The papers are full of the accident Harry (Jeremy Piven) suffered in the car and Agnes (Aisling Loftus) walks past the boards to the store. When she arrives people are worried about him and it's left to Crabb (Ron cook) to break the news, that he's not out of the woods yet and Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) asks why Crabb is wearing a mourning band. It's for Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) whose wife passed in the night in her sleep. Leaving the way open for Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) and Grove to get together, but it seems the path is still not smooth for them. Crabb says the staff should get on as best they can and makes Miss Mardle chief of staff until Grove returns.
Victor (Trystan Gravelle) has set himself up with Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and gets the "perks" of being her new 'toy boy/man.' He thinks she can set him up with his restaurant he's always wanted and Agnes thinks they could meet his uncle later in the evening, but he's got other plans. As he lets sleep he's meeting with her, er him, re his restaurant. Irene (Anna Madeley) has to run Fashion and Accessories whilst MissMardle is chief of staff and she asks Doris (Lauren Crace) for help in the stockroom, perhaps after overhearing the remark made about not wanting to work with "that dragon." Irene finds she can't do everything and so makes Agnes in charge of the two departments, but Agnes delegates Accessories to Kitty, especially after Doris tells her Kitty wants to get ahead since Agnes wonders why Kitty doesn't like her.
Harry's family keeps vigil at his bedside and Rose (Frances O'Connor) blames herself for not stopping Harry from leaving after their fight, or at least that she should have gone after him. Mr Musker (Tim Woodward) an investor pays her a visit to find out what will happen in the unlikely event that Harry doesn't pull through and she tells him they are there to take on the store, but he doesn't believe commerce should be in the hands of women. She reassures him after telling him Gordon will run the store, at least his shares will be in trust for him and that she and Lois (Kika Markham) will oversee until he's of age. Everyone talking about Harry as if he's already for the grave. Gordon (Adam Wilson) hears this and takes a walk to the store.
Everyone thinks it unusual a boy should be in a department store, especially the women, so much for equality, especially this episode where the Suffragettes, re the Votes for Women Movement are holding a march down Oxford Street. Also surprising is no one recognizes Gordon as being Harry's son, he has been to the store before. Before Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) finds him and tells them who he is. Harry has staff meetings and meetings with many other people throughout the day and Crabb finds it surprising he can get through so many. Miss Blenkinsop (Deborah Cornelius) tells him what Harry says about giving fifteen minutes to each persona and after that anything else that's said is just hot air.
Grove returns to the store and takes over. He's not happy when Miss Mardle tells him he's being overwhelmed with everyone and they should take it easy on him. When he's told of the march he wants the Suffragettes to cancel their luncheon they have every Tuesday and Lady Mae is not happy with this when Victor is left to break the news to her. She tries to protest but her request falls on deaf ears. Crabb tries to think of what Harry would do and has a meeting with the rest of the staff in the lift. Ahh that lift again but no Harry this time! See many things go on in and out of that lift, so many store-turning decisions made, ha.
Henri volunteers to take Gordon home and Agnes should accompany him since she's made friends with him. Well, no, he just wanted to be alone with her! Gordon tells Rose he wasn't running away but went to the store he will run when Harry dies. Rose is upset at hearing that and the rest of the girls think that's unfair. She sends them to the library. Violette (Freya Wilson) reads about the march and is nowhere to be seen when Harry finally wakes up. He had it easy this episode, no lines, well hardly any. They probably thought he's been working too hard and needs some time off. This episode was rather dull without Harry's usual enthusiasm and flailing arms (meant in a nice way of course.) He decides he must go to the store and Rose lets him.
Henri asks Agnes if she's seeing anyone and she tells him the man expects too much of her in telling her what to do. She asks about Henri's French girl who is in New York and he wonders what he should do about the "innocent" girl he likes. Agnes thinks he should talk to her, she wouldn't mind.
Frank (Samuel West) tells Lois he will try and keep Ellen Love (Zoe Tapper) away from the press as they love a scandal and Lois should tell them Harry was re-negotiating a contract with Ellen. They are curious to know why he was driving so late and why he crashed the car. Frank tells her he was at the club with him and had been drinking thinking of his father. Frank offers Ellen a serious acting job and to put her in touch with some playwrights, if she doesn't sell her story to the press, which will set her up with a nest egg. her first thoughts always about money.
Crabb thinks of what Harry would do re the Suffragette march problem and comes up with an idea to honour them in one of the windows. So the staff get to work and Miss Mardle walks Grove home. He can't invite her in cos he's thinking of his wife. still and it would seem disrespectful. She thinks it would be okay for him to have this time to himself now, he deserves it after looking after her for twelve years.
Henri and Agnes' bond' over a piece of material, ha. Harry walks to the store when the march is in full swing and he tells one of the women who gives him a leaflet that he supports their cause. Irene thinks it's time the window was revealed and just as the window is about to be smashed, they see the display in their support. Harry has a fainting spell and Violette finds him. Well it's obvious she was at the march, as Rose called her a "modern" girl," complete with make up.
Irene congratulates Crabb on his foresight and ideas to dress the window and he thanks the staff for their hard work, including the female staff.
So not much happened in the usual sense this episode, sufficed to say the store was in good hands when Harry was away, but also apparent was the loyalty he commands from his staff as a fair boss, which is what Agnes tells Rose, even when he's not around. Seems Rose has forgiven him for his indiscretions thus far and her guilt is shown throughout this episode, as well as her concern for him as a loving, dutiful wife even allowing him to walk to the store by himself. He can't stay away from the place.
On March 18th 1910, it was reported that Harry Selfridge refused to press charges against one of the Suffragettes who actually broke a store window during the march, thus highlighting his support for the cause. He was no fool, is was also good for business. Also how Christabel Pankhurst encouraged Suffragettes to the store as they "must not be dowdy." Biggest selling products were tea dresses and red lipstick. Seen as the most "powerful tool of female emancipation." No windows were broken this episode though, at least not of Selfridges.
Serious fans of the show may be relieved to hear that ITV has commissioned another series of the drama for a further 10 episodes, which will include the First World War and how it affected everyone at the store. This is to coincide with the centenary of the Great War in 2014. Jeremy Piven will once again reprise his role as the eponymous Harry Selfridge and filming will begin in April in London and Kent. Jeremy Tweeted, "proud to say we will be back for a second season." His fans will be pleased, as will my friends.
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