“Episode 8.” Dark Shadows. ABC. 6 July 1966.
We see Elizabeth inside Victoria’s room. Closing a window, she notices some stray papers on the floor. She starts to read them as Carolyn enters. As mother and daughter talk, Carolyn asks Elizabeth directly why she hired Victoria of all people. Elizabeth doubles down and repeats the lie she told Victoria. Carolyn doesn’t seem to buy it and drops that Victoria is in town, possibly calling the Foundling Home to check her story. She leaves as Elizabeth continues to go through Victoria’s possessions.
Victoria is still on the phone with Miss Hopewell. It seems that Miss Hopewell had never even heard of the Collins family until Victoria left.
Back at the mansion, Elizabeth is growing frantic about Victoria’s habit of snooping around. She voices thoughts of firing her but Carolyn begs her not to. Elizabeth points out that Carolyn really doesn’t need Victoria since she has Joe and as such can actually leave now. Elizabeth says Victoria’s future rests with Carolyn.
Before the scene can go any further, Joe barges in with flowers and news. It seems he’s been promoted from boat worker to office man. This means a raise and moves up when he can buy his own boat. Carolyn, overjoyed, kisses him. Joe proposes marriage on the spot, something that seems to turn Carolyn cold as Elizabeth enters with tea.
Elizabeth is happy at Joe’s news, although he omits the proposal, but Carolyn is suspicious. When Joe mentions meeting Bill Malloy, the cannery supervisor, the other night, he said nothing about him being promoted. This brings everything to a head, as Carolyn notes that she overheard her mother talking with Malloy on the phone that morning. Elizabeth tries to pass the whole thing off as a coincidence, but fumbles when she mentions about how much easier it is now for Carolyn and Joe to get married. Carolyn is furious but Joe makes it clear he supports Elizabeth. Before things can get too heated, Victoria returns. She and Carolyn retreat to the foyer, where Carolyn admits she is terrified of leaving Collinwood.
Elizabeth tries to pass off Carolyn’s reaction as cold feet, no doubt due to the various ghosts of the old house. Joe confesses that he talked to Devlin the other night. Devlin offered Joe cash for information, a fact that worries Elizabeth. When Joe mentions that Devlin seems to know everything about Victoria, this sends Elizabeth into a panic. When Carolyn comes back after seeing Victoria to her room, Elizabeth rushes out, leaving Carolyn to wonder why she always seems to push people away.
After being grilled, Victoria admits she called the Foundling Home and repeats Miss Hopewell’s message of never hearing of the Collins family. Elizabeth is not happy about this, outright stating she doesn’t like being investigated. Victoria counters, saying she doesn’t like being lied to. Elizabeth makes it clear that Victoria can leave whenever she wants. She stresses that Victoria being there is important but she won’t say why. She makes it clear that Miss Hopewell was clearly wrong but she will consider the matter closed.
Back at the Foundling Home, Miss Hopewell is dictating a letter to Victoria. She relates that earlier a man claiming to be a reporter came around asking about her. It seems the man was actually private investigator Wilbur Strake. She wants to know how Victoria knows him or whoever hired him.
Questions asked: Who hired Wilbur? Why is Elizabeth so desperate to get Carolyn and Joe married and away from Collinswood?
Review: Wow, Joe is sure excited over 25 dollars more per week. Of course, this was 1966 money. Not bad, but once again we get set up and no explanation. Why does Carolyn react the way she does?