244

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244
Timeline	1967
Writer	Malcolm Marmorstein
Director	John Sedwick
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Synopsis

Teaser

My name is Victoria Winters. A secret from the past can exert a strong control over a woman. It can force her to do things that otherwise might be considered impossible. It can cause a woman to make the most difficult decision of her existence.

In the drawing room at Collinwood, Jason has just dropped a bombshell proposal on Liz: they are to be married. She laughs in his face at the absurd notion, but McGuire asserts the seriousness of his suggestion.

Act I

Liz refuses; she finds Jason detestable, and he all too gleefully brings up the 18 year-old incident involving Paul Stoddard which brought the two of them together. He threatens to expose Liz if she doesn't go through with the marriage, and he continues to remind her of Paul's death. Since Liz cannot transfer anymore funds to Jason without arousing suspicion, marriage would solve that problem. Liz still refuses; McGuire makes a beeline for the telephone, threatening to call the sheriff.

Act II

Liz, however, calls Jason's bluff. McGuire cruelly mentions Carolyn and tells Liz she should confess to her daughter first. He continues to needle Liz, but she is willing to accept the consequences rather than enter into a marriage with him. Jason leaves to fetch Carolyn so that she may hear the details of her own father's murder.

Act III

Carolyn is reading in the study when Jason comes in. He tells her Liz wants to see her, and suggests that Carolyn be open-minded about what her mother has to say. Carolyn heads to the drawing room whilst McGuire paces nervously. There, Liz informs Carolyn of something she has to tell her which she has been putting off for a long time. Liz speaks about her life 18 years ago when she was happy, but in recent years she has only been existing in the shadows of Collinwood. She mentions Paul and confesses that he never knew Carolyn.

Act IV

Liz was blindly in love with the strong, dominating Paul Stoddard. But he never truly loved her in return, nor did he love or want Carolyn. Paul, who turned out to be a terrible, cruel man, never looked at Carolyn, never held her, and never even kissed her. Upset by this revelation, Carolyn storms out of the room. She returns to the study where an agitated Jason is relieved to hear Liz wasn't able to finish her confession. Carolyn doesn't know what to believe about her father. McGuire claims that Paul talked about Carolyn incessantly and carried a photo of her in his wallet. He suggests Carolyn forget everything Liz told her. Later, Jason returns to the drawing room where a defeated Liz reluctantly agrees to his marriage proposal.

Memorable quotes

• Elizabeth Collins Stoddard: "I'd die before I married you!"

Dramatis personae

• Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
• Dennis Patrick as Jason McGuire
• Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard

Background information and notes

• Victoria Winters' theme is heard in the establishing shot of Carolyn Stoddard in Elizabeth's study.
• This episode features one of the smallest casts in the series' history.