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Betty gets a call from Sharon's mother (with a bizarre Tennesee Williams southern accent), then phones home herself (it appears Betty has to look her own number up in the phone book!). The next morning, Betty bids farewell to Sharon. Sharon has been dumped by Phillip and doesn't want Betty to leave. But Betty must. Paul has a slight argument with his dad, during which it is revealed that he lied about hearing Elliot. Calvin insists it was the right thing to do. Allison is off to go skating with Norman and Rodney at Baker's Pond, but doesn't like the sweater she has to wear. Connie produces the one Elliot bought (saying she bought it herself). Allison likes it very much. After Allison leaves, Matt (Who has been standing there the whole time) accuses Connie of still being attracted to Elliot Carson. Allison and Norman run into Paul Hanley at the pond (strange how he's suddenly all over the place) and invite him to lunch with them. Then Elliot appears and Allison blithely invites the man who allegedly killed Paul's sister to sit down with him. Julie phones Rod to let him know Betty is coming home. Rod tells his father, but insists on handling the situation his way. Betty Anderson returns to Peyton Place.
Betty walks through the square (lingering shot of the pillory as she does so). She comes home and is irritated by her mother's niceness to her. Julie finally gets upset and yells, "What do you want me to say? That you did a stupid thing? That you helped drive your father to a nervous collapse?" This succeeds in shutting Betty up. Rod drops by to say hello. Connie goes to the hospital to see Elliot. She tells him how much Allison liked her sweater and how she came up with an elaborate excuse to explain it (Buying it herself was an elaborate excuse?!). Allison attends her first day of college. She basically tells Paul that Elliot has risen above the past, whereas he has let it beat him down. Paul basically tells her to shut up and get into class. Connie tells Elliot about Mike, how he was an orderly at the hospital where Allison was born. They both agree he is a very nice man. Eli is wheeled away into surgery. Later Matt tells Connie how all his friends are dead. Ellliot calls up to say his dad is doing fine. Connie seems quite happy to hear from him (though this could be cause it took her away from hearing about the dead friends). Mike takes Betty to see George. He is in a very bad way. On the drive home, Betty tells Mike that New York taught her some serious lessons. She needs to fix up her life. She asks Mike to drop her off at Peyton Mills. He does so. as Betty gets out of the car, the camera pans up to show Leslie glaring out a window.
As Betty makes her way to Leslie's office, Mr. Blane is already in it - telling Leslie that Betty took money from a strange man in New York. Leslie dismisses him when Betty arrives. Betty says that she'll divorce Rodney for a price. Leslie smirks and asks what it is. When Betty tell him it is simply that her father be given the best medical treatment, Leslie seems to soften a bit. He agrees. Rod and Allison encounter Paul at a faculty art show. Paul tries to belittle Rodney (by ridiculing his knowledge of art), but Rod succeeds in ridiculing Paul (for his lack of sports knowledge). Allison is just embarrassed. Elliot comes to see Constance and becomes irritated at the prospect of Allison never knowing the truth about him. He smashes the photograph of the magazine model to the floor.
At this point the writers had probably decided against Connie shooting Elliot. I hope so. Killing a man for buying your daughter a blue sweater or breaking a picture would've made Connie worse than Catherine!
Paul drives Allison home, just as Elliot is coming out of it. Elliot asks Paul for a lift. On the way back into town, Elliot points out that Allison is only eighteen. "Yes," says Paul, " the same amount of years you've been away from Constance MacKenzie." Elliot glowers. Allison meets up with Betty. Betty informs her that Rodney is free. Allison claims that Rod is only interested in her because she represents purity. Betty wants to know what she represented. Paul comes into the drugstore and closes it up. Once more he confronts his father with the doubt that he heard Elliot arguing with Elizabeth. In fact, he now thinks it sounded an awful lot like Leslie Harrington. Calvin quakes. A Mr. Wainwright visits Leslie. He has a letter written by Catherine sent to Martin before her death. In it she explains that she added the codisule because she questioned Leslie's morality. She knew that he was involved with his secretary, Julie Anderson, and that he'd been unfaithful as far back as eighteen years...with Elizabeth Carson.
The Harrington men enjoy breakfast together. Norman lets his father know that if he tries to prove his mother was insane he'll never forgive him. Then Leslie gives Rod the detective's report that Betty was a prostitute. All in all, a pleasant meal. It is Connie's birthday. Alison plants a candle in a pancake and gives her some earrings. Rodney visits Betty and tries to return a gift of cultured pearls he had given her. Betty no longer wants them. Rod doesn't understand why she would take gifts from strange men, but not him. Betty says, "Spoken like a true Harrington." and Rod slaps her across the face. As he leaves, Betty says, "Congratulations, Rod. There's hope for you yet. You still think its an insult to be compared to your father." Matthew brings Connie a birthday gift, but he's too boring for the camera to pay any attention to it. Then Elliot drops by and reminds Connie of the birthday present he gave her eighteen years before (One can only wish she answered "Allison?")It was a poem. He asks Connie out to dinner, but she already has been invited by Mike. Betty drops in on Mike just as a young girl is brought in who has hurt herself in a fall. Mike is most impressed by the way Betty calms and cheers the child. Paul tells Allison that she has been given special permission to attend the Drama Club's trip to New York City. Mike and Connie have dinner. It becomes clear that their relationship has become that of "friends". Upon returning home, Connie is greeted by Allison, who asks if she can go to NYC. Connie is mortified at the thought of history repeating itself and refuses.
Allison is just in time to say goodbye to Eli Carson who is going to Florida to regain his health while Elliot minds the Chandlery. Then she goes and bothers her mother some more about NYC. Connie refuses to discuss. Matt walks in and becomes highly indignant when Allison says she has a right to know about her mother's past. Mr. Wainwright visits Elliot. He reminds Elliot that his defense had rested on his claim that Elizabeth had had a male visitor and that Elliot had been unsuccessful in proving it. Elliot asks if Mr. Wainwright knows who the man was. Mr. Wainwright says he can't comment...but that he has been sent by Martin Peyton to fight against...Leslie Harrington. Betty visits Julie, who is enjoying her new job as Mike's receptionist and her fetching new hairstyle. Betty tells her mother all about New York and how Leslie Harrington is using his misinformation against her. Julie is livid. Ted Dowell, acting as Leslie's attorney, assures Leslie that he does not believe him to be a murderer. But, he adds, he doesn't consider Elliot one, either. Paul comes to visit Mike at the cottage. He walks about the room and rambles incoherantly. Mike is beginning to look pretty concerned, when Elliot shows up. Paul leaves.
Elliot informs Mike that he wants the cottage back. Julie confronts Leslie and says she wants the damage to her daughter stopped. Leslie appears to rip up the only remaining copy of the detective report in front of her. Betty and Rod visit with Ted Dowell to begin annullment proceedings. Rodney allows Betty to file suit by admitting that he did not fullfill "the duties of marriage". Julie visits George in the sanitarium. He is much better, gobbling chocolates and rambling about starting fresh. After he is taken away, the doctor tells Julie that George could benefit by visits home. Julie looks horrified. Matt tells Elliot that he must stop doting on Allison and buying her blue sweaters. Elliot makes it clear that he feels Allison should be told the truth - and that it isn't hard for people to put two and two together anyhow. Paul Hanley has already done it. In a rare mood of feeling "gossipy" Matt dashes over to Connie's with the news. Elliot has a talk with Allison and explains that he doesn't like Paul Hanely because he feels he is a destroyer. Mr. Wainwright calls on Calvin. Elliot sees him leave the drugstore - then goes to confront his ex-father-in-law himself.
Elliot demands to know if Elizabeth was having an affair with Leslie Harrington. Calvin fends off his questions, but as soon as Elliot leaves he has a minor attack of some kind. Calvin then goes to Leslie. He warns Leslie that if his daughter's name is dragged through the mud - she won't be drug alone. Betty entertains a sick child with a hand puppet called Marcibel Lunchpocket. Mike continues to admire her skills. Norman visits Mr. Wainwright and offers his help in proving his mother's sanity. Paul pays his bill at Connie's, but really uses it as an excuse to torment her with his suspisions about Allison's parentage. Connie calls Elliot to come over and begs him to stay away from Allison. Later that evening, Allison expresses her disappointment at not going to NYC. Connie tries to console her by saying they can go together. Allison dismisses it as a consolation prize and claims she's tired of them. "Is that what I've given you, " asks a stunned Connie, "I'd hoped it was something else." Elliot runs into Paul outside the drugstore. He accuses Paul of hiding the truth - or perhaps of being afraid of it. Paul denies any such thing, but is visably shaken. Half way through the conversation, Calvin comes outside and sees his son being effectively badgered. When Elliot walks off, Calvin has an attack and falls over dead.
Paul is having his father's things appraised for auction, when he encounters a locked trunk. Betty goes to court. Mike receives a postcard from Laura in Rome. Julie wishes she were in Rome. Betty is granted the annullment and the use of her maiden name. "Is that it?!" asks a shocked Betty. Mike takes her to lunch. Betty makes the amusingly bitter comment that's she too young to have a drink but old enough to have lost a husband and a baby. Mike suggests she become a nurse's aid. Leslie can not believe Norman has offered assistance to Mr. Wainwright. Paul discovers a key in his night stand. He takes it to the mysterious trunk. The key opens it...
....to reveal a book. The Diary of Elizabeth Hanley Carson. Mike expresses his opinion to Connie that Allison should know who her father is - before she learns about it the wrong way. Betty goes for her interview with Nurse Choate. Nurse Choate can barely conceal her dislike for young Betty and the interview is quickly terminated. Mike, however, later makes it clear to Nurse Choate that he wants Betty hired. Allison offers her condolences to Paul, he is quite offhand and nasty to her. Outside Paul's office, Allison meets Rod. The newly freed stud wastes little time before inviting her skiing up at Mt. Griswald. Allison accepts. Paul sneaks into Elliot's cottage and leaves a present. Allison makes up with her mother and informs her that she's going on a date with Rod. Connie doesn't look ecstatic, but obviously finds it preferable to Paul Hanley. Elliot arrives home and finds a diary waiting for him.
The divine Erin O'Brien-Moore makes her debut as Nurse Choate, transforming what could have been a mere interview sequence into so much more!
