Quentin bursts into the drawing room looking for Edward, and is surprised to find Laura. She says they have much to talk about, and he tells her that she's dead—that he saw her die. She tells him that's such a bizarre thing to say. He says she was sacrificed on a burning pyre in Alexandria, and she couldn't have lived through it. She asks if she looks any different to him. She suggests that if she truly had been burned, she would be horribly scarred. She tells him he was so wrapped up with the occult and supernatural in Egypt that he lost contact with reality. He must have hallucinated or dreamed that she burned alive. He says she has come back to haunt him. She tells him that she's not an apparition, and extends her hand to him.
He refuses to touch her. She points out that he was never reluctant in the past. He gives in and touches her gloved hand. He says he won't feel at ease with her in the house. She says she has come back to beg Edward for a second chance. Quentin laughs about that. He asks her the real reason why she's in Collinwood, and she says it's none of his business. He assures her that he will make it his business.
Edward enters and says they wasted no time getting together. He accuses Quentin of sending for her. He says they may pick up where they left off, but not in this house. Quentin assures him that not only did he not send for her; he'd prefer that Edward send her away from Collinsport. Edward says that's what he intends to do, and he offers Laura an envelope stuffed with cash. She takes it, and tells him she did not come back for money. She says she has changed, and hands him back the envelope. She says she's back to stay, and there's nothing anyone can do to make her leave. Edward says she's leaving the house, with or without the money. She tells him that he would be making a mistake, and tells him they should speak privately. They go to the study, and Edward tells Quentin not to let anyone know that she's there.
In the study, Laura says she's looking forward to being mistress of Collinwood again. Edward explains that Judith is mistress of Collinwood, as per the wishes of their grandmother. She says she'll have to be content being Mrs. Edward Collins, and he denies her that opportunity. She tells him that he can put her out of the house, but doing so will make him the laughing stock of Collinsport, if not the whole state. She asks what he told everyone became of her. She assumes it was not that she ran off with her charming brother. She tells him that if he rejects her now, everyone will know. Edward is disgusted that she would ruin her children's lives with such a scandal. She reminds him that family pride is his greatest weakness, knowing that he'll do anything to avoid a public scandal. Having called his bluff, he agrees that she can stay in Collinwood—under certain conditions. There will be a room upstairs where she can stay until he can prepare a cottage for her. They will remain separated. She asks how he'll explain that to the children. He says to leave that to him. She leaves, and he places a call to Reverend Trask. He says he'd like to send the children immediately if Trask can arrange it.
Quentin examines the Egyptian brooch. Rachel comes into the drawing room and finds him in a foul mood. She asks him what's wrong, and he says his brother has already done damage by allowing his wife to return. Rachel is shocked to hear Mrs. Collins is back. She asks why he's so upset, and he says someday he'll sit down and tell her all about Mrs. Collins.
There's a knock at the door, and it's Tim to see Rachel. She tells him that Trask had appeared, and he said that he told her that Tim had gone back to the school. She then asks what he's doing there, and he says he's there to take the children to the school. Tim says Trask offered him a chance of returning to the school or being turned into the police. He asks her if she remembers Trask's brother Simon. He says when he went to get the money Trask owed them, he fought with Simon and Trask says he killed him. He says he can't prove his innocence, so going back to work for Trask was the only choice. Tim says he's working to get Trask more tolerant with children. Rachel says Trask has broken his spirit. He asks her to get the children. Furious with Tim, she goes upstairs to get the children.
In the cottage, Quentin tries unsuccessfully to summon Angelique.
Rachel tells Tim the children and their luggage is in the carriage. She then apologizes for what she said to him earlier. He asks what she'll do know that the children are gone. She says that Edward will keep her on for a week, to see how the children do at the school.
Quentin sits by the fireplace and angrily calls to Angelique. Laura comes in and asks if he's talking to himself, or reverting to his old dark tricks.
She suggests that he give up trying to get rid of her. He reiterates that he saw her die in Alexandria. He grabs her throat, and she says he's hurting her. He says he's going to do far more than that, and if she's not already dead, she will be soon.
Our thoughts
John: Edward tells Quentin not to tell anyone Laura is back, and he agrees. And he honors that promise until the first person walks into the drawing room...
John: So Tim is the spitting image of Tom Jennings. I'm always curious when we get cross-time actors whether or not there's an explicit familial relationship between them. Too bad for Rachel that her one-time partner in crime has turned his back on her, and is a slave to Trask. As we've learned in the past—and future—the only good Trask is a dead Trask.
Christine: It would be cool if Tim became a vampire like Vampire Tom, though it could change history in such a way that Barnabas would return to the present day and find out that Collinwood is overrun with vampires. That would be interesting.
John: I'm looking forward to a face to face between Laura and Angelique, so I'm optimistic that Quentin's throttling today won't do any permanent damage to her.
Christine: Speaking of face to face, I thought Quentin was moving in to kiss Laura to find out if she was alive or not. The fact that he hasn't put the moves on her speaks volumes. After being recently dead himself, it's difficult to understand why her resurrection would be so troubling to him, unless he had something to do with her death. I hope Angelique and Laura will get to test their powers against one another, though it would also be nice to see them team up and use their powers to enhance one another's destructive potential.
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