Episode 1434

Aired: Thursday December 23, 1971

After a repeat of Wednesday's close with Benjamin plotting against Edward & the titles, we find Edward in the study acting rather light headed when Quentin enters. Quentin tells Edward that he's heard from Rachel and that she and Jamison are fine and safe in Boston. Edward says "that's good... very good." Quentin is surprised, and remarks on how he thought Edward would have objected to Jamison leaving. Edward says "No, a boy needs a mother... that is what I've been thinking about. Perhaps it's time I remarried." Quentin snaps "Remarried? Don't you think Rachel would object to that, considering she's still your wife?" Edward says "She doesn't have to stay that way." Quentin laughs and says "I think you might find her more reluctant to leave her son behind now." Edward doesn't seem upset by this and goes on with his work, saying lightly "Things have a way of changing..." Quentin leaves him. In the drawing room, Quentin finds Benjamin. Quentin tells Benjamin that "Edward is acting quite strange lately. I just told him some things that should have set him into a rage, and instead he practically sang a song to me." Benjamin answers "Perhaps Edward is changing for the better." Quentin pours himself a drink and says "If only that were true. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was losing his mind." Benjamin says "I'm sure he knows exactly what he is doing. Perhaps you're still upset about Beth Chavez." Quentin turns to Benjamin and says "Of course I'm still upset by that, but that has nothing to do with Edward." Benjamin says "Of course not. But I was thinking about how precious life can be, and how, perhaps, we should treasure each moment with each other as if it were our last." Quentin laughs a little, raises his glass and says "Because one day you'll be right." Benjamin continues "What was your last memory of Beth? I should hope it was a pleasant one. Did you discuss something ordinary and everyday, or something more profound?" Quentin thinks a moment and answers "I really don't remember. I just remember her." Benjamin smiles and says "Perhaps that is what was meant for us to remember. Excuse me." He leaves and Quentin thinks a moment. We hear him thinking "Benjamin has been acting strangely.... somehow he's acting almost like Edward, in a happy go lucky fashion that isn't like either of them. Edward was always so angry and snobby, Benjamin so overly cautious....I wonder if Harrison is right and something else is going on..." Meanwhile, Benjamin enters the kitchen and takes a large knife out of a drawer. We hear him think "Yes... this should do it....it's designed for cutting through bone....all I need to do is find a way to lure Edward into the woods....and then our maniac will have claimed another victim....at least that's what I'll make it look like..."

Trask is skulking through an upstairs hallway. He peeks inside a room and then enters, turning on the lights. It's Harrison's room, and he closes the door behind him. "It must be here," we hear him think. "Quentin must have entrusted that confounded will to Harrison....the only one without a claim in it..." Trask begins to search through drawers and toss the room when Harrison enters. "Have you taken it upon yourself to clean up my room, Trask?" Harrison snarls. Trask hum-huhs and says he was "looking for a book." Harrison says "Must be a very interesting book for you to search through all my things." Trask tries to leave, but Harrison stops him and says "It's not here, I may as well tell you that before you make more of a mess." Trask says he doesn't know what he's talking about, and Harrison laughs. "The will you're looking for isn't here," he says. "Do you think we'd be that stupid to leave it in a place where you could find it and destroy it?" Trask tries pushing Harrison out of the way, saying "Let me by!" Harrison pushes him against the wall and says "And don't even think of asking Valery for it! If you make any threats against that girl, I swear, I'll...." Trask pulls away and says "You'll what? Hah! You'll do nothing! She is still my wife, Harrison Collins! I am still officially the owner of this house until your supposed will is revealed, and even then, I am sure I can prove it to be a total fraud!" Harrison counters "The only total fraud here is you." Trask lunges at Harrison, but as they push each other into the hallway, they find Quentin standing there. Quentin grabs Trask and throws him against the wall. "Get out of this house," Quentin says to him. Trask yells "I live here! And I am the legal master of Collinwood until you can prove otherwise!" Quentin grabs Trask and shoves him down the hall, saying "You may be the legal master, Trask, but I'm still throwing you out." Trask grumbles and says he has to go into town anyway. Quentin looks at Harrison's messed up room and says "You were right, it was wise not to leave it here." Harrison asks Quentin how much longer they'll have to put up with Trask, and Quentin answers "The lawyer I hired will be here tomorrow. Once we make that other will legal and binding, we should have no problems throwing him out for good."

Trask leaves Collinwood and heads out. Carl is behind him, following. We hear Carl thinking "I don't care what you told Charity...I know you're behind all this...and I'm gonna prove it!" Carl sets after Trask. Trask eventually comes to what looks like an abandoned farmhouse. He goes inside as Carl gets closer, wondering what Trask is doing here. Carl looks for a window to see the inside of the place. Trask lights a lantern inside and we see it's a one room shack. Trask arranges a bed and a chair. He takes a coil of rope from beneath his coat and lays it on the chair. We see that Carl is watching through the window. Trask then walks to a small dresser near the bed and opens the drawer. As Carl watches, wondering, Trask puts a gun in the drawer and closes it. We hear Carl thinking "A rope...a gun? What could Trask be doing here... it must have something to do with his plans....he must be planning to kill Valery! And do it here!" Carl, scared at this, bumps the window. Trask turns, but Carl hides in time. Trask moves quickly to the outside of the house and takes a look around, but Carl is hiding out of sight. Trask goes back inside and we hear him think "I cannot let this place be discovered... it must have just been the wind. This place shall serve me well...." Carl steps further into the woods, thinking "I must go back and get Charity...she'll have to know about this place...." He runs off into the woods.

At the old house, Charity is coming downstairs as Carl arrives. Charity tells him that Nora is safe in bed and that Stanford is doing a little better, though he still can't talk. Carl tells her she has to come with him, and Charity says she's not sure the woods are safe after what happened to Beth. Carl says it's still daylight and "I discovered something you must see, please." He leads her outside, and walking in the woods, he tells her how he followed her brother and about the rope and the gun, and Charity says she'll have to see for herself. "I don't want to think my own brother lied to me over the money, Carl, I just don't want to believe that." Carl stops and looks at her and says "I don't want to turn you against your brother, Charity. But I think he's plotting something wicked, and he must be exposed if it's true." Charity is very upset by this, but Carl takes her in his arms and says "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, either." She looks at him a moment, and then they kiss. They hear some moaning, and wonder what is it. They move towards it, and find Gladstone laying on the ground, moaning. Carl drops down and tries to revive Gladstone, asking him what's wrong. Charity asks if she should get a doctor. Gladstone revives a bit, looks around, and tells Carl "No, no doctor. No one else should come out here, ever!" Carl asks him what happened, and Gladstone says "I don't remember all of it....but I remember enough.... you must leave this place! Both of you! No one must ever come out here again!" Carl and Charity wonder what he means.