Nicholas allows Victoria to 'escape' and makes her think that she has just returned from the Old House as if the incident never happened.

Synopsis

The disappearance of Victoria Winters has cast a pall over the great house at Collinwood. On this night, at the Old House at the Collins estate, Barnabas Collins has been forced to agree to a diabolical plan in order to ensure Vicki's freedom. On the other side of Collinsport, in a house by the sea, a mysterious man named Nicholas Blair is ready to let Victoria Winters return to Collinwood, but not before he subjects her to a terrifying experience.

The mirror helps Nicholas and Angelique to be able to see what Victoria is doing; Angelique wonders if Nicholas really intends to let Victoria go. Using the mirror, he shows her that he's letting Victoria escape from the house by the sea.

Victoria goes downstairs and hears a mysterious voice telling her she knows where she is; Nicholas' voice convinces her that he is Barnabas and she is in Josette's room in the Old House although she is not.

Nicholas visits Maggie, ostensibly to tell her he wants the painting. He tells her that he has leased "a house by the sea" belonging to the Collins family. He fumes as Joe comes home from the hospital unexpectedly.

Victoria shows up at Collinwood, baffled by Jeff's attitude; she thinks she just came back from the Old House and does not believe his claim that she has been gone two days. He points out that she is no longer wearing her engagement ring.

Joe and Maggie disagree over the Nicholas situation. Angelique feels confined by Nicholas; he tells her that her next victim will be Joe.

Memorable quotes

Angelique: And what am I supposed to do, just sit here and get bored waiting for you?

Nicholas: I couldn't have put it better myself.

Dramatis personae

• Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell
• Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard Collins
• Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
• Roger Davis as Jeff Clark
• Humbert Allen Astredo as Nicholas Blair
• Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters

Background information and notes

Production

• Joel Crothers returns to the cast after an absence of 25 episodes.
• Unusually, the opening narration refers to Victoria Winters as "Vicki"; the previous episode is the only other instance of this.

Story

• TIMELINE: Victoria has been missing for two days (since 552). Nicholas first showed an interest in Sam's paintings three weeks ago (occurred in 532/533).

Bloopers and continuity errors

• The mirror is reflecting a "blue screen," which is used in production for special effects.
• Angelique's reflection can be seen in the mirror; however, it is established that vampires don't cast reflections, as demonstrated in 288, 704, 718, 915 and 1035. Also, she's not even looking at her own reflection; she's looking straight at the camera through the mirror. Nicholas does the same thing. [Addendum: Since we see only a little bit of Angelique's head in the mirror, I suspect the intent was for her to stand so that her reflection did not appear, without success.]
• As Victoria enters Nicholas's parlor, whispering can be heard from off-stage.
• When Victoria begs the voice of Nicholas to let her go, Nicholas in voice-over begins his line "You're free..." too early while Alexandra Moltke is still saying her lines.
• When Act III begins, the stinger music from the end of the previous act briefly plays.
• When the scene switches to Maggie holding a painting and looking at it, Kathryn Leigh Scott looks up and off-stage for her cue.
• Kathryn Leigh Scott gets a case of giggles in her scene with Joe and Nicholas; when she goes to get the sherry, Joel Crothers also tries to suppress his own grin. [Addendum: I don't see any actor giggles here. It appears as if it's just the characters Maggie and Joe being happy to see other and reunited.]
• After Nicholas departs the Evans cottage, Joe puts his glass down on the table, and the camera shows past the edge of the set on the right where two members of the crew are visible.
• In Act IV, when Angelique says, "You know very well what's the matter," there is a loud noise from off-stage.
• Where did Vicki come from? Jeff is standing in the foyer, talking on the phone, and staring in the general direction of the front doors. Vicki enters the scene, not from the front doors, which never open, but instead, is somehow already in the house. She emerges by walking across the foyer at a 90 degree angle to both the (completely closed) front and drawing room doors. Did she manage to walk to the study from the front doors without Jeff seeing her? Did she somehow not notice Jeff when she entered Collinwood? Did she climb in through the window? And how did she get home so quickly? Nicholas’ house by the sea is located on the other side of Collinsport, and Vicki doesn’t have a car.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 559 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 559 - Everything You Deserve

The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 559

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 559: I specialize in human relations

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 559: 8/15/68