Episode 1417

Aired: Tuesday November 30, 1971

After a replay of Monday's close and the titles, Kitty tells Benjamin she's upset over the news about Catherine and runs upstairs hiding her hand. Benjamin remarks on how touching it is for Kitty to be so upset. Edward starts to say something about Kitty to Benjamin, but finds he cannot. He coughs a little and Benjamin asks him if he's all right. He says he's fine, and Benjamin says he'll see to Kitty. Edward says that "arrangements will have to wait until morning." After Benjamin goes upstairs, we hear Edward think "Why couldn't I tell him about Kitty? What stopped me? I wanted to say it, but I couldn't.... I felt like I was going to choke.... why? Why?" We dissolve to the clock reading 7, and we see that its the next morning. Quentin is having coffee in the drawing room when Harrison enters. Quentin tells Harrison that "the big moment" will be happening soon, when "our good friend Mr. Trask" reads Catherine's will. Harrison says "You sound as if you already know what's in it." Quentin snaps "I'm sure Trask knows what's in it, which explains his sudden marriage." Harrison says "How could Valery not see that? (and with homage to Victoria Winters adds) I don't understand." Quentin says "Neither do I. I can't believe she'd really fall for him. Think about it, after all. If she only wanted the money, once he made overtures to her so suddenly, she would have figured out what grandmother had put in that will. If she went through with this, she might really love that idiot." Harrison says "Something in me refuses to believe she could really love him. There's something amiss in his character." Quentin says "If only I could find what she told me about before... she said she hid a true will in the house someplace... I think she'd gone senile recently from her behavior." Harrison asks "She gave you no clues at all?" Quentin shakes his head and says "None that I can remember." Harrison says that there must be an answer, and Quentin says he's not even sure his grandmother was telling the truth. Valery enters and asks "The truth about what?" Quentin and Harrison don't say anything.

Quentin excuses himself, and Harrison asks Valery where Trask is this morning. Valery says he went into town "to tend to some business matters. He didn't exactly feel welcome here last night." Harrison says "It's only that everyone suspects his motives with you. They don't want to see you fall prey to a fortune hunter." Valery says "You don't know my relatives very well. They're more concerned for the money than me. I'm starting not to care if I don't get any of it now, though I certainly don't think my grandmother would have forgotten me. But can't we grieve for her without counting up the dollars just yet?" Harrison tells her that he, too, doesn't care about the money, but "I do care for you. You've enchanted me ever since I arrived. And I must tell you that I agree that you have made a mistake with this man Trask. Why would he suddenly woo you after your grandmother altered her will?" Valery is touched by hearing some of this, but still says "I've known him for years. He would not do such a thing. Not to me." Harrison says "What about his relationship with Alice?" Valery says that is a "ridiculous notion" since "I am clearly more suited to be a wife to him than Alice is. And if I do indeed become mistress of this house, Harrison, Gregory Trask is my husband. And he will get the respect he deserves from those who live here. I want this family to stay together."

Evan is finishing burying a body in the woods as Kitty watches, studying her now young hands. He asks how many more victims there will be, and Kitty snaps "that's not for you to be concerned with." Evan smiles and says "The old lady died... when will we find out who is to be the new master of Collinwood?" Kitty says it doesn't matter, since "who ever it is will soon bow to me. Now, go back to the stables before anyone sees you out here." Evan leaves her, and she walks away. In another part of the woods, Kitty stops in front of an open area and closes her eyes. She lifts her hands, and a large stone wall covered in hieroglyphs appears before her, along with a torch-lit altar of sorts. (Don't worry, no leviathans or antique shops are on the way!) Kitty smiles and approaches the altar. Meanwhile back at Collinwood, Benjamin, wearing a black armband, comes downstairs and enters the drawing room. Back at the altar, Kitty is burning some herbs and powders in a bowl on the altar. "I call upon the powers of the dark to deliver to me a mortal," she begins. "I call upon the powers of eternity to grant me control over him." Back to Benjamin, he is sitting and reading, though it looks like he's starting to feel a bit dizzy. Back at the altar, Kitty continues "Benjamin Collins...Benjamin Collins... I command you to give up your will to me. I command you to sublimate your soul to my desires... you will be under my command.... you will be my slave....." Benjamin starts to blink and reel a bit, dropping his book to the floor. We hear Kitty's voice as he starts to pass out saying "Benjamin Collins will sleep now, and sleep deeply... his soul shall be replaced by my will.... his body will be but a shell under my control...." Benjamin nods off and falls off his chair as we cut back to Kitty at the altar. She's about to add a handful of some powder to the fire burning as she says "When ye awaken, Benjamin Collins, ye shall be mine..." She throws the powder into the fire which flashes with an explosion as we cut back to Benjamin suddenly awakening with a yell. He looks around in some confusion as Edward comes into the room. "Are you all right?" Edward says. "I thought I heard something in here." Benjamin says "I am fine. I didn't hear anything." Edward says "I thought I heard you cry out a moment ago." Benjamin smiles a strangely evil smile and says "I was only startled by something. Trust me, brother, I've never felt better and more renewed." Edward doesn't quite know what to make of this.

Valery is walking through the hallway when she bumps into Quentin. He passes her by, but she stops him and tells him to stop avoiding her. "I thought you'd be different," she says. Quentin tells her that he just doesn't understand why she could marry Trask so suddenly. "It's obvious he's only interested in the money," he adds. Valery snaps "Why doesn't anyone believe that a man could love me and not the money?" Quentin sees she's near tears and says "I never said that. I'm only suspicious of this particular man. Valery tells Quentin that he doesn't know the "kinds of things" Trask has said to her that made her "see the love." Quentin tells her that he hopes she's right, though "that man was the only one who knew what was in grandmother's will." Valery thinks that over as we cut to Edward coming out of the drawing room to answer a knock at the front door. He opens the door and is agape. "You! What are you doing here?" he gasps. In walks Rachel Drummond Collins (Kathryn Leigh Scott), with a sneer on her face for Edward. "Well," she snaps. "I see you're still the picture of manners, Edward. Aren't you going to invite your loving wife in?"