Cornwall Gets Scrooged
We open this episode to grey, misty cliffs, and find the people of Cornwall experiencing the worst winter in 30 years. Has George stepped in to use his resources and power to save everyone? Nope! He’s getting his Scrooge on, hoarding grain and selling it at a higher price. As if that weren’t enough he’s handing down heavy sentences to those who are caught stealing out of desperation to feed their families. Ba-humbug! Ross is as disgusted as we are, which brings about this exchange:
Da-yum! That’s going to be awkward when George finds out who fathered his son…
George doesn’t stop at verbal abuse, he’s also gunning for Ross’s dear Aunt Agatha. He’s left her behind at Trenwith in the dead of winter with no fire to keep her warm while the rest of the family heads to Truro for Christmas. Thus ends the truce between the Poldark’s and Warleggan’s! Finally! All of the swashbuckling around France last week was fine, but I’m ready for Ross to get back to being the hometown hero, rather than the guy who screws up everything he touches.
Go Fund Me-Let Them Eat Grain
Too bad for Ross and his friends list, social media wasn’t around in the 1700’s. Cornwall needs funds to eat, and they’ll have to do it the old fashioned way. Good thing their friend Caroline has status, a pretty face, and a way with influencing those with means to donate to the cause. Demelza takes a break from popping out babies in record time to help out, too. They’re even able to pull a fast one over on George and finagle 50 guineas out of him, while undercutting his price gouging plot. Point one for team Poldark! Their victory is short lived, however, when George shuts down Wheal Leisure and leaves 70 people jobless. Point one for team Warleggan (if there is such a thing). It’s ok because Ross is able to give some of them jobs. I’ll call that 1.5 for team Poldark. Unfortunately, George has plenty more Christmas cheer to go around, and Morwenna is the next victim.
Flip or Fop
Anyone else remember Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice? Winston Graham was heavily inspired when he wrote Osborne Whitworth into existence, and gave us all a new villian to make us cringe. This foppish fool becomes a weapon aimed at Morwenna for committing the unforgivable offense of embarrassing George. How dare she take his stepson to the christening of his enemy’s daughter! Her punishment is to be sold like cattle to the loathsome Whitworth under the guise of an advantageous marriage. After they complete their negotiation for her hand, George comments to Elizabeth that Whitworth overpaid. Who has the funds to buy wives when you have a wardrobe to maintain?
Is Elizabeth sympathetic to Morwenna’s situation? Not at all. She keeps sucking down the laudanum and supporting her disgusting husband in all of his nefarious schemes.
So far the only thing standing in the way of Morwenna’s romance with Drake Carne is Geoffrey Charles’s annoying ability to pop up whenever things are heating up. It doesn’t help that Demelza doesn’t even support the match. One would think she could relate to the romantic notion of marrying for love despite one’s place in life. Then again, her transition wasn’t so smooth and her marriage has hit a few bumps in the road of late. Morwenna is able to momentarily spring herself from Whitworth’s grasp. Elizabeth and George believe they are punishing her by sending her back to Trenwith, but Morwenna laughs all the way home. No more gloomy cliff scenes by the end of this episode. No more interruptions from Geoffrey Charles, either! We finally get some steamy, passionate kisses beaches of Cornwall.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Any predictions for next week?!
