Laura makes the first of many offers to take Nora and Jamison away with her, but Nora, poor little thing, would much rather have her whole family at home at Collinwood. Laura is disturbed to hear that Quentin is back at Collinwood.
Quentin promises Jamison that they'll scare Trask away, just as they did Barnabas. But Barn doesn't seem to be scared.
Nora tells Jamison about meeting their mother, but Jamison is skeptical and inclined to argue. A propensity for sibling quarrels seem to be part of the Collins gene pool. Edward confines the kids to quarters for talking about their mother. Jamison starts to protest, then realizes he can't tell his father what he was about to do. He lies, Quentin was going to take me on a hike. I might have known it involved Quentin, Edward comments sourly. Why must you always do things with Quentin? Because no one else ever asks me, Jamison (still a little boy) says sadly. You'll have to postpone your hike, Edward says brusquely. He sends both children upstairs, then returns to the drawing room to sulk, gazing into the fire. Quentin breezes in and quips, Oh, come on, Edward, it can't be that bad--or can it? It will be all right after this weekend, Edward replies. I'm sending the children to the school. And not the least of it is Jamison's inordinate affection for me, Quentin remarks. The boy is young, impressionable, Edward says, but he's had enough of your chicanery and humbug. It's time he matured in more healthy surroundings. Since you would never ask for my opinion, Quentin says heatedly, I'm going to volunteer it: Your children will be better off with Simon Legree than that so-called Reverend Trask! He stalks out, leaving Edward angrier than ever.
Instead of going to their own rooms, the kids go to Quentin's room, where they continue their quarrel. Quentin walks in and laughs when he finds them. Quentin! David Henesy starts, tugging at his jacket. He grins as he has to take a rare look at the cue card before saying his next line: I couldn’t wait in the foyer for you. It’s all right, Quentin assures him, then tells them both, The “little game” we’re going to play is strictly for men, so Nora can’t play. [So Quentin is sexist as well as a lecher.] I can't, either, Jamison says glumly. We have to stay in our rooms, and I don't know how I'm going to get out. Quentin notices Nora playing with the scarab, which she still has in her hand. He steps over and takes it from her. Greatly disturbed, he asks Nora where she got it. It's only an old brooch, she says, I found it. In a panic, Quentin rushes over to his roll-top desk, searches desperately through some papers and digs out a book. He starts turning the pages frantically.
Edward answers a knock at the door and is thunderstruck--and furious--to see his wife standing there. She insists on seeing the kids. She even resorts to tears, which Edward watches with the same lack of emotion as when he stood by his grandmother's deathbed.
Quentin asks Nora who gave her the brooch. Maybe out of revenge for not being allowed to join in the ritual, Nora lies with perfect sang-froid and says she found it in the woods. Quentin races out of the room.
Apparently Edward has spent Laura's crying time in thinking, because he says he'll get several thousand dollars to give her if she agrees never to come back. He goes off to the study. Quentin, brooch in hand, races downstairs and into the drawing room to warn Edward--not knowing that he is far too late. He is stunned to see Laura standing calmly by the fireplace; she notes his reaction with some amusement. Hello, Quentin, she greets him. I have been looking forward to seeing you again. You and I have a lot to talk to each other about, don't we? He shakes his head in terrified disbelief as he whispers, No--no! No, you’re dead! I saw you die!...
