Experiments – The episode opens with Cecil Ainsworth (Mark Umbers) calling Randall Gibson-White (Corey Johnson) to discuss the Wall Street crash. Randall tells him that the market dropped 25% over two days and his portfolio lost two-fifths of its value over the last week. Cecil accuses him of not taking extra precautions to protect his and George Livesey’s (David Schofield). Randall claims he lose as much as them before suggesting they ride it out. After a bit of back and forth, Randall admits Nellie Gibson-White’s dowry is gone for now. Cecil says the dowry was meant to cover his divorce settlement. Randall recommends staying married to Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone). Frank (Ludovic Hughes) informs Randall that Nielson took his own life. Stunned, Randall ends his call with Cecil.

Bella tells Cecil that George had a mild heart attack. He stresses the need to ask George if he wants to sell or hold his shares. He says if George opts to sell, he will lost around 50,000. She accuses him of getting George involved in the stock market. He denies the allegation and claims his losses will be more than George’s. He says the divorce settlement will have to be delayed. Billy Scanlon (Louis Healy) teaches Alice Mays-Smith (Olivia Morris) to ride a horse. He starts by demonstrating how to feed the horse. After several attempts, she climbs astride the horse. After a brief walk, she dismounts and walks away.

Upset about their wedding cancellation, Nellie forces Cecil to swear it will take less than a week to get his finances together. She will return to the States until their wedding. Billy overhears Mama Salvatore (Edita Karadjole) saying it will surely be difficult for Betty Scanlon (Elizabeth Carling) to give up her family and join the Salvatore family. Betty and Salvatore (Bruno Nacinovich) will share a home with his mother. Elsewhere, Bella tells Amelia Jackson (Camilla Rutherford) that George’s recklessness is to blame for his heart attack. Amelia blames Cecil for getting George involved in the stock market. George secured a 12-month loan with his business as collateral. He has no money to repay the load. Amelia assures her that George will not recant on his threat if she divorces Cecil. Bella asks why she resents her. Amelia denies resenting her.

Mama Salvatore demands only Italian bread served at Betty and Salvatore’s wedding. Betty assures them that her bread is as good as any Italian bread. Mama insists they have a bake-off and Salvatore will decide whose recipe is the best. Elsewhere, Bella informs Constance March (Louisa Binder) Claudine Pascal (Lily Frazer), and Paola (Carolina Gonnelli) of her plan to ask Vito (Leonardo Pazzagli) to make the lye for her lotion. The women work on Bella’s lotion when Lucian Ainsworth (Oliver Dench) asks Constance to assist him while Bella races to the hotel to meet Vincenza Danioni (Pasquale Esposito). She demands he leave but he refuses until he offers to buy her hotel. She says it isn’t for sale. He shows her a newspaper headlining the Wall Street crash. She tells him that she would rather burn it to the ground than sell it to him. He arrogantly says that can be arranged before leaving.

While Bella is away, Claudine has Paola to add a lot more rose oil to her lotion formula. Constance looks horrified. In the kitchen, Salvatore refuses to decide between Mama Salvatore and Betty’s bread recipes. They swap breads and take a bite. Both women find fault in each other’s recipes but savor every bite. Bella returns to find the lotion thicker and clumpier than usual. Paolo admits they added more beeswax and rose oil. Seeing the rose oil bottle empty, Bella says there are no more rose petals. Stressed, she tells them about Danioni’s offer to buy her hotel. Elsewhere, a frantic Cecil tells a very calm Danioni that his portfolio lost 40% of its value. Danioni claims they have lost nothing. They have a week to repay the 60,000-pound loan. Danioni says the loan is 100,000 pounds, the value of the investment. Cecil draws back his fist to hit him. Two men quickly apprehend him. Retrieving a piece of broken glass, Danioni cuts Cecil’s throat and reminds him that he is rich. As the men escort Cecil away, Danioni warns of a bloodbath if Bella’s mother’s ring isn’t returned to him.

Bella tells Claudine that she must repay the 80,000-pound loan in full. She agrees to settle for 10,000 to cover the principal. Claudine tries to reassure her that she can pull it off. Amelia gives Claudine the cold shoulder. Bella says Amelia was a sickly child but she insisted on going to school and caught viral pneumonia. Their mother fell ill and died when Bella was nine. Never realizing it before, Bella always blamed Amelia.

Luciana, Marco Bonacini (Giorgio Marchesi), Virat Sengupta (Gurjeet Singh) discuss their plans to force Antonio Costa (Francesco Martino) to talk. Cecil encounters Jack Turner (Adam James) while he is out. At the hotel, Bella is tidying up Cecil’s room when she discovers a photo of Nellie and Cecil kissing. Elsewhere, Jack shows Cecil a brochure for Peter Paul Rubens’ Venus With A Mirror painting which has been stolen. He claims Fannucci said Cecil stole the painting that Francesco gave him. Cecil laughs. Jack threatens to shoot him in the head. Cecil tells him about his investment loss before urging Jack to shoot him.

Bella is outside waiting for Cecil when Marco pulls up. Luciana speaks to her before going inside. She tells Marco about George’s investment loss and heart attack. Luciana overhears her say she must repay 80,000 pounds, so George doesn’t have to sell his business. She was going to utilize the divorce settlement but Cecil doesn’t have it. She will have to sell the hotel. Marco professes to love her. Lucian starts to tell Constance something but she walks away. Alice asks if he is aware of Bella and Cecil’s divorce plans. He assures her if he had known, he would have celebrated because Cecil is worthless. Alice sarcastically says he failed at love and walks away. Lucian confronts Bella about her and Marco’s relationship. When she starts to explain, he assures her that he is happy for her. She urges him to forgive himself for what happened to Rose because he deserves love. He says she deserves love as well.

Jack forces Cecil at gunpoint to open his drawers. When there is no money to be found, he hits Cecil with his gun. Fearing for his life, Cecil tells him where Bella’s ring is hidden. Collecting the ring, Jack says he has 24 hours to pay the rest of what he owes him. Bella finds Cecil beaten and battered. While she cleans his face, he says Randall no longer has the money for Nellie’s dowry. He admits to owing a business associate a lot of money and he wants it back. Returning his photo, she demands he take the blame for their divorce. He laughs and congratulates her. A short time later, Bella makes herself a drink when she comes up with the idea of utilizing citrus oil in her lotion.

Bella shares her plan to utilize citrus oil with Constance. With the orange harvest going on, she will have an endless supply. She wants Constance to learn how to extract the oil from oranges. Constance voices concern about being alone with Vito but reluctantly agrees to help Bella. Alice pays Billy for the horse-riding session. He urges her to not give up as she walks away. Lucian sees Vito and Constance together at the apothecary shop. Alice offers the horse a treat. The horse gently takes it from her hand. Lucian, Marco, and Virat abduct Costa. When he refuses to talk, Lucian hits him. Marco and Virat intervene. Virat says Anish wouldn’t want them to do it. Lucian insists it is the only way to get answers. Marco holds Costa while Lucian punches him. The beating continues until Costa claims they entered the woods and only one came out alive. He says Danioni is responsible as the episode ends.

 

Hotel Portofino Review

The market crash sends investors into chaos. The value of Cecil’s investment portfolio drops by 40%. He no longer has the money to settle the divorce. Bella discovers a photo of Cecil and Nellie kissing. She demands he accept the blame for their divorce because she is going to file. In the meantime, she works on her lotion formula which is halted by Claudine utilizing all of her rose oil stock. She comes up with an idea that would replace rose oil with citrus oil from oranges. Lucian sees Constance and Vito together.

Lucian, Marco, and Virat beat Costa until he tells them what happened to Anish. He claims Danioni is responsible. Lucian is thrilled when he learns that Bella is divorcing Cecil.

Cecil is forced to utilize Bella’s ring to help pay back a debt. He has 24 hours to pay Jack what he owes him. The episode deserves a 5.6 out of 10.

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