The Heir – The episode begins with Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips) finding a hidden compartment behind a plaque that reads, “Et servare secreta illorum cordibus vestris” (Let hearts keep their secrets). She pulls out a Whitechapel Orphanage document and a letter. She disappears before the caretaker (Goran Stricevic) enters the room.

Eliza informs Martin Crabtree (Will Merrick) of Sir Reginald Denning being his father. He says his parents died when he was a baby. Clarrisa Crabtree (Tamsin Newlands) asks about Martin’s mother. After telling her that Reginald and his wife never had any children, Eliza suggests Martin’s mother was an affair. She says when Reginald died seven years ago, his name was added to the Bona Vacantia (unclaimed estates). Reginald’s estate, valued at €20,000, now belongs to Martin. She warns them that they have until the day after tomorrow at 6:00 to file the claim.

Eliza and Ivy (Cathy Belton) toast her €1,000 payment from Reginald’s estate. Ivy suggests they host a party. Eliza says the money will afford her a full-time staff. Ivy asks if she and William “The Duke” Wellington (Stuart Martin) had a disagreement because it has been a while since his last visit. Eliza says no, she just wants to enjoy the moment.

Eliza orders a brass plaque and a sign for her door that says “Miss Eliza Scarlet, Private Detective.” She’s standing in front of her office when The Duke approaches. She informs him of the money she’s going to earn from heir-hunting. He asks if she’s avoiding him for some reason. She assures him that it’s just work before closing the door in his face.

Detective Oliver Fitzroy (Evan McCabe) informs The Duke of a stabbing inside a home in Pimlico. The Duke asks how he found Eliza while he was away. Fitzroy describes her as nice and uplifting. The Duke suggests she has something on her mind. Fitzroy says George Saracen’s maid discovered his body. The Duke asks if Eliza mentioned him during their conversations.

Clarrisa tells Eliza that Martin went to the Royal Oak to celebrate but never returned. She gives her a ransom note that requests €500 by 4:00pm to be dropped off at the archway on Belmont Crescent. Eliza asks if they told anyone about Martin’s inheritance. Clarrisa says they received a visit from an heir hunter named James K. Elderberry/Eric Blunt (Tristan Sturrock) after she left.

Eliza asks Moses (Ansu Kabia) to find out who kidnapped Martin and where they are keeping him. Moses informs her that he’s working for Nash and Sons who’s rich. She tells him that she’ll soon be a wealthy woman. He assures her that will never happen if Martin’s killed. She offers to pay him twice as much as he’s getting from Nash if he finds Martin. He asks if she’s willing to put it on paper. She says as long as he’s willing to give her his full name for the contract.

Fitzroy says the maid claims Saracen was scheduled to meet with someone after she was relieved of her duties. When she returned, an old lady was rushing away from the house. The Duke says Saracen was supposed to meet Maud Skelton (Liz Crowther) this morning.

Royal Oak – Eliza asks the bartender about Martin when Elderberry says he left at midnight. She asks about his intentions. He questions if she can afford to cover Martin’s €500 ransom. Eliza assures him that she doesn’t need his assistance. He says he’ll cover the ransom if she cannot. As she walks away, he grabs her arm. She warns him that he’s making a mistake by putting his hands on her.

Eliza returns home to find Ivy feeding Moses. He claims to have found no one who knows about the kidnapping. She suggests the kidnapper knew Martin was about to receive an inheritance. Ivy reminds her of the ad in the newspaper requesting information about Martin.

Fitzroy suggests Saracen’s visitors were linked to the newspaper ad. The Duke questions why Saracen was determined to find Martin. Eliza informs him of Martin’s kidnapping. Fitzroy says whoever killed Saracen stole Martin’s address. Eliza asks if he has any more information. The Duke says no. Fitzroy reminds him of Maud Skelton and the old lady, the maid saw leaving the house. She tells them that the ransom deadline is 4pm.

The Duke and Eliza plan to pay Martin’s ransom in counterfeit money. He says Reginald was a gambler who got killed during a foiled robbery. The police never identified the killer. She admits to knowing about him and Arabella. He tells her that their relationship has developed. She assures him that she’s happy for them.

Eliza waits at the archway on Belmont Crescent when Elderberry approaches. He tells her that Clarrisa informed him of the ransom. She demands he go when a man grabs the bag of money. Elderberry says she’s stupid for getting the police involved as he’s leaving. The Duke approaches to see if she’s okay. She assures him that she’s fine as the police chase the culprit.

The Duke suggests to Elderberry that he set up the kidnapping to get the ransom money because he’s in debt. Elderberry’s real name is Eric Blunt. Fitzroy informs The Duke that they lost the suspect. The Duke asks Blunt why he posed as an heir hunter. Blunt claims Martin’s father, Reginald owed him 10 grand from a poker win. The Duke asks if he figured the money could be recuperated from Martin’s inheritance. Blunt says Reginald’s estate must be claimed by 6pm or it will be handed over to the government. When The Duke informs him of Reginald’s killer never being caught, Blunt assures him that he didn’t do it. The Duke says Saracen was searching for Martin and now he’s dead. Blunt claims to have been in a Bow Street cell yesterday when Saracen was killed.

Eliza’s talking to Clarrisa when Martin walks in. Martin claims to have been kidnapped by two men with East London accents. Eliza says they will go to the solicitor’s office tomorrow morning. The Duke tells him that a police officer will guard his home. Eliza questions if he’s going to let him claim his inheritance. He reminds her of the kidnappers. She asks if he’s trying to prevent her from getting the heir finder fee. He says don’t be irrational.

Eliza asks Moses to solve Martin’s kidnapping case. He asks if she’s still paying him double.

The Duke tells Arabella Acaster (Sophie Robertson) that Eliza’s behaving irrationally. She reminds him of their extended friendship. He assures her that Eliza has always been infuriating.

Ivy weeps over Reginald and Lady Denning’s inability to have a child. When they got pregnant, the baby died during childbirth. Eliza suggests Martin’s mother was Reginald’s maid. Ivy says Maud Skelton’s probably his mother because she asked Reginald to let her see him in a letter.

Eliza and The Duke apologize to each other. The Duke asks Fitzroy to get him Reginald’s file. Fitzroy informs him that it’s missing and Eliza was just in Records.

A diamond necklace and photo frame were reported missing from Reginald’s home when he was murdered. Maud describes Reginald as a good but troubled man. Denying being Martin’s mother, she claims Lady Denning died during childbirth but the baby lived. Eliza says the baby was stillborn. Maud tells her that Reginald forced her to put Martin in the orphanage because he reminded him of Lady Denning. Eliza asks what was the purpose of her visit with Saracen. Maud admits to selling Martin’s name to pay for her ill daughter to see a specialist but Reginald was dead when she went to pick up the money. Eliza asks if she encountered anyone. Maud says a man with an orange handkerchief in his breast pocket.

The Duke approaches Blunt as he approaches Martin’s home. PC Jacobs (Nikola Pavlovic) claims the Blunt that he arrested didn’t look like him.

Moses tells Eliza that Reginald lost his home to Saracen in a card game. She says Saracen and Blunt needed to find Reginald’s heir to get paid.

Blunt denies knowing Saracen. The Duke reads a letter from Saracen to Blunt that validates they were working together to find Reginald’s heir. Blunt admits he and Saracen had a deal to split the money when an heir came forward. Eliza informs him that a witness reported seeing him at Saracen’s house on the day he died. Blunt claims Saracen tried to stab him but he killed him first. The Duke reminds him of his impersonator getting arrested to eliminate Saracen.

The Duke permits Eliza to utilize his carriage to transport Martin to the solicitor’s office.

Eliza admires her new brass door plaque when Martin drops by to pay her first installment. Ivy wonders what Mr. Potts (Simon Ludders) will say about her spending the evening at Dickins and Jones. Eliza tells her that she plans to buy a phonograph to record her own dictations. A policeman (Zoran Nenadic) informs them that the money they utilized to pay for their items was counterfeit.

The Duke tells Martin that the police found the ransom money in his shed. Martin says Maud warned him about his father’s gambling debt and debtors would probably come after his inheritance. He admits to faking his kidnapping.

Eliza asks The Duke if she’ll still receive her heir finder fee. He asks if she wants to press charges against Martin. She informs Clarrisa and Martin that she’ll not press charges so he can keep his inheritance. As she’s leaving, she discovers the stolen photo frame from Reginald’s house. She’s holding a photo of Lady Denning when Martin approaches. He admits to murdering his father.

The Duke tells Eliza that he doesn’t want his relationship with Arabella to come between them. She assures him that they come fast friends. He says she is a terrible liar.

Moses asks Eliza when will she hang her brass door plaque. She says it isn’t appropriate now. He tells her that his name is Moses Valentine which would bring a lot of money.

Arabella invites Eliza for tea. They’re having tea when the maid escorts The Duke into the room. Arabella asks why he’s there. He reminds her that they were supposed to meet at the park. Arabella claims to have forgotten when the episode comes to an end.

 

Miss Scarlet And The Duke Review

Eliza turns to heir-hunting to fund her practice. Reginald Denning left a €20,000 estate with no heir or next of kin. She finds his heir, Martin who grew up in an orphanage. Martin’s mother is believed to be Reginald’s maid Maud. Eliza plans for them to visit the solicitor’s office to claim his inheritance before the 6pm deadline.

Claiming to be an heir hunter, Elderberry visits Martin to offer his services. Martin refuses since he’s already working with Eliza. Martin’s abducted after leaving a pub where he celebrated his inheritance. Elderberry offers to pay Martin’s ransom but The Duke and Eliza plan to utilize counterfeit money. She’s at the drop-off location when a man snatches the bag of counterfeit money.

A man named Saracen is murdered. The maid reported seeing an older lady leaving the house before she found Saracen. He ran an advertisement in the newspaper requesting information about Reginald’s heir. Maud went to his home to sell him Martin’s information. She was going to utilize the money to cover her daughter’s medical bills but he was dead when she went to collect.

Elderberry isn’t an heir hunter, he’s Eric Blunt, a gambler with loads of debt. He claims to be in jail at Bow Street when Saracen’s killed. The arresting officer doesn’t identify Blunt as the man that he arrested. Reginald died owning Blunt and Saracen a lot of money from gambling losses. They make an agreement to split Reginald’s estate if they could find the heir. Blunt hired someone to portray him so he could murder Saracen. With him out of the way, Blunt could have the money Reginald owed him.

Lady Denning died during childbirth. The baby was recorded as being stillborn but was in fact, Martin. Reginald had Martin placed in an orphanage because he reminded him of Lady Denning.

Martin claims his inheritance before the deadline. He pays Eliza a portion of the heir hunter fee. The money turns out to be counterfeit. He staged his kidnapping but Eliza refuses to charge him. Eliza discovers the stolen Denning family photo frame in his house. Martin killed his father during an altercation.

It’s questionable why Arabella asked The Duke to the park and Eliza to tea at the same time. She obviously knew The Duke would come looking for her. I know there are viewers who want Eliza and The Duke to be a couple. I’m beginning to the like the idea of her and Patrick Nash.

The episode deserves a 7. Get more Miss Scarlet & The Duke recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. To advertise with Reel Mockery click here.