War looms on the horizon as does the Trade Union movement and in actual fact it's all out war between Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and Loxley (Aidan McArdle) as well as Harry (Jeremy Piven) and Rose (Frances O'Connor) well it doesn't help to have Delphine (Polly Walker) hanging around like a bad smell, considering she's the one who is behind it all as far as Harry and Rose not getting along is concerned. The Selfridge's staff feel Harry will desert them at the time of war and go back to America, as Mr Crabb (Ron Cook) tries to put them right, also warning Harry to possible dissention in the ranks, which is Groves's (Tom Goodman-Hill) job. Harry thinks he needs something to boost morale and pep up his workers and so asks for suggestions from his staff at the Head of Departments meeting.
Agnes (Aisling Loftus) arrives late as she's really overwhelmed with the workload and Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) isn't making things any easier for her. Don't know what his problem is, he comes across as sexist and doesn't want Agnes to be in charge or he just plain hates the fact that he should be doing such a job when Agnes has all the say. Agnes drops her pencil and can't think of anything when Harry asks her but Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) comes up with an idea to throw a party for the staff and they can have a Tango demo since Mr Gomerez (Amir Giles) is in town and is at Delphine's. Harry thinks it's a good idea and comes up with the theme of the Empire Exhibition, shown in all its glory. Thackeray seeing how Agnes isn't coping adds a spanner to the works by calling a meeting with her and Harry to say they should extend it to all the departments and to have it go on for a week.
Frank (Samuel West) comes in the store to apologize to Kitty for taking advantage of her or trying to and wonders what he could buy her by way of apology. He's recommended the new Guerlain fragrance but Kitty interferes and suggests the Yardley collection for this woman he wants to impress and is difficult to shop for. It's also more expensive.
Rose asks Delphine about Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) and she gives her his address. Delphine also wanting Rose to ensure Harry throws his party at the club, that way she gets to make money which she later admits to Harry is her sole intention since she's "skint." Wouldn't think she'd have admitted that at all, not good business practice is it. She also realizes Harry has been here before but he doesn't really tell her when. She tries to give him advice concerning Rose but he doesn't want to hear it and is short with her, which he should be. "I know my wife better than you." When Delphine tells him he should "trust her." Rose pays a call on Henri and finds he's living in the dumps, so to speak. Things didn't work out in New York but he doesn't want to see Harry or talk with him, even after Rose suggests he should, since Harry is in need of a friend.
Harry in an attempt to save his marriage and win Rose back cancels Miss Spender's (Gina Bramhill) account, well she had an appropriate name, ha, and sends her packing, as well as cancelling all the other accounts too belonging to his lady friends. He misses Rose but she doesn't want to go there again with him in their marriage cos she loses a little of herself everytime she does. Enjoying putting Harry through the wringer and tormenting him some more.
The warehouse men want to be able to join the Trade Union and go to Grove to ask him about it but he refuses since they still have a Staff Council to air their troubles. The men however aren't happy with this and decide to have their own meeting at seven in the loading bay when Harry et all will be at the party. Gordon (Greg Austin) listens in to their conversation and warns Harry but he tells him there'll be good and bad days when he's behind that desk so he has to deal with them.
Lady Mae packs up to leave for the country in the hopes of escaping from Loxley but he wants her to introduce him to Harry since he's got a business proposition for him. She doesn't want to but in the ultimate humiliation, he rubs runny egg on her lips after she asks him if he's going to blackmail her too like he did his friend. The sooner he's gone, the better, he really is a piece of work and is in there to spice things up. As later at the club he insinuates himself into ensuring he uses the invitation that was only intended for Lady Mae and tags along, and wants to talk about her account and also business. Harry puts his foot down and tells him this isn't the time or the place. Loxley insists and thinks Lady Mae will put in a good word for him, but she says the same as Harry which really riles Loxley. Harry telling him to stay and have a few drinks as "they're also on the house." Harry getting his own back on him for the humiliation last episode and that was in front of his staff. Notice Frank casually listening into their conversation. When they mentioned Loxley last series it was implied he was more kind of absent minded and aloof, but here in person he's completely different to how we would have imagined him.
Mr Crabb covers for Grove who has been arriving in late for work and also turns up at his home to pick him up, just to show us the stress he's under at home and for us to see Doris (Lauren Crace) and the children. Grove thinks he's got it bad, how does he think Doris manages being with the children alone all day. There's another baby on the way and he's just overwhelmed. He's also concerned about the war and how it will affect his daughters. Mr Crabb adding that they will learn to adapt. Grove places his hand on his and tells him he's good friend and a gentleman. Shocking Crabb who tells him to "steady on."
Kitty is about to accept the present from Frank when she's pulled away to dance the Tango, well she wore appropriate attire for this, her green dress with the slits and red tights! Agnes tells Victor (Trystan Gravelle) that there is no 'us' as he tries to see what's troubling her. He didn't want to hear her problems before but he does now. That's cos he doesn't know how to treat her and she goes home as she's tired. She needs Henri around not only to help her at work, but also to pick up her spirits, which will make Thackeray all the more jealous, can't wait to see that. As well as more heartache for Victor. But then he had his girlfriend, what happened to her?
At the meeting the men tell the union man that they've already got what he's offering at the store and he quite forcefully tries to make trouble by telling them Harry will be off and leave them at the first sign of war. Gordon objects to that and fights for his father, getting punched in the process, but one of the men tells him he's okay and stood up for his father. The men realizing they have it good at the store, but not for long as there's talk of war and we see Victor, Franco (Sean Teale) and other men enjoying themselves dancing, cos that's probably their last moment of laughter and joy as most of them will be fighting and not coming back.
Loxley is angry at Lady Mae's treatment of him and won't take her lip (I can say that can't I considering he did put egg on it, so no pun intended) and he slaps her to the floor. That'll have her running to Harry for help and comfort and right now, Harry is in need of both too, well more comfort than help. Delphine takes Rose for a surprise and asks Harry to join them. The surprise being jellied eels, yuk! He doesn't like them and she lets slip on purpose, that much was obvious, asking about Rose and her mysterious Frenchman. Rose tells him about Henri and Harry leaves. There Delphine causing problems between them more so cos Harry told her he didn't want Rose investing in her club and that his good name means a lot to him, as does Rose.
Harry returns home and Gordon arrives later with his bruise, but Harry tells him he's his own man now and can do what it likes, here he was sticking up for Harry but perhaps Harry's worried at losing his son's loyalties to the loading bay men.
So the ep began with talk of war and ended with violence on the homefront between Loxley and Lady Mae, highlighting again how the men ruled most everything including treating their wives however they wanted. Wonder if she'll leave him, well he no longer has any money and Loxley makes it harder for her even to get away from him as he's leased their country house to a Dutchman, as he throws this bombshell on her in an attempt to make her stay and come round in helping him with Harry. Maybe Loxley should get together with Delphine as they're cut from the same cloth. Wasn't Loxley not meant to have been seen at the infamous club?
Lots more to come as the events of this second episode will have repercussions for the next and most likely the entire series. Especially since Agnes will get a most welcomed ally in the form of Henri and his return, notch one up to her against Thackeray. As well as showing how the women will keep commerce running whilst the men go off to war, a time of change for all concerned, least more for the staff. But rest assured they'll have Harry on their side to give them lots of pep talks as he did here by telling them "it might be my name on the door but behind that door you are the ones that matter." Alas no lift scenes this episode! Ha.
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