Episode 3 of Belgravia: The Next Chapter ended with Frederick being livid at Clara for bringing James home and having the talk with him. Frederick had made his stance on his younger brother clear, and he felt betrayed by his wife. Clara, on the other hand, wanted to know what transpired in the house and was trying to mend Frederick’s family by wanting to learn what transpired in the house. James was more than willing to help, but Frederick could not stand his brother for one minute.
Spoilers Ahead
What Did Frederick Want To Know About The Meeting With James?
Frederick was willing to forgive Clara for her indiscretion, but he was keen to know what transpired in the meeting. Clara made herself clear about her intention to know more about his father and brother. She comes forward and claims to want to help him find peace, but Frederick would not have it. Frederick was humble with her, being willing to move past this incident, and promising to never be angry with her. Clara, as a wife, was only trying to tap into the emotional side of her husband and probably help him come to terms with his past so he could move on.
Clara felt Frederick was still stuck in the past and did not want him to stay that way for a long time, but it seemed Frederick did not want her to help him. He was happy in the bubble he’d created for himself. There were several other times she requested that he let her help him, but his position in society and inside the home did not give him the luxury to come across as a gentleman who was emotionally supported by his wife. This caused a small crack in their marriage, as Clara was slowly losing her mind as well.
Did James And Clara Meet Again?
James and Clara met again, possibly for the last time, as she understands Frederick’s bone of contention was James and their father. Clara and James were aware they probably would not meet like this ever again. Clara tried to extract as much information as possible about the relationship the brothers shared with their parents. James was trying to make her understand the wound caused by his father in Frederick, and how it would probably take time for his brother to heal.
James was a first-hand witness to the emotional abuse his brother was put through. As a kid, he probably had no say in how his father behaved with his brother, and he remained a silent spectator. James, as an adult, tries to make Clara come to terms with the gravity of the abuse, which made Frederick stay away from his mother and father during their last days as well. James believed their mother expected the boys to push the pain and anger down. This caused some distress in Frederick, as per James. Clara was slowly able to form a picture of her husband’s childhood and wanted to help him instead of abandoning him.
Why Was Emily Suspecting Nell?
Emily was given the charge of running a small fundraiser for the church. The fundraiser was a food-related event that was not handled properly as per Reverend James. Emily, who further wanted to impress the Reverend, was keen on making sure the event was a success. She began noticing Nell around Reverend and acted jealous when the young woman tried to have a conversation with the clergyman and distracted her on several occasions. Nell could notice Emily’s changed behavior, but she was unable to place the reason behind it. Emily began to conduct searches of Nell’s room in the servant quarters. Emily’s mother caught her doing the same, and she was embarrassed by her moves. Nell was not a threat to her, and slowly the realization dawned on her that she was feeling jealous of Nell for conversing with James.
Was Frederick Interested In Expanding His Business?
Frederick was keen on expanding his business, and he had learned that Marquise was also planning to invest money outside of Europe. Though his colleague wondered if it would be the right time to expand their business, Frederick did not want to stop. He had found the momentum, and he believed Marquise would be able to help him again. Even though there were some causes for concern for the first time, Marquise had shown interest because she could envision the entrepreneur he wanted to become and was willing to consider his proposal.
Why Was Clara Keen On Meeting Dr. Ellerby?
Clara was keen on meeting Dr. Ellerby because she had learned of his unorthodox methods of helping people in distress, especially from the Duchess of Rochester, who was trying to make sure Peter felt okay as his treatment was on. There was a low-key attraction between Clara and Dr. Ellerby as they conversed about how the mind works. Clara was keen to know more about it to help her understand, come to terms with the trauma Frederick was put through, and help him heal.
Clara was acting differently from the usual wives of the elite. She was willing to open her mind and be in the company of people like Dr. Ellerby who were deemed progressive and who people feared would harm the next generation. Clara refused to picture him in that way, even though Lady Davison was trying to keep her from getting involved with the crowd that put her reputation at stake. Dr. Ellerby invited Clara to his studio, and she wholeheartedly accepted.
What Was The Reverend Feeling Guilty About?
Fletcher, the valet at Clara and Frederick’s residence, used to have a nighttime walk with the permission of Mr. Enright. Fletcher used to head to the sauna and end up spending a lot of time there looking at men. Fletcher was gay, and in the era he lived in, society would never accept him having any kind of emotional or romantic relationship with a man. It is understood that many men from the city visited the spa to ogle each other for some gratification, and some of them ended up having a night of pleasure with one of the men they found attractive. The sauna was not a brothel, but only a place for the men to be themselves.
Reverend James was also one of the men at the sauna. As a person who serves God and whose feelings the church does not approve of, James was deep in guilt because of how he felt towards people of his own sex. James went home with another man, but he ended up breaking down over the act of intimacy. Reverend James, although a man of God, felt he was betraying God and the people he serves while working with the church. He clearly thinks he committed sin, and that he would not be forgiven for it.
Did Clara Ditch The Lunch With The Rochesters On Purpose?
Clara and Frederick were invited for lunch at the Rochesters’ home, and the couple were excited for the gathering. Clara also received an invitation from Dr. Ellerby to visit his atelier and meet his friends. Clara was intrigued by the paintings she had the opportunity to witness a while back. She wanted to meet his friend, the painter, and probably wanted to discuss the life of an artist while living in a city as conservative as London. Clara probably wanted to get out of the house and not deal with Frederick. She wanted to explore the cosmopolitan side of London to understand another set of people who have different kinds of thought processes about society in general.
Clara began enjoying the newfound company of Dr. Ellerby and ended up spending a lot more of her time meeting his friends from Paris and hearing their stories. This was all new to Clara, but she was excited to have met a new set of people who think differently. Lady Davison wanted her to leave because it was very unbecoming of Clara to be meeting people she believes have no role in society’s progress. Clara was open to surprises and new experiences and this led to her missing out on the lunch with the Rochesters. It had not been Clara’s intention to ditch the plan, but she’d grown distracted as she began to enjoy the company of Dr. Ellerby and his friends. There was a growing attraction between Dr. Ellerby and Clara, and there was an indication in the eye contact about the possibility of an affair.
Were Frederick And Clara Drifting Apart As A Couple?
Clara and Frederick were only a few months into the marriage, and already they were having issues. Frederick clearly has emotional baggage because of his childhood. He was unwilling to tend to his wife’s emotional needs because of the same and refused to open up. Clara wanted her husband to open up and heal the trauma he was put through. Frederick refused to come to terms with it after Clara begged him to consider reconciling with James. Clara soon felt she was not being heard, and Frederick’s life was a cry for help. This caused a good deal of distance this early in the marriage. Frederick refused to attend any public events with her, which led Clara to make plans for herself.
Frederick waited for his wife to head to the Rochesters for lunch, but she never turned up, and for the first time he wasn’t aware where Clara was. Frederick was either upset at Clara for abandoning him or feared this incident would set the tone for their relationship going forward. Frederick attended the lunch without her, and he missed having her next to him. The episode ended with Clara having a gala time with Dr. Ellerby and his friends while Frederick was holding on to her daily planner, where there was no mention of any other event on that day other than the lunch. This could be the beginning of the end of their relationship, as Clara was seen making intimate eye contact with Dr. Ellerby. Frederick might not be ready for what might hit him in the future.
