Another ep which just seemed to be an extension of the last without much really happening. John (Adam James) just bribing servants for info on Charles (Jack Bardoe) and Turton (Paul Ritter) milking it for all he can get and saying the same to Ellis (Saskia Reeves) even if they have to make things up. The real stunner was how Anne (Tamsin Greig) didn't get why Ellis went to the Brockehhurst house in search of a fan she'd allegedly lost, when she had the fan with her. Why would she even trust the servants even if they have been there that long. It's a wonder the secret was kept so long. Thought Lady Brockenhurst (Harriet Walter) would've been on the ball with that, but apparently not. Nope, they head off to Glanville with Oliver (Richard Goulding) Ellis, Turton and Susan (Alice Eve) and still take their problems with them. Even Oliver still harping on about Charles and why James (Philip Glenister) treats him better than his own son.
Anne even letting it slip to Susan that James knows Charles from before, then quickly adding he knew his father. Anne thinks Susan would be suited to Glanville and even if she can't bring Speer (Bronagh Gallagher) with her, but instead she could "always get another maid." Which is what John hears and tells Susan as much. As predicted Susan is likely pregnant, with Speer saying she should 'get it on' with Oliver quick smart so that no one suspects her affair. Again Susan trusting Speer when she can get everything she wants from her too via blackmail. Servants running around betraying their employers for a penny was all too tedious. As Turton tells John he wants £20 for the info since betraying his master is still "a treasonable offence," even though hanging has been abolished.
Ellis wanting advice on how the maid, Jane (Rebecca Callard) did Lady Brockenhurst's hair at the party as a ruse to try and get her to betray secrets too was a bit stupid on her part. But Jane cottoned on too late to what she was prying out of her and after Ellis had spoken of knowing Lord Bellasis in Belgium. Ellis not having seen Charles yet wouldn't have noticed the resemblance of him with Lord Bellasis's portrait painted by Lady Brockenhurst. Although she has seen Lord Bellasis at the parties. Let's wait for that penny to drop (whilst she's still getting paid pennies ha!) Ellis does have notions above her station as I said in ep 1, as she tells the footman she's as good as they are and even any royal.
Maria (Ella Purnell) admits her affection for Charles going sa far as calling him her "lover" and her mother, Lady Templemore (Tara Fitzgerald) is adamant she should marry John as she married her father and they didn't even have a chance to meet. Maria goes to Charles's office with Lady Brockenhurst and Anne, who invites herself and they chat more about cotton and India. He wants to get cotton from somewhere that doesn't have slaves as in the US and they both think that's very amiable. (Though colonization doesn't factor into slavery - that's another story 'ey.) Anne and Lady Brockenhurst both see Maria as a perfect match for Charles. John pops up too after Susan tells him of this meeting as does Ellis, and doesn't get much out of the trip. No one is suspicious of how these little things keep happening and just let it continue, with John constantly popping up everywhere. Especially as they don't have much going on their lives. The Tranchard's still arguing in front of the servants, you'd think there'd be other places for such things, gossip and idle chit chat should be the order of dinner, but nah.
Lady Templemore finds Maria gave her chaperone the slip and ends up in the park where she sees Charles leaving and asks who he was. Then Maria putting her foot down and saying she won't marry John and she can't force her to do so. To which she replies, she'll see what she can do. What lock her up. Shades of Sanditon creeping in here. John's mother telling him where she's hiding what remains of the family silver. If she doesn't know what a charlatan her son is by now, I don't know what else to say. You know like father, like son. Who doesn't get a loan from the loan shark since he won't see a return on his investment for many years and the extortionate interest he charges. Thus the Rev (James Fleet) gets a little help from his brother the Earl (Tom Wilkinson) though I don't know why he bothered after they attend church and see him giving a sermon on behalf of someone who's been taken ill. He looked like a laughing stock. The Rev doesn't tell John about it though. He's likely going to gamble that money away too.
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