Strange Paradise: Episode 147
Episode 147:  Slideshow
Laslo: “Morning at Desmond Hall and the Great House appears quiet and serene in the morning sunlight. The Master of Desmond Hall Jean Paul Desmond walks in the forest of the Desmond estate hoping he has been freed from the ancient curse that has tormented him. For him the day will pass without event but for others this day will be a day of turmoil. A day in which a startling discovery will be made. As new alliances are formed and others are broken.”
 
Cort enters Jean Paul’s room. “Jean Paul?”  Raxl has followed him. “My Master is not here. He went for a long walk, he may be gone all morning.”  “Did you follow me?”  Raxl walks through Jean Paul’s room away from Cort. “Why did you want to see my Master?”  “I want you discharged because of your disloyalty.”  Raxl turns and looks at him. “That is not true. I have always been loyal to the Desmonds.”  “Maybe one at a time but not to us all at the same time.” Cort says as he sits on the bed.  Raxl steps up to him. “I am loyal to you.”  “Will I become head of the Desmond family?”  “Of course you will.”  “When?”  “Soon.” Raxl says to him.  “Because Jean Paul is going to die?”  “Yes.”  “How will he die?”  “I do not know, but it will happen soon, very soon.”  Cort stands. “Jean Paul is going to be very surprised to hear that.”  “You cannot tell him.”  Cort smiles and walks towards her. “Why not?”  “He is a member of your family.” Raxl says stepping away shaking her head. “You cannot be so cruel.”  “I don’t think telling Jean Paul that he is going to die would be cruel because I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Raxl turns and looks at him. “You must not tell my Master!”  Cort turns away. “You use your omens and warnings to frighten people and I want it to stop. And I want you to leave this house.”  Raxl steps up behind him. “You need me, you will always need me. There are forces here that could destroy you. I can help you overcome them.”  Cort smiles. “There you go again Raxl trying to frighten me well it’s not going to work.”  Raxl walks closer to him. “You are a fool! You do not understand!”  “I’ve heard enough!” he says as he turns towards Raxl. “Get out!”
“I did not mean to say that.” Raxl tells him with her head bowed.  “Get out!”  Laslo stands in the doorway. “What is going on? Arguing with the servants?” he asks Cort.  “Absurd isn’t it. Go Raxl!”  “Please.” Raxl says looking up at him.  “I said go. I order you to leave this room.”  Raxl bows and walks from the room.  Laslo walks towards Cort. “What was that all about?”  “I want Jean Paul to discharge her.” Cort says as he turns away.  “Why?”  “I don’t trust her and I don’t like her.”
“For once we are in agreement. I don’t trust her either.”  “Well I’m glad we’re in agreement about something.”  “Oh there is something else we agree upon.” Laslo says as he walks across the room. “We both agree we want your mother to be happy.”  “I’ve always wanted that.” Cort says to him.  Laslo turns and looks at him. “Have you noticed the change in her? How happy she is these days.”  “I’ve noticed she’s happier yes.”  “I am responsible for that.”  “Oh because you forced yourself to stay home for a few nights. Well what am I suppose to do, congratulate you?”  “I am tying my best to make your mother happy. You should try to make her happy too. You can do that by accepting me. You said you would try.”  “I am trying.”
 
Raxl paces in the Drawing Room when there is a knock at the front door. Walking through the foyer Raxl opens the door. Irene Hatter steps inside. “Good morning Raxl.”  “Good morning.” Raxl replies.  “Please tell Mr. Thaxton I want to see him.”
Laslo is walking down the staircase when Irene spots him. “Ah that won’t be necessary.” Irene says as she steps forward. “Good morning Laslo.”  “Irene.”  “How are you?” Irene asks.  Laslo glances at Raxl. “Raxl you may go.”  Raxl turns and walks from the foyer.  “You didn’t answer my question. It’s been so long.” Irene says to him.  “What are you doing here?” Laslo asks.  “I came to see you.” she says as she steps away from Laslo. “Since your visits to me have been so infrequent.”  He grabs her arm. “Come with me.” He leads her outside.  Raxl walks back into the foyer and stands at the door and listens.  Laslo walks over to Irene. “Are you out of your mind?”  “I don’t believe I am.” she says with her back towards him.  “Anyone could have answered the door, Ada, Cort.”  “What am I supposed to do? Be afraid of them.”  “Are you here to cause a scene?” Laslo asks.  “No.”  “Then what do you want?”  “I want to know where I stand.” Irene says to him.  “We’ll talk later. I’ll come to your cottage.”  “We will talk now. I waited for you to come to me but you never came.” Irene tells him.  “I couldn’t you know that.”  “Afraid of what your dear wife might say?”  “Ada has already threatened to divorce me.”  “Oh and you wouldn’t want to lose all that lovely money.”  “Stop it. Someone might hear you.” Laslo says as he walks around her.
“I don’t care if anyone hears me!”  “Don’t be hysterical.”  “I’m not I simply want to know where we stand.”  Laslo steps away from her. “It’s over.”  “You saw it so easily.” Irene says as she looks at him.  “There’s no other way to say it.”  “Were you planning to tell me or don’t you owe me that courtesy?”  “I told you once.”
“And you came back.” She says as she walks a few steps away. “But you’re not planning to come back this time, is that it?”  He glances at her. It’s too dangerous.”  “In other words I was a convenience and I am no longer convenient. So we just drop the whole thing just like that?” She says as she snaps her fingers.  “It never should have started.” Laslo says to her.  She steps up to him. “How can you say that?”  “It’s the truth.”  “You’ve used me. You used my powers. You’ve used the coven.”  “The coven no longer exists. Neither does our relationship.”  “We will see about that?” She turns towards the mansion.  “What are you doing?” He walks up to her. “It’s time I had a little talk with dear Ada.” Irene says to him.  “No you’re getting out of here.” He says as he grabs her arm.
Irene turns away. “All right Laslo you can prevent me from walking in that door but you can’t prevent me from going home and picking up the telephone.” She says as she steps closer to him.  “What do you want?”  “Come to my cottage at three. We will discuss it then.” “All right, please go.”  “And be prompt. If you aren’t I might just pick up the telephone and have a talk with my dear friend Ada.” She turns and walks off.  Laslo enters the mansion. He walks through the foyer and glances around.  Cort stands at the window looking out when Raxl enters the room. “Master?”  Cort walks across the room. “Go away.”  “You asked me to help you. You wanted me to find out about Laslo Thaxton. I have something to tell you.”  Cort glances back at her.
 
In the Drawing Room Cort speaks to his mother.  “I don’t believe it.” Ada says as she turns away from Cort, she has a drink in her hand.  “Ask Raxl.”  “She wouldn’t come here. She wouldn’t have the audacity.” Ada says as she turns towards Cort.  “She did. Raxl answered the door and she asked for Laslo.”  “What did she want?”  “I don’t know. You are going to have to ask Laslo that question.”  Laslo stands in the doorway. “Ask what question?”  Ada turns and looks at him. “Why did Irene Hatter come here this morning?”  Cort turns and looks at Laslo. “Answers the questions Laslo.”  Laslo steps closer to Cort. “Why don’t you leave us alone?”  “I want to know what you have to say.”  “Oh please Cort don’t make things more difficult than they already are.” Ada tells him.  “All right but don’t let him talk his way out of this one.” Cort says to her then walks from the room.  Laslo walks to the open doors and closes them. Ada turns towards him. “I’m waiting for your explanation.”  “I don’t blame you for being angry. I’m just as angry as you are.” He says as he walks up to her.  “What do you mean?”  “I didn’t invite her, she just arrived.”  “Why?”  Laslo turns away. “To see me. She showed up demanding a showdown and we had one. I told her to leave me alone.”  “I thought you already said that to her?” Ada says as she walks up behind him.  “I said it again in no uncertain terms. She won’t be back.”  “Don’t say it’s over if it isn’t.” Ada says to him. Laslo turns and faces Ada. “It’s over Ada finishes, dead, buried.”  Ada walks away then glances back at him. :”Laslo if you are lying to me.”  He steps closer to her. “I am not.”  “I’ll divorce you. You know I mean it.” “Oh now let’s forget that word. Let’s banish it from our vocabulary.” He says as he stands next to her.  ”Just one more sentence. That you haven’t deceived me.”  “I haven’t deceived you.”  “Then I believe you.” she says.  “Good so our little drama is over.”  Ada looks away and starts to cry.  “Why the tears?”
“Oh it’s just such a relief.” she says as she sobs. “I was so afraid.”  “Your overgrown adolescent son is always causing trouble. You mustn’t listen to him.”
“I won’t.” Ada sobs.  Laslo touches her shoulders and pulls her back against him.
 
Irene adds more logs to her fireplace when there is a knock at her door. She walks across the room and opens the door. “Raxl?”  Raxl enters the cottage. “I have come to help you.” She says as she turns and looks at Irene.
 
Cort stands next to his mother in the Drawing Room. “So he did it again. How could you be so gullible?”  Ada walks up to him. “I’m not, Laslo told me the truth.”
“Laslo could tell you that the snow was black and you would believe him.”  “That’s enough!” Ada says to him.  Cort turns and looks at her. “I haven’t even started.”  “I won’t listen to another word. You just go to your room.”  He walks around her. “And I won’t be dismissed like that, I’m not a child.”  “You’re behaving like a child.”  “No I’m mad!” Cort says as he walks to the fireplace. He turns and looks at her. “I hate to see you make a fool of yourself and that’s exactly what you are doing.”  “Goodnight Cort. I'm not going to argue with you and that’s all.” She says as she walks across the room.  “Oh Mother I...”  “I said that’s enough.”
Cort steps closer to her. “Okay, okay I suppose shouting at each other isn’t going to get us anywhere. I’m sorry.”  “That’s better.”  “Can I ask you a question?”  Ada turns and looks at him. “What is it?”  “How well do you really know Laslo?”  Ada turns away. “Oh are we going to go through all that again?”  Cort walks up to her. “Well you don’t know where he came from, his background or what he did before he met you.”  “Those things don’t matter to me.”   “Well they should matter because they are very important!”  Ada walks away. “The same old argument. Are we going to go through our whole lives arguing?”  Cort turns and looks at her. “It looks like that. Because you want me to accept Laslo and I can’t, I won’t!”
“Are you forcing me to choose between you and Laslo?”  Cort turns away. “Has it come to that?” he cries out.  “Well if it does I will choose Laslo.”  Cort turns and looks at her. “You, you would wouldn't you?”  “You have your whole life ahead of you and I want to live mine.”  “So you would kick me out because of that!” Cort says as he walks across the room. “That!” He stops next to a table putting his hands palms down on the table in misery.  Ada walks up to him. “I love him.”  The telephone rings, Cort picks it up. “Yes.”  “Cort this is Irene Hatter.”  “What do you want?”  “I want to see you. I have some very interesting things to tell you about your stepfather. Will you come to my cottage?” Irene asks. Raxl stands in the room listening to her.  “When?”  “Immediately and don’t tell anyone especially Laslo."  “All right.” Cort says then hangs up.  “What was that?” Ada asks. Cort walks across the room “Nothing important.  “Well where are you going?”  Cort stands in the doorway and looks back at his mother. “Out!” He walks out of the drawing Room closing the door behind him.
 
Laslo walks down the staircase and walks to the telephone; he picks it up and glances around. He sets the phone down and walks into the Drawing Room and picks up the telephone on the desk. He dials Irene’s number.  Irene answers her phone. “Yes.”  “Irene this is Laslo. I won’t be able to make it at three after all. A sudden meeting has come up at the mill.”  “You’re lying Laslo and if you don’t keep your appointment I’ll tell Ada everything.”  “Ada will take my word not your’s.” Laslo says to her.  “I have other ways Laslo. I have influential friends at the mill. I’ll expose your part in the coven.”  “Very well Irene you win this time. I’ll be there at three.” He hangs up the phone.  Cort walks in the front door and hangs up his coat.  Laslo walks into the foyer. “Where have you been?”  Cort walks towards him. “Does it matter?”  “Come in here, I want to talk with you.”
“I could imagine what you want to talk to me about. Cort says with a smile as he follows Laslo into the Drawing Room.
 
“I have just had a long talk with your mother.”  “Have you?”  “Ever since we got married you’ve been trying to cause trouble between us.”  “Suppose I have.” Cort says as he walks closer to Laslo.  Laslo turns and looks at him. “It has got to stop one way or another.”  “Yes it must.”  “You seem very agreeable.”  “Yes I’m in a very agreeable mood.”  “What’s going on in that devious mind of yours?” Laslo asks.  “Nothing Laslo. I’m only agreeing to what you say that’s all.”  Laslo steps closer to Cort. “If she has to choose between us she will choose me.”  “I know she has already told me that.”  “You better accept it.”  Cort turns away. “I have.”
“Do you mean that?”  Cort turns and looks at Laslo. “Yes I mean it.”  Ada stands in the doorway. Cort steps up and takes her arm. “Oh Mother we were just talking. Laslo and I understand each other perfectly.” He says walking with his mother closer to Laslo.  “I hope we do.” Laslo says to him.  “Oh yes we do.’ Cort says with a smile. “What time is it Mother?”  “It’s about 2:45, why?”  “Oh I was just wondering. Is there anything more you want to talk to me about Laslo?”  “No.” Laslo turns towards Ada. “I must go down to the office for a little while my dear.”
“Oh but this is your day off.” Ada says to him.  “Yes I know but I have some papers to sign. I won’t be long.” He walks out of the Drawing Room.  Ada turns towards Cort. “Well I’m glad you and Laslo weren’t arguing anyway. I’m so tired of arguing.”  “Sit down.” Cort says to his mother.  Ada walks up to him. “Why?”  “I want to ask you a question.”  Ada sits on the couch and looks up at Cort.  Walking over to the couch he perches on the arm of it. “Have you heard the name Sylvia Carlton?”  “Sylvia?”  “Sylvia Carlton, have you heard her name?”
“No.” Ada says as she glances at Cort.  “Well you should have. She was Laslo’s wife.”  Ada looks away. “What?”  “Yes she was very wealthy as I understand. And very old. When she died it must have broken Laslo’s heart. She left him everything.”  “Where did you hear that?”  “And he had other conciliations too.” Cort stands. “There is a list of ladies that consoled Laslo that is very, very long. Annie Harrigan’s name is on it. You remember Annie; she was the barmaid in the Inn.”  Ada stands. “Answer me where did you hear all these things?”

“From a very reliable source. From a dear friend of Laslo's. Her name is Irene Hatter.”  “Irene!” Ada says as she looks away from Cort in anger.  “Yes I just came from her cottage. She knew quite a lot about Laslo. More than he told you apparently.”  Ada turns away and walks across the room. She looks back at Cort. “Well I don’t believe it. You are lying to me.”  “Go and ask her, she’s quite willing to tell you.” Cort says as he walks up to his mother.  Ada steps away from him. “Laslo’s gone to his office.”  “No Mother, Laslo is at his good friend Irene’s.”
Laslo arrives at Irene’s cottage. “Well I’m here now what do you want?”  “My, so business like.” Irene says to him.  Laslo walks away from her. “You must want something.” 
 
Irene walks up to him. “I want one thing, you.”  Laslo turns and looks at her. “You know it’s not possible right now.”  “And later?”  Laslo turns away. “Perhaps we will work something out we’ll see.”  Ada steps up behind him. “I liked our arrangement didn’t you?”  Laslo turns and looks at her. “You know I did.” He turns and walks away from her.  Irene follows him. “I missed you.”  Laslo glances back at her. “Irene.”  “Kiss me.” She tells him.  He reaches out touching Irene’s face and kisses her. There is a knock at the door.  “Don’t worry I sent for some groceries, it’s the delivery boy.” Irene steps away from him and opens the door.
Ada stands in the doorway.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summaries written by Debby Graham .  The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Episode 148