(For the duration of the Petofi/Quentin mind-swap, Count Petofi occupying Quentin as played by David Selby will be referred to as Petofi-Q, and Quentin in Petofi's body as played by Thayer David will be referred to as Count Quentin).
Petofi-Q reminds Barnabas that he has the powers of his hand. He threatens to use it on Barnabas unless he tells him where the portrait of Quentin is.
Kitty asks Count Quentin for help. She says she knows his hand has powers. He used it to make her husband say things she had never known. She begs him to help her. She offers her jewelry, and refuses to leave without his help.
Petofi-Q tells Barnabas his time is up. Barnabas says he doesn't know where the portrait is. Petofi-Q raises his hand and first threatens death, and then decides to revert Barnabas to his vampire curse. He puts his hand to Barnabas' head, but nothing happens. Barnabas asks him what happened to his power.
Count Quentin asks for Kitty to be able to see who she really is, and touches her face with his withered hand. She says that Barnabas is right, and she is Josette DuPres, but also Kitty Soames.
She says she first came to Collinwood in 1795 to marry Barnabas. She says she brought her servant Angelique. She wonders what she's doing there. Count Quentin says many inexplicable things are happening tonight. He tells Kitty to stay, and he leaves.
Barnabas points out how embarrassed Petofi-Q must be. Petofi-Q says it must be because Barnabas is not human. He says he will find other ways to defeat him if not with his hand. Barnabas walks out on him.
Kitty wonders how she can go back to Collinwood knowing what she knows now. She wonders how she can end it, and picks up a knife. She struggles and then puts it back down. She runs out of the Mill.
Count Quentin arrives at Collinwood to see Barnabas. He finds Charity and tells her that he must see him. She takes him into the drawing room and says that she knows that he's Quentin. She hugs him, and says she's going to tell everyone. He tells her not to, saying that something has happened and he needs to talk to Barnabas first. Barnabas enters, and Count Quentin asks her to excuse them. Barnabas says Petofi has lost the portrait and the power of his hand. Count Quentin says he has the power. He starts to tell Barnabas how Kitty came to the Mill looking for help.
In the old house, Kitty goes to Josette's room.
Barnabas says he must go to find Kitty. He tells Count Quentin to hide at the rectory.
Beth asks Petofi-Q what's wrong. He once again blames her for bringing him back from the future, and tells her to get out of his room. He wonders if the trip through time caused him to lose his power. He decides to try the hand again on Charity, who he used it to possess her with Pansy.
Charity tells Petofi-Q that she'll scream as he drags her into his room. He says he's going to do them both a favor. He tells her to look at his hand. She does, and says she knows that he has evil in his hand. He calls her Charity, and says she will forget the memories of Pansy Faye. He touches her cheek.
Kitty hears someone calling her. It's Josette, telling her not to despair, and not to fight. She says she means her no harm, and asks her to let her live through her.
Petofi-Q tells Charity she can leave, and she asks, in Pansy's voice, what he's trying to do to her. He says it cannot be. He rushes out of the room.
Beth comes in and asks where he went. Charity says he's in the wrong body. She says she thinks she's got Quentin, but it's Count Petofi in his body. Beth doesn't believe her. She admits that he has done some strange things recently.
Barnabas finds Kitty at the old house. He tells her not to be afraid. He promises that she will become happy if she becomes Josette. She says something terrible would happen. She says he didn't fall in love with a portrait, and he admits that he fell in love with a woman. She points out that was 100 years ago. Kitty bounces back and forth between herself and Josette. She screams that she can't bear it. He says that he won't let her go. He holds her, and they kiss.
At the Mill, Petofi-Q wonders where Quentin is, and if the power has gone to his hand or simply disappeared. Beth finds him and tells him there's nothing to worry about Count Petofi any more. She says the gypsies are about to catch up with him again. Petofi-Q asks who told her that. She says they arrived at Collinwood, and he says he has to leave. She asks if he's afraid, and Petofi-Q denies that he is. He tells her to look at him but she refuses. He asks if something is making her feel different towards him. He says he'll see her back at Collinwood, and leaves. She realizes that he is Petofi.
Our thoughts
John: I was really hoping that Barnabas would have had more fun with Petofi-Q once it was clear that he no longer wielded the power of the hand. But we all know Barnabas. When there's a version of Josette around, nothing else matters...
Christine: I was hoping Count Quentin would try out his newfound power on his nemesis, but I guess he doesn't want to risk damaging his own pretty face. Lady Hampshire is going to get some sort of psychic whiplash the way she careens back and forth between Kitty and Josette.
John: I love when Charity describes looking into Count Quentin's eyes... while he's wearing glasses so dark that you can't see them!
Christine: I was sort of hoping there'd be a little juice left in Petofi-Q's hand to bring Charity back, but I suppose I'd miss Pansy Faye if that happened, especially now that she's working to serve justice to Trask and Petofi.
John: Petofi's plan has all but unraveled. But it won't be satisfying if he remains stuck in his own time while in his own body... if the gypsies don't get a chance to exact their revenge, I'll be disappointed.
Christine: I assumed the story about the gypsies was concocted by Pansity as a way for Beth to find out that Petofi is occupying Quentin's body, though I imagine the gypsies will catch up to Petofi some time soon.
