Only read on if you are up-to-date with episode two. Downton meets Jane Austen meets Poldark. We can, though, second this opinion that the show is the televisual equivalent of chicken soup for the soul.
Of course you can! A truth which, devastatingly, threatens to tear the Trenchards apart. The episode opens with the slowest reading aloud of a letter, ever. So much so that we can only assume Anne Trenchard Tamsin Greig is reading it as she writes it in real-time. However, once this is done, the drama kicks off extraordinarily quickly.
Anne informs the aforementioned Lady Brockenhurst Harriet Walker that her daughter, Sophia, gave birth to a son before her untimely death. The father? For a moment, all seems well. Later, we learn Anne is still ever so angry at James for persuading their daughter into a false marriage, even all these years later.
In a bid to distract his wife from her rant, the wily magician presents her with with tickets to Kew Gardens. And, somewhat mystifyingly, his tactic works… albeit temporarily. Whilst wandering around Kew, Anne bumps into Lady B.
The pair exchange a few frosty pleasantries, before Caroline starts pressing Anne for more details about their ahem mutual acquaintance, Charles Pope. Primarily, where does he live and how can she find him? He is, after all, just the son of a Surrey vicar. No one special. And, still none the wiser as to their familial connection, Charles accepts.
