259 - June 22, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[narrating] - My name is Victoria Winters.

Collinwood for years has held one woman c*ptive

but the true prisoner has been the lonely secret

locked deep within her heart.

Terror is the ransom that must be paid,

and freedom is more terrifying than captivity.

but the stones of Collinwood

are not impregnable to the thrusts of love

and the time will come

when even the embattled heart must yield

its long-held secret to freedom and to light.

- Thank you.

Thank you for calling.

Thank you very much.

Roger? Roger?

Vicky, have you seen Roger?

- He just went into town a few minutes ago.

- Oh dear, that means I won't be able

to get him for another half-hour.

- Is there anything I can do? - No, there isn't anything anybody can do.

- Mrs. Stoddard, what is it?

- It's Carolyn.

I just had a call from the sheriff.

- She's not hurt, is she?

- Outside of a very badly-sprained wrist,

she's all right.

She's been arrested and taken into custody.

- What happened? - Oh, Vicky, it's terrible!

- What'd she do?

She almost k*lled a woman.

♪♪

♪♪

She was driving drunk.

Almost unconscious, the sheriff said.

The car swerved on a turn.

She lost control.

There was a woman on the roadside.

She almost hit her.

- Oh, no!

- She... the woman...

got Carolyn out of the car,

right after the crash.

- The crash?

- Carolyn was saved just in time.

The car burst into flames!

- She wasn't hurt at all?

- Miraculously, no.

- Was she alone in the car?

- If you mean,

was her friend Buzz with her,

no.

She was apparently on her way to meet him.

Would you like me to go and get her?

- You can't.

The sheriff says it has to be someone from the family.

I'll leave a message for Roger at the club.

He'll call when he gets there.

- Isn't there anything I can do?

- Yes, you can.

You can tell me what to do.

I've almost had more than I can stand.

I'm so frightened for her--

- Maybe this will have some effect on her.

- I doubt it.

- Why do you say that?

- The sheriff said she wasn't in the least sorry.

She was rude to the woman who saved her life.

The woman she almost k*lled.

- I can't believe that Carolyn would act this way.

I know she's angry, but...

- How can I make her stop, Vicky? Tell me.

No, never mind.

I know what she would say.

- What?

- Not to marry Jason.

- No.

That's not what I was going to say.

- Then what?

- Don't call Roger. - Why not?

I can't let her stay in jail.

- Why don't you go and get her?

- What?

- I said, "Why don't you go and get her?"

- Leave Collinwood?

I couldn't.

- But you said that you wanted to do something

to help Carolyn.

- Yes, but I don't see what difference

my going there would make.

- Isn't she acting this way

because she thinks that you don't care about her?

- No.

She's doing this because I'm marrying Jason.

- But doesn't it go a little deeper than that?

- What do you mean?

- What I'm asking you to do is to prove to her

that she still has a mother.

A mother who cares what happens to her.

A mother who loves her.

- I can't leave here, don't you understand?

The only time I've left Collinwood

in years is when I was so sick,

I didn't know who I was or what I was doing.

But now...

Down the road.

Out the gate.

- Even if it were to prove to her

how much you cared for her?

- Oh, Vicky, please don't ask me.

Carolyn knows I love her.

- If she does, she's trying to forget.

Don't let her forget. Remind her.

Go to her now.

- I can't. Believe me.

I-- I'd do anything for Carolyn, but...

- I used to think that you wouldn't leave this house

because of some secret you had locked up in the basement,

but you've opened that room now.

And we've all seen it-- there's nothing in there.

Nothing but memories.

- Memories.

Yes.

Memories.

- Mrs. Stoddard, I don't know what keeps you here,

and I don't want to know.

I just want you to help Carolyn.

- I can't, that's all there is to it.

I just can't.

- All right.

It was just an idea.

- Believe me,

if I could...

- I understand.

- Vicky.

Do you really think it would help

if I were to get her?

- Yes, I do!

- Do you think it would help remind her

how much I love her?

- Yes, yes!

- Will you drive me there?

- I will.

- I... I don't think I can do it.

- Oh, yes, you can! I know that you can.

[wind blowing]

♪♪

- I'm bored waiting.

Why can't ya just lock me up for the night?

- Because someone is coming to get you.

- Someone.

Meaning my Uncle Roger?

Spare me his brand of disapproval,

if you please.

I'd rather be locked up.

- I don't think you should be spared anything

after what you did tonight.

- Can I at least go someplace and lie down for a while?

Cracking up your car and getting your life saved

can be pretty exhausting, you know.

- There's an empty cell back there.

Would you like that?

- Why not?

Maybe that's where I'll wind up anyway.

- If I didn't have more respect for your mother,

that's where I would've put you in the first place.

- Respect?

Mister, are you misinformed?

- All right, now that's enough of that.

- She doesn't care where I am or what happens to me.

- You wouldn't say that if you heard her

on the telephone a little while ago.

She was plenty scared.

- Of what?

That my almost-untimely demise

almost forced a postponement of her wedding?

- She was scared because something worse

might've happened to you,

and she was worried because you're in trouble.

Plenty of trouble.

- She couldn't care less.

Which way is my cell?

- If I'm asleep when my uncle comes,

tell him to come back after breakfast.

And tell him to tell my mother that

she doesn't have a worry in the world.

I'm very tired and expect to have

a very sound sleep.

- Mrs. Stoddard.

- I've come to get my daughter.

- I was expecting Mr. Collins.

- Is Carolyn all right?

- Uh, yeah, she's... she's resting,

I'll-- I'll get her.

- Mother.

- Is your arm all right?

- What're you doing here?

- I came to take you home.

- You came yourself?

- Vicky drove me. She's waiting outside.

I-- I haven't driven in quite a while.

- I can't believe it.

- Well, I couldn't let you stay here all night.

- Uncle Roger could've come.

- No, I wanted to come.

I was worried about you.

- Didn't the sheriff tell you it was just a sprained wrist?

- Yes, but...

I wanted to see for myself.

- I don't know what to say.

- We can talk when we get home.

- Home?

- Yes. Are you ready?

- Why did you leave Collinwood tonight, mother?

After years?

- Why? Why, to come and get you.

- This isn't the first time I've been in trouble.

You never came before-- why is this so different?

- Because I... I wanted you to know

how much I care about you.

- Are you sure?

- Well, doesn't this prove it?

Believe me, it wasn't easy.

It was difficult. Very difficult.

- But it had to happen sooner or later.

- What're you trying to say?

- What's the difference whether you leave Collinwood tonight

or a week from now?

- I left so I could come and take you home.

- Have you forgotten why you never left before?

- No, I haven't forgotten. - You never left before

because of my father.

When he went away, you shut yourself up at Collinwood.

- I never should've done that. - But now you can leave.

Because he doesn't mean anything to you anymore.

- What're you saying?

- You can forget all about my father now,

can't you, Mother?

- Now that you're about to get married again.

- Carolyn, believe me...

the only reason I left tonight was because of you.

- You left because

staying didn't have any meaning for you anymore.

- That's not true-- - It is true!

My father doesn't mean anything to you,

and neither do I!

- Oh, Carolyn, how can I prove to you that I love you?

- I don't want you to love me.

I want you to leave me alone!

Mr. Patterson?

I wanna go back to that cell!

- No, I came to get you!

- I almost believe that.

Take me back to that cell. I'm not going home.

- Yes, you are.

Your mother has come for you,

and you're going to go with her.

You'll be notified if there's a hearing

you have to attend. - I'm not going with her!

- Now you get out of here and go with your mother.

Or I'm gonna add disorderly conduct

to your charges.

- That won't be necessary.

She'll be all right.

- Yes, I'll be all right.

My mother was worried about me.

Or she wanted to show that she was.

Sorry, Mother. It didn't work.

♪♪

- She wouldn't believe me.

She wouldn't believe I'd done it for her.

- Well, I hope this has taught you one thing.

- What's that?

- That's there's really very little you can do

for Carolyn for the time being.

- I can't accept that.

- Well, I'm afraid you'll have to.

Because she seems determined at the moment

to enjoy her little rebellion.

- Enjoy?

I've never seen her more unhappy.

- Until Carolyn herself calms down,

there's really nothing you or anyone can do.

- There's always one thing I can do.

- Yes, there is.

But you and I have both agreed

that that's the one thing you cannot do.

And so shall we just forget it now,

once and for all?

- Sometimes I feel I've got to tell the truth,

or I'll go mad.

- Elizabeth, I don't think you should

let yourself talk like that.

- There are moments when I can almost hear myself

screaming it out! - Liz--

- Screaming it before I know what I'm doing.

- Liz, get a hold of yourself!

- Don't worry.

- I'm all right.

I know I can't be.

- All right now.

You've told me the one thing you can't do for Carolyn.

So please allow me to tell you

the one thing you can do.

- What's that?

- Wash your hands of her. - Never!

- Now let me finish. - She's my daughter!

- Until Carolyn makes up her own mind,

it is not going to do her any good.

Now once we're married--

- That will only make it worse.

- Well, in that case,

there's really nothing we can do.

So why keep trying?

Why keep torturing yourself like this?

- Because I have to.

- Let her go on her own.

- Stop caring for Carolyn?

- Well, it would make life

a little easier, wouldn't it?

- Jason...

you don't realize what you're saying.

- You think I don't?

- You couldn't possibly.

- Well now, what makes you say that?

- Because if I took your advice,

I'd be free of you.

- Oh? And how do you figure that?

- Well, if I didn't care for Carolyn,

it would be quite easy to tell her the truth.

And once I'd done that--

- There would still be the little matter

to settle with the police.

m*rder is not a family affair,

even though it is just one's husband.

- Do you think that's what I've been afraid of?

Oh, Jason, you know me better than that.

It's because of Carolyn.

- Well, if you insist.

But if you'll excuse me,

I don't think it's jeopardizing my plans.

- Only because I can't stop loving my daughter.

No matter what she does to me.

Or I do to her.

Now, please go away and leave me alone.

- But, Liz, I'm only trying to comfort you.

- I don't want any comfort.

I don't deserve any.

I only want to...

- Yes, what?

- I want to scream.

I want to scream the truth, but I can't.

♪♪

[Elizabeth sobbing]

- Mrs. Stoddard?

Mrs. Stoddard, are you all right?

Mrs. Stoddard, may I come in?

- I'm all right, Vicky.

- Please let me come in.

- All right.

- I'm sorry.

I heard you in my room.

- Ah-- I didn't mean to awaken you.

I'm sorry.

- Oh, no, I'm the one that owes you an apology.

- For what?

- I made you leave Collinwood.

- Oh, Vicky.

Why won't Carolyn believe me?

- Because she doesn't want to.

She's not ready to stop punishing you.

- But she's punishing herself, too.

- You'll have to forgive me if I don't feel

too sorry for Carolyn.

She's not a child, she has to be responsible

for the things she does.

- She's not responsible.

I am.

- You didn't almost k*ll someone tonight.

- k*ll someone...

- And you weren't deliberately cruel

to someone who was trying to help you.

- Hasn't Carolyn been trying to help me?

And haven't I been cruel to her?

Didn't she try to stop me from announcing my marriage?

And didn't I go right ahead with it anyway?

- That's not the same thing.

- Isn't it?

She tried to help me, and I wouldn't let her.

- I don't understand.

Every time the subject is mentioned,

you say that you want to marry him.

- Yes, yes, I know.

- What am I going to do?

- If I even suggest to you

that you don't wanna marry Jason,

you're gonna deny it.

- I know, I know.

- And if I should say that he has

some terrible hold over you, you're gonna deny that as well.

- Yes, yes, I have to.

- Well, then he does have some hold over you.

- No, no. - But you just admitted it!

You-- you just said that you had to deny it.

Mrs. Stoddard, it can't be anything that bad--

- Don't, Vicky, don't!

Please go away and leave me alone.

- Whatever it is...

- Oh, don't make me tell you, please.

- It can't be as bad as giving in to Jason McGuire.

- It's worse. Much worse.

I k*lled him.

Paul Stoddard.

I m*rder*d him. My husband.

Carolyn's father.

I k*lled him. I k*lled him!

I k*lled him... [sobbing]

♪♪

♪♪