Collinwood in the year 1840, an estate filled with fear and anxiety. For though the sudden appearance of Joanna Mills at Quentin's trial for witchcraft proves to the judges that he has not been trafficking with the dead, Joanna herself brings torment for two women. Samantha is terrified, convinced that she killed Joanna seven months before. And Daphne, responding both to Gerard's induced dreams and Joanna's appearance, realizes how much Joanna loves Quentin.
At the Collinsport Jail, Daphne tells Quentin she can’t see him anymore, because Joanna is still in love with him. After Quentin tries to convince her otherwise, Daphne confesses that she is planning to marry Gerard.
Act I
A stunned Quentin begs Daphne to wait until the trial is over before doing anything. Daphne admits she can’t quite explain the “hold” Gerard has over her, but is intent on marrying him.
Meanwhile, Mordecai receives a letter from Charles, questioning whether his impending testimony will be “damning enough” against Quentin. Mordecai senses that Charles is about to lose the trial, and theorizes that Quentin put a spell on him. Jeremy gets upset with his father’s accusations, and angrily leaves the house. A short time later, he meets with Carrie in the woods.
Act II
Jeremy tries to hug Carrie, but she pulls herself away, feeling insecure about the way their relationship is developing. Carrie tells him she is tired of lying and sneaking out of Collinwood at night just to see him. He manages to calm her down, and they share a kiss.
Later that night, Daphne returns to Collinwood and runs into Gerard in the foyer. She tells him she is not in the mood to talk, but Gerard knows she went to visit Quentin and that she is still conflicted between the two. He eventually lets her leave, but not before kissing her.
Act III
Gerard goes to visit Quentin at the jail and apologizes for the recent turn of events regarding Daphne. Quentin finally tells Gerard he doesn’t trust him, and threatens to kill him if that’s what it takes to keep him from marrying Daphne.
Jeremy walks Carrie back to Collinwood; he wants to walk her inside, but Carrie says if they are seen, everyone will know she’s been sneaking out to see him. Carrie reluctantly lets him into Collinwood, where Mordecai catches them.
Act IV
Jeremy stands up to his father, but he accuses both of them of supporting Quentin’s witchcraft. Mordecai drags Jeremy out of the house, determined to end his courtship of Carrie.
In the middle of the night, Gerard visits Mordecai at his house and tells him he has found “new evidence” that should swing the trial out of Quentin’s favor. Gerard fakes a hand injury to get Mordecai to write a letter to Charles, asking him to meet him so he can present the evidence. After Gerard leaves, Mordecai gives the letter to Jeremy and orders him to take it to Charles immediately.
Back at Collinwood, a conflicted Carrie paces around the foyer, wondering to herself if she should try to talk to Mordecai about her feelings for Jeremy. She decides to do so, and leaves the house. Soon after, Gerard emerges and enters the drawing room. Sitting down by the fireplace, he declares that Mordecai will now be sacrificed so Quentin will lose the trial. As Mordecai sits alone in his house, a “shadow of death” appears and attacks him.
Later, Carrie shows up at Mordecai’s house and finds Mordecai lying on the ground. With his final breath, he accuses Quentin, and dies.
The "Terror At Collinwood" blog has a post with rare behind the scenes photos of the Dark Shadows production and many of the rehearsal photographs are from this episode of the show.
When Quentin tells Gerard to leave the jail after Gerard tells Quentin he is in love with Daphne, there is an off-stage cough.
When Gerard is talking to Quentin about falling in love with Daphne, he flubs his line: "Falling in love is a voluntary and...a voluntary thing." He should have said "involuntary."
Gerard flubs a line as he dictates to Mordecai Grimes a note to Charles Dawson: "...for I have unrecovered [rather than 'uncovered'] certain evidence..."
