Barnabas locks the kidnapped Maggie Evans in the Old House basement cell, hoping she will submit to becoming the recreation of his lost love, Josette. A strange young girl in old-fashioned clothing appears to Maggie and, later, to handyman Willie Loomis, who informs Barnabas she claims to live at the Old House. As Elizabeth Collins Stoddard prepares to marry blackmailer Jason McGuire, she reveals a dark secret to governess Victoria Winters. Posing as an historian, Dr. Julia Hoffman arrives at Collinwood to investigate Maggie’s disappearance.
Barnabas locks Maggie in an Old House basement cell and informs her that he will wait until she becomes Josette.
Carolyn and Elizabeth argue over Elizabeth’s approaching marriage. Carolyn begins dating a hippie motorcyclist named Buzz.
Maggie gives Willie her ring as a bribe, hoping that it will lead to the discovery that she is alive and being held captive.
A rebellious Carolyn announces that she will marry Buzz on the same day her mother is scheduled to marry Jason.
Sam tells Barnabas that Maggie is thought to be dead. Maggie hears a strange little girl singing outside her cell.
Maggie cannot understand the meaning of what the little girl says. David meets the girl, who reveals her name is Sarah.
Jason promises a worried Elizabeth he will stop Carolyn from marrying Buzz, but Buzz turns down Jason’s bribe.
Maggie speaks with Sarah. Willie tries to convince Maggie that there is no little girl, but Maggie finds Sarah’s doll.
Victoria discovers Elizabeth crying. She confesses to Victoria that she killed her long-missing husband, Paul Stoddard.
Sarah uses a riddle to lead Maggie to a secret underground passage. Maggie escapes from her cell with Barnabas in pursuit.
Sam finds Maggie on the beach. He and Dr. Woodard decide to send Maggie to a sanitarium and pretend that she is dead.
Victoria and Carolyn mourn Maggie’s reported death. Victoria agrees to be Elizabeth’s witness at her wedding.
Carolyn angrily determines to hurt her mother. Sam and Joe refrain from admitting that Maggie is really alive.
Barnabas warns Willie that Jason may need to be dealt with. Willie tells Barnabas he saw Sarah and she claimed she lives at the Old House.
At Windcliff sanitarium, Dr. Julia Hoffman reluctantly allows Sam and Joe to visit Maggie, who is in a child-like state.
Elizabeth dreams of the legend of the widows. Mrs. Johnson stops a despondent Elizabeth from jumping off Widows’ Hill.
David shows Victoria a book with family births and deaths listed. Later, Elizabeth has written the present date as her death date.
Elizabeth says goodbye to Carolyn and David. She then goes to Widows’ Hill and prepares to jump to her death.
Victoria persuades Elizabeth not to jump from Widows’ Hill. Burke confronts Jason with proof of his past crimes.
As the wedding begins, Carolyn prepares to shoot Jason. Elizabeth announces that she killed Paul with Jason as her accomplice.
Elizabeth tells the story of what happened at Collinwood eighteen years earlier, when she thought she killed Paul.
After the police arrive, the locked room in the Collinwood basement is investigated. A buried trunk is found beneath the floor.
Jason explains that Paul was not killed and that he helped him escape. Elizabeth insists Jason be allowed to leave without arrest.
Jason spies on Willie and Barnabas holding jewels. After Willie refuses to be blackmailed, Jason breaks into the Old House.
Jason opens Barnabas’ coffin in the basement of the Old House. Barnabas’ hand reaches out and begins to choke Jason.
At Windcliff, Maggie appears to recognize a sketch of Sarah. In the mausoleum, Sarah appears beside her own tomb.
Barnabas decides to hold a costume party, with everyone to dress as Collins ancestors. He suggests Victoria come as Josette.
Victoria goes to the Old House to select her costume for the party. Sarah finds her own dress in an old trunk in Josette’s room.
At Victoria’s request, Barnabas invites Burke to the party. He will dress as Jeremiah Collins, Barnabas’ rival for Josette.
While at the party, Elizabeth fears a ghost is present. Roger organizes a seance and Victoria goes into a trance after it begins.
During the seance, Victoria relives the death of Josette. Later, Barnabas visits Victoria and gives her Josette’s music box.
Victoria becomes entranced by Josette’s music box. Under hypnosis by Dr. Hoffman, Maggie recalls being in the cemetery.
Victoria sees Maggie in the cemetery, but Burke convinces her otherwise. Maggie is disturbed when she enters the mausoleum.
Posing as an historian, Julia Hoffman arrives at Collinwood to search for clues surrounding Maggie’s disappearance.
Victoria goes to the Old House. A sudden storm appears and Barnabas urges her to spend the night in Josette’s room.
In Josette’s room, Victoria hears Sarah’s singing. As Victoria sleeps, Barnabas enters, intending to bite her.
Elizabeth allows Julia to stay at Collinwood to conduct her supposed research of the Collins family history.
Julia questions David about Sarah. She goes to the Old House and finds that Barnabas casts no reflection in a mirror.
Barnabas cannot bring himself to bite Victoria. Julia enters the Old House and discovers Barnabas inside his coffin.
Victoria suddenly becomes afraid of the past. During the night, Barnabas comes to Julia’s room to strangle her.