A new danger is soon to be let loose upon the great house of Collinwood in 1840. Leticia and Julia, under the influence of the evil head of Judah Zachery, make secret preparations to join the head to the body. But others around them are oblivious to this new threat, for they are caught up in their own hidden dramas. Barnabas is distracted by the return of Angelique, and Quentin by the appearance of a mysterious letter from a lost love he knows is dead.
Quentin awakens from a nap and finds another letter from Joanna sitting on the table. He wonders where the notes are coming from.
Act I
Trask arrives and Quentin asks if he remembers Joanna Mills. Lamar doesn't remember her, and instead questions him about Barnabas Collins and the disappearance of his father 45 years ago. Lamar has become suspicious of Barnabas' story, because there is no record of the death of the "original" Barnabas that Julia gave him. Quentin dismisses all of his claims and leaves, while Lamar gazes at the portrait of Barnabas in the foyer. Valerie happens upon Lamar in the foyer and is taken aback by his resemblance to Reverend Trask. She introduces herself, and Lamar is shocked to discover that Barnabas is married. He quickly excuses himself and leaves for the village.
Quentin visits Joanna's grave and comes to the conclusion that she truly is dead, but still wonders where the letters come from.
Lamar pays a visit to Roxanne, where he reveals Barnabas's marriage to her.
Act II
Roxanne doesn't believe that Barnabas is married and quickly leaves to go to Collinwood.
Valerie confronts Barnabas about his "sister" Julia. She asks him who she is and how they met, but he refuses to tell her. She asks if he's in love with Julia, and he tells her that she is just a close and trusted friend. Valerie believes him and decides that since Barnabas is not in love with Julia, she presents no danger. Barnabas asks for her word, and she gives it.
Roxanne arrives at Collinwood and asks Barnabas point blank if he is married. He sadly admits that he is. Valerie enters the room, and Barnabas introduces Roxanne to his wife. Roxanne, looking incredibly sad, runs upstairs. Valerie realizes that Barnabas is in love with Roxanne.
Act III
Barnabas tries to deny his feelings towards Roxanne, but Valerie won't listen to him and runs off. Shortly thereafter, Quentin returns and notices Barnabas seems upset. As Barnabas is about to explain, he notices a note sitting on the floor near the door. It's addressed to Quentin, from Joanna. Quentin opens the doors and finds no one in the foyer and asks Barnabas to leave. The letter tells Quentin to go to an oak tree.
Roxanne sadly returns to Lamar's house and tells him she met Barnabas' wife.
At Collinwood, Valerie is in her room sitting near the fireplace with a voodoo doll. She calls out to Roxanne and says she will suffer for loving Barnabas. Valerie then pushes two needles into the neck of the voodoo doll.
Back at Lamar's house, Roxanne screams and collapses. Lamar examines her and sees that the bite marks on her neck have reopened.
Act IV
Barnabas goes to visit Quentin in the drawing room and asks if there is anything he can do to help. Quentin, who is slightly drunk, begins rambling about an ambition he had where he would one day build a staircase that could lead to other times and points of history. He mentions all of the research he has done, but only feels that people should have a right to go back and change things that have already happened. Barnabas is stunned, and Quentin says the staircase is not yet built.
Quentin leaves and goes to the oak tree in the woods. He calls out for Joanna, but she doesn't show up. Instead, he finds a letter in the tree from Joanna, that says she doesn't understand why he didn't come.
Trask rushes to Collinwood and tells Barnabas about what happened to Roxanne. Barnabas quickly realizes who is responsible for Roxanne's condition. Valerie offers him an ultimatum: if he will return to her side and live with her as man and wife, she will spare Roxanne. If he refuses, Roxanne will die of her wounds and rise as a vampire.
Memorable quotes
Lamar: I had intended to come earlier, but poor Mrs. Waddleford had been called to the great beyond and my services were needed.
Lamar: Ah, Valerie Collins. Another member of this ever-increasing family. I wonder we have not met before.
Angelique: (to Barnabas) A loving husband has a right to give his wife orders, and you are not a loving husband.
Angelique: Roxanne Drew, you wanted to be Mrs. Barnabas Collins, I could see it in your eyes. But he is mine. And he shall remain mine.
Lamar: (about Barnabas) He looks almost too much like his father.
There is no record of the death of a 'Barnabas Collins' in London in 1821, the year given to Lamar by his 'daughter' Julia. There is also no record of the present Barnabas owning a house in Cadogan Square. Cadogan Square was previously mentioned by Barnabas to Trask in 1118. Lamar refers to the year 1797 in relation to Barnabas and his father.
The gravestone of Joanna Mills reads: Born January 1, 1815, Died November 12, 1839 – the candle burned brightly, then died.
She is said to have died within the last year, which means that today's date is no later than November 11, 1840.
In the refilmed teaser, as David Selby struggles in opening the red seal of the envelope, in a low but audible whisper he says to himself "Oh shhhhit!" In the version of this scene from the end of the previous episode, the note was merely folded, unsealed and without an envelope.
David Selby bumps his head on the door when he walks out of the drawing room.
