Dee: Well, come on. Ain't it just divine? Ain't it the best thing you've ever seen, or what? Felicia: Well, come one. Aren't you going to say something? Kathleen: What's to say? Cass: How about NO. Dee took fits. Felicia sent her to change. Felicia: What do you want her to look like one of those old country club CRONES? Cass: Yes. Felicia: Cass, my darling, she picked out this dress. She wants her clothes to express her feelings. Cass: OH. SHE FEELS LIKE AN EXPLODED OSTRICH? Cass says it must be returned in exchange for a young girl's party dress. Cass says she's going to look a like a young lady if it kills him.
Rachel wants to know what Donna's up to. Donna says it's simple. The hospital has been in incompetent hands for years and now she wants it in competent ones. Rachel's disbelieving. Donna's having her car sent round. She's outgoing. She don't like Rachel. 'S mutual.
The McKinnons are expecting a visit from someone called Jake. I suspect him of being Nancy's stranger . Ben says he schemes. And he was fat and clumsy and their cousin. (And he'll dash in being, well, dashing. Tall, dark, handsome and NOT what they remember. I swoon.) He arrived. MJ's taken aback. I think it's him. I'm so astute. Trained ears. They've not seen him for nearly 8 years. They're surprised to hear he's staying in town a while. Vince suggested he stay at Smiley's. (With the predatory Maisie?) He thinks the room is vacant ("That girl Krystle has left, hasn't he?") Ben thinks Perry's moved in though. Jake caught up on all of the Bay City McKinnon news. He's in town for something vaguely to do with videos. He SAYS. Perry HAS taken the room but Maisie's had another one fixed up. They're going over to Smiley's. Ben: I thought you said he was FAT. MJ: You said he was fat. I said he was HOMELY. Never believe another thing I say. (Wow.)
Donna denied keeping anything from Rachel. They quarreled. Rachel intends to keep an eye on the hospital. She left. A maid came and told Donna her chauffeur was confused as she'd fired him this morning. Donna's forgotten. She'll drive herself. She fired the maid. She blamed it on Peter. The maid's upset. She says she's never worked for a weirder bunch of people in her life. They're going to have to hire temporary help for the party and hope no one notices. (Oh, Donna. I feel a fiasco coming on.)
Mac and Peter. Peter' s to work with Sally on this new magazine. He seems suspiciously pleased. Mac says he'll be working more closely with her than anyone else. DAMN.
Dee's upset. She says Cass hates her and her clothes. Felicia says everyone likes her. Lily arrived. Dee stomped out. Felicia explained the situation to Lily. Lily has confidence in Kathleen's taste. Lily let Felicia know in a few well-chosen words what had occurred with Cass & Kathleen the other night.
Hopsital [sic] board meeting. Donna extolling Sandy's virtues. Peter arrived and HEARTILY CONCURRED. I suspect him of wanting to work with Sally. The slime. Creeping, crawling, oozing oyster sans shell. Sandy has it. Donna asked Peter why he hadn't opposed her. He said he didn't want people to see the Loves divided. She suspects him of not wanting to leave Cory. Peter: Sally's getting married in two weeks, Donna. Donna: Oh, I didn't realise it was so soon. Peter wished Sandy luck. Sandy says he'll do his best. Donna's list of Sandy's virtues: Intelligence. Energy. Dedication. Warmth. Charm. Manly beauty. She said he can come to her ANY TIME.
Mac doesn't appreciate Rachel's interference. Rachel maintains Donna's up to summat. Mac says they have to support Sandy's decision. They aren't going to argue. Rachel just keeps saying she wasn't interfering.
Carl wants to find out Mac's flight plans.
Jake's pleased to meet Maisie. Jake was introduced to everyone. I think Nancy fell to bits when Perry presented her. (Damn, I want to see this guy.) She was told Jake was moving into Smiley's. Carter announced their engagement AGAIN. They're going to celebrate. Nancy's dazed & vague.
Mac suggested Peter see Sally about the magazine. Peter's thrilled. I hate him. I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him.
Carl's having oceans of things delivered. Cryptic comments.
Dee wants to know why Cass is doing this. Lily wants to know why Dee is. She thinks Dee wants to change. Cass returned. Dee loves the dress I think. Cass says she'll look great.
Nancy told Perry she's going to New York. He's happy. But busy. Nancy left. Jake followed her. Nancy: Who are you, anyway? Jake: How soon they forget. Jake McKinnon, remember? Your friend Perry just introduced us. Nancy: Yeah, well why didn't you tell me that in the CLOSET. Or rather the medical records room. He said he'd needed to be in hospital w/o questions asked so he dressed as an orderly. He told her a fantastic story about being an international spy. And eventually their stories linked up (the medical records they weren't supposed to see, hiding when someone came). He said she had really great eyes. Ben dashed upand trundled him away. (Ho Jake. Didn't he see Nancy kissing Perry all over the place?)
Nancy seems to've nipped over to the Loves' during the commercial. She spilled something and left. Donna's hysterically upset.
Cass says they can't leave Dee alone for a minute. When Cass can't be with her Kathleen must be. Dee's taking a while to change. Rustling of wrappings. Dee in the other room discovered she was pretty. Wait until Cass sees me she says. Cass in the outer room at first raved about how foul she was and how he ached for freedom again. Then he said she was kind of sweet and he liked her. He wonders why she's taking so long. Strange sounds in the other room. (I s'pose she heard the nasty bits and left her post before he got to the nice ones.)
Donna's trying to scrub up Nancy's tea stain. "Ooooh look at me. I'm a maid. I'm a MAID." She's audibly scrubbing. "You know those romance novels Felicia Gallant writes. Where the maids work their way up to be rich women. It never happens in reverse, does it?" There is a note of anxiety in her voice. She started talking about Scarlett O'Hara. Being rich. Becoming poor. Getting to be rich again. SHE'S SINGING THE THEME as she scrubs. I like this woman. Da DA da da. Da DA da da.
Lily's telling a story about the time Grant catered a party at the Loves'. Nobody laughed for 4 1/2 hours. Kathleen: Can you imagine. 40 people and NO SENSE OF HUMOUR. DEADLY. Cass told Kathleen to go and get Dee into that dress in 60 secs or he'd spank her [Dee]. Kathleen did his bidding. All Cass wants is Donna's letter of recommendation for Dee. Kathleen says DEE'S GONE.
Carl music. "Yes, this one especially." Liquid sounds. Drinking. (Has he Rachel's sculptures?) "To you. To us. And soon -- very soon."
I think p'r'aps Donna's party is going to be interesting.
And seek for truth in the groves of Academe. (Atque inter silvias Academi quaerere verum.)
I LIKE Donna. As long as she leaves Sandy alone. Donna scrubbing. Wonderful.
I HATE Peter.
I HATE Peter. But then you know this. What can he possibly want with Sally? 'S own fault. He dumped her. She's been engaged twice since. Of course he's gone blond that must be it. BLOND IS EVIL. Emily. Cecile. Previous Sally. Alice. Sandy.
I HATE Peter. I pat myself on the back again for my astuteness in pegging Nancy's mysterious stranger as Jake.
I HATE Peter.
Cheryl plays volleyball. Such a diverse girl. But wie alt?
Unto the pure all things are pure.
Of all the girls that are so smart/There's none like pretty Sally,/She is the darling of my heart/And she lives in our alley. Henry Carey.
Alice is marrying one of the guard. "A soldier's life is terribly hard," says Alice.
Jake is in town for two weeks. Two weeks until the wedding. Is there a connection?
Is anyone actually INVITED to this wedding?
I should see some of Dee's dress today. I'll describe it when I see it, shall I?
I cannot picture Donna saying "fiddle-dee-dee." Or with Rhett Butler.
Willa. Dim. Of Wilhelmina. Fem. of German form of William. Resolute protection.
Jake. Dim of Jacob. He who seizes by the heel; hence, successor.
Dominique. Of the Lord.