Diksha Sundriyal
With only one more episode left in the third season of HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age,’ tension revs up as the characters are pushed to their limit with the onslaught of one crisis after another. The previous episode had Bertha go to London to help her daughter, while George struggled to keep the company afloat, waiting for his son to land a deal that could change everything for them. This episode continues to focus on the conflict within the family and their business, but it begins with something that massively ruffles the feathers in the entire New York society. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ward McAllister’s Book Lights a Fire in the New York Society
The episode opens with Ward McAllister releasing his book called ‘Society as I Have Found It.’ It turns out that he has used literature to do a diss on every single person in society, airing their dirty laundry and making them angry in the process. He has not shown mercy to anyone, including his dearest and most influential friend, Caroline Astor, and with this, his days in New York’s high society come to an end. At the meeting in the Forte house, Lina, Mrs. Fish, and Bertha meet with Agnes and Ada to discuss McAllister’s actions, and it is unanimously decided that he must be cast out from the society, permanently.
Somehow, McAllister doesn’t realise that his actions would have consequences until he experiences being thrown out of parties. He tries to meet with Lina, but she is adamant about never seeing him again. Eventually, he confronts her in her house, not before he is ignored by an angry Bertha, who receives news that the drama caused by the book has convinced her that she must refrain from hosting the final ball of the season. Bertha tries to change her mind, stating that this is the time when they should show everyone that they are not going to be sent into hiding by the gossip mill. However, Lina is steadfast in her decision, which opens an opportunity for Bertha.
Meanwhile, McAllister pushes his way into Lina’s house, but his efforts to apologize turn awry when he claims to have turned her into the social queen bee she is now and how he has shaped the New York society such that it would not have existed in its current iteration without him. In return, Lina reminds him that he himself comes from humble beginnings and, without her, he would never have gotten to the point where he would know so much about everyone that he would end up writing a book about it. The conversation ends with Lina getting more hurt than McAllister wanted her to be, and this time, she shuts the door on him permanently.
Some time later, Bertha agrees to see him, though she makes it clear that this does not mean she will help him get back in everybody’s good graces. She reveals that with Lina stepping back, Bertha has been given the responsibility to host the final ball, which means that she has finally replaced Lina as the leader of the society. This is a peak point for her, and she wanted to share it with McAllister because he was the one who helped her climb the social ladder, especially when Mrs. Astor staunchly considered her an outsider. She also reveals that she will use this opportunity to do away with the ban on divorced women, but that still doesn’t mean that McAllister will be invited. He is happy for her, nonetheless.
Oscar’s Grief Leads Him to Lash Out
While Bertha celebrates climbing the topmost rung of the social ladder, Oscar grieves for John Adams. At the end of the last episode, he was hit by a carriage and died. It has been a couple of weeks since his death, but Oscar’s heart is broken. He tries to maintain a strong exterior, but then he gets a call from John’s sister. It turns out that she knew all about their relationship, and she was happy that John found someone who made him happy. She also reveals that John had expressed the desire to leave his summer house, where he spent a lot of time with Oscar, to Oscar. He couldn’t have included it in his will without raising suspicions, but he revealed it to his sister, and now, she is carrying out his last wish.
Oscar is deeply moved by the fact that even after death, John is still looking out for him. When he comes home, he is not in the mood for dinner, and when Ada asks if he is okay, he breaks down. He reveals that John left the summer house for him, and when Agnes prods why he would do such a thing, Oscar all but reveals the true nature of their relationship. Fortunately for him, Marian steps in to speak for him, and she explains that it is entirely natural for Oscar to grieve for his friend who showed him incredible kindness in his most distressing time. While the situation seems diffused, it becomes clear that Agnes and Ada are not entirely in the dark about Oscar’s choice of lovers, at least, not anymore.
Later, Marian seeks out Oscar and tries to console him while confessing that she has the inkling that Oscar and John were more than simply friends. She admits that she doesn’t entirely understand their relationship, and it confuses her a little, but she is there for him nonetheless. When Oscar wonders if she would abandon him on learning the truth, she assures him that she would do no such thing. The relief that someone finally sees him completely and does not hate him for it soothes Oscar’s heart, at least for the time being.
Sarah is Finally Pushed Out by Hector and Gladys
As George struggles to keep his finances together, he lets Hector know that there is going to be a delay in the next payment, and if things do not change for the better, there might not be a payment after all. When he reveals this to Sarah, she is quick to point out that the main point of marrying Gladys was her money, and if her father cannot provide it, then the girl should be sent back home. Hector, however, points out that he doesn’t want to send his wife away, no matter if he gets the money. Later, he shares the details about her father’s words with Gladys, who also wonders if she will be sent back. However, Hector assures her that he doesn’t care for money anymore.
Things become increasingly amicable between the couple as Hector compliments Gladys on her dress, which she chose for herself, while revealing that he remembers the gown she wore on the day of the ball. She is surprised to know that he would remember such a detail, but then later, she finds irises in the vase in her room, which she had been admiring earlier that day, during their walk in the garden. She is moved by this show of attention and affection, which is also reciprocated when she tells him that he needs to believe in himself, shoulder more responsibility, and take charge of the house, being the Duke.
It seems that Hector finally takes the hint. When he and Gladys get the letter from Berth about the final ball of the season and their required attendance, Hector wonders if Sarah wouldn’t be terribly alone at the castle. He suggests she should go to London for a while, and when she wonders if she should go to the family’s house in London, he reveals that he will get her a house of her own because he doesn’t want her to spend the rest of her life taking care of their household. Gladys echoes his opinion, and with that, Sarah knows that it is time for her to move on.
Peggy’s Secret Comes Out While Marian Sticks to Her Stance
Peggy’s romance with Dr. Kirkland continues as the duo spends some time alone in the park. He expresses his desire for her to accompany him to the society ball as his plus one rather than with his family. She happily accepts his offer, and it seems that the couple is ready to take their relationship to the next step. A giddy Peggy busies herself with arranging Francis Watkins Harper. When the plan to host the event in Marian’s school falls through, Ada happily agrees to open her doors for it, while also sponsoring the whole thing. The event turns out to be a huge success, though Agnes is repeatedly bothered by a woman who talks about her family’s name, lineage, and their history. Meanwhile, Peggy’s friends tease him about what seems like an inevitable wedding with William. However, unbeknownst to them, the doctor’s mother chances upon some crucial information.
A friend from Philadelphia reveals that Peggy had a child who was given up for adoption but died of scarlet fever. There is no information about the father of the child, who may or may not have been her husband. Mrs. Kirkland is ecstatic to finally find out the thing that will convince her son to get away from Peggy for good. However, he turns out to be more prudent than that. While he is shocked by his mother’s revelations about the woman he loves, he believes that he is owed an explanation and decides to talk to Peggy before making a decision in haste. If only Marian had taken a page from his book, things would have been much different between her and Larry.
When the Russell heir returns from Morenci, he finds Peggy’s letter waiting for him. Apparently, it doesn’t explain anything about why she has suddenly changed her mind. Larry immediately goes to see her, but he is stopped at the door. He even starts to wonder if his mother had anything to do with this, and in his frustration, he decides to move out of the house and live at the club, at least for a while. Later, he finds Marian at her school, and she reveals that she found out about him going to the establishment of ill repute on the day they got engaged. He tries to explain that nothing happened there, but she doesn’t believe him.
Marian seems to have made up her mind, and she even considers the idea of living her life as a spinster. However, Ada tells her to be careful what she wishes for because life as a spinster is not as peaceful as it is cut out to be. Later, Marian meets with Jack to help him buy a new house. He uses this opportunity to explain that that night, he and Larry were together the entire night, which is how he knows that the younger Russell did not indulge in any bad behaviour. This revelation leads Marian to realise her mistake, but it might be too late now.
George’s Success With the Mines Breeds Unwarranted Result
While Bertha tries to deal with all the rumours circulating about them since the release of Ward McAllister’s book, George is completely occupied with finding ways to keep his family from going broke. When Bertha tries to talk to him, mentioning that she has called Gladys and Hector to attend the ball so they appear a good, happy family, he gets angry at her for wasting his time. His mood changes drastically when Larry returns and reveals that the mines are theirs and they are worth much more than they’d had anticipated. With the news of the copper, the Russell stocks will finally go back up, and the financial stress will be alleviated. George doesn’t waste time sharing this news, which brings JP Morgan back into the game. When he reveals this news to Clay and his employer, they are shocked.
George points out that Clay’s incompetence led him to miss such a huge thing, which was found by his son. While Clay processes this oversight on his part, he is fired on the spot by his new employer, while George assures him that he will not let him stay in New York anymore. He would have been more sympathetic towards his former secretary, but the fact that Clay chose to stab him in the back and sabotage him has convinced him that Clay should be completely thrown out of the picture. Before leaving, Clay assures George that he is not going to back off so easily. As George and Larry become more invested in the mines and the profit they can create, Bertha is increasingly sidelined by her own family. Her son believes that she sabotaged his relationship with Marian, while George still hasn’t forgiven her for pushing Gladys to enter a marriage that makes her miserable.
This is perhaps the first time that one feels sympathy for Bertha as she is so actively ignored by her family, especially after she tells them about Andre being the leak and her getting to host Mrs. Astor’s final ball of the season. But it seems that things are going to get worse. Clay comes through on his promise incredibly fast. That night, while George and his associates are wrapping up at the office, a deliveryman shows up. He says that he has a package for George Russell, and then shots are fired. George’s assistant, who’s closest to the door, is fatally hit. And the next bullet is fired right at George, though it is not revealed where, if at all, the bullet hits him, and if the shot is fatal.
Read More: The Gilded Age: Who is the Leak in the Russell House?
