This episode seemed quite rushed as if trying to get all loose ends tied before the climax and still try and retain a dramatic thread running through it. With James (Philip Glenister) getting to the bottom of the Manchester mill affair and finding out that the men were going to underpay for the mill and so obviously the widow would have accepted a 400% higher offer. Charles (Jack Bardoe) keeping on the mill hand as he was worthless as a manager and so he could keep his family fed. Thus discrediting anything that would ruin Charles's reputation. John (Adam James) still schemes over trying to get his inheritance but he doesn't reckon with Susan (Alice Eve) double crossing him. She tells him she's pregnant and would divorce Oliver (Richard Goulding) if he will marry her. But he's looking for a woman of means now that he won't be marrying the penniless Maria and getting money. Susan attempting to entice him with money her father would pay her as she's his only heir. Thus being the woman "breadwinner." Obviously he wants much more than that and endless money on tap. She asks him to call a carriage for her so they don't part on less than amicable terms and steals the proof about the Bellasis marriage being real. Another bungle on John's part.
Lady Brockenhurst (Harriet Walter) still wants Maria (Ella Purnell) marrying Charles and tells her that he doesn't know who he really is. They want to break it to him. Lady Templemore (Tara Fitzgerald) visits insisting that she wants Maria home so she can send her to Castle Grey and ponder on her decision to refuse John. Maria has already written refusing him. Speer (Bronogh Gallagher) comes up with the plan for Susan to give James the papers under the guise of saying the boy handed them to her in the street and writes a note as he doesn't know her handwriting. Susan knows Speer can blackmail her but it seems she still wants to serve her, unlike Ellis (Saskia Reeves). As she gives him the note, she also tells James that she is with child and he is pleased. Saying he will break it to Anne (Tamsin Greig) as well. James tells Anne about the letter and she gives him the original copies Jane gave her. He wants the marriage authenticated before they take any action. As Anne says they should have looked for him years ago. Which is what I said last ep. Even though he says they didn't know Botheray's name. It would have been simple enough to make enquiries, or didn't they know he was in the same regiment as Bellasis.
Ellis admits she knew about the letters, she could've just kept her mouth shut but wanted to save her skin and blames it all on Turton (Paul Ritter). She will get references if she tells them who was behind it. And she agrees, saying it was John. Turton is fired and drinks one of the best bottles of wine in the house. He thinks he can just blackmail Susan. However Speer puts an end to it knowing she can get a position at Buckingham Palace if anything jeopardizes her position in the household and threatens with reporting his stealing of supplies for Mrs Babbage. So she was willing to move away with Susan was she. Funny how Anne claims the writing in the copies of the letters looks familiar but she doesn't know Turton's handwriting having him in their employ for years!
Anne knows of Susan's indiscretion and says she won't tell James and deprive him of a grandchild so long as she retires to Glenville with Oliver. He will become a squire and she will be able to visit every two months. It would be a good place to raise a child as she convinces Oliver to go along with her. Anne telling Susan it must be a relief to know she wasn't barren. The Trenchard women proving every bit as manipulative as each other to get happiness for their family without a hint of scandal. As Anne tells Lady Brockenhurst she plans to have a dinner where they can break it to everyone and Charles when her husband arrives in London. Though she agrees it's a good idea for lawyers to check beforehand.
John still wants revenge and he gets Oliver to write a note to Charles whilst drunk asking him to meet at the Black Raven inn, which Oliver can't recall later as he tells James what is happening. He deemed himself to be a worthless son and only regrets that he wasn't the one in Sophia's place and couldn't take it now. As they find the meeting place, James tells Oliver about Charles and he asks why he couldn't tell him. He wouldn't have revealed anything about his sister to anyone. Charles is taken to the river and he struggles with John who wants to keep his inheritance, throwing him into the river. As James and Oliver approach in the nick. James dives in and Oliver does too after John tries to convince him to think of his inheritance if they both go under. Saving them both, Oliver doesn't want his father's thanks.
As all is revealed to Charles. Susan tells Oliver that he has redeemed himself and they both faced temptation but it is better to have confronted it than to deny it. She doesn't think him worthless and is proud of him. Only cos she will get to live out comfortably her life and have a home for her child. As the news is broken to all Peregrine (Tom Wilkinson) says they aren't cursed after all and Maria's uncle, Lord Templemore (Frank Kerr) even agrees to the match as they haven't had a gifted tradesman in the family since the Middle Ages or thereabouts. As a final gesture Lady Brockenhurst agrees to pay off the Reverend's (James Fleet) debts once off. But he thinks he can swindle them for more and then still continue his gambling. Grace (Diana Hardcastle) being more concerned about John and then discovers her silver has gone!
Charles wants them to leave John alone and provide him with an income. Peregrine being satisfied that he will continue to rot on the Continent. Charles and Maria marry and the two families are reunited. A bit of a Pride and Prejudice wedding with the newly weds leaving the church and James asking whether he can now call Lady Templemore Corrine.
Have to wonder if there is a second series what they would possibly do with it, besides more of the same. Watching the newly weds in India or something.
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