The Countess paces anxiously when Vicki comes downstairs. She asks Vicki how Mrs. Collins is, and Vicki replies that she still is not seeing anyone. The Countess suggests that she'd throw a party if she were married to Joshua Collins and he disappeared. The Countess tries to get Vicki to role play as Jeremiah and Joshua. She describes Jeremiah seeing a cat immediately after Joshua disappeared, and no one else has seen it since. She tells Vicki to look out the window, fascinated by the storm as Jeremiah was. She then proceeds to portray Joshua, and tells Vicki to portray Jeremiah.
Vicki doesn't want to play along, but the Countess assures her they can get the cat to return. Vicki reluctantly agrees and plays Jeremiah. The cat walks into the room.
The Countess tells Vicki not to touch the cat. She says there IS evil in the house. Barnabas enters, and says he can find no trace of Joshua. He walks in and sees the cat. They excuse Vicki, and the Countess asks him if he's ever seen the cat before. He cannot recall, and confirmed that his Aunt Abigail calls them the Devil's pets. The Countess tells him that his father did not disappear—he was taken from them through witchcraft.
Nathan rushes in and says they found footprints, and asks for one of Joshua's footprints to compare. They send him to get them, but he stops to eavesdrop as the Countess reiterates that witchcraft is involved, and asks him if he trusts Victoria Winters.
Vicki finds Nathan looking at Joshua's boots, and says Mr. Collins asked that he wait there. He proceeds to hit on her again, and she tells him that he lacks taste. She says she'd like him to stop treating her as some girl. He tells her she may need friends, as the Countess suspects that she's a witch. He says she thinks Vicki may have had something to do with Joshua's disappearance. She tells him she won't be intimidated to like him.
The Countess deals out her Tarot cards. Vicki pops in and says she was looking for the men. The Countess tells her that they're out at Widow's Hill. She invites Vicki to sit down with her. She asks Vicki where she was born, and Vicki says Boston. She asks if she believes in astrology, and Vicki says she always believed that everyone was in charge of their own life. She points out that Vicki spoke in the past tense, and Vicki confirms she doesn't believe that any more. She asks her birthday, and Vicki says March 4, 19— before stopping. The Countess says if she was born in 1719, she would be 76 years old, and offers her compliments. Vicki corrects herself, saying she's 22. The Countess tries to catch her in a trap, but Vicki is sharper when she specifies her birth year was 1773. The Countess wants to chart her horoscope, and points out that Vicki seems nervous. Vicki says doesn't know anything about the supernatural, but it frightens her. The Countess asks how she explains her clairvoyance, and Vicki says that Barnabas thinks that because of a joke. The Countess tells her she thinks a tragedy is coming, and can't do anything about it.
The Countess hears the men at the door, and gets up to answer. In an attempt to give the Countess information about what's to come in the future, she rearranges the cards so the ones representing Josette ("The Princess") and Jeremiah (The Knight) are upside-down next to one another.
The Countess and Barnabas enter, and Vicki tells him that his father will be alright. He says the way she says things, he believes her. They leave Vicki, who puts out the candles in the room.
The Countess pours a drink for Barnabas. He says he's been thinking about what she said about witchcraft. While he's not ready to accept it, he also can't completely dismiss it. She sees her cards and notices they've been changed. Upset, she shuffles them. She tells Barnabas that he must marry Josette tomorrow. If he doesn't, he never will. Barnabas asks for an explanation, and she says she's told him all that she will. She asks if she loves Josette, and she insists, will he marry her in 24 hours. He agrees, if she insists, and the Countess tells him they will be married in 24 hours.
Our thoughts
John: I think the writers have adopted a 1795 template that begins with "____________ paces around the living room anxiously."
Christine: It's to be expected when there is evil afoot. Nathan Forbes is such a rogue to pressure Vicki into a liaison in exchange for protection against any possible claims of witchcraft.
John: I love that they found a cat who is no better at hitting its marks than the rest of the cast! Maybe they think we'll believe it's supernatural if it keeps disappearing from the shots of it on camera.
Christine: You'd think if it truly were Joshua, he'd be hissing and clawing at their skirts, rather than trying to escape that cozy cushion laid down just for him. Cats are too difficult for a live taping, especially when they're untrained. They should have had Angelique make him a jackass, after all.
John: I liked the tête-à-tête between Vicki and the Countess. Again, Vicki speaks without thinking, and finds herself backpedaling. And while the Countess' attempt to get Vicki to follow up with the incorrect birth year wouldn't have been a huge GOTCHA! moment, the fact that Vicki proves to be a quick thinker probably tells the Countess even more about the mysterious governess.
Christine: It's Vicki's turn to get the tarot cards wrong. There is no "Princess" card in the tarot. The Countess identified Josette's card as "The High Priestess" in Episode 368. Can we expect a rushed wedding tomorrow, or does The Tower card foretell the upheaval and disruption of those plans?
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| A mysterious head pops up at the bottom of the frame. |
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