372

Angelique turns Ben into her slave to help her do her dirty work.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: Time stands still at Collinwood, for one girl has taken a mysterious and dangerous journey into the past. A house she knew as old and deserted is now her home and the home of the Collins family, and under its roof, unseen by all, a dangerous game of intrigue and terror is being played out.
Victoria Winters wanders into the Old House parlor searching for Sarah Collins. She finds, instead, one of the servants stacking wood by the fireplace. She introduces herself to him and, when he turns, Victoria is horrified as the man is identical to Matthew Morgan. He approaches her, and Victoria screams for him to stay away.
Act I
The servant, Ben Stokes, grabs Victoria, trying to figure out why she is in hysterics. Joshua Collins, having heard the commotion, bursts into the room and is livid when he finds the governess cowering from Ben. He orders Ben to explain himself. The former convict tells the Collins patriarch that he was only speaking to the girl when she became inexplicably upset. Victoria speaks up for Ben, explaining that she was frightened only because he resembles someone she once knew. But Joshua decides that Ben must be punished for talking to a woman of the household, something he has been told not to do. Victoria protests to no avail. Joshua denies Ben his request for a holiday. After Ben leaves the room, Victoria tries to change Joshua's mind. Joshua tells her about Ben's past, and how the other man is indentured to him for the remainder of his prison term. He changes the subject, informing Victoria that more visitors are arriving for the wedding: Millicent Collins and her brother Daniel Collins. She learns that Joshua plans for Millicent and Jeremiah Collins to marry. This prompts Victoria, who has read about Millicent in the Collins Family History, to remark that Millicent never married. Joshua notes how Victoria has a habit of saying very curious things.
Act II
In the woods near the house, Angelique Bouchard gathers herbs when Ben stumbles upon her. She claims to have been picking bay leaves to make a special salad for her mistress. But when Ben points out that what she has been gathering is nightshade, Angelique feigns shock and dumps out the contents of her basket. She turns on the charm and openly flirts with Ben as she introduces herself. When Angelique admires Ben's strength, he cannot understand why she wastes her time talking to him. She is genuinely disgusted to learn that Ben might be whipped for speaking to her. Ben makes his hatred for Joshua's cruelty known. Angelique reaches for Ben's arm, promising not to tell anyone they have spoken. In return, he promises not to tell of the "mistake" she made with the nightshade. After the flustered man departs, Angelique gathers the deadly leaves again.
Act III
Victoria, searching for Angelique, knocks on her door and enters the maid's room. She finds the toy soldier sitting on a dresser beside Barnabas Collins' handkerchief. Angelique returns, and is startled by Victoria's presence. Victoria apologizes, explaining that Josette du Prés was looking for her. Her curiosity aroused, Victoria inquires about the toy soldier but Angelique pretends she has never seen it before. Angelique suggests that Sarah might have been playing with it and left it in her room. She also lays blame on Sarah for the handkerchief. When Victoria decides to have a talk with Sarah about taking things, Angelique objects. She manages to convince Victoria to let the incident slide. After the governess departs, Angelique realizes she will have to be more careful and resolves to find someone to help and to keep suspicion away from her. Ben chops wood, unaware that Angelique has chosen him.
Act IV
Before the fireplace in her room, Angelique concocts a mixture and pours it into a glass. As Ben rests outside, Victoria approaches him and apologizes for the morning's events. He tells her to forget about it; Joshua would have found some other excuse to punish him. As with Angelique, Ben expresses his hatred for Joshua. Angelique gazes into the fire and calls Ben's name. She beckons him to her. Victoria tries to temper Ben's bitterness toward Joshua. But he begins to feel strange, and he encourages Victoria to leave before they're caught talking and he ends up in more trouble. After she goes, Ben hears Angelique's voice and he is compelled to go to her. Ben arrives at Angelique's room. He is dazed and unable to figure out why he has come. Angelique explains that she wanted him, and Ben mistakenly takes this to mean in a romantic way. She dodges his advances and tells him to drink the concoction. Ben drinks it all, feeling strange afterward. Angelique declares that he no longer has a will of his own: Ben is now her slave.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Angelique: (to Ben) You no longer have a will of your own. My will is your will. You shall do whatever I tell you to do. You shall be my slave.
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: Joshua: You have a habit of saying very curious things, Miss Winters.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Louis Edmonds as Joshua Collins
* Thayer David as Ben Stokes
* Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 370.
* First episode narrated by Lara Parker.
* Thayer David returns to the cast after an absence of 241 episodes. First appearance of Ben Stokes. This was the second character played by David in the original series.
* Angelique's concoction is actually fizzing Coca-Cola.
* There are no cast or crew credits for this episode.
=== Story ===
* Ben Stokes came to the Collins family from a prison in Salem. He was captured when he broke into and ransacked a farmhouse. He claimed that he was returning from the war and was starving and freezing. He is indentured to Joshua Collins for the remainder of his prison term. Joshua allowed Ben to come to the Collins house because he is strong and able-bodied, and he needed him to help clear the property. Joshua, however, doesn't trust Ben "or any of his kind." Ben is forbidden from speaking to any of the women on the Collins estate.
*Once again, we see Victoria's propensity for entering people's private quarters unannounced and unbidden and starting to look through their things when people aren't around.
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Angelique: Collecting herbs. Angelique: Needs someone to help her; summons Ben Stokes.
* TIMELINE: Day 144 begins, and will end in 373. It was this morning when Victoria got Ben in trouble.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* The teaser says that "a house she [Victoria] knew as old and deserted is now her home," yet in 1967, the Old House was hardly deserted with Barnabas living there. [This is not a blooper. Until recently, that IS how Vicki knew the Old House.]
*It is late November in Maine. Most trees should be bare of leaves, but the establishing shot of the woods where Angelique is picking herbs show trees with lush, green leaves.
*Angelique is collecting nightshade leaves from a tree, and tells Ben she is collecting bay leaves. However, both nightshade and bay leaves come from low-growing shrubs, not trees.
* When Angelique picks up her dropped leaves, the "forest floor" is obviously burlap.
* Millicent and Daniel Collins' arrival is expected in a "few days". However, Millicent's arrival occurs in the next episode, which appears to be still be the same day as this one. (It is possible they arrived earlier than expected. Arrival times of others, such as Josette and the Countess Natalie have been unpredictable already.)
*In the final scene in Angelique's room, a boom mic shadow appears on the wall.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 372 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 372 - Another Country
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 372: He took a liberty
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 372: 11/28/67
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