Before the Battle of Waterloo, two lovers make a vow
and start a secret that can unravel their two families. Nearly thirty years later, both are dead, but
their families and their deadly secret remains.
Belgravia is a novel told in serial form such as great Victorian novels
were in the past by Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell. Each piece of the story ends with a
cliffhanger to be resolved by the next part of the story.
Episode 10 is a penultimate episode. Many of the threads of the story have lead up
to this episode and many secrets are revealed.
In the previous Episode 9, Jane Croft, Sophia Trenchard’s former maid,
had paid a visit to Anne Trenchard on her way to America. She brought along letters and papers from
Sophia that she wanted to give her mother.
Among the papers was the marriage certificate between Sophia Trenchard
and Edmund Bellasis as well as a paper from Sophia explaining the treachery involved
and how she was tricked into marriage.
Two spies in the house, Anne’s lady maid Ellis, and the butler, Mr. Turton,
secret copies of the papers to John Bellasis (heir apparent to the earldom
after the death of Edmund). Lady Maria
Grey increasingly cannot deny her feelings for Charles Pope and feels forced
into marriage with John Bellasis. She
contacts Charles Pope for help and together they approach Lady Brockenhurst. Will Maria and Charles be able to follow the
path of true love? What will those
mysterious papers provide? Was the marriage
between Sophia and Edmund legitimate? For a review of Episode 9, see this post at Confessions of a Book Addict.
Episode 10 starts with a startling revelation, John
Bellasis learns from a military friend and amateur historian that Richard
Bouverie, the man who married Sophia and Edmund, was a Captain in the army who
retired in 1802 and went on to take holy orders. He later returned to his regiment when
Napoleon escaped from Elba was killed together with Edmund Bellasis in the
Battle of Waterloo. Therefore, the
marriage between Sophia and Edmund was indeed legitimate. John is stunned by the news and tells his
friend he was asking for a friend. His
companion laughs and replies:
“Well, you can tell him he has nothing to worry
about. He’s as legal and legitimate as
the little Princess.”
Lady Maria Grey is staying with Lady Brockenhurst
and both are visited by Maria’s mother, Lady Templemore. Lady Templemore attempts to take Lady Maria
home, but she will not go and tells her mother that she plans to marry Charles
Pope and refuses to marry John Bellasis.
Lady Templemore is not pleased by this news and tells Caroline (Lady
Brockenhurst”, “you have stolen my daughter and ruined my life. I curse you for it.” Wow!
Susan Trenchard is pregnant. She loves John Bellasis and has told him the
news. Once she finds out that Charles
Pope is the true heir of the earldom and John will be disinherited and penniless,
she offers to divorce Oliver Trenchard and marry John and bring her inheritance
as the only child of a wealthy merchant with her. John responds by laughing hysterically and
says “Do you seriously imagine that I would ever marry the divorced daughter of
a dirty tradesman?” Susan leaves, but
not before she makes sure she has the important papers with her. She takes them home with her and gives them
to her father-in-law after saying a boy has dropped them off.
James and Anne Trenchard are stunned by the
papers. Anne has the originals, but they
now have the news that the marriage was legitimate. James doesn’t want to spread the news without
checking it first. Anne recognizes the
handwriting, which leads to the dismissal of Ellis and Mr. Turton. They make one desperate attempt to take out
Susan with them, but Susan’s lady maid, Speer, makes sure that doesn’t happen.
James also tells Anne that after eleven years of
marriage, Susan and Oliver are finally having a baby. Anne puts two and two together and confronts
Susan. They agree that Susan and Oliver
will live at the country estate and Oliver will give up the business to be a
country squire. They will never mention
that the baby is not Oliver’s. Oliver is
shocked by the news, but Susan spins a great story and says she did it for the
two of them as what they were missing in life was a baby. Oliver is touched and feels that Susan really
loves him. Susan realizes “She was in
the clear.”
This was a powerful episode with many revelations
and changes for major characters. I love
how Susan is a survivor and was able to take the devastation of not having John’s
love, to finally get what she and Oliver wants - a child as well as an estate
of her own and a better life for Oliver, who is not a man of business. Susan is not a fan of living at the estate,
but realizes that being the lord and lady in the country with visits back to
London is a good life for them.
I also enjoy how all of John’s snooping has led to
our heroes finding out the truth that Charles Pope is actually the legitimate
child of Sophia and Edmund, and the heir to the earldom. I can’t wait for the Trenchards to verify
this and let Lady Brockenhurst know the news.
Both Lord and Lady Brockenhurst will be exalted by the news of a legitimate
grandson and heir, but what will Stephen Bellasis do with his outstanding debt
and no path to the inheritance? And how
will his son John react after the news gets out?
I adored the love story between Charles Pope and
Lady Maria Grey. Charles is held back by
honor, Maria’s engagement, and his low birth compared to her. I can’t wait until they learn the news, but
one thing I wonder about is Pope’s clear head and interest in business. How will that work as an earl? Also I can’t wait for Lady Templemore’s
reaction to the news. I’m sure her
treatment of Charles will promptly change, but he has already seen her true
colors.
The story of the servants was also engaging. I love how Speer sticks with Susan for now,
but realizes she may be dismissed in the future, but will have a great
reference. I was glad that the two
servants, Ellis and Mr. Turton, who turned against their employers of many
years in order to make extra cash, were turned out.
I love that servants are included in the story in
the style of Julian Fellowes Downton Abbey, although I would love more of their
story. I love the setting of the story,
starting in the Regency period and then set firmly in the Victorian Age. I find the story very engaging and hard to
put down. I t is very engaging being
written in a serial form. The storyline
and characters are very interesting and I always want to know what will happen
next.
What will happen next week in our final episode of
Belgravia? How will the secret be let out? What will Charles think by the news as
everyone seems to know now but him? How
will Stephen act to him and John no longer being the heirs? I can’t wait to find out! Gwyn Cready will be posting a review of this final episode next week at this link.
What did you think about this episode? Were you surprised how Susan was able to spin
events to a satisfying conclusion? Did
you have any thoughts that Edmund and Sophia’s marriage was legitimate before
this episode?
BELGRAVIA PROGRESSIVE
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:
- April 14 – Austenprose.com: Episode 1: Dancing into Battle
- April 14 – Edwardian Promenade: Episode 2: A Chance Encounter
- April 21 – Fly High: Episode 3: Family Ties
- April 28 – Calico Critic: Episode 4: At Home in Belgrave Square
- May 05 – Luxury Reading: Episode 5: The Assignation
- May 12 – Risky Regencies: Episode 6: A Spy in our Midst
- May 19 – Book Talk and More: Episode 7: A Man of Business
- May 26 – Mimi Matthews: Episode 8: An Income for Life
- June 02 – Confessions of a Book Addict: Episode 9: The Past is a Foreign Country
- June 09 – Laura’s Reviews: Episode 10: The Past Comes Back
- June 16 – Gwyn Cready: Episode 11: Inheritance
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Giveaway
Contest
Win a
Copy of Julian Fellowes’ Belgravia
In
celebration of the release of Julian
Fellowes’ Belgravia, Grand Central Publishing is offering a chance to win
one of the three (3) hardcover copies of the book!
