Episode 1498

Aired: Wednesday March 21 1972

Thayer David's voiceover: "Little would one suspect by looking at the exterior of the great house at Collinwood that the house contained as many mysteries as it does... for in the west wing, numerous holes into time have been opened, each one leading to a different world that reflects the innermost thoughts of those who look there. On this night, the mistress of the great house will return, only to discover the eerie occurrences that have taken place in her absence...."

The foyer doors open and Liz enters. Alan comes in behind her, carrying some bags. She looks around and says "It almost looks strange...after being away so long, the house looks a little different than I remember. And I thought its image had been etched into my brain after all the years I spent here." Alan answers "You spent them here alone, too. But those days are over." He kisses her.

After the titles, the drawing room doors open, and Carolyn runs to hug her mother. Roger comes in with the rest of the bags and leaves them in the foyer. Carolyn wants to know all about Europe, and Liz tells her that "there'll be plenty of time for that." Alan says he also took plenty of pictures "Of Paris, Rome, London.... you name it!" Liz tells Carolyn that "it was wonderful....so wonderful to see the world." Carolyn agrees, and says that she understands how her mother felt "cooped up in this house for so long." She turns to Alan and says "You're a good influence on my mother." Alan says he hopes so, and then excuses himself to make a telephone call. Liz asks how everyone is, and Carolyn says "Mostly fine... there's been some things going on here, but we shouldn't talk about that now! Tell me more about your trip! What did you see in London? What did you do?" Liz says she feels like she saw and did everything. "I even tried looking up some people Barnabas might have known there, but it turned out we were too busy. I'm afraid he'll be so disappointed." Alan hangs up and says "I'll need to run to Boston for a little while to check on some things at the hospital. But I'll be back before too late tonight." Liz smiles at him and says that this will be the first time they'll be apart in months. "Only temporary," he says. "Don't worry, I won't come back too late and wake everyone up." Alan leaves, and Liz asks where Vicky, David and Quentin are. "David is up in his room talking to Professor Stokes," Carolyn says. Liz and Roger are impressed. "David called Stokes over? Whatever for?" Roger asks. Carolyn says that David wanted to discuss some book he read with him. "Talking to college professors already... I think sending that boy to school for even a short time did him a world of good," Roger says as he pours himself a drink. "I haven't seen Quentin," Carolyn adds. "And Vicky? Where's Vicky?" Liz asks. Carolyn thinks a moment and then says "She was in the west wing. Mother, there's something about the west wing you need to know." Liz wonders what.

In David's room, David is asking Stokes about herbs and shamanism. Stokes asks him why he's suddenly interested in the topic, and David says that he read a book on it and wondered if "it's ever really happened." Stokes says that he's read other material about "the ancient practice" but that nothing "scientific" has ever been able to substantiate the theory. Stokes paces the room a little and picks up the little wooden toy soldier that Sarah had given David long ago. "The idea of men transforming into animals goes back very far in all sorts of varied mythologies," Stokes says. "Men who become monsters against their will... forced to do unspeakable things." David interrupts "I was thinking more along the lines of someone doing it on purpose, you know, turning themselves into an animal they wanted to be for a while." Stokes nods, and says "Using certain herbs for the purpose. Yes, I gathered the area of your specific interest. Are you going to tell me what this is about?" David says nothing. Stokes sighs. "It always seems as if you Collinses want answers from me without providing me answers." Liz enters the room, and David gives her a hug. Stokes says hello and asks her how her trip was. She tells them both it was wonderful, and David wants to hear more. Stokes tells him he'll wait downstairs as Liz asks David if he's seen Vicky. He says no as Stokes leaves. Downstairs, Stokes finds Carolyn looking over some of the travel books Liz brought back. "What strange stuff did my cousin want to ask you about?" Carolyn asks him. "He asked more than he told, that's for certain," Stokes answers. "It seems as if those books he borrowed from you have piqued his curiosities." Carolyn says that her mother's trip has certainly piqued hers, "especially in terms of seeing other parts of the world outside of this little town." Stokes raises an eyebrow. "Really?" he says. "How interesting that you should say that." She wonders what he means.

Stokes has handed Carolyn another brochure that she looks over with great interest. "I had thought about recommending you for this," he says. "But I never thought you'd want to leave Collinsport." Carolyn disagrees, and says that "this looks fascinating." Stokes says "Scholarships like this one don't come along very often. You've done well in your limited studies. But I must confess I thought you were only attending those classes to strike up something in common with your friend Sebastian." Carolyn says "No, that wasn't it at all. Everything that has happened around here, especially lately, has made me more interested in studying phenomena like this. Those dreams I had, as well... about the past and that woman who lived here at Collinwood. It all seems as if it's a sign of some kind." Stokes says that he doubts that "someone in line to keep watch over the Collins fortunes" would want to pursue such studies. Carolyn says that she "always hated playing the role of princess. Where has it gotten me? I used to think that the only thing I needed to concern myself with was to find myself a husband before I got too old. But look at my mother...all the years she spent independently running everything. And now, taking that path didn't deny her love. Why shouldn't I pursue something else?" Carolyn goes to the desk and takes out a pen. She starts filling in the brochure Stokes gave her. "I want you to go ahead and recommend me for this scholarship. Studying in London with experts on the paranormal is a once in a lifetime opportunity." She hands him the form, and he's a bit surprised. "I wonder what your mother will have to say about this..." he mutters. Carolyn says "It's my decision. It's my life, after all."

In Liz' room, Liz unpacks some things as Carolyn tells her about the scholarship. "You wouldn't mind me leaving for those few years, to get a degree, would you?" Carolyn asks timidly. Liz says she will certainly miss Carolyn, but "that I won't feel alone. I can always visit you over there, and it's your life, Carolyn. I'm so happy that Professor Stokes thinks you should get a scholarship to get an advanced degree. Is it really what you want?" Carolyn says it is. Liz says "Then it's what I want too. Has Vicky returned yet?" Carolyn says "I haven't seen her. She may have gone into the west wing." Liz says "You started to tell me something about the west wing, but never finished. What is going on?" Carolyn says "It's too strange to believe. Once in a while, in different rooms, different bands of time appear and disappear." Liz is shocked. "Different bands of time? I remember Barnabas telling me about a room in the east wing... why does this house always become the focus of such bizarre things?" Carolyn says she's worried that Vicky may have "become obsessed" over what she saw in one of the rooms, and Liz asks what it was. Carolyn says "I think it's better if Vicky told you." Liz wonders about that. We dissolve to Carolyn going to bed, and as she falls asleep, she begins to dream. In her dream, she is about to leave with packed suitcases from Collinwood in a foggy foyer. Suddenly from behind her, the drawing room doors open and Carolyn goes inside. The furniture is all different and much older. Carolyn looks around wondering why "everything looks so old" when she sees a letter on the desk. She picks it up, and it's dated March 21, 1842. "1842?" she gasps. "Am I back in..." She looks down at herself, and she is dressed in Victorian garb. She hears a familiar giggle, and then sees her reflection in the windows - but reflection talks to her as Leitcia Faye. "You! You're Leticia Faye!" Carolyn says. The reflection answers "Right, love, that's 'oo I am! I'm so glad you found me...I have to tell you something!" Carolyn looks at her and says "Why are you my reflection?" Leticia laughs and says "Don't you know by now? Maybe you need to study me some more....find out what I'm really like." Carolyn says "But I don't know anything about you! How can I find out more?" Leticia says "You must go to England and search for clues there.... you'll see! It's our destiny, love, our destiny." Carolyn asks for more answers, but as Leticia giggles, the wind suddenly blows open the window and when Carolyn moves it back, the reflection is gone and she is back to wearing modern clothes. She also notices that there's a book under her arm as well, and when she looks at the cover, it reads "Psychic Phenomena & Reincarnation, A Personal Case Study By Dr. Carolyn Stoddard Hawkes." Carolyn is shocked when she reads it, and when she looks at the back cover, she sees a picture of herself, looking a little older. "Copyright 1981..." she gasps. "What's happening?" The room grows foggier, and then we cut to Carolyn waking suddenly in bed. She thinks a moment and then we hear her thinking "That dream....so vivid. But now I know I must get that scholarship...." In Liz' room, she is about to go to bed when she sees a light outside her window. "That room in the west wing...suddenly lit up. It must be Vicky!" Liz thinks. She puts on a robe and goes into the hall. In the west wing, Liz walks through the dark hallway until she finds a door with light coming from underneath, but we know it's across the hall from the room Vicky entered. Muffled voices are heard. Liz opens the door and gasps in amazement at what she sees.