Strange Paradise: Episode 162
Episode 162:  Slideshow
 
Emily stands in Cort’s room facing the mask when there is a knock at the door. Ada calls out. “Cort, Cort are you awake?”  Emily covers the mask.  “Cort I can hear you in there. May I come in?”  Emily opens the door.  Ada steps inside. “Emily what are you doing here this hour of the night?”  “Oh I just came in to get a book I had lent to Cort.”  “Well where is he?” Ada asks as she glances around the room.  “Oh he and Philip went out together.” Emily says as she closes the door.  “Oh I wish he was here, I’ve been hearing strange sounds. This house is full of strange noises and moans and groans and shouts. You know I thought it was Cort having a bad dream. He used to you know when he was little. But where did they go?”  “Oh they didn’t say. Emily says with a smile.  “I guess I should go to bed. You should too you know it’s late.”  “Oh I couldn’t sleep.”
Ada steps up to Emily smiling. “Of course you couldn’t sleep. Young girls before they get married find it very difficult to sleep. Actually I’m quite excited myself.” Ada says as she notices the covered mask. “The prospect of having a wedding at Desmond Hall and that reminds me you and I, we have to sit down and get together with the...” Ada uncovers the mask. “What is it?”  “Oh it’s just some decorative object I suppose.”  “I’ve never seen it before. Where did Cort get it?”
“Young boys have a habit of collecting some very strange things don’t they.” Emily says with a small laugh as she covers the mask.  “Yes that’s what stresses me about Cort too. Collecting strange things.” Ada says as she looks at the covered mask.  Emily steps away. “It’s just a harmless mask.” She walks to the window and looks out.  “It reminds me of some of the peculiar objects that my father used to collect.”  Emily glances at Ada. “Oh I didn’t know that about your father.”  “Oh yes. Yes the Desmonds they are much too fond of collecting things just like that, they are very mystic. Luckily for you, you know Jean Paul didn’t share his brother’s interest in such matters anyway. Nor his father’ either.”  “I’ve gathered from some of the books I’ve read that this interest has quite a history.”
“Yes that’s true but I do wish Cort had taken after Jean Paul a little bit more. It troubles me to see him waste his time in foolish superstitions that can only bring confusion and unhappiness.”  “Oh he doesn’t seem very confused to me.” Emily says with a smile then turns and looks back out the window.  “Oh no he has not been himself lately. Anyway Laslo is going to get him started in the business office and that’s going to help him to occupy his mind.”  Emily walks away from the window and stands next to Ada. “Cort and Philip are on their way back. Let me take you to your room. I don’t think you want Cort to see you so worried about him do you?” She guides Ada from the room.
 
Philip pulls Cort to the front door of the mansion. Cort stops and looks at Philip. “Oh no don’t let them do anything to me.”  “Well I’ll do what I can.” Philip says to him.  “I’ll give you everything I’ve got. My inheritance, my money in trust. All of it.”
“Cort I don’t want your money. I only want to help you.”  All right then promise me one thing. Don’t tell my mother please!”  “She’ll have to find out sooner or later.”
“Yes but it would break her heart. You see she always felt underneath that some day I would do something like this. Now I’ve done it!”
 
Irene sits on the couch looking at the flames in the fireplace. The door opens and Raxl enters.  Irene stands. “Where did you go? I was worried about you.”  “Master Cort wanted to talk to me.”  “He seemed very distraught.”  “He’s alright now.” Raxl says to Irene.  “He’s a very high strung boy. Of course that’s not surprising in view of the family itself.” Irene turns away from Raxl. “Cort didn’t have a normal childhood.”  “Why have you changed your attitude towards me?” Raxl asks.  “I’ve had time to consider what you said to me.” Irene says as she walks to the fireplace. “I see now that I was wrong to distrust you. I apologize please forgive my rudeness.”  “Then you really don’t object to my staying here?”
“Not at all. Stay as long as you wish.”  “Do your moods always change so quickly?” Raxl asks Irene.  “Oh put it down to living alone too long. No you’ll be good for me. You’ll take my mind off myself and my petty problems. I don’t think women should be without someone to look after do you?”  “Some women require it more than others.” Raxl says as she sits down.  “Like you. Jean Paul couldn’t exist without you I’m sure.” Irene says as she stands next to Raxl.  “You have the habit of saying the most disconcerting things.”  “Oh it’s no secret that Jean Paul relies entirely upon you.” Irene says as she sits next to Raxl. “Everyone knows it. But what I wonder about is what could have possibly have happened between you two to bring you here under my roof? Is it the presence of Emily Blair?”  Raxl stands and walks to the altar. Picking up the matches she lights the candles.
 
Cort enters his room followed by Philip. “What are you going to do with me?”
Philip leads him to his bed. “First I’m going to get you settled down so you can think clearly.” He sets pillows behind Cort’s head and lift Cort’s legs onto the bed. “And then you are going to tell me what.” Philip says as he walks across the room and closes the door.  “I don’t want to talk about it.”  Philip walks back to the bed. “Cort if I’m going to help you I need to know your story.”  “You think I’m lying.”  “Now I didn’t say that.”  “But then why did you call it a story? As if I was making the whole thing up.”  “You have to admit what you told me outside is a little far fetched.” Philip says as he leans his hands on the small table next to the bed.  “It’s the truth!” Cort says angrily and climbs off the bed. He walks to the window. “Look in the sky.”  Philip walks to the window. “I don’t see anything.
The star is visible as it pulsates. “There is a star up there, my star.” Cort says to him.  Philip releases the drape and turns towards Cort with disbelief.  Cort turns away. “You think I’m insane.”  “Cort if I pointed out that window and told you I saw something that you couldn’t see what would you think of me?”  Cort walks to the bed and lies down. “All right there really isn’t any star and there is no heartbeat!”  “Well they are there but only in your mind.” Philip says as he points at Cort.  “That’s what Raxl said to me once and then she...”  “When did this happen?”  “Well she told me the star was friendly, that it was going to lead me to my destiny. And I was going to be Master of Desmond Hall.”  “But Jean Paul is Master of Desmond Hall.”  “She said he wouldn’t be Master for long.”  “Why would she say that?”  “She heard the heartbeat too. She said it was my destiny.”
Philip walks away from Cort, he glances back at him. “So she sent Emily Blair up the stairs to you and called it your destiny?”  “She told me to wait here and that she would send me the instrument that would lead me to my destiny.”  “And you obeyed?”  “I had to. It was my star and the heartbeat got louder and louder then the door opened and...”  Cort’s door opens and Emily steps into the room. She walks towards Cort slowly.   “No, no you’re dead. Go back to the other side. Leave me alone.”  Emily walks closer to the bed.  “No stay away from me! I didn’t mean to kill you. I didn’t mean to!” Cort cries out and rolls away from Emily hiding his face in the blanket. “You’re dead. Now go back to your Spirits. Don’t come near me!”  “Cort look at me.” Emily says to him.  “Go away! Philip make it go away!”
“Look into my eyes Cort.”  Cort rolls over and looks at Emily.  “Are these the eyes of a dead woman?”  “You’re not dead?” Cort asks as he sits up.  “You didn’t kill me. You didn’t even hurt me.”  Cort stands and rushes towards the door. Philip blocks his exit grabbing him.  “Let me go!”  “Now listen to me Cort.”  “You pretended that she was dead and all the time she was alive.”  “Would it be better if you had killed her as Raxl had intended?”  “Why did you lie to me!”  “Sit down and I’ll tell you.”  Cort turns and walks back to the bed and sits down. “You tricked me.”  Philip follows him to the bed. “We did it in order to save you.”  Emily sits near Cort on the bed. “We are going to release you from the spell of your star.”  Cort sits up. “You did see it.”  “No we just know it’s there. We know the heartbeat is there too and the mark on your hand.” Emily says to him.  “You knew all the time and yet you let me almost kill you.”  “I couldn’t be certain until you actually tried to kill me.”  Philip walks to the dresser and uncovers the mask.  Cort stands and walks over to Philip. “Get that out of my room.”  “You have nothing to fear from it.” Philip says to him.’  “Raxl said it would harm me.”  Philip smiles. “It won’t do anyone any harm. It wards off harm.”  Cort walks over to Emily. “Did the mask save you?”  Emily stands. “No the totem did.” She says as she holds up the totem.  “Raxl wanted to give me that totem. She said it would protect me.”  “Well Raxl was wrong. It only protects those who are innocent. And you have been touched by evil. But Philip can save you if you do what he says.” Emily says as she walks from the room closing the door behind her.  Cort walks over to Philip and stands next to him. Philip raises his hand in front of the mask.
 
Raxl steps away from the altar and looks at Irene. “You can put them out now. The Spirits have returned. But we must not quarrel among ourselves or they will desert us again.”  Irene bends and blows out the candles. Straightening she walks towards Raxl. “Why did you leave Desmond Hall?”  “There is no place for me there now that Mr. Philip has brought his alien Spirits to Jean Paul. Those Spirits appose mine.”  “So that’s why he needed the totem. I should have trusted you but I was frightened. I was wrong.  We can’t fail if there is complete honesty between us.”  Raxl glances at her. “We will not fail I assure you.”  Irene walks across the room. “Did you leave Desmond Hall because of Jean Paul’s marriage?”  “They will not marry.”  “But Cort said today that they are engaged.”
“What is true today is not true tonight. Emily Blair is dead.” Raxl says to her.
“No that’s not possible! Not Emily.”  “All human beings die, why not Emily Blair?” Raxl says.  “But she was so young and so full of life. Was she ill?”  “She interfered with matters no mere mortal should know anything about. She paid for it with her life.”  “And that’s why you came here for refuge?”  “I did not kill her, Master Cort did. That’s why he came here tonight to tell me what he had done. And beg me to intercede with Jean Paul for him.”  “And will you do that?” Irene asks.  “I refused.” She glances at Irene then steps away. “Master Cort must pay for what he had done. He threatened me with vengeance.”  “Poor Raxl, nothing must happen to you. I need you now more than the Desmonds do.”
 
Philip circles his hand over the mask. He calls out silently. ‘Keep him safe from the Desmond evil. Give him the silver tongue of the owl to deceive his enemies. Give him the swiftness of the deer to outrun his pursuers. Give him the pure heart of the otter your totem image to evade their snares.’  Tears stream down the face of the mask. Philip smiles and nods then looks at Cort. “You are one of us now along with Jean Paul and Emily. But don’t tell anyone that you are under Orendo’s protection or he will remove his protection and you’ll be at the mercy of the star and the mark once again. Do you understand?”   “Yes.” Cort says as he stands next to Philip.  There is a knock at the door. “May I come in?” Ada calls out.  “Now don’t tell your mother anything about this.” Philip says as he covers the mask, then sets it inside a dresser drawer. “Just say you were ill.” Philip says as he opens the door and steps outside.  “Oh excuse me I thought he was alone.” Ada says to Philip.  “Well I was just leaving.” Philip says to her.  “Where have you been?” Ada asks.  “We went into Desmondton to celebrate Jean Paul’s engagement but Cort felt ill so we thought we would bring him home.”  “What’s wrong with him?” Ada asks as she tries to walk past Philip.  Philip grabs her shoulders. “He’s just upset and a little feverish.”  “Then I’ll call a doctor.”  “No don’t do that. Just go in and talk to him but don’t upset him.”  “I don’t understand.” Ada says to Philip.  “Well he’s been involved with Raxl and he’s not himself.”  “I warned him about her.” Ada says as she glances away from Philip. “She’s evil, she always has been.”
 
Emily paces the floor in the Drawing Room. Philip walks into the room. “Is he alright?” Emily asks him.  “Well his mother is with him now.”  “He’s so unreliable, he’ll tell everything he knows to the first person he sees.”  “I think he’s frightened enough to trust us and keep silent.”  “Well now what do we do? No one knows what that mark means.” Emily says to Philip.  “Well Raxl does, I’m sure of that. Tonight proves that if nothing else.”  “But she won’t tell us.” Emily says to him.
“Well we have a new ally in Mrs. Hatter. I’m on my way to see her now.” Philip tells her.  “No Philip, don’t trust Irene Hatter. I know her. She took me in when Helena Raleigh was engaged to Jean Paul, when you first came here.”  “I remember.”  “Well I was very ill at the time and I don’t remember very much of what happened but I was always in her living room when ever she lit the candles.”   “What do you suspect her of?” Philip asks.  “I just know that she’s not what she seems that’s all.”  “Well we are playing two dangerous women against each other. I think I know what I’m doing.”  “Take the totem with you.” Emily says to him.  “No it’s to protect you not me.”  “Well be careful. I’ll stay down here until you come back. And you phone me if anything goes wrong.”  “No you go to bed and tomorrow stay in your room in case Raxl comes back.”  “She wouldn’t dare do that.”  “Well I’m hoping that she will. She’ll try to see Cort and she must believe that you’re dead.” Philip says to her.
 
Cort lies on his bed as Ada sits next to him brushing his hair from his eyes with her hand. “Now you go to sleep because it’s nearly morning.” Ada says to him.
“It should be you who should be sleeping.”  “Oh I can’t sleep when your not here because I worry about you.”  “Well don’t worry about me anymore Mother everything is going to be all right.”  “Oh that’s what you always said when you were a little boy.” Ada says with a smile. “You know sometimes I wish that you’d never grow up.  Cort shakes his head.  “We can’t stop life from going on. We can’t change our destinies.”  “Don’t say that Mother.”  “Oh it’s true. I used to think Daddy would come back some day. That Mother would be happy again but it never happened.”  Cort puts his arm around his mother’s shoulder. “We’re alive that all that matters.”  Ada touches his hand. “Oh you, you have the Desmond optimism that can only lead to tragedy.”
 
There is a knock on Irene’s door. She walks across the room and opens the door.  Philip steps inside. “Did Raxl come back?”  “She’s gone to bed.” Irene tells her closing the door.  “Well you didn’t tell her that Emily was dead did you?”  “She told me. She said that Cort did it. Is that true?” Irene asks Philip.  Philip glances away. “Yes I’m afraid that it is.”  “Where is he?” Irene asks.  “I left him with the police. They are questioning him now.” Philip steps away. “Poor Emily, I can’t believe it, it’s a nightmare.”  Irene steps up to him. “And Jean Paul, I can’t bear to think of the unhappy man.”  “Well he doesn’t know anything about it yet. We’ve decided not to tell him until morning.”  “I suppose that’s kinder.”  “Well there is nothing he can do.” Philip says to her.  “Cort will blame Raxl.” says Irene.
“Yes, he’s telling the police that she put him up to it, because Jean Paul was marrying Emily. He’s trying to shift the blame on to her now.”  “After years of loyal service to the Desmonds this is her reward.” Irene says as she walks in front of Philip.  “Well she needs your help Mrs. Hatter.”  “She can stay here with me until it’s over.” Irene says as she glances at him.  “Well I have to go back to the police now and arrange for Cort’s bail in my custody. Goodnight.” Philip says as he turns and walks out of the cottage.  “And now Raxl we will see who has power over whom.” Irene says with a smile.
 
Cort looks at his mother. “What do you mean the Desmonds always come to tragedy? What happens, you always talk in mysteries.” Cort asks.  Ada stands and looks away from Cort. “Well you see they disappeared or they died a horrible death by fire or water. There hasn’t been a male Desmond who dies a natural death for hundreds of years.” She says then glances at Cort.  “You should have told me that sooner.” Cort says as he looks away.  “Well I didn’t want to alarm you.” Ada says as she looks away. “Now that you’re grown up you might as well know what lies ahead for you. And may God protect you.”  “If I had only known that before I would never have listened to...”  Ada turns towards him. “Listened to whom?”  “Oh I’ve been a fool. Every now and then I get something that controls me and I feel like I’m going to do something wild or mad!”  Ada sits next to him and grabs him by the arms. “When that happens you come to me!”  “I’m supposed to be protecting you and instead I’m running to you when I’m afraid.”
“We’ll protect each other.” Ada says then stands and walks across the room. “Goodnight.”  “Mamma?”  Ada turns and looks at him.  “I want to tell you something. I’m sorry about the way I treated you and Laslo. You see I’ve caused nothing but trouble between you and him. I tricked him into going to Irene Hatter’s cottage so that you would catch him there.”  “Oh Cort that was shameful of you. I accused her of dreadful things. How can I ever look her in the face again?”  “I’ll speak to her. I’ll make sure she understands.” Cort says as he looks at his mother.
 
The candles of the altar are lit. Irene stands in front of them. “Oh Demons of the dark desires. Spirits of the other world bring Cort to his punishment. Torture him for the spiteful evil he has brought to me. Bring Laslo Thaxton back to me at whatever cost. At what ever price.”
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summaries written by Debby Graham .  The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Episode 163

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1