Revelations – As the episode opens, Lucian Ainsworth (Oliver Dench) shoves a beaten and battered Antonio Costa (Francesco Martino) out of a vehicle as Marco Bonacini (Giorgio Marchesi) drives through a dark alley. Virat Sengupta (Gurjeet Singh) sits quietly in the passenger’s seat.

Alice Mays-Smith (Olivia Morris) master horse riding. She attributes her success to Billy Scanlon’s (Louis Healy) teaching. Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone) visits George Livesey (David Schofield) who is recovering from a mild heart attack. Amelia Jackson (Camilla Rutherford) is packing to return home. Bella reminds her of Claudine Pascal’s (Lily Frazer) impending perfume launch party. George is concerned about the potential loss of the hotel. Bella tells him about her plan to pitch her lotion to the fashion house and suggests he utilize the opportunity to make new textile contracts. Bella hopes to raise enough money from her lotion to pay off his hotel loan. He asks if she believes it is possible to raise thousands of pounds. She pleads with him to give her a chance to make things right. Amelia agrees to delay their departure.

Cecil Ainsworth (Mark Umbers) interrupts Jack Turner’s (Adam James). Jack claims he was surviving on money from Loretta’s husband until she kicked him out. He claims his assets were frozen, his export license confiscated, and he narrowly avoided going to jail. Jack has been in contact with his debtors to raise enough money to leave. Cecil claims to have an idea that may help him. Elsewhere, Alice finds Carlo Albani (Daniele Pecci) preparing to go horse riding. She offers to accompany him on his ride. Surprised, he accepts. She races her horse across the prairie into a wooded area when her horse gets spooked and throws her. A frantic Carlo finds her lying on the ground. She claims to be all right. He thought she was gone forever. They kiss passionately.

Ernesto Ballentine (Anthony Cozens) arrives at the hotel and is greeted by Claudine. He complains about working in such a confined hotel. Bella offers him use of the grounds if the weather permits. He gives Claudine a letter from Monsieur Fleury who wants to visit Hotel Portofino with his daughter. Bella and Claudine will have 30 minutes to pitch her lotion brand. Elsewhere, Alice insists on riding her horse back to the farm but she gets spooked. Carlo suggests ignoring the horse and she will come to her. Upset, Alice believes Carlo has been utilizing the same technique on her. He tries to explain but she refuses to listen and walks away. At the hotel, Bella shows Amelia a photo of them with their mother before apologizing for not being a better sister. Bella questions if their mother loved Amelia more than her. She envies Amelia’s close relationship with George. Amelia assures her that their mother loved her and George loves her with all his heart.

Vito (Leonardo Pazzagli) delivers Bella’s finished products – shampoo, skin tonic, body lotion, and bath oil – to the hotel. Bella and Claudine show them to Amelia. Bella says Constance March (Louisa Binder) and Vito (Leonardo Pazzagli) help them. Claudine reminds her that it is her personal formula. Bella tells Amelia that they hope to utilize Claudine’s contacts to market them. Amelia describes the scene as utterly divine. Claudine asks Amelia to help them trademark and brand Bella’s cosmetics. Vito prepares to give Constance a ring but she insists he is moving too quickly. He agrees to delay his proposal and walks away. Bella shows Amelia her trademark. Impressed, Amelia says it is perfect. Constance tells Claudine about Vito’s near-proposal. Claudine believes Vito has many good qualities. Constance denies being in love with him. Claudine urges her to follow her heart.

Lucian tells Bella that Nish was arrested but never made it to Turin. Marco says Costa claims Gianluca’s father paid Vincenza Danioni (Pasquale Esposito) to let Nish go but he doesn’t believe it. He insists they search the forest for evidence. Lucian refuses to let Bella treat his injured hand. Later in the forest, Marco insists Lucian get rid of his army pistol but he refuses.

While spying on Danioni, Cecil claims he paid his cousin, Francesco (Peter Bencic), or a corrupt detective to steal the painting. He assures Jack that Danioni called the financial police on him. After they leave, two men force a battered Costa out of a vehicle. Costa denies seeing the faces of his assailants. Danioni threatens to stop giving Costa’s mother money if he doesn’t talk. Costa says they wanted to know what happened in the woods and about him. Danioni leaves with Francesco and several police officers. Elsewhere, Cecil tells Jack claims they pay Danioni 25 cents of every dollar they make, a total of 30,000 pounds over a three-year span. He says with Danioni out of the picture, Jack could collect his share of the profits and he could return Detroit’s investment.

Marco, Virat, and Lucian dig up what they believe to be a fresh grave. Danioni and his men arrive and set out searching for them. Lucian uncovers human remains. Virat frantically digs with his hands as Danioni and his men move in on them. Virat refuses to leave with the victim’s bracelet. Lucian, Marco, and Virat flee before the police and Danioni arrive. Danioni retrieves Marco’s handkerchief. Later, Lucian shows Bella the charm bracelet which he insists belonged to Nish. Marco insists the bodies be identified. Bella warns against it. Virat is distraught over Nish’s death. Bella and Marco embrace. She convinces Marco to wait until she speaks to Carlo to see if he can help them. Lucian informs Constance of Nish’s death. He professes to love her but warns he is toxic. She professes to love him. As they kiss, she pulls away, says it won’t work between them, and asks him to leave.

Bella urges Virat to eat but he refuses. He blames the gods for taking Nish and vows to never pray again. Constance tells Lucian that she wants to go away with him. He says Tommy needs a father which he cannot be. Paolo approaches. Constance walks away. Elsewhere, Bella and Marco tell Carlo about Nish’s grave. Carlo is relieved to hear they didn’t disturb the human remains. He warns Marco that Danioni will come for them. Carlo agrees to speak with Enzo Colonna in the interior ministry. Marco vows to have the evidence tested and expose Danioni. Carlo urges Marco to calm down. Alice refuses to talk to Carlo.

Constance finds Lucian with his army pistol. He tells her that Nish was murdered. She assures him that there is no need for him to shoot anyone. He says if he doesn’t avenge Nish’s murder, he couldn’t live with himself. She refuses to live with a murderer. Marco apologizes to Bella for his outburst. She says Carlo left for Rome to speak to Enzo. She introduces Amelia and Marco. Amelia looks at him confused.

Jack agrees to help Jack deal with Danioni and returns Bella’s ring. They drink to their deal. Elsewhere, a man alerts Danioni that Marco has returned home. Danioni checks his gun and joins his entourage. Marco is asleep when they storm into his apartment building. The episode ends.

 

Hotel Portofino Review

Lucian, Virat, and Marco discover what they believe to be the remains of Nish in the woods. Costa alerts Danioni of what they are up to. Danioni and a police entourage go to the woods where Nish’s body is buried in a shallow grave. They discover Marco’s handkerchief. After Marco goes to bed, they execute a raid of his flat.

Marco and Bella inform Carlo of Nish’s murder. Carlo agrees to speak with Enzo with the interior ministry in Rome. Marco refuses to back down and vows to see Danioni exposed.

Lucian tells Constance that he is still in love with her. She wants to run away with him but he urges her to stay because of Tommy. Vito wants to marry Constance but she refuses because she doesn’t love him.

Bella tells Amelia that she was envious of her relationship with their mother. Amelia assures her that their mother loved her as much as she loved her. Bella includes her in her plan to market her cosmetics.

The episodes are clunky with too many side stories. The series is very formulaic. Every time the story leads up to something good, it eventually develops into something negative. Night scenes are too dark to see what is going on. The episode deserves a 5.4 out of 10.

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