Dark Shadows Episode 443 - 3/6/68

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Nathan is in his room holding Barnabas' cane. Noah arrives, and he says on his way back from the old house, he saw that fisherman had found Maude's body. He tells Nathan he wants the $50 he's owed. Nathan tells him he'll earn $100 if he stays one more day. He tells Noah that the Collinsport Strangler is going to strike again. Noah says Nathan is going to get drummed out of the Navy.

Nathan tells him he'll soon be rich and respected. He tells Noah to give him what he sent him to find, but Noah tells him he wants his money first. Nathan offers him a full time job, and says he's about to marry the richest woman in Collinwood. He gives Noah $10, and Noah hands over a fan he stole for him. Nathan writes something on the fan, and tells Noah to take it to the main house and deliver it to Millicent Collins.

A maid gives Millicent the fan that was delivered for her. She says it was probably meant for Josette, not her. She says the fan isn't very pretty.

She opens it up and fans herself. She gasps and the maid asks if she's alright. Millicent sends her away. She reads the note on the fan which says, "Meet Me in Garden. Eight -B."

She thinks Barnabas is going to defend her honor. She takes out the dueling pistols, and is interrupted by the Countess.

The Countess tries to take the gun from her, and she says she will give it to no one but Barnabas. The Countess asks her about Barnabas, and Millicent says she got a letter from him. She catches Millicent in a lie, telling her that she knows Barnabas is not in England—that he's dead. Millicent refuses to believe her. She says she saw him in the last few weeks. The Countess tells her it must have been her imagination. Millicent says it was not her imagination, and not a ghost, as ghosts don't send notes. The Countess asks when she got it, and Millicent tells her a messenger brought it today. The Countess sees the fan that belonged to Josette, and tells Millicent she must not meet whoever sent her the message. Millicent points out that it's proof Barnabas is alive. The Countess points out that it would not be proper for Millicent to meet a gentleman alone at night—even her cousin. Millicent realizes that she is right. The Countess tells her that a gentleman will come to her. She also suggests Millicent doesn't need to carry around the dueling pistols.

Peter Bradford arrives at Collinwood to show the Countess a letter from Reverend Trask proving that Vicki is innocent. She asks why he brought it to her, and then realizes that the authorities probably laughed at him. He says they wondered why Trask wouldn't bring it to them. He was hoping the Countess could help Vicki by talking about Angelique, who must be the witch. He says Ben said she was the witch, and the Countess counters that Angelique appeared in court. Bradford says that no one has seen her since, and Ben took him to her grave, which was empty. Bradford tells her that she believes in ghosts, and knows that witches return. He asks her who benefitted from the witchcraft, and runs through the members of the family. He ends with Angelique, and the Countess is shocked with the realization. She says that his evidence is purely circumstantial, and he reminds her that so was the evidence that convicted Vicki. She compares the handwriting on Trask's notes with a note she received from him, and says they're the same. She implores him to go to Salem to ask why Trask wrote the letter, and he leaves to do that.

At night, Millicent sneaks downstairs. She grabs the dueling pistols and goes outside.

Nathan and Noah wait in the garden. Noah is wearing a coat like Barnabas, and Nathan puts a mask on him. He gives him the cane, and tells him to be sure Millicent sees it. As Millicent approaches, calling for Barnabas, she sets down and opens up the box with dueling pistols. She takes one out. Noah is reluctant, but Nathan makes him go through with his plan. He approaches Millicent from behind and pulls the cane at her throat.

Our thoughts

John: Nathan's trying to drum up terror business in Collinwood, unaware that there's plenty to go around without a Strangler being added to the mix.

Christine: What is Nathan up to? I'm guessing he's setting up the attack on Millicent to get her turn to him after having her believe that Barnabas is the local strangler (which he is), but I wonder if he's also trying to drive Barnabas out of the shadows to set up a confrontation with him. Noah marvels at how rich the Collins family must be to leave so many goods behind in the Old House, claiming they left "furniture, pictures...lamps." Lamps? Did Vicki bring some with her from the future?

I wonder why we've never seen these Argand lamps at the Old House.

Perhaps the maids are carrying them around with them.

John: Look everyone, a maid in Collinwood! For all the time we've heard about them, I believe this is the first we've seen, and it only took 443 episodes!

Christine: The maid is played by Charlotte Fairchild, who appeared in Silent Night, Bloody Night several years after this appearance. Apparently Dan Curtis could only afford her for one day. She'll be back to serving the family off screen in our imaginations after today.

John: I had to laugh when Millicent was having trouble with time, and states that no one tells her what day it is. Now she knows how we feel!

Christine: How is it that the Countess didn't suspect Angelique was the witch from the beginning after revealing that everyone in Martinique knew something about witchcraft, and that Angelique's mother was a 'healer' who used herbs and potions? And why is the Countess still hanging out at Collinwood anyway?