Original Airdate: July 11, 1966

VICTORIA

MY NAME IS VICTORIA WINTERS.

COLLINWOOD SITS, AS IT HAS FOR ALMOST 130 YEARS, IN BROODING ISOLATION ON THE CREST OF ITS HILL.

THE SECRETS OF THE PAST HAVE NOT YET BEEN OPENED TO ME.

BUT I’VE COME THIS FAR AND I MUST WAIT.

IT’S A STRANGE HOME FOR ME, BUT EVEN STRANGER FOR THOSE WHO’VE SPENT THEIR LIVES WITHIN ITS WALLS.

Episode 11 opens on Elizabeth's stunned face, the face of utter betrayal at the hand of her daughter. She stares at Burke, after not having seen him for at least ten years.

BURKE

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MRS. STODDARD.

CAROLYN

MR. DEVLIN WAS KIND ENOUGH TO DRIVE ME HERE.

THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS ASK HIM IN FOR A DRINK.

ELIZABETH

WHERE DID YOU MEET MR. DEVLIN?

BURKE

IN MY HOTEL ROOM.

CAROLYN

OH IT WAS ALL VERY PROPER, MOTHER.

I CALLED HIM ON THE HOUSE PHONE AND INVITED MYSELF UP!

AND HE’S REALLY NOT A MONSTER AT ALL…

But Elizabeth, thankfully, is not having it. She asks what he's after. As well she should, knowing as well as the rest of us do that he's up to no good.

The oddest thing about this scene for me is that Collinwood doesn't have a coat closet. Surely when it was constructed in the 1830s people had need of such things.

Elizabeth tries her best, saying to Carolyn that she'd like her to wait in the entry, but Carolyn, not to be controlled by her mother anymore, replies, "No, I wouldn't miss this for the world." What a wild girl. It must not be easy being her mother.

Burke makes an arrogant houseguest, chit-chattering with Carolyn about the paintings in the drawing room. He even goes so far as to suggest that Elizabeth "did not teach (her) the proper respect for the people that founded her fortune." Really! Have you met Carolyn? Can you teach this girl anything?

SAM

A DRINK, A DRINK.

MY KINGDOM FOR A DRINK!

THAT’S A PARAPHRASE OF A FAMOUS AUTHOR – BY THE NAME OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

Sam is quickly shaping up to be one of my favorites. He always shines when he's on screen and makes quite the affable drunkard. He shows up at the Collinsport Inn looking for his daughter, but is dissuaded by the clerk Mr. Wells, who is quite concerned at his drunken state and suggests a coffee. Sam is about to walk out when Mr. Wells mentions the magic word: Burke Devlin! Enough to make your skin crawl, eh?

Elizabeth tries to have a huddle with her daughter to catch up on the latest Burke Devlin intel and Carolyn spills the beans about this business deal in Venezuela. Now my question is, was the letter faked and does he really have all the money he says he does? He's been paying the PI and getting hotel rooms, so he's got some cash, but he's clearly trying to make it seem like he's got much more money than he does.

Mr. Wells really is a good friend, looking after Sam, and by extension, Maggie. I wonder what happened to Mrs. Evans.

Sam calls Collinwood looking after Roger, but gets Elizabeth instead and refuses to give his name, hanging up when he realizes that Burke is there. Poor thing, he's really shaking in his boots.

And here it comes, Burke trying to get a price for Collinwood out of Elizabeth.

BURKE

TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND?

A QUARTER OF A MILLION?

ELIZABETH

IT’S NOT FOR SALE!

BURKE

IN MY EXPERIENCE, MRS. STODDARD, EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE.

Back at the Collinsport Inn, Sam has returned from the bar and repays the dime he owes Mr. Wells.

SAM

I’M A SCOUNDREL, MR. WELLS.

I’VE CREATED MY OWN HELL.

MR. WELLS

I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND.

SAM

IT’S FEAR, MR. WELLS.

FEAR THAT MAKES A MAN DO THOSE TERRIBLE THINGS.

BURKE

YOU CAN’T GO FAR ENOUGH, THAT’S THE THING.

AS MANY PLACES AS YOU RUN TO, YOU CAN NEVER GET AWAY FROM WHAT YOU ARE.

ELIZABETH

BUT YOU TRIED, IS THAT IT?

BURKE

GROWING UP IN THAT… SHACK NEAR THE WATER.

WATCHING MY FATHER SCROUNGE FOR WORK; REPAIRING LOBSTER POTS.

OR WHATEVER HE COULD GET.

I WANTED TO MOVE, AND FAST.

BUT INSTEAD I GOT STOPPED COLD.

IT WASN’T ANY FUN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.

SITTING STILL IN ONE PLACE FOR FIVE YEARS.

HEARING THE WORLD SPIN FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

KNOWING I COULD NEVER BE PART OF IT.

WAITING.

ELIZABETH

IT MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE FOR YOU.

BURKE

YOU OUGHT TO KNOW HOW IT FELT.

ELIZABETH

ME?

BURKE

WELL, YOU’RE STILL HERE, AREN’T YOU?

YES, YOU’RE STILL HERE.

ELIZABETH

YES, BUT…

BURKE

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU’VE BEEN OFF THIS HILL?

EIGHTEEN YEARS, ISN’T IT?

ELIZABETH

YES, BUT…

BURKE

WELL, WE ALL HAVE OUR PRISONS, MRS. STODDARD.

THAT’S ALL I WANT TO SAY.

SOME HAVE BARS, LIKE MINE DID.

BUT THE REAL PRISONS, THE ONES YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE FROM, ARE IN HERE.

ELIZABETH

THAT’S TRUE.

They continue their heart-to-heart, Burke insisting that it's all over now, "the world is still spinning" and that he intends to forget what's happened to all of them over the past ten years.

Carolyn rushes in with an ice bucket, desperate to remain relevant. Oh Carolyn, he just isn't all that into you.

Speaking of just not being into you, the phone rings. It's Joe. Apparently they have a date for tonight. Dinner and a movie! We'll see how that goes. Poor Joe.

Overall this was a solid episode with some great quotes in it. I was surprised to see Burke arrive at Collinwood so early on in the drama but glad for it.

★★★☆