison looks it over and sees the initials. "It's Lucy's?" What would it be doing there?" Quentin answers "That's what I'd like to know." We cut to Stokes looking up some information in a book in the study. Harrison and Quentin enter, and Quentin tells Stokes that "we may yet have that proof I was told to be terrified of." He hands Stokes the handkerchief and says "I found this on a dead body in the woods." Stokes looks it over and says "Lucy Drew's, I presume from these initials. And the body?" Quentin answers "Aged beyond any recognition, though Harrison seemed to think it was familiar." Harrison says he thought he recognized the clothes, but can't be sure. Stokes takes a deep breath and says "Gentlemen, from the clues we have so far, it would seem that Lucy Drew has a lot more to do with these strange deaths than we originally assumed. At least it seems that way..." Quentin says "Seems?" Stokes answers "Yes. There's something a little too neat about all of this for me to immediately suspect Miss Drew, especially when earlier deaths yielded no clues at all. And from what I've been reading in this book about the black arts of the Isis cult, it may not matter that we know who the succubus is at all." Quentin and Harrison wonder what he means.

Valery returns to Collinwood with a small bag. Benjamin comes downstairs and sees her. "So cousin, did anything eventful happen while I was visiting my brother in Boston?" she asks. Benjamin looks at her and smiles and says "Nothing worth discussing. But I am so happy to see you back here. You are truly becoming the mistress of Collinwood." Valery can't quite figure out this attitude, and says "Well, you've certainly changed your feelings about everything since I've been gone." Benjamin says "I see many things quite differently now, Valery. When one considers the true meaning of mortality, many of the passing fancies of this world seem....insignificant." Valery looks at Benjamin concerned and asks him if he's feeling all right. Benjamin smiles and says "Of course." Then Valery smiles and says "It's Kitty, isn't it?" Suddenly, Benjamin gets nervous and turns away. "Why do you say that?" he says. Smiling, Valery says "It's obvious. Ever since she's come back, you act more and more like a man in love." Relieved. Benjamin smiles and turns back to Valery. "Yes, perhaps you're right," he says. Valery says "Well, I should put away my things before I go into town and meet my husband." She goes upstairs as Benjamin walks towards the study. He stops outside and listens to Harrison, Quentin and Stokes. Quentin asks Stokes why it doesn't matter that they know for sure who the succubus is, and Stokes replies "Because according to this book, we do not need to attack her or attempt to destroy her directly. She draws her power from a sacred fire, burning from an altar hidden by her black magic. If we can somehow find this altar and destroy it along with that fire, she should also be destroyed." Harrison and Quentin are intrigued, as Benjamin listens outside quite concerned. He quickly steps away.

Trask is in his office shuffling some papers when Valery enters. He kisses her and asks her how her trip to Boston was. She tells him that her brother was "very surprised" to learn of the marriage, but "did wish me the best." She asks him why he's working so late, and he says "I had to deal with some of your family business while you were gone." She looks surprised, and says "I don't want you dealing with anything before consulting me." He smiles like a snake and says "Of course, I understand that. I was only preparing some papers for you to look over." She sighs and said she never envisioned herself running aspects of the family business. "I suppose it's not a disaster if I leave such affairs with my cousins." Trask says "Well, that would certainly be possible if you were to sign these auxiliary papers I had drawn up, in case you wished to relinquish those duties." Valery asks him why he drew them up without her asking, and he says "I know you well enough to know what you like and dislike." He adds a kiss to her hand for emphasis, and she says she'll sign them. He grins and gets the stack of papers. As she signs, he lies to her that "this one is for the cannery. It will allow Edward to continue running it" and then lies "and this one maintains your grandmother's wishes that your cousins live at Collinwood if they wish." Valery naively asks "Why do I need to sign papers that maintain things as they already are?" Trask smiles, and lies "The legal world is often an illogical one, my dear." She signs as Trask smiles.

Benjamin enters Kitty's room and tells her that Stokes "may suspect Miss Drew, but he seems to be taking another tack." Kitty asks what Benjamin has learned, and Benjamin said "Stokes has told Quentin and Harrison that the altar and the sacred flame are to be destroyed." Kitty is apprehensive about this, and says "This may require an alteration of our plans. If we cannot divert suspicion onto Miss Drew, we may need to see to it that your Uncle ends his curiosities." Benjamin smiles and says "It will be my pleasure to destroy him for you." Kitty kisses him and says "You're such a sweet sweet boy, Benjamin. But I think we shall take a slightly different approach...." We dissolve to Stokes getting ready for bed when he hears the wailing call again. At first he recognizes it and says defiantly "I know who you are! You will not control me again! You will not!" He tries covering his ears, but the wailing gets louder and eventually he falls into the trance. He gets up and leaves his room. Stokes comes down the stairs in his robe, entranced. The front doors open on their own as he passes through them and out. In the woods, Stokes is still walking, under Kitty's spell. He stops in a spot and then before his eyes, the altar appears, with the flame burning.