- It's two days after Papa Mannon's gone to that great big mansion in the sky, but we're stuck outside the Mannon home yet again.
- This time, we don't see any members of the Mannon family standing around like lawn gnomes. Instead, we get some more of the townsfolk—richer ones, this go-round: Josiah and Emma Borden, Minister Everett Hills and his wife, and Dr. Joseph Blake.
- Having just paid their respects at the Mannon home, they stand outside gabbing, and we've got front row seats.
- Emma Borden just straight up says that she always hated Christine, but that seeing her seem to honestly grieve for her dead husband is making her change her mind.
- (We know, of course, that what really has Christine upset is her fear of getting caught.)
- Mrs. Hills thinks it's odd that Lavinia doesn't seem more upset.
- As far as Emma's concerned, not showing emotion is a common Mannon trait, and it doesn't mean Lavinia isn't hurting on the inside.
- (We know, of course, that Lavinia's just planning how best to get her revenge.)
- The men, who've been smoking cigars and having their own little conversation, catch up with the ladies.
- Mr. Borden says he wonders why the funeral for Old Man Mannon wasn't a bigger, more public thing, because Mannon was such an important guy in town.
- We learn that Christine's saying that Ezra only wanted a small, private affair. Which is a lie. She just doesn't want too much attention being paid to her. (The townsfolk don't know this, though.)
- Mrs. Hills embarrasses her husband by telling everybody there that the minister had said the family had too much pride, and that it would be their downfall. (Can you say "foreshadowing?")
- Mr. Hills tries to explain himself by saying that he was probably referring to Christine, and not to Ezra or the rest of the family, and then admits he shouldn't have said it.
- Dr. Blake is peeved by this turn in the conversation, and Mrs. Hills apologizes, totally embarrassed.
- They agree to change the subject, and we find out that Peter and Lavinia are going to the train station to meet Orin, who's due to arrive home.
- As they walk off, Blake tells Borden that he wonders if the strain of having sex with Christine on his first night home is what killed Old Man Mannon, given he had heart trouble. After all, he'd been away so long, she's looking pretty good—you know. Just a couple of dudes being stereotypical dudes.
- Christine walks out of the house with Hazel.
- Not wanting Hazel wonder why she's acting strange, Christine tells her she's having a hard time dealing with all of the mourners coming and going.
- Hazel—never one to rock the boat or be too controversial—just tells her everything will get easier.
- They talk briefly about Orin coming back.
- We find out that Lavinia's basically been following Christine around everywhere, refusing to talk to her, but just glaring at her.
- Hazel chalks it up to Lavinia being in shock over Ezra's death.
- Christine lets on that she knows Hazel has a crush on Orin.
- She makes Hazel agree to help her ward off Lavinia, who Christine says has always been really possessive of Orin, so that Hazel and Orin can start courting and maybe get married without interference from Lavinia.
- Once again, we've got to read between the lines: Christine's just afraid that Lavinia will tell Orin what happened and turn him against her.
- Hazel being Hazel, she agrees—having no idea that Christine's a scheming murderer.
- They retreat inside the house. Lavinia, Orin, and Peter show up.
- Right away, we're supposed to notice how much Orin looks like his father (and also his long-lost cousin, Adam Brant). His head's still bandaged. He seems a little weak and jittery.
- The house creeps him out.
- Peter tells him it's just the moonlight playing tricks on him.
- Orin says he's having a hard time adjusting to the fact that Ezra's dead, even though he knew he had heart problems.
- Lavinia asks Peter to leave her alone with Orin.
- She says she's missed him, too.
- Orin says that fighting in the war hardened him to seeing death, so he can't really feel the way he should about his father dying.
- This shocks Lavinia, but Orin says that since she insisted he fight in the war, she's got to deal with the consequences.
- Changing the subject, he asks Lavinia about Adam Brant. Is it true what she wrote to him, that Brant's been coming around to see Christine?
- Before she can respond, he basically threatens to kill Brant if he's been screwing around with Christine.
- Lavinia says she can't say everything she has to say to him, but encourages Orin not to let Christine "baby" him.
- Orin seems confused and angered by this, but before he can do anything, here comes Christine.
- Orin acts like a little kid happy to see his Mommy again.
- Christine totally plays it up, asking him if he's feeling okay and basically treating him like a weird combination of boyfriend and baby boy.
- Before Christine takes him inside to see Hazel—really to get him away from Lavinia—Lavinia tells him not to forget what she told him.
- After sending Orin inside, Christine tries to tell Lavinia to stop being so weird to her.
- Lavinia just stares like a really, really angry statue.
- Christine asks if Lavinia just happened to find a box of pills that she uses to help her sleep.
- (She really means the box of poison pellets).
- As the truth dawns on Christine and she begins to freak out, Lavinia just smiles cruelly and coldly walks away.
- Hearing Orin ask for her, Christine pulls herself together and goes inside, leaving Lavinia alone.