Gentleman Jack – What’s All That Got to do With Jesus Though

By starrymag | June 13, 2022

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

This week Ann is in a back and forth with Captain Sutherland over the division of the properties. It’s a war of passive-aggressive letters where each blames the other for stalling the process. Meanwhile, Sutherland is convinced the tone in Ann’s letters must be the influence of Miss Lister and plans to get to the bottom of whatever is going on between the two. Also in the hour, Anne meets with a hot young architect with big plans to turn her latest purchase into a dazzling moneymaker. Money is the word on everyone’s lips this episode but will these plans skid to a halt when Halifax starts to question what’s going on between the two women at Shibden Hall? 

 

Don’t Shoot the Messenger

 

“Don’t say anything aggressive,” Mrs. Priestley (Amelia Bullmore) warns her husband as Samuel Washington (Joe Armstrong) and his eviction announcements pop up at their front door. Apparently, Eliza got word that Ann, her husband’s cousin, is kicking her Day and Sunday school out of one of her properties; not to mention, one of the teachers out of her home. As good Christians, they would like to get to the bottom of this without making too many unseemly waves. Washington, for his part, does a decent job of breaking the news to Mrs. Priestley explains that the Walker sisters are dividing up their estate and, as a result, have been ordered to oversee a number of evictions. He suggests Mrs. Priestley finds one of the other properties in town for her schools, but as the reasoning for why the sisters are dividing he is as informed as they are. This isn’t what they wanted to hear but Samuel is just the messenger and not responsible for all the discourse they bring. He also vaguely blames this all on Miss Walker’s current lifestyle, but Mrs. Priestley knows who’s really behind this: Anne Lister.

 

Speaking of Anne (Suranne Jones), she’s over at Shibden Hall fingering through a book of hotel blueprints while also playing not-so-silent witness to the signing of Ann Walker’s (Sophie Rundle) codicil; you know, the one naming her the executor of her wife’s estate should she pass away? Yeah, that one; even George Booth (Ben Hunter) is worried as he is the official witness who legitimizes the document with his signature on the dotted line. Ann sweetly smiles at her wife like this is step one to their union’s completion, but the next step – dealing with her greedy brother-in-law, Captain Sutherland (Derek Riddell), won’t be as easy as a signature on a piece of paper. Mr. Gray (Adrian Rawlins), the lawyer handling this division of her estate, tells Ann he’s planning on sending a letter of intent but it would be helpful if Ann had a copy of the agreement stating exactly what Elizabeth signed over to her husband. Unfortunately, Ann only heard of this by way of her aunt but its existence is well known to the Walker family. Mr. Parker (Bruce Alexander) is the man to go to, not that Ann much cares for him, but if a copy exists the family lawyer should have it. Next on the docket are the properties Mr. Priestley (Peter Davison) acquired it from her uncle before her father’s death. Blackcastle can be returned to Ann with back rent but three of the others, which he underhandedly stole from Ann’s father’s wishes, aren’t recoverable. This news leaves a bitter taste in Ann’s previously smiling mouth. It isn’t fair, but her lawyer reminds her that fair and legal rarely go hand-in-hand. This is when Anne finally speaks up but it isn’t with advice about the estate, but questions about Mr. John Harper –a local architect who was suggested to her after the man she hired didn’t impress her. Mr. Gray goes on about how the young phenom, Harper, has an excellent reputation and Anne should snatch him up before his calendar is full. She needs someone to turn the drab Northgate property into a thriving hotel shopping location, and at least according to Gray, she couldn’t find anyone better. 

 

If We Build it, All of Halifax Will Come

 

The following day over supper Anne and Ann tell Aunt Anne (Gemma Jones) and Marian (Gemma Whelan) about the punctual and charming Mr. Harper (Luke Newberry). The two of them are excited over the future of Northgate and the in-demand architect who agreed to take on the project. Anne is rarely impressed with men since she is often far more informed than they tend to be, but this man has her glowing and it is all about the possibilities of this new venture. That wind is quickly snuffed from Anne’s sails when her aunt expresses doubt over the costs of rehabbing the property. She supports her niece, always, but is keeping her fingers crossed that this works out. After the table talk, Anne greets Cordingly (Rosie Cavaliero) with a welcome home. She seems happy to be back but avoids the question about her injured hip. It doesn’t appear to be better, but relaying that news to her boss could find her out of a job and a place to live. Instead, he just smiles through the inquiry and Anne allows it because she seems to hold Cordingly in higher regard than most of the others on staff.

 

Upstairs in their room Ann reads a letter sent to her by Mrs. Priestley informing her she will be out of the school property soon but the evicted teacher, Ms. Betty will not be returning to her duties as head teacher and that means all forty students are without an instructor.  The letter is full of passive-aggressive digs at her cousin, but her wife just shrugs it all off since Eliza was most likely the one behind those anonymous letters. It’s not the woman’s anger Ann is worried about but the fact the children will suffer over this business dispute. That’s no problem. Anne volunteers their service as a suitable replacement until they can find a qualified teacher. Anne molding the minds of Halifax’s youth is a brilliant idea as always, Miss Lister!

 

Later, when Captain Sutherland hears from Gray and realizes he is going to have to procure legal representation to deal with Ann’s deep dig into his and the Priestley’s property swindling, he starts to question who put these ideas inside his sister-in-law’s head. This cannot be her doing, it must be the influence of Miss Lister. Elizabeth (Katherine Kelly), who knows her sister is in some sort of relationship with Anne, stays tight-lipped about the two but shrugs off Ann’s recent interest in business as a positive outcome of her friendship with Lister. She is healthier than she has ever been and is just getting her finances in order. After snooping through the Walker sisters’ letters, he sends off his own biting response to Ann that goes as far as blaming the entire “dragging of feet” when it comes to the division of the properties on her mental health and not his stalling tactics. He informs her he will not be moving forward with any finalizations until he and his wife can come to Halifax and talk to Ann in person and not before their infant son is off of breast milk. This, on top of a Rawson cousin (Penelope McGhie), accosting her in public for shaming the family with these evictions, and more than likely her choice of housemates, crushes Ann’s newfound spirits leaving her livid and snapping at her wife in front of the staff–something Anne already told her wasn’t acceptable at Shibden. All embarrassments aside, Anne does help her wife write a response to the Captain but it only makes him question who’s behind this whole idea even more. 

 

The following day Anne meets with John Harper at Shibden and he is enamored with the charms of her home. “It suits you,” he says. The two hit it off nicely and it might have something to do with the fact she is typically responsive to people who allow her to lead, which Mr. Harper happily does. When Anne takes a look at his blueprints for Northgate she is thoroughly impressed and even more so when she finds out the unmarried architect lives with his brother, the lawyer. Anne and Ann are always looking for competent representation, especially since Ann isn’t fond of Mr. Parker–something Anne is starting to agree with. The only snag in Harper’s plans comes at the expense of six thousand quid, more than previously thought. With the addition of shops to the land, things are getting pricey and Anne is borrowing more than the property could make. Perhaps her aunt was right? Certainly, Mr. Parker agrees because when Anne tells him about the additional loan she needs and her plan to sell her navigation shares to turn this Northgate dream into a reality, he questions if selling, after she convinced the shareholders to invest, could be seen as “lacking in integrity” but Anne disagrees. Her decision to take from one investment to fund another has nothing to do with the railways or the canals, it’s just business. 

 

Class Begins!

 

After her meeting with Mr. Parker, Anne returns home to find Ann and Samuel Washington hammering out plans for the properties. Combining some plots to be more profitable as well as writing it all down in a letter to Captain Sutherland. Anne puts in her two-pence over which lots should be combined based on their proximity to coal and tells her wife to play nice with Sutherland and let him think he has a choice in which lots he gets to keep. 

 

Sunday comes on fast with Washington, Ann and Anne teaching the Sunday school classes and, of course, Anne’s lessons are the most compelling. While Samuel and Ann’s lessons come straight from The Bible, Anne’s are more in the realm of mathematical theories which leaves one of the students to ask, “What does that have to do with Jesus though, sir…er, Ma’am?” It doesn’t, not really, but Anne loves a good audience to show off her big brain and the kids are all eyes and ears. 

 

After class Anne tells Ann she’s making plans for them to visit London. She could meet Anne’s friends and even have a doctor take a look at her sore neck. Her wife is all smiles over the prospect of another holiday away from Halifax. Their discussion is cut short when the two stumble upon Eugenie (Albane Courtois) and Matthew (Leo Flanagan) having sex in the woods. Anne is livid and orders them to get home while Ann, who always seems to find humor in the sexual situations can’t help but laugh at the entire scene. It is no laughing matter to Miss. Lister, who calls Eugenie into her study to ask her if she is planning to marry the young footman. Eugenie giggles out a no, so Anne fires her and talks with Marian about what they should do with Matthew. Good help is not easy to come by and neither she nor Marian want to be in charge of taking care of their father’s “personal business,” so it looks like Matthew will stay on until they find a suitable replacement. Then, the sisters head into dinner where the family is looking over Harper’s Northgate blueprints; well, everyone but Anne’s father. He isn’t keen on the idea and it is mostly due to his lack of faith in his daughter’s plans. Anne shrugs off his attitude and tells Captain Lister (Timothy West) the only worry she has is getting licensing from the magistrate, Christopher Rawson. Aunt Anne and Anne remind her that Christopher isn’t the only magistrate and if she needs two signatures she should try Colonel Dearden (Tim Bentinck) and his son. Now that’s a plan that could work! Anne invites the Colonel to Shibden to sell him on her Northgate plans. He is impressed and agrees to give her the license if she agrees to support his candidate, Mr. Wortley out of West Riding, at the polls. She can hardly contain her joy when she realizes this means Christopher is out of the running for Parliament. The deal is struck after she barters with Dearden over her donation to Wortley insures Christopher, in no way, blocks her licensing. 

 

Good Help is Hard to Find

 

After Dearden leaves Anne calls Eugenie and Matthew in to talk about their change in marriage plans. Eugenie agrees to marry the footman if she can stay on as a servant. She mentions Matthew is soon to inherit his father’s twenty-four acre farm and since she has no other option but marriage or homeless and destitute, she is hoping Anne and Marian will approve this idea. Anne rescinds Eugenie’s firing mostly because it’s hard to find good help. As she massages her wife’s neck in their bedroom Anne and Ann talk about their trip to London and the excitement puts them in a romantic mood. The next morning Ann gets a letter from Captain Sutherland agreeing to the division of the estate but still dragging his feet on finalizing it with a signature. Washington quells her disappointment by pointing out a written agreement is a step in the right direction. Samuel also has news about the Priestleys. Ann’s cousin summoned him to inform him that he plans to give up High Sunderland, one of the properties he took and there won’t be any need for further legal action. It’s good news but there must be a hitch because there is no way the Priestley’s would give in that easily. Ann’s been inspired by her wife’s mind for business and hopes to make her properties as profitable and well-managed as her’s. She has come a long way from that little quiet bird trapped in a cage of her family’s making. This bird is free and stretching her wings and it is all thanks to Anne’s influence. 

 

Later, Mr. Parker arrives at Shibden for a meeting with Anne about property management and selling her navigation shares. She won’t be able to get the amount she was hoping for but there is interest in buying them. He makes mention of Mr. Abbott– Marian’s carpet-maker, and his opinions on the going price for the shares. This sours Anne’s mood because Abbott is not a member of her family and has no business putting his two-Pence in where it isn’t wanted. This leads Me. Parker to change the subject to Ann and the division of her estate. It seems Mr. Gray sent Parker a letter asking for a copy of the settlement in question that gave Captain Sutherland control over Eliabeth’s portion of the Walker estate. He also forwarded a letter from the Captain requesting he not hand it over and Mr. Parker wants Anne’s opinion on if he should comply. Anne is confused as to why he would ask her, it’s not her property dispute but the obvious reason why is something neither of them want to say out loud. He refers to it as “delicate” knowing these two women are living in a combined household similar to a marriage and Anne tells him to write Ann’s brother-in-law and ask his permission before sending it to Mr. Gray. She is put off by his questioning in the matter and only gets worse when the lawyer admits this companionship puts him in a difficult position, especially if this division becomes problematic. She is confused how it would be but he lets slip that he knows Ann is claiming she never knew of the settlement and in anger, accused him of acting unprofessionally. The settlement flew in direct opposition to the family’s wishes and the patriarch’s will and the fact he knew this and still allowed the settlement to go through doesn’t look good for him and his career should it end up in court. He also claims Ann did know about it but her mental health could be why she isn’t remembering. Anne stops him right there– Ann says she didn’t know and if the Captain is claiming he told her when she wasn’t well, “how odd of him to burden her with it.” Begrudgingly, Mr. Parker agrees to write to Captain Sutherland and agrees to leave any mention of Anne out of it. 

 

That night Anne rattles off a letter to the Captain as her wife furiously jots down every word. When the letter arrives at the Sutherland’s, the Captain is livid when he tells his wife the deeds for Crowsnest are at Shibden Hall because her sister is being played by a fool by the gold digging Anne Lister. He writers back a scathing response to Mr. Parker; angry the deeds he placed in the bank were given to Ann without his permission. He blames Anne and her “unnatural motives” as to what’s behind Miss Walker’s sudden interest in her finances and now that Mr. Gray is involved, this could be seen as a slight against him too. The Captain is dragging everyone into this drama like a drowning man grasping for a life raft. He requests Mr. Parker’s silence in the matter rbut promises a trip to Halifax in the coming weeks to get to the bottom of what is going on at Shibden Hall. It sounds like the honeymoon is about to come to a terrible end and it is all thanks to Ann’s greedy and nosey brother-in-law.