Magda comes into the drawing room and finds Beth on the floor. She looks around, sees the glasses of brandy and smells one.
Quentin tells Petofi that he has two minutes. He asks if Petofi has had prior dealings with Angelique, reminding him that if he doesn't free Barnabas, she'll tell King Johnny where to find him. Petofi nonchalantly continues smoking. He gets up and pours himself a drink. Quentin tells him he has sixty seconds left. Petofi asks why he needs Barnabas; if he also wants to travel to the future. Quentin says he needs Barnabas to help with his curse. Petofi says he's already dealt with that. Quentin asks why he's afraid of the gypsies. Petofi recalls their taking his hand, and says he hates each generation of them. Quenting counts the final seconds. When the clock chimes he shouts that Quentin can have Barnabas. He gives him the key.
Magda asks if Beth feels better. She says she'd be dead if Magda hadn't come in. She asks what time it is, and sees the clock has stopped. She says that Quentin is depending on her, and may be dead. Magda tells her that she'll find the time. Beth says that if anything has happened to Quentin, she'll kill herself.
Quentin removes the chains from Barnabas' coffin. Petofi leaves, saying he doesn't want Barnabas to witness his humiliation. Quentin opens the coffin and removes the cross.
Magda tells Beth it's five after one. Beth says Quentin is dead, and she must go to King Johnny.
Quentin and Barnabas leave. As they pass Petofi, he says they will meet again soon, and discuss the trip to the future he is so anxious to take. Petofi asks for confirmation that they won't mention him to King Johnny. Quentin gives him his word.
Tate arrives at Petofi's lair. Petofi tells him to come back tomorrow. Tate says it's Petofi's fault that he knows about the woman. Petofi shows him one of his sketches of Amanda that he took from him. Tate tells him to give it to him. Tate threatens him if he ever touches one of his sketches. Tate says the woman did not exist when he created her in a dream. Petofi tells him that she's in the Collinsport Inn. He adds that Aristede saw her first. Tate asks what he knows about her. Petofi says she travels with Tim Shaw, who had his hand for a while, and used it to make a great deal of money. He says the woman is from New York, and Tate surely met her there. Tate says he would have followed her if he had seen her. Petofi says she will do anything Tim asks her to. Tate doesn't believe him.
Beth tells Magda that Charity drugged her, though she wasn't acting like herself. She says she's in love with Quentin, and jealous of her. Magda says she'll find Charity, read her cards, and tell her that she's going to marry Quentin. She'll also tell her that if she hurts Beth, something terrible will happen. She tells Beth to stay, and not take the note to King Johnny. She assures her that Quentin is alright. She leaves Beth's room and is grabbed by Johnny's gypsy.
As Quentin and Barnabas make their way back to Collinwood, he says he hopes Beth didn't go to King Johnny. Barnabas reminds him that he cannot appear and disappear as long as he bears the mark of Count Petofi.
Beth is in the foyer when Quentin returns. She's happy to see him. He says he has Barnabas, and needs to get him to her room without anyone seeing them. He brings Barnabas in. Barnabas stands in the foyer wondering if he'll ever be accepted in the house again.
Beth tells Quentin that Jamison still thinks that he's David. Quentin leaves Barnabas with her and goes to find Magda. Beth apologizes for failing her. He tells her that he blames Petofi, not her. He apologizes for misusing her, and says it won't happen again.
Quentin searches for Magda.
In the woods, the gypsy ties up Magda. She says that if he unties her, she has friends that will take him anywhere. He places a gag over her mouth. They hear someone approaching, and a figure holding a lantern comes out into the open.
Our thoughts
John: I love how Quentin counts down the seconds, as if he could pick up his cell phone to call off Beth (Angelique, as far as Petofi knows). And even after the time has passed (despite his claiming that Angelique would be off one second after the time ran out), he does nothing. You'd think he would pretend to contact Angelique to tell her not to deliver his message. And why wouldn't he think Beth had already done so, when he had given her such explicit instructions...
Christine: That certainly was bothersome. And how is it that Beth did not die from the poisoning?
John: Petofi lost a lot of credibility today. If he really was concerned, he wouldn't have waited until it was too late to call Quentin's bluff. The last minute freak-out was completely out of character.
Christine: Don't blame Petofi. It's Sam Hall's fault. Despite the absolutely ludicrous, nonsensical situations he created today, he still managed to create a lot of suspense with the time ticking down, and pathos, with Barnabas assuring Beth he won't ever nibble her neck, and wondering if he'll ever be accepted at Collinwood with his alternative lifestyle.
John: Well, Charles Tate doesn't disappoint... he's a loser and a would-be stalker. I already feel for Amanda, as I imagine she's got a lot of Tate-torment lined up in her future...
Christine: It's Roger Davis' speciality! What do you suppose is worse, a Trask groping or Tate stalking? I don't think she can hold out much hope that wimpy Tim will be able to protect her from either one.
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