Episode 16: The Dark Voices of Fear

Monday, July 18, 1966

 

My name is Victoria Winters. The dark voices of fear are part of the strange world on top of Widow’s Hill. Here in the great house that is now my home, I’ve listened to their murmurs and trembled at their approach. And now tragedy has almost come, and the hidden echoes of the past are moving closer and closer.

Vicki answers the phone. It’s Bill Malloy calling to say Roger will be all right—“just a few bumps and bruises and a cut on his forehead.” Liz isn’t sure this was an accident. A man came who her “brother thought had reason to hate him, and a few days later this  happened.”

“Do you really think Burke Devlin had something to do with this?”

“It’s strange he came to the house for the first time in ten years and invited Roger to the Blue Whale, knowing he would have to drive down the hill. And Vicki saw him in the garage looking at Roger’s car. Liz says Roger has driven his car down the hill hundreds of times (remember, according to Matthew, he’s only been back a month), and nothing has ever happened before.

At the Blue Whale, Joe wants to dance with Carolyn, who for once just wants to sit there and talk—with Burke. Joe goes to make a phone call and Burke extolls his virtues. Then he wonders why Roger is so late.

Carolyn admires Burke for doing what he wants in life. Burke says Joe does the same thing: He wants a boat and he’s working for it. He wants to marry Carolyn, and he’s working for that.

Carolyn says if Burke wanted someone, he’d hit her on the head and drag her away. (Rape culture.) Which Carolyn would actually hate if Joe really did it, just as she didn't like his being bossy when she wanted to dance with those other guys.

Joe comes back and Carolyn asks him what he would do if she asked him to hit her on the head and drag her out of Collinwood.

He’d say she was nuts.

Carolyn continues to flirt with Burke.

Liz tells Vicki that Matthew always makes sure the brakes function properly.

She thinks bringing David to Collinwood was the worst thing for him. She’s also worried about Carolyn and this Devlin business.

Matthew comes in looking for Mrs. Stoddard. Liz questions him about the car. Matthew says the garage checked those brakes two days ago, and “if those brakes failed so soon, it’s because somebody was foolin’ around with them.”

Carolyn consents to dance with Joe, but then she tries to convince Burke to take a turn. Burke notes that the last time Carolyn gave a demonstration, Joe punched her partner. Carolyn assures him Joe won’t punch him. Joe says maybe he will. (See, Carolyn, this is what you wanted, isn’t it?) This makes Carolyn angry.

Joe walks out because Carolyn is so worried about Burke being alone. Burke tells her to get her coat on. They’re going after Joe.

Liz tells Matthew and Vicki not to talk to reporters (can you see Matthew talking to a reporter?) or anyone else until she has the chance to talk with Roger.

Vicki tells Liz that Carolyn wanted to go to the Blue Whale.

“Did she know Burke Devlin was going to be there? . . . Is that why she wanted to go?”

Liz is worried.

Vicki breaks a teacup while washing it. (If this keeps up, there will be no teacups left.) Liz tells her she called the Blue Whale and found out Carolyn left with Burke.

                           Cast, In Order of Appearance

                                                    

Victoria Winters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexandra Moltke

Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bennett

Burke Devlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Mitchell Ryan

Carolyn Stoddard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Barrett

Joel Haskell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joel Crothers

Fashion by Ohrbach’s

Directed by Lela Swift

Story created and written by Art Wallace