Welcome back to your Gentleman Jack recaps. We’re already at episode three, and you can find eps one and two here. With that, let’s dive in.
Anne is writing her daily journal entry, thoroughly as always, and lovingly referring to Ann as Adney. Anne recounts a moment of the day where she told Ann she wished they were in bed. To this Ann replied, “well, let’s go and take our drawers off,” which they did. The sexual relationship between these two continues to mature and Ann is clearly becoming much more comfortable and assertive. We love to see it!
Over breakfast, the topic of railway construction comes up. Marian is not a fan and says, she heard, a cow exploded from fright at a passing train. Everyone picks holes in her story and Anne, especially, mocks her poor sister. Anne seems very interested in the railway development. You know her mental gears are always turning as she considers her next business move.
Ann and Anne are heading out for a day full of visiting Ann’s entire family. Well, this should be good! At the first stop, the cousins are fascinated with stories from abroad. While they’re engrossed by Ann, Anne asks Ann’s uncle (I presume.. It’s some older dude from her family, anyway) about the railway. Everyone is concerned about the canal business being ruined as goods transport by railcar becomes the faster and cheaper option. Ann’s aunt’s face grows more and more sour: firstly at Anne just existing as Ann’s companion, secondly at Anne talking history and politics and business with a man, and thirdly when Ann tells of Anne using the men’s room to freshen up at some point during travel. She is appalled and it’s hilarious. Does it hurt to grimace so severely, ma’am? This relative, another Mr. Rawson, but not the coal devils we already know, tells Anne that the canal shareholders need a man with a vision and charisma to bring them all together, as they’re divided on how to move forward. Anne has that gleam in her eye.
The scene switches to Mariana, who looks like she’s experiencing a dizzy spell. Her husband brings in a letter from Anne, handing it to her as she confirms that she’s had a spell. Not me laughing out loud when Mariana then tells him that she’s considering inviting Anne to come stay for a few days. Mariana, sis, what games are you playing? Anne is pissed in her letter, in response to Mariana stating that she was done with Anne. The break up is real, y’all. This love affair is over. If Mariana truly thought taking Anne to bat in some little quarrel was going to work, she’s learning hard and fast that Anne doesn’t entertain such foolishness. Checkmate, bish.
Eliza, the little girl who saw Ann and Anne kiss, is struggling under the weight of such a secret. Her father is trying to figure out what’s bothering her and all she’ll say is that she isn’t allowed to play with her friend anymore (the boy who was also witness.) I wonder how long she’ll be able to hold in what she knows.
While visiting an elder Mrs. Rawson, one of Ann’s relations, who seems to be quite cheerful in regards to the wives, Anne bears her trademark boldness. This Mrs. Rawson says her opinion, though, is not the one that matters — it’s the nasty Aunt Ann Walker whose opinion holds the weight. After Anne flirts back – because Anne never misses an advantageous opportunity to make a woman feel good — she is quick to retort that Ann did all she could for her Aunt and all she’s received in return are petty accusations of neglect. Goddamn, Anne Lister can hold down a chair like a boss, though. That body posture, the hand position — wow. Sorry, I got a bit distracted there.
Anne reports to Mrs. Rawson that family they’d visited that morning had remarked on how healthy Ann looked after their trip to the Alps, and further encouraged the rehabilitation of such travels with, “people should not grow moldy at home.” Anne is really playing her cards strategically here, “And I ask you, in all sincerity, could two unmarried ladies do better?” Bringing up “the one incident that was deeply misinterpreted,” Anne declares that Mrs. Priestly (spindly Aunt) is deeply jealous and that’s why she’s spread such a vicious rumor about the nature of Anne and Ann’s relationship. Honestly though, I’ve spent much of this scene fighting to actually pay attention to the dialogue because there is Anne owning that chair again. I love a woman with a good leg spread and no fucks to give about how “unladylike” she looks.
After thirteen house calls, Ann and Anne make it back to Shibden. Whoever is being sent by the family as the next man to try and marry Ann stopped by, Marian reports. A letter from Ann’s sister Elizabeth has arrived. She’s had another baby and there’s no mention whatsoever of the division of the estate, although weeks have gone by since Ann asked her. I love the growing tenacity of Ann though, wondering out loud, “why does everybody think they can ignore me?” Furthering my surprise in her growing character, Ann tells Anne that she isn’t just referring to her family. Anne was so talkative during every visit, she explains, yet conversely quiet in the carriage.
We know what she had on her mind, and Anne knows we know — just like that, we switch to a view of Mariana writing to Anne. Mariana is in full distress, and seemingly sending herself into a mental spiral, anguishing over “things still to say.” Brazen as ever, Mariana asks Anne if Ms. Walker could spare her for a night or two to come visit her. I guess the chess match between these two isn’t over yet.
Anne’s driving the carriage through town like a badass on a mission again. She gathered up some poor fellow at the library who happened to be the son of the chairman of the navigation committee. Naturally, she’s dragged him along to meet with his Pops because she very much would like to be in the know regarding the management of navigation (you know, the waterway channels versus the burgeoning railroad.) Anne is a shareholder in the canals so, obviously, needs to stay informed. Literally every man (and it’s all men) in the building turns his head watching her power walk into that building. Anne’s gonna do what Anne’s gonna do. Does it ever get old to watch her do it? No, it does not.
Anne is obsessed with the topic and rambling about it at dinner. No one else is interested. Ann actually looks annoyed, maybe she’s still feeling ignored. Maybe she’s just learned when to tune Anne out. Marian and Uncle Lister bicker with Anne as Ann signals for more wine from the help, so I guess that’s it — Ann is just going to booze her way through dinner trying to ignore it all. Aptly, Marian informs Anne, at the table, that there’s a letter from Mrs. Lawton that arrived that afternoon and she put it on her desk.
“She brought all of this on herself. There are so many times she could have just had me, forever, “ Anne expresses directly to us, her audience, with such pain and conviction that my heart actually breaks. Anne doesn’t sit well with such an out-of-control emotional feeling, so she immediately distracts herself with an assertive business letter concerning the navigation stuff. She looks over Mariana’s letter again, contorting her face at the wound.
Ann looks absolutely despondent sitting in bed as Anne’s entered the room saying, “You were quiet at dinner. Are you going to tell me what’s the matter?” Ann is realizing how entangled different characters are with her sister’s husband and is worried about the enmeshment in concern to her estate and its separation, and any parties involved acting in her best interest. Anne massages and sweetly kisses her neck while they discuss the matter. And here, Ann touches on what she’s really bothered by, asking Anne how Mrs. Lawton was, in regards to the new letter Anne had been off reading. Anne says, “Oh, the usual. Feeling sorry for herself.” Anne looks pained. Ann looks pained. This is going to reach a boiling point imminently.
The father of Henry, the little boy who was playing in Crow’s Nest with Eliza, is asking his wife why she told Henry that he wasn’t allowed to visit Eliza anymore. Here we go. She gets into the story, as told to her by Henry, of Eliza showing him around the house. She continues, Eliza told him to hide when Ann and Anne showed up because they clearly weren’t supposed to be roaming the house as she had let on as being fine. And he described to his Mom what he had seen, that the women were kissing — kissing like married people kiss. Henry’s mother is so shocked she refuses to deliberate on it any further and says she wants nothing more to do with it. They’re not mentioning it again, and Henry isn’t to be around Eliza, who brought this upon him. Here’s the black and white of it: Anne Lister pays for Henry to go to school, since he lost his leg in the carriage accident last season and can’t work on his father’s land. Henry’s mother doesn’t want to upset Anne and have that kindness revoked.
Ann is thanking her wife for taking him to meet the lawyer she’s suggested, and appreciating all of her caretaking. Anne sees her moment, I suppose, and has something to ask of Ann, and it is delicate. I’m not looking forward to the dejection about to be plastered across Ann’s face because we know exactly what Anne is going to ask here. And Ann guesses as well, “Mrs. Lawton?” “She really is very low,” says Anne, “This is — you and me — has been quite a blow for her.” Anne discloses that Mariana is asking to see her, and there it is: the heartbroken look on Ann’s face. I hate it and I hate that Anne is putting her in this position where she has to be a part of Anne and Mariana’s closure or attempt at such. Ann is just now really realizing the baggage that Anne comes with.
Still preoccupied with the navigation transpiration, as a large shareholder in the canals, Anne makes a visit with other shareholders for more information. They seem to be split on how to handle the railroad’s coming competition. Anne assures the men, that as both she and Ann Walker own significant shares and thus have a vested interest, she will very much make sure her voice is heard at the next meeting.
Now to attend to her other issue, Anne asks her Aunt Anne how she would feel if she were to go away for a few days and leave Ms. Walker at Shibden. Auntie has a whole WTF face when Anne says she’s going to see Mrs. Lawton. Bless her aunt’s heart though, referring to Ann, “Well, this is her home! We don’t want her to be uncomfortable whether you’re here or not!” Aunt Anne does, however, want to know why in the heck Anne is going to see Mariana. “I think that would come under the heading, unfinished business. She’s struggling to come to terms with the way things are now despite the fact that it was all her own doing.” Auntie continues to prove herself to be my favorite, as she tells Anne not to make a fool of Ms. Walker. Anne looks resolved when stating that she’s happy with Ms. Walker, she has everything she’s ever wanted, and Mariana needs to hear Anne say that to her face. I’m not sure I’m convinced that’s how it’s going to go.
Ann sends Anne away, after tender kisses, with a piteous, “Come back.” I am overcome and ready to fight Anne Lister if she hurts Ann and betrays her now that they’ve come this far in their life together. I felt that, “Come back,” in my bones. I’m stressed.
Mrs. Lawton sees Anne’s carriage pull up from her window, yet is not waiting for her inside. Anne is shown to a drawing room. Mariana sneaks in quietly, coldly acknowledges Anne and then proceeds to go full-on scorned lover mode.
Here is Anne, essentially risking her marriage, to show compassion to Mariana and all Mariana can do in her presence is throw verbal daggers. Mariana claims that Anne has destroyed her, “You’ve done this to me!” It keeps going — Mariana tells Anne that she’s thrown everything away for someone that she isn’t even in love with. “You’re ridiculous,” Mariana spews, while gripping the fireplace mantle to keep herself standing. Anne stares back at her.
