254 - June 15, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[woman] - My name is Victoria Winters.

A clear night sky scattered with stars

hangs high over Collinwood.

A warm wind

sends the scent of the sea into the open windows

and an almost unearthly calm pervades the night air.

No cloud is seen,

no storm is promised.

But the storms within the human spirit

continue to rage.

Child is turned against parent,

and rebellion, with all its pain and anguish,

tears at the hearts of both.

- Carolyn, I'm waiting for an answer.

Where exactly are you going?

- Out. - That is no answer.

Out where?

- I don't know where.

- But it's dangerous for a young girl to be out.

There's a madman lose.

- So what?

- And please don't be flippant about it.

- Who's being flippant?

Suppose I really don't care.

- Well, I do care. - About what?

- About you.

- Oh, don't make me laugh.

- Carolyn, you can't go on this way.

- Don't worry, Mother, I'll round up some protection.

I never have much trouble finding a companion.

You know that.

- Like that Buzz, I suppose, or whatever his name is.

- I could do worse.

And if I have a chance, I probably will.

- Carolyn...

I just think it would make your flesh crawl just looking at him.

- Not as much as some other man I could mention.

Face it, Mother.

You've already claimed the prize in that category.

- I won't have you talking to me this way.

- Which is one of the reasons I'm going out.

Because if I stay, I'll say things a lot worse.

- Carolyn!

Please don't go out!

It's-- it's too dangerous!

♪♪

♪♪

- Isn't there anything you can do to stop this?

- I've tried, Mrs. Stoddard.

- When I think of her tearing around out there

and a madman on the loose...

Oh, Vicki, how can I stop her?

Please tell me.

- I really don't know.

- Yes, you do.

You know and... I know.

- What do you mean?

- If I called off my marriage to Jason McGuire.

- Yes, Mrs. Stoddard, I think that would stop it.

Mrs. Stoddard, she-- she doesn't know what she's doing.

She...

... she's just trying to hurt you and...

she can't help herself.

- Doesn't she realize that she's punishing herself

more than she's punishing me?

- Maybe she doesn't care.

Maybe she's so insistent on hurting you

that she doesn't care how she does it.

- But I don't see why she should want to hurt me.

All I'm trying to do is make some kind of life for myself.

I think I'm entitled to some happiness

after all these years.

No.

Carolyn is just being completely selfish and stupid.

If she wants to do these ridiculous things to herself

I should let her.

You know I don't really mean that, don't you?

- Yes, I know.

- Carolyn is my whole life.

I love her so much.

- And she loves you.

What you're doing wouldn't matter so much to her

if she didn't care about you.

- And what am I doing?

Marrying a man I...

...I want to marry.

- But Carolyn doesn't believe that.

- And you don't either.

- No, Mrs. Stoddard, I don't.

- What can I do to convince you?

- You don't have to do anything to convince me.

It's none of my business

and I can hardly tell you how to lead your life.

But I have had the feeling that ever since Jason came back here

he's been forcing you to do things you don't want to do.

- I thought I'd cleared that up once and for all!

You all thought I had some terrible secret

locked up in that room in the basement.

Yet you all went in and found nothing.

You still think Jason has some kind of hold over me.

- I'm sorry, I can't help it.

- And what exactly is that hold supposed to be?

- I don't know.

- Well, if he has got a hold over me

then I must have done something terrible.

- I didn't mean that. - Well, what did you mean?

- Well... perhaps you did something

and it's not as terrible

as Jason has made you believe it is.

- What you're saying is that

first, I've done something wrong,

and second, that I'm allowing Jason to blackmail me.

- Mrs. Stoddard, I'm sure that everyone of us

has done something at some point in our lives

that we're deeply ashamed of...

but we couldn't help ourselves at the time,

and then someone like Jason comes along

and finds out about it and haunts us with it.

- Victoria, please stop it.

- I'm sorry.

If you don't mind, perhaps we shouldn't

talk about it any more.

- Perhaps that would be best.

- May I go now?

I'd like to see if David is asleep.

- Yes. Good night, Vicki.

- Good night.

♪♪

♪♪

- Come on now, I said I'd buy you drink.

- I don't want a drink.

- You're going to get one anyway.

I'm not interested in what you want or don't want.

- Why don't you just leave me alone?

- I'll tell you why...

Two double bourbons, please.

- I won't drink it.

- All right then, don't.

But you're going to sit here until you tell me

what you were up to this afternoon.

- What are you talking about?

- Well, I was in the bank,

transacting a small piece of business,

and what to my wondering eyes do I see but Willie Loomis.

Now, I want to know what you were up to.

- I was doing something for Mr. Collins.

[chuckling]

- You expect me to believe that, Willie?

- I don't care whether you believe it or not.

- I saw what you were doing.

You were in there with another man

and you were obviously delivering or selling jewelry.

- If you knew, why did you ask?

- Because, Willie, I want to know what that means.

- It means Mr. Collins has some old

family jewelry he's selling.

The man was a dealer from Boston.

- Oh?

But Mr. Collins wasn't selling it, Willie.

- You were. - I was selling it for him.

- Mr. Collins may be a little eccentric but he's no fool.

And that's what he'd have to be to put

jewels into your hands, boy.

- All right, if you don't believe me, you ask him.

He'll tell you just what I told you.

It is none of your business.

- I have no intention of asking Collins anything.

But I do to have a few things to tell you, Willie.

Now... I want you to listen

and listen very closely.

- Yeah?

- Now, I don't know whether the news has reached you or not...

the good and glorious news

that there are going to be some drastic

and far-reaching changes at Collinwood.

- What do you mean?

- Well, it's just that, uh,

I've decided that I've lived the life of

the lonely wanderer long enough.

- Now what does that mean?

- Willie, I'm about to trade in my seven-league boots

for a pair of slippers.

I've decided to get myself married.

- Married?!

- Well, why not?

- Well, you never could settle for one woman and you know it.

- That's true...

but I can settle for marrying only one.

Especially if that woman happened to be the charming

mistress of Collinwood.

- You're going to marry Mrs. Stoddard?

- She finally persuaded me to say yes.

- She'd never marry you.

- Why not?

I'm a very agreeable man, Willie,

in the full flower of my manhood.

- Yeah?

Now tell me, why would she marry you?

- Well, she's not doing it for my money.

She's not doing it for my money.

That's obvious, isn't it?

- All right, what's the deal?

- The deal? - Yeah.

- That's what I'm trying to tell you.

All right now, pay close attention, listen carefully.

The deal is...

that I will have considerable influence

at Collinwood, and very soon.

Am I making myself clear so far?

- I guess so. - Good.

Now, here is the rest of the deal.

I am for responsible for bringing you

to Collinwood, Willie.

And it was our understanding that there would be plenty

for both of us.

- I'm not any part of that, not any more!

- Yes, I'm sure you're not.

Because you've got a little action

going for yourself, haven't you?

- No.

All I'm doing is working for Mr. Collins.

- I'm not denying that fact.

But it's just possible that your work for Mr. Collins

may eventually be something that will interest me.

- No, there's nothing there that would interest you.

- A...

A fist full of jewelry sold in a local shop, Willie.

Are you trying to tell me that wouldn't interest me?

- He wants the money for a business he's starting.

Now that's all there is to it.

[chuckling]

- We'll see.

- I've got to get back.

- All right, Willie...

...you go.

But remember, I want a piece of that action.

- There's nothing there for you.

I keep telling you.

- And I wanted you to know, Willie,

that when the time is proper, I'll be around to collect.

- Look, Jason, why don't you just leave us alone?

If you're gonna marry Mrs. Stoddard,

isn't that enough?

- Willie, am I am man lacking in ambition?

[chuckling]

That amounts to an insult.

- And you'll have all you want.

What do you want with us?

- What I want has always depended

a great deal on how much I can get, Willie.

And if I can get it, I want it.

And when I want it... I get it.

Remember that.

- Why come to this sewer

when I know a lot of tree tops we could swing on?

- A girl gets thirsty once in awhile.

And a girl gets sick to her stomach once in awhile, too.

Where did you say those tree tops were?

- Calm your suggestion, love, we were just about to leave.

So please stay.

- Only if you'll take the smell with you.

- Oh, Carolyn...

is that any way to talk to your future stepfather?

- Only because there are some words

I don't want to use in public.

- Well, enjoy yourselves.

Oh, and if you ever need a...

paternal blessing, you'll know where to come.

- That man! - Save it, baby!

Blow it all now and there's nothing left for nobody else.

- For someone stupid, you're pretty smart.

- Who needs smart?

I got instincts.

- Yeah?

Well, so have I.

- I'm depending on it, baby.

I'm depending on it.

[giggling]

♪♪

♪♪

- Go ahead, have another one.

What is it, money?

I've got plenty of that, you know.

- Drinking's a drag.

I can think of better things.

- But I like the taste.

- What's taste?

It's how it makes you feel that counts.

And all drinking makes you feel is drunk.

How about something that will make you feel like

you've never been alive before?

- Maybe.

- I've got the bike outside.

- Let's dance a little bit first.

Come on, dance with me.

It doesn't hurt.

- Then why bother?

[laughing]

- Aren't you going to dance?

- Sometimes I just like to watch.

- Okay, we won't dance.

- I thought you wanted a bike ride?

- Why not?

- Carolyn.

- Joe... how are you?

- Okay, I guess. And you?

- Never better.

- Excuse me.

- Is that the kind of company you used to keep?

Boy, has your lonely existence improved.

- You go on out.

I'll-- I'll be right outside.

- Maybe I'll be gone.

- No, don't go.

Wait for me, please.

I'll be right out.

- If you want something, all you've got to do

is take it, right?

Right!

- Joe...

I-- I want you to know how sorry I am.

You know, about Maggie.

- Thanks.

- I hope they find her.

- Thanks, Carolyn.

- And I hope she's all right.

- Would you mind if we don't talk about it?

- I'm sorry.

I just wanted you to know how I felt.

- No, look, I'm...

I'm sorry I jumped at you.

- Oh, forget it.

I know how it must be for you.

Well... I just wanted you to know how I felt.

- Thanks.

Can I buy you a beer?

- Thanks, but I...

You saw, I've got a date.

- Yeah, I saw.

- He's really very nice. - Oh, yeah, yeah.

- Okay, so he's not nice.

But who cares?

- You don't? - Why should I?

- I've been hearing about you, Carolyn, running all around--

- I didn't know you were the type to listen to gossip, Joe.

- Come on, Carolyn! Now what's going on?

- A girl likes to have a little fun once in a while.

- That guy looks like about as much fun

as a bag full of spiders.

- Well, you've got your ideas of fun and I've got mine.

- I hear your mother is thinking of getting married.

- Thinking?

I am sure the mental process was not included in her decision.

- Aren't you a little bit old for temper tantrums?

That's what all of this is, you know.

- The only thing I'm too old for is...

second-rate psychologizing, so forget it.

- My bike's getting lonesome.

- I'm coming.

- Carolyn...

...that offer of a beer still stands.

♪♪

- Sorry, Joe.

But all drinking makes you feel is drunk.

- Right, Buzz? - Right.

- Come on, we've got dancing to do!

I've got music to give away and it's all yours.

♪♪

- We can't set the date.

I haven't heard anything definite from my lawyers.

- Maybe you didn't, but I did.

Really, Liz, you should make a greater effort.

- You talked to Mr. Garner?

- Yes.

And what he had to say to me was most gratifying.

Now, if my arithmetic is correct,

a suitable date would be two weeks from today.

- Two weeks?

- Yes, it's a pity we have to wait so long

but it can't be helped.

- That's hardly enough time.

I-- I have things to do.

- Well, I'm sure you'll find time to do them.

Now why don't we make the announcement

at the first opportunity?

- Two weeks-- I--I can't possibly.

- Now, Liz! - Please, Jason!

[Carolyn laughing]

[Buzz] - You are sky high!

- Your daughter seems to be on an extended celebration...

in anticipation of the happy event.

- I'd prefer you didn't discuss my daughter with me.

- They're going to be married.

- That's the way they want it.

- Oh, it is, it is.

My mother has been pining away with passion

yay these long years.

And now the story is about to have its own happy ending.

Isn't that right, Mother?

- Carolyn, I think you should go to your room.

- Ah, Liz...

perhaps Carolyn would be interested in

hearing about our decision?

- Decision?

- Yes, you see your mother and I have finally

decided on a date for the wedding.

- Oh?

- Jason, I hardly think this is the time to bring that up.

- The date will be two weeks from today.

- Two weeks?

- Yes, does that surprise you, Carolyn?

- Why, it's... splendid.

- Obviously you've been celebrating something

and I thought we might as well give you

something to celebrate about.

- That's right!

Did you know that's what we were celebrating?

A coming marriage?

- Is that what it was? - Uh-huh.

[laughing]

- Well, go on, Liz, tell them you believe me.

Tell them you agree with me.

We shouldn't be secret about it.

- Jason, please-- - That's right, Mother.

Why be secret?

- Carolyn, I told you to go to your room.

- Do you want to come, Buzz? Do you like weddings?

Why don't you come?

- I think I've got to be out of town that day.

- Or I've got an even better idea.

I love weddings.

Especially my own.

Why don't we get married, Buzz?

- Hey! - You and me.

Yeah...

[Elizabeth] - Carolyn, that's enough!

- How about it, Buzz?

I want to be a bride... two weeks from today.

You and me.

I'm the bride and you're the groom.

Right?

[Elizabeth] - Carolyn, please, be serious!

- What makes you think I'm not?

Don't forget, Buzz...

two weeks from today.

You and me.

Bride and groom.

♪♪

♪♪

[announcer] - "Dark Shadows" is a Dan Curtis Production.