The Crane Mansion

Fox is walking on the Crane grounds, thinking of Whitney, when Theresa comes upon him. Theresa has ' a look' on her face, and Fox asks her if she's checking him out. Theresa replies that Fox had told her he had never experienced true love, but looking at his face, Theresa sees a man who has fallen head over heels in love. She asks Fox who the woman is that has captured his heart.

Fox shrugs it off, asking Theresa if she really thinks that he's in love. Theresa tells him that it's all over his face.Fox tells Theresa that she's a hopeless romantic, and asks her who he could possibly be in love with, and she says she doesn't know, but she'll wait and see. Fox tells her to suit herself, and she changes the subject, asking if he's been out. He tells her that he went to the Crane recording studio and found Chad, and then they went to the Blue Note, explaining how Julian bought it and had it renamed. He tells her all about the drama at the Blue Note: Whitney singing, Eve being furious, TC coming and getting into it with Chad. He even tells her how TC had caught Chad and Whitney together before and blew up at him. How Chad had been offered the job in Los Angeles and that he wanted Whitney to join him. You sort of have to crack up when you realize that all this happened in one night's time, and the night isn't over yet..LOL

Theresa realizes that Whitney's had a hard time of things, and that she could probably use some support from her, so she leaves Fox for the Russell House. As Theresa leaves, Fox has a dreamy look on his face as he says Whitney's name.

Julian's in the Library, listening to Eve's tape with a little nourishment to help settle things down. The phone rings  and it's Alistair telling Julian that he knew about what happened at the Blue Note. Julian asks him if there's no place where he doesn't have cameras, and he replies Julian's bedroom. Julian asks what Alistair's purpose is, and he tells Julian to pull himself together. That he almost got caught by TC, and he knows that Julian's listening to Eve's recordings, and he orders Julian to turn it off. He tells Julian to pull himself together and to stop acting like some lovesick fool. Julian responds that it's an alien concept to Alistair. He tells Julian to put Eve out of his mind - or else.

Alistair asks Julian if he hasn't learned his lesson from the last time he was involved with Eve. He insults her, and Julian comes to her defense, saying that any problems Eve had back then were of his making. That was a first. Julian didn't hesitate in his defense of Eve and direct challenge of Alistair, which of course Alistair noticed, so he eased away, going back to his charming voice, telling Julian he'd had his fun with Eve, and now it was time to move on. Julian tells him he's thinking too much of it because Eve is  married with children, and what they had was in the past. Alistair tells him to keep it there. Julian tells Alistair that he's been thinking things over and wondering about what REALLY happened to his and Eve's child. Alistair harshly, but with a hint of nervousness in his voice, told Julian that the baby is dead. Julian tells him that Eve believes that she was made to think that her child had died, when in fact he was stolen from the hospital. Julian tells him that the only person he knows capable of doing something so cruel is Alistair. Alistair asks Julian if he's accusing Alistair of kidnapping the baby, and Julian DEMANDS that Alistair tell him the truth about what happened to his son with Eve. Alistair is like, YOU DEMAND, and Julian doesn't back down and order Alistair to tell him the truth. He knows he asked Alistair about it before and he admits that he took Alistair at his word because it was easier for him, and because he didn't want to think that Alistair could be THAT evil, but now, he's had time to think it through, and he wants some answers from Alistair. He knows that it was abhorrent to Alistair to accept that a Black woman had given birth to a Crane, but the matter is, the baby is HIS. HIS son. A Crane. And, he wants the truth.

Just then, Fox comes in and tells Julian that he wanted to see him. Julian asks him if he ever knocks, and Alistair pipes up from the phone. Julian tells Alistair that THEY are not finished talking. Alistair tells Fox that he wants him to take care of a matter for him about the Blue Note. When Fox tells him that he had ideas about the Blue Note, Alistair cuts him off and tells him that he wants Fox to get rid of it. Fox tells him that he wanted to manage the Blue Note and the recording studio; he talks about how much money they could make by using them together, using Whitney as an example of a possible artist. Alistair tells him to sell the Blue Note, and Julian tells Fox to stay away from Whitney- that she's not to get involved in record deals or anything like that. Fox asks Julian why? Why was he so protective of Eve Russell's daughter? Fox then says that he answered his own question - he knows he walked in on something between Julian and Eve. Julian tells him that he knows nothing, and Fox replies that he knows he saved Julian's behind from being beaten by TC. Fox asks Julian what is the deal - what's up between him and Eve. Alistair taunts from the phone to answer the question: what is up with him and Eve? Julian tells Fox to erase what he saw and to forget that tonight ever happened.

Fox counters that he believes he's hit a nerve. Julian tells him that if he cares about his inheritance, he'll drop the matter. Fox tells him nice try, but he's Julian's only heir. He reminds Julian that Ethan is a Bennett, he knows that he'll never let the girls be in charge of anything, and Theresa's son is out because he's got Latin blood in him. He's all Julian has. Julian closes his eyes, not able to tell Fox anything, and Alistair pipes up from the phone - ' Don't be so sure of that.' Fox asks Alistair to explain, asking him if there's another Crane heir out there that we don't know about. Julian wants the answer to that question himself. I loved Ben Masters in that scene...the concentration in his eyes. The determination mixed with fury about them possibly discussing his son with Eve. Alistair tells Fox that he's as foolish as Julian - he should know by now never to question him. When Al wants you to know something, ONLY THEN will you find it out. Of course, Alistair doesn't know how true he is, comparing Fox to Julian, considering that Fox is about to embark on the same road of love with an 'inappropriate woman' as Julian did. Alistair tells Fox to sell the Blue Note immediately; when Fox doesn't leave quick enough, Alistair makes comments that tell Fox that he's WATCHING him. Fox leaves the Library, wondering what he walked in on. When he tries to go back into the Library, Julian tells him to ' shut the damn door', and tells Alistair that he's not finished with him about his son with Eve. Alistair tries to dismiss Julian, who tells him that he wants the truth. Alistair hangs up on Julian, but by this time, Julian's mind is working overtime. He's believing Eve's 'vision' more and more. Believing her instincts.

In this exchange, it's quite clear to Alistair that this child will be a problem. Period. Julian never stands up to him, and in one phone exchange, he's showing more and more spine. Alistair always suspected that the key to Julian being his own man was being with Eve, and he won't have that. He wants Julian under his control.

We end the scenes at the mansion with Fox. He's going through a room, glass of alcohol in hand, like Julian.. He finds a picture of Ivy and turns it around. He finds other pictures - one of Theresa, one of Ethan and Sam, which he throws on the floor - LOL, and one of Whitney. He stares at the one of Whitney, commenting that he's always liked beautiful things, and that Whitney is a very beautiful woman.