Peggy reveals her truth to Dr. Kirkland, Marian struggles to move forward, and Bertha finally faces the fallout of her actions.
Bertha has produced another triumph in New York society. Each season ends with her reshaping this world in her image. George acknowledges that success. He's proud of what Bertha has achieved. The ball isn't the culmination of the season though. That occurs the following morning. George and Bertha's perspectives are no longer aligned. George's values have shifted as a result of being shot. Everyone rallies into action to save his life. He could never afford to be seen as weak. His business would suffer. His injury must be kept a secret. He's fortunate that Dr. Kirkland was across the street. George is very grateful to him for saving his life. Marian jumped into action too. That allowed Bertha to see her in a new light. She saw a woman who cared about this family. The problems she and Larry faced no longer seemed insurmountable. Everything could be fixed. It simply requires the gentle nudging of their loved ones to compel them back to each other. Bertha is ruthless for her loved ones. She believes the ends justify the means. She beams with joy over all that she has accomplished. She believes her family has been made whole once more. George doesn't think that. That's what sends her world crashing down.
Bertha is determined to welcome divorced women to her ball. It carries personal significance for Aurora and Charlotte. They receive invitations. They agonize over whether to attend. They fear the looks of judgment they will receive. Aurora triumphs through the support of her family. Agnes, Ada and Marian are there by her side. Meanwhile, Charlotte chooses to go without her mother. She fears Mrs. Astor sees her as an embarrassment. Lena attends to prove her daughter wrong. She is terrified that she will come to regret this decision. She knows this action will solidify divorce as a viable option in society. Women will no longer fear being scorned because of the destruction of their marriages. She can't control the consequences. The future remains uncertainty. Bertha and Mrs. Fish want her to embrace it. She can't easily do that. While the possibilities are exhilarating, no one knows for certain the fallout of this action. Bertha certainly doesn't. She expected George to return home. Instead, he and Larry ride off to conduct business. They maintain their distance. Nothing has been solved between them. The family remains broken even though Gladys has wonderful news of being pregnant with her first child.
That's in contrast to the Forte household which finally aligns perfectly. Agnes assumed Mrs. Foster was constantly reaching out for money. Instead, she sought to name Agnes as Vice President of the New York Historical Society. It's a massive acknowledgement of Agnes' lineage in the city. It also respects her commitment to its history. She cherishes that. She doesn't easily embrace change either. Her expectations for Marian don't promise happiness. They are simply the same process she endured. Ada does a phenomenal job of getting her to change her mind. The sisterhood remains strong. Agnes still refuses to ever admit that she was wrong. Right now, she tells Marian to fix things with Larry. She may not like his family. She sees the joy and heartbreak within Marian. This dynamic can return to what it once was. When Marian and Larry talk at the ball, they understand that they aren't going to fix all of their problems in one night. That's sensible. It's not the most exciting conclusion. Marian panicked given her previous betrayals. Larry acknowledges that. He apologizes for his lies. They are on equal footing of wanting to work this out. They take those first steps. They aren't rushing into things. That's smart too. It's just not as grand and sweeping of a gesture as what happens with Peggy across town.
William heard about Peggy's past from his mother. Elizabeth shared a heightened story. She weaponizes it against the woman she has always hated. She never gave Peggy a chance. She made assumptions about her. She targeted the entire Scott family for not belonging in her world. William struggled to stand up against his mother. She dismissed his feelings. He loves with Peggy. Elizabeth was in denial. She meddled. Peggy thought it was over. She was destroyed. The news of her child being adopted spread as gossip. Peggy still felt invited in this world. She was simply going through the motions. It didn't have the same resonance as filling up space alongside William. He had to make his own decision. He doesn't blame Peggy for what happened. This isn't something that requires forgiveness. She never invited scandal into her life. She didn't strive to take down the Kirkland family. That's how Elizabeth took it all. It was a calculated move to embarrass her. Instead, the ball comes to a halt as William proposes to Peggy. Arthur and Dorothy beam with pride. Frederick is glad his son made a decision. Elizabeth hates it. Peggy is overwhelmed by the moment. Her emotions clearly express that she wants to accept. That isn't heard though. That's a peculiar choice. The story was building to this moment. It's meant to be a happy celebration. But the focus is on the parents after William asks the question. The response isn't immediately communicated.
Some more thoughts:
- Gladys and Hector heard about George's shooting before they got on the ship to travel to Newport. They spent that time in the unknown. It's odd that Gladys doesn't have a personal moment with her father when the family is reunited. Instead, she and the Duke are expected to greet the guests alongside Bertha.
- Oscar sees opportunity with the newly widowed Mrs. Winterton. It's contrived that they interact at the opera. They felt like they had to attend out of obligation instead of personal interest. That's largely how this story is perceived. They take actions together in the hopes of intrigue in the future instead of offering satisfaction to what has occurred this season.
- Jack makes his first visit to the staff at the Forte household. They want to hear about the house he is setting up. He has hired staff. He doesn't know how to manage them yet. It's more intriguing when Bridget stops by. He treats her as a distinguished guest who belongs in this world with him.
- Agnes was so embarrassed to ever attempt that her fortune was gone. She refused to accept Ada as head of the house. Ada responded with complete grace and compassion. She provided for Agnes how she needed and would respond to. Agnes finally seeing that allows her the dignity to step aside and let Ada take her seat at the head of the table. That was a beautiful moment.
- The initial instinct is to believe Clay was behind the attempt on George's life. That's the information Larry directs to the investigator. No progress is made into figuring out who was responsible. The focus remains on George's recovery and the decision to walk away from Bertha. Hopefully, an answer is revealed at some point. It's a somewhat missed opportunity to wait though.
