Collinwood in 1840. And a man possessed by an ancient enemy of the Collins family continues his plot that is to end with Quentin Collins beheaded for witchcraft. And this night, Gerard has caused Daniel Collins to examine the unfinished stairs that Quentin is building. A stairs that, when finished, will enable man to transcend time. And as Daniel stands on the stairs, Gerard makes him see what Daniel thinks is a scene from the recent past. A scene in which Quentin kills Lorna Bell.
Following his vision, Daniel suffers an apparent heart attack. He exclaims that Lamar's suspicions were right. While Gerard watches over Daniel, Gabriel enters and demands to know what he has done to him.
Act I
Gerard deters suspicion away from him and orders Gabriel to go get a doctor immediately.
In the drawing room, Quentin is enjoying a drink when Daphne walks in to collect her book. He wonders how Daphne always appears to be so calm, when the rest of the house is always in a panic. Quentin asks her if she is afraid of him, but she insists she isn't. He begins to talk about how the Collins family always seems to be in despair. Gerard then rushes in and tells Quentin that Daniel has had an attack.
Daniel is now in his room, and can only say "Why, Quentin, why?". Edith tries to calm him down, but to no avail. She tells him that they are trying to find Julia. Quentin, Daphne and Gerard soon walk in, but Daniel gets upset upon seeing Quentin. Quentin kicks Gerard, Daphne and Edith out of the room so he can talk to Daniel in private. Daniel confesses he saw the staircase and wonders why he killed Lorna, but Quentin says he has nothing to do with her death. Daniel then passes out. Gabriel arrives with Edith and tells Quentin that Julia is nowhere to be found. Quentin decides to leave to contact a different doctor. With Quentin gone, Gabriel tells Edith that Daniel must not die because of the will (which will likely leave everything to Quentin). Gabriel plans to stay with Daniel in hopes of getting him to change his mind.
Act II
Gerard finds Daphne in the drawing room, who is preparing to leave to go to her room. He apologizes to her for not showing up for dinner the other night, but Daphne says she was relieved he didn't show up and says her first instinct about him was right (that he is cruel and deceiving). After she leaves, Gerard says it will only be a matter of time before she starts to like him.
Upstairs in her room, Daphne writes in her diary about her separate encounters with Quentin and Gerard. She admits that she feels sorry for Quentin.
Back in the drawing room, Gerard finds Daphne's handkerchief that she left behind and casts a spell on her. Daphne begins to feel tired and Gerard says she will soon have a vision of her own future. She goes to her bed and falls asleep.
Act III
In Daphne's dream, Gerard is lighting numerous black candles in the drawing room. Daphne enters the room and kisses him passionately. She tells Gerard she will follow him anywhere he goes and do whatever he asks. Gerard then leaves her, and Daphne wonders if he is going to meet someone else. He admits that he is, but he will only remember her face and her lips.
Daphne wakes up and appears very disoriented. She can't remember why she fell asleep or why she was just calling out for Gerard. She goes to the drawing room, where Gerard is sitting by the fire, to retrieve her books which she had forgotten earlier. Daphne takes her books and runs out. Gerard laughs to himself as Edith walks in. Edith remarks how that's the first laugh she has heard in the house in quite some time. Gerard mentions she could use a good laugh and a "few other things" as well, and he kisses her. Edith pulls away from him and Gerard tells her she needs a change in her life. He offers her a new "chance" that would give her "great powers", and Edith becomes incredibly curious. Edith is about to embrace him, but Gabriel shows up and catches her.
Act IV
Gabriel scolds Edith and tells Gerard that Quentin is looking for him. Gerard leaves, and Edith admits she is tired of her life with Gabriel and just wants attention from someone. Gabriel tries to warn her to be on her best behavior if they want to get a part of the family fortune if Daniel dies, but Edith wants no part of it and says she isn't going to depend on him anymore.
Meanwhile, Quentin and Daphne watch over Daniel. Quentin has just learned from the doctor that Daniel's next attack could be fatal. He tells Daphne to go get some rest, but she says she has been feeling uneasy and doesn't want to sleep. Daphne agrees to watch over Daniel for the time being.
Quentin goes to his lab and finds Gerard gazing at the staircase through time. Gerard is startled at first, but Quentin only wonders why Daniel saw Lorna on his staircase. Quentin changes the subject to the mysterious notes he has been receiving in the drawing room from Joanna, who is dead, and wonders who is leaving them. He tells Gerard he receives the letters every three nights, and tonight he is determined to find out who is behind it. The two leave the lab and go to the foyer, where they devise a plan to pretend to leave the house, but Quentin sneaks into the drawing room through the window. Once he is back inside, he sits down in front of the door and begins to wait.
Later that night, the drawing room doors open and Daphne enters the room with a letter, much to Quentin's astonishment.
Quentin has established a pattern with the letters form 'Joanna': He receives a letter once every three days, and it arrives either in the afternoon when he has just gone to visit the estate manager, or exactly half an hour after that, when he has finished his last walk around the grounds.
