The opens with Cassandra Austen (Keeley Hawes) removing Mary Austen’s (Jessica Hynes) waded letter from her pocket. She hears Mary barge into the house and demand to know where Dinah (Mirren Mack) has been. Dinah claims to have been with Isabella Fowle (Rose Leslie). Mary yells out to Cassandra for they have work to do. Cassandra pleasantly greets her. Mary claims Mrs. Bunbury believes her unexpected arrival is harmful to her reputation. Cassandra says hopefully they will soon be on speaking terms again. Mary asks if she found any of Jane’s letters. Cassandra says no. Dinah offers to make up Eliza Fowle’s (Madeleine Walker) room. Mary tells them that she and Eliza were close but she still dreads clearing her room. She orders Dinah to get to work when they hear a commotion in the kitchen. They find Isabella picking up pieces of broken China off the floor. Dinah bends down to help Isabella but Mary insists she get to cleaning Eliza’s room. Isabella tells Cassandra that she must ask Mr. Dundas for more time to vacate the vicarage. Cassandra urges her to meet with her sisters, Mary Jane Dexter (Florence Bell) today. Mary suggests doing it tomorrow. Cassandra offers to clear Eliza’s writing desk. Isabella says her brother will inherit the China she always loved.
Entering a room, Cassandra remembers Eliza reading a letter at her writing desk. She finds a lock of hair tucked inside a sketch and a letter from Jane Austen (Patsy Ferran). In her letter, Jane says Cassy Austen’s (Synnove Karlsen) grief is unchanged but she keeps it to herself for fear of burdening them. In a flashback, Jane, George Austen (Kevin McNally), and Mrs. Austen (Phyllis Logan) watch Jane ride away in a carriage. Jane tells Eliza that Jane accepted Edward Austen’s (Hubert Burton) invitation to stay at his Kent estate. She says he didn’t invite her and believes she may be a bit too eccentric for Kent society. She admits to being surprised Elizabeth Austen (Even Ponsonby) is going along with it. Edward welcomes Jane to Godmersham Park and escorts her to meet his children who excitedly greet her. Jane questions if Elizabeth is set to gain from Cassy’s visit. A servant shows Cassy to her room. Back to the present, Dinah warns Cassandra against calling on Mary Jane without warning. Cassandra suggests Mary Jane will approve when she learns the purpose of her visit. She stresses the importance of ensuring Isabella is settled without delay. A short time later, an eccentric Mary Jane rushes Cassandra into her house and quickly secures the door. Cassandra sees a series of animal sculptures throughout the room. Mary Jane describes them as the “joys of the Empire” from the Halcyon Days. She claims to be glad Isabella will live with her because she wouldn’t survive a day on her own.
Isabella encounters Mr. Lidderdale (Alfred Enoch) while out doing errands. She tells him that she is clearing the vicarage for Mr. Dundas. He asks if she has found a place to live. She assures him that it has been taken care of. He says insecurity is unsettling and wishes her luck. In her letter, Jane tells Eliza that Cassy’s correspondence frequently mentions Spillikins. The scene switches to Jane playing Spillikins with Edward’s children. Cassy asks Elizabeth if it would be okay for her to walk in the garden while the baby sleeps. Elizabeth insists she stays there because it is warm outside. She says her visit has worked out well. Cassy expresses how grateful she is to be there. Elizabeth goes to rest before dinner. Later, Cassy overhears Elizabeth insisting Edward delay going to the stables because their guests will arrive soon. He asks if Cassy knows when to come down for dinner. She suggests it is inappropriate for a grieving Cassy to join their “happy party.” Jane writes to Eliza to request her assistance in removing Cassy from Godmersham. Later, Cassy leaves Godmersham with a smile on her face.
Fulwar Fowle (Felix Scott) stands in the hallway while Cassy comforts Eliza in labor. Cassy tells him it is a girl. Disappointed it is not a boy, he walks away. In her letter, Jane says Isabella’s adventures will be magnificent and stretch further than Berkshire. Cassy shows baby Isabella her and Tom Fowle’s tree. In the present, Cassandra looks out at the tree. Isabella helps Arthur (Saxon Fox) work on his math. Cassandra is impressed. Dinah claims Fulwar never told Isabella that he was proud of her and shouted at her. Cassandra asks for more details but Dinah declines to speak further. A short time later, Cassandra visits the school where Beth Fowle (Clare Foster) to find it closed. A boy (Alfie Tempest) says Beth is at Miss Winterbourne’s. She enters the flat. Beth and Lidderdale warn her that Winterbourne has diphtheria and she must leave. Beth assures Cassandra that Isabella can ensure her future and invites her to visit the school when it reopens. She finds Mary searching Eliza’s writing desk when she returns. Not finding any of Jane’s letters, Mary insists on throwing Eliza’s papers away. She demands the dog, Pyramus, be banned from the house. Isabella puts Eliza’s papers back in the desk. Dinah scoops Pyramus up. A short time later, Mary makes herself comfortable with Dinah’s help. Cassandra informs them of Beth assisting Lidderdale care for the sick. Mary says it isn’t a surprise they are close. Once alone, Mary claims Fulwar didn’t approve of Beth’s activities.
Cassandra stuffs the letters into a chest before Mary bursts into the room. Retrieving a seashell, she claims to be trying to hear the sea. Mary assures her it is nothing more than a children’s story. In a flashback, Jane listens to the sea through a seashell. She is excited about their impending trip to Sidmouth. Eliza says she will miss her when Mary and James Austen (Patrick Knowles) arrive. Jane gives young Anna (Vivien Battley) a seashell to listen to the sea. Anna asks what the sea looks like. Cassy says she will see it in person soon. Mary assures her that she and James will manage without her. Anna lowers her head. Back to the present, Mary urges Isabella to pull herself together. Cassandra reminds her that Isabella recently lost Fulwar. Mary suggests the death of an elderly Fulwar is easier to bear. Cassandra offers to read from Jane’s novel. Mary recalls Fulwar forbidding her from reading Jane’s novels. Isabella says he is no longer with them. Mary offers to recite James’ poetry. Isabella quite enjoys Jane’s character, Anne Elliot. Dinah and Isabella listen intently while Cassandra reads from Jane’s novel. Isabella asks if Jane ever knew love. Cassandra says Jane’s greatest love was writing. Mary recalls Jane and Cassandra fell for the same man in Sidmouth. Cassandra has a flashback of her first encounter with Henry Hobday (Max Irons). In the present, she makes an excuse to be alone.
In a flashback, Cassy, Jane, and Anna are on the beach. Anna asks Cassy why she only wears black. Cassy says it becomes her. They leave Jane to enjoy the beach and visit a dress shop in the town. Mrs. Hobday (Rebecca Johnson) says she is charming. Cassy reaches out to open the door when Henry enters and compliments Anna’s seashell. He and his mother, Mrs. Hobday leave. A short time later, Anna tells Jane about the man in the dress shop. To avoid the conversation, Cassy leaves to help Mrs. Austen. Later, Jane, Cassy, and Mrs. Austen are walking on the beach when they encounter Henry. Mrs. Austen introduces him to Jane and Cassy who says they met earlier in the dress shop. Later, Henry gives Anna fossils that he found on the beach. Cassy sketches a photo of Henry. George captures a glimpse of the photo before she stuffs it into her folder. Later, Anna tells Jane about the sketch. Cassy tells them about her other sketches. Mrs. Austen asks what he thinks of Henry. George says he is gifted. Cassy agrees and suggests he would be perfect for Jane. Later, Jane denies having any interest in Henry. Back to the present, Mary asks Cassandra if she offended her earlier. Cassandra says no.
Mrs. Hobday tells Mrs. Austen that her husband died from a tumor four years ago. She says Henry reads to her every night. Jane asks if he enjoys reading Burney and Edgeworth. Mrs. Hobday boasts of him being an artist, philosopher, and scientist. After church, Jane says the sermon was vulgar. Cassy and George apologize on her behalf. Henry agrees with her. Later, Jane tells Cassy that Henry has fallen for her. Cassy denies having any interest in him. Back to the present, Cassandra reads another of Jane’s letters. In her letter, Jane tells Eliza that she and Anna are secretly planning something for Cassy. In a flashback, Cassy returns to her room to find a yellow dress on her bed. Later, Anna, Jane, Frank Austen (Jake Kenny-Byrne), and Cassy go to the beach. Henry approaches, compliments Cassy, and holds out his arm. She takes it and he escorts him further down the beach. He offers his condolences for her loss of Tom. She claims her grief has grief has lessened. Back to the present, Cassandra reads Jane’s letter in which she tells Eliza that Cassy is in love. Mary later finds her downstairs in a confused state. Cassandra asks to be left alone, returns to her room, and stuffs Jane’s letters into a drawer before collapsing to the floor. The drawer is left open with the letters visible inside. Isabella and Dinah find her and realize she has a fever. Isabella insists on taking care of her because Lidderdale is extremely busy.
Miss Austen Review
The constant time jumps alter the story flow. The present-day scenes are sluggish, dull, and haphazardly thrown together. The flashbacks make the series what it is but they may not be enough to engage viewers. It would have been more effective to start in the past and progress forward to the present. The episode deserves a 6 out of 10.
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Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.