Drake, Drake, Drake. What are we going to do with you? It seems Drake is planning to leave Nampara once he’s healed up, since there’s nothing left for him here now that a glum Morwenna has told him it’s hopeless. Plus, Morwenna is glum pretty much 24/7 anyway.
Ross, not knowing George and Elizabeth are at Trenwith (eating strawberries together in bed!), rolls up to say hi to Aunt Agatha and is about to beat a hasty retreat when Morwenna enters the room. She asks after Drake, of course, but declines to send a message after Aunt Agatha gives her a LOOK.
Meanwhile, the member of Parliament that George hopes to replace has finally kicked it, so he’s jazzed as heck at the prospect of movin’ on up. Obviously this would be a total disaster for not just Ross, but also everyone who has to interact with George ever, because he’s awful.
Dr. Enys is clearly struggling with PTSD from his time in prison, and Pug Lady’s attempts at cheering him with marzipan are falling quite flat. He’s really had a terrifying ordeal, and when Pug Lady tries to entice him with her sexuality, he begs off and goes to read upstairs. The next morning, he nearly jumps out of his skin when Pug Lady sneaks up on him. UGH, she just refuses to figure out that he’s suffering. Happily, Armitage comes to visit Enys and helps him to understand that Pug Lady is just doing her best to cheer him up, and is not completely insensible to his pain. Ross, for his part, begs Enys to confide in her and give her the chance to know his heart.
George, having figured out that Ross has been swinging by in his absence in order to see Aunt Agatha, is on the warpath. He questions Morwenna and finds out Ross was on the property that very morning. This sharpens George’s resolve to pack Morwenna off to marry Whitworth at once. Whitworth, however, is busily sucking the toes of a woman of the night in town. He is not a good clergyman.
Drake, having gotten a bit of encouragement from Demelza (and keen on messing with toads on Trenwith land), decides to make a Hail Mary play for Morwenna. She finally shows some spirit and barks at him that she has to follow the rules of society, even though her heart clearly burns for him. Then they make out, naturally.
The aforementioned toads are tormenting George with their constant croaking, and his men have been unable to get rid of them. Being George, he immediately suspects that Ross BROUGHT the toads to Trenwith to bother him, and puts five men out to guard the property that night. I am very concerned for Drake! So is Jeffrey Charles, who dashes off to deliver a note to him with a warning. Mind you, he puts it in the care of Prudie, which … yeah. Demelza finds it and tears off to find Drake, who is already busily dumping toads in George’s damnable pond. The two of them flee, but Drake has a hatchet thrown into his back. Ross appears just in time to take down George’s man and everyone scarpers.
George, infuriated at being foiled yet again, announces that Jeffrey Charles will be packed off to Harrow next term. When the boy stops by Nampara to bid farewell to Drake, he accidentally drops the news that Morwenna is to marry Whitworth, and that she’s not thrilled about the match. He sends him back with a message for Morwenna. George spots Jeffrey Charles slipping her the note, because people are always watching intrigues in Cornwall.
She meets with Drake down by the cliffs, where he takes off his SHIRT for her to see his bruises. She touches his BODY. They make out again. He begs her to consider waiting for him until he’s able to support her. Naturally, one of George’s henchmen spots them locked in a hot embrace. This will not go well for Morwenna or Drake.
George is pissed as all hell when Morwenna announces she will NOT marry Whitworth, but his rage goes up about 50 notches when his henchmen adds the Drake piece to the puzzle. She’s to be packed off to her mother in disgrace, as her ho’ing makes her unfit for a fine man like Whitworth.
Disaster comes from a most unexpected direction, as George and Elizabeth discover that Jeffrey Charles made Drake a present of a fancy Bible, giving George the chance to have him arrested for theft. Since it’s worth 40 shillings, it’s a capital offense and guess who the magistrate is? Jeez, George. You are really not concerned about your eternal soul.
Demelza is, of course, HUGELY dismayed and irked at Ross for turning down the magistrate position when he had the opportunity, so Ross rides for Trenwith to bargain with George for the boy’s life. It goes about as well as you might think. Ross does take the opportunity to tell George that the district has only been kept in check from rising up to burn Trenwith and its master at Ross’s behest, and if Drake hangs, no one will be able to prevent the rage of the people. Elizabeth herself would prefer that a compromise be met, and one arrives in the form of Whitworth.
George, in maybe his tenth most evil move to date, tells Morwenna that unless she marries Whitworth, Drake will hang. THIS IS MESSED UP! (Elizabeth certainly agrees, but she’s not going to start defying George at THIS stage of the game.)
Drake, ignorant of the reason his charge was dropped, happily returns to Nampara. Ross offers him a stake in his business, making it possible for him to ask for Morwenna’s hand. Oh, buddy. Oh, little buddy.
Meanwhile, listening to that good advice, Dr. Enys finally takes the time to tell Pug Lady why he appears so changed. Their luxurious life is now unpleasant to endure, and riddles him with guilt, and she understands and pledges to help him bear his situation. This story, at least, has a happy ending.
A still-rejoicing Drake receives word from Aunt Agatha of Morwenna’s state, and he gallops off to Trenwith Chapel just in time to see her depart as Whitworth’s wife. Morwenna and Drake both look as miserable as two people ever have, and George looks like the cat who ate the canary.
What a mess.