Nathan tells Daniel that he will be his guardian now that Millicent is mentally ill. Ben hides Victoria and Peter in the mausoleum secret room.

Synopsis

Teaser

A séance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and space, and sent Victoria Winters on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, having been tried as a witch and condemned to hang, she has now escaped and become a hunted woman.

Peter Bradford and Victoria Winters make slow progress through the woods. Peter plans to hide out at the Old House, where he thinks they will be safe for a little while.

Act I

Nathan Forbes is sitting in the drawing room at Collinwood when Daniel Collins enters. Daniel wants to know why no one is letting him see his sister, Millicent, who is locked in her room with Riggs guarding her. Nathan tells him that he and Joshua talked to the family doctor and decided this was for the best. He tells Daniel that the doctor was not optimistic. Daniel asks if he is telling him that his sister is crazy. Nathan tells him that since Millicent is his legal guardian but is now incapacitated, it is up to him to watch over Daniel. Daniel tells Nathan he’s different and that he doesn't want to stay in the house anymore. When Daniel threatens to get his cousin Naomi, Nathan gets angry and grabs him roughly. He tells the boy he can make his life pleasant or difficult. Daniel runs out and slams the door.

Act II

Peter and Victoria enter the Old House where they are confronted by Ben Stokes. Peter explains that Victoria was scheduled to be hanged that night. He helped her escape but she was wounded. Ben looks at the wound. He was wounded himself in the war and believes he can help Victoria. He tears off Victoria's sleeve while Peter gets bandages from the servants' quarters. Ben says he will fix up a place for them, but Peter points out that it isn't safe because the Old House will be one of the first places they will look for them. Ben says he knows of a place they would not be found. Before he can say more, Daniel knocks at the front door. Ben moves the bookcase revealing a secret room, and Peter and Victoria enter it as Ben opens the door for Daniel. Daniel notices the sleeve on the floor of the parlor as well as a trail of blood that leads straight to the bookcase.

Act III

Daniel pulls open the bookcase and finds Victoria and Peter. At first Daniel is happy to see her and asks if she is staying, but Victoria explains that they can't. Daniel also wishes he didn't have to stay and tells her that Millicent married Nathan and that no one will let him see her. Ben tells Daniel he has to leave now, and Daniel gives Victoria a hug. After Daniel leaves, Ben leads Peter and Victoria away. They do not realize that Daniel is hiding outside the door and is following them. Ben leads them to the Collins family mausoleum at Eagle Hill Cemetery and shows them the secret room. The three enter the room, and Ben shows them how to open the door from the inside. Ben tells them they will be safe there.

Act IV

Daniel is confronted by Nathan upon his return to Collinwood. Seeing blood on Daniel's sleeve, Nathan believes he saw Victoria. Daniel insists he did not see her, and Nathan warns him not to withhold information about the witch. Daniel goes upstairs to bed. In the mausoleum's secret room, Victoria has a dream of a small wooden coffin. In the dream, a stranger in a black cloak puts on white gloves and opens the coffin revealing that it is empty. Daniel stands with his back to the stranger. The cloaked figure approaches him from behind, and then puts his hands around his neck. The stranger in the cloak is revealed as Nathan Forbes. Victoria wakes up and calls out Daniel's name.

Memorable quotes

Dramatis personae

• Joel Crothers as Nathan Forbes
• Thayer David as Ben Stokes
• Roger Davis as Peter Bradford
• David Henesy as Daniel Collins
• Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters

Background information and notes

Production

• There is a tape edit as Ben walks from the Old House secret room to the front door to answer Daniel's knocking.

Story

• According to Ben, the secret room in the Collins mausoleum was built to "hide guns and ammunition during the war." He also says he was wounded in the war.
• The secret room in the Old House is seen for the first time in the series since Matthew Morgan died in 126. One would imagine that Victoria must have had a terrible flashback as she went into that secret room, where she was once held prisoner by Matthew, who looked exactly like Ben.
• DREAM SEQUENCE: Victoria dreams of Nathan strangling Daniel.
• TIMELINE: Millicent was fine the day before yesterday (Nathan first started driving her insane in 448).

Bloopers and continuity errors

• At the beginning of Act II, Peter Bradford tells Ben, "We need your help." Ben replies, "We?" to which Peter says he and Miss Winters. Ben says, "Miss Winters?" in a surprised way, but during the whole conversation, Victoria has been sitting in the chair in plain view.
• When Ben is beginning to examine and treat Victoria's gunshot wound to her upper arm, he asks whether the bullet remained lodged in her arm or went straight through the flesh, which she answers affirmatively. However, the appearance of the wound itself, as well as the location of the seep-through bleeding on the bandage exterior, would seem to indicate a grazing injury instead.
• In the Old House, Ben instructs Peter to bring some bandages and water, but in episode 451, when Bathia Mapes called for water as Angelique was beginning her spell that would burn her, Joshua said there was no water in the house.
• Vicki has unbelievable luck because no blood at all transfers from her wound onto the upholstery of the chair she sits in even though it does get on Daniel's sleeve.
• When Victoria asks Ben if he intends for them to hide in the Old House and Ben says "aye," she begins to say something else, but Roger Davis talks over her, saying "We can't stay here, Ben."
• When Victoria asks Daniel not to tell anyone he has seen her and Peter, there is a loud off-stage noise as if someone dropped something.
• When Ben shows Peter and Victoria the hidden switch in the steps in the mausoleum secret room, he is able to effortlessly slide the step open and closed with one hand. Previously, when it's been moved, it appeared to be very heavy and difficult to open and close.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 453 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 453 - Born to Run

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 453: Legal guardian

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 453: 3/20/68