When Brutus suspected Amanda and James of having an affair, he sent Constance to spy on them. She observed the lovers planning to run away together and faithfully reported it all back to her brother. Brutus later murdered both James and Amanda, and hid their bodies in a secret room of Collinwood. When Constance discovered this she turned on Brutus. In a fit of madness he strangled his once beloved sister, and placed a curse on the Collins family.