He also tells her he's not the majority shareholder in the store anymore since he had to sell his 5% shares to finance the Selfridge Estate. She thinks it's all too much and he shouldn't have done that, damn right he shouldn't have, cos we all know who got those shares. As it happens, Crabb (Ron Cook) has organized the shareholder meeting, just as Rosalie (Kara Tointon) gets back from Paris and Harry lets them have tea on him at The Emporium. Of course, the Princess (Zoe Wanamaker) wouldn't object to that. Just as all is going well at the meeting and Harry has convinced the board and shareholders that are doing as well as can be expected, guess who arrives, yes that nasty little man, Loxley (Aidan Mccardle). Well, sorry excuse for a man! Ha.
He says he's got 5% of the shares which gives him a right to be here and again he yabbers on about how Harry is treating the store like his own personal 'bank' and using the name for the furtherance of his own name. When Harry replies he sold the shares of the Estate, he even adds that's him just trying to do it for his own purposes. Well, Loxley, it wasn't that long since he did the same when he said he wants to do charitable work to gain back his reputation. Gordon (Greg Austin) tries to defend him and Loxley admonishes him for his loyalty coming from the 'heir to the throne.' As does Nancy try to defend him. Harry promises the shareholders that within the next three months they will see a 10% increase in their share price, which is no mean feat and Crab wonders how they will achieve that. Harry reassures him they'll do it. Crabb also adding that his children are "ambassadors for the store."
Harry sends Nancy away in a taxi and Loxley shows up saying he doesn't have 5% but he has 7% which gives him a seat on the board. He acquired the extra 2% when Serge (Leon Ockenden) sold Rosalie's shares. Harry asking how he knew his personal, family business, it had to be Serge of course, when they were friends. Which makes Harry livid. When he returns home, Harry confronts him and Serge says he needed the capital for his business venture in Paris. His wife's shares are his. Harry is angered by his betrayal and for not thinking about what he was doing and he wants him out. Serge tries to rip up his aviation plans once again, but Rosalie stops him. He's always stopped whenever he does that. She's pregnant and she will talk to Harry about him staying here. She tells him if Serge goes, then so will she. He didn't maliciously betray him and tells him the news of his grandchild. If he goes, then so will she.
They celebrate as Harry lets Serge stay, which was music to the Princess's ears. She can't wait for champagne, as they break the news and Serge promises he will do everything he can to make it up to him. Harry shakes his hand and replies, "you're damn right you will." Nancy is upset, a little that Harry has been making all these sacrifices, but she's talked round again into continuing by the mention of America and a fresh start. So why couldn't Harry get his majority shareholding back by buying back the children's shares, or at least one of the children's shares. It would be after all, still keeping it in the family.
Victor (Trystan Gravelle) takes Violette (Hannah Tointon) for a drive to the White Cliffs of Dover in his newly acquired car, cos he appears to be raking it in. She asks him how he would furnish the houses and he replies with a kitchen table and a comfortable bed. That's what the married soldiers all dreamed about, a table for their children to sit around and a bed to cosy up with their wives. She thinks it's spartan and he asks if she could live like that. Knew her answer would be depending on the right person. Can't see her living that sort of a life though. He's got problems at the club though as Regan (Sean Campion) pays him a visit asking how things will be done and George (Calum Callaghan) tells him they'll bring the gamblers round to the back where he shows him the roulette table. Regan also has some of his cohorts come round and Victor realizes they're doing drugs there. He's not too happy about it, but he's not really willing to make waves, cos the club's doing well.
George calls him out on it cos they've seen what can happen to people when they take drugs, like the soldiers did. Anyway he thinks it's bad news and wants to call Regan to tell him it's not on. Victor tells him he'll do it but he doesn't of curse. George saying he had a job for life at the store but he came here cos Victor needed him. Though Victor can't see past that, he tells George to listen to himself, cos he 'needed him.' That George is always playing it straight, he has to understand the world isn't the same anymore and people want to take risks after the war, cos life is short. George gives him his keys and leaves. Later Elsa (Naomi Ryan) finds one of the men passed out from the drugs and wants to call a doctor, but Elsa advises against it cos he bought the drugs from one of Regan's men. He eventually gets him to regain consciousness and throws him out. Violette is disturbed by it all and Victor ends it with her. Saying Harry was right, he's not good enough for her. She returns home miserable listening to the others celebrating still. Yes Victor, no wonder Agnes left him.
Everyone can see Miss Mardle isn't herself as she ignores the store assistants and Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) too when she invites her to dinner. Crabb notices too and asks what's wrong. She tells him everything about Doris and Billy and he tells her she needs to tell Grove. Which she does, but of course he doesn't take things well. Especially when he hears that it was her idea and interference which led to Doris's accident. She thought it best that Doris should meet Billy so he could meet Earnest, his son. She's not completely to blame, it was Doris who ran out into the road without thinking or looking. He tells her to leave and to take Earnest with her. He's upset, he had to comfort their daughter and stay with her all night, having told them the news about their mother. He thought Miss Mardle was a friend, but he blames her for everything. He wasn't going to take such news well even if Doris had told him in person, cos that's the sort of man that he is. Though it's ironic he was having an affair with Miss Mardle whilst still married and looking after his wife. It's always the way, double standards, one rule for men and a completely different set for women. So really what's changed?
With three more episodes to go, it appears everything will culminate in a showdown in the finale cos at the moment we're just being set up with more storylines and plots.
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