Scandalous Speculation

[OtterMommy]

Who's stabbing whose back next?  Speculate here!

[OtterMommy]

In the 02.04 thread, @mirandroid posted:

Quote

I know this is out of left field, but with the way that Isabelle keeps looking at Charlotte, it makes me wonder if Charlotte is somehow the baby had out of wedlock. That makes the brother situation all the more squicky.

I actually read this post before watching the episode and my first reaction was "Yeah, that really is out of left field."  However, once I actually got a chance to watch this, I'm thinking you might be onto something.  All the pieces seem to be lining up in a way that points to this.  Not only is Isabelle strangely protective of Charlotte, but the point was also made that Margaret treats Lucy is a very different way than she treated Charlotte when she was starting out.

The other possibility, which may not even be mutually exclusive, is that Isabelle is aware of her brother's (and Lord Fallon's) "activities" and is trying to prevent more girls from falling victim.

[snowwhyte]

There is definitely more of a physical resemblance between Charlotte and Liv Tyler than with Margaret Wells. 

I know rich men often had no care for their children born out of wedlock but I would like to think Liv Tyler's character would have tried to ensure her illegitimate child ended up with a nice family and not in a brothel. If the child was taken away by her father and disposed of without her knowledge that could explain it. Maybe he paid Quigley to take it and that is why she is in on the secret. 

[PinkRibbons]

I feel like the idea of Charlotte's being Lady Fitz's child is both likely and unlikely. Likely because of the hints being dropped this season -- Lady Fitz's behavior towards her, Margaret's almost cryptic "Wells Women" talk, that kind of thing.

(Incidentally, it was mentioned in the latest episode thread that the Marquis would know about his sister's baby, but considering the likely timing I would bet he'd been away at school throughout the pregnancy and easily missed it, especially if Lady Fitz had been sent out of town for the pregnancy. I'm totally with the incest baby theory.)

That being said, a lot of what Nancy and Margaret said last season really makes me think Charlotte would have to be Margaret's. From the way they talked, it sounded like they escaped Quigley the same way Emily Lacey did - by chance and suddenly. Why grab a child that was not even either of theirs as they left? Especially since it seems to be true that Quigley doted on Charlotte and they wouldn't necessarily think she'd be in immediate danger when they left. We know they went to the law because they got Quigley arrested and flogged. So I would think that taking Charlotte with them had to have been out of fear that Quigley would hurt her as a reprisal against Margaret, if not just plain maternal feeling.

Charlotte and Lucy's parentage is an interesting question in any case; considering the clientele that Quigley has, Charlotte most likely has a very respectable father somewhere, but "brother babies" don't belong to anyone, in Fanny's words. I think Lucy was the simple result of some freelance work Margaret did between leaving Quigley's and starting her own house. Maybe Lucy's birth was the impetus behind Margaret wanting to settle down and start moving up in the world.

I think I must be a bit of a Margaret apologist because I've always assumed that when she "debuted" Charlotte, it coincided with a financial crisis, just like with Lucy. From what Nancy said, turning Charlotte out made her sick to her stomach, which makes me think that she must have done it somewhat out of duress. I suppose she at least thought that Charlotte had been older than she'd been, and that was some comfort.

One thing I do always wonder about is why Margaret doesn't speak/pretend with a more genteel accent, considering her years with Quigley. It would be an asset to her on her road to respectability. I do totally get why Nancy dropped any pretense of being one of Quigley's caged birdies.

And speaking of which, suppose the Lady Fitz's child is hidden in plain sight among Quigley's girls?

[pamplemousse]

I don't think Charlotte is Lady Fitz's child, but I don't even have a guess as to who is.

I think Justice Hunt starting to kind of care about harlots and how a woman ends up a harlot, as well as Margaret and the others denouncing him for not doing much to find Kitty's killer, might be some foreshadowing that when he finds out Fallon murdered Kitty he will do his utmost to send him to the gallows -- and probably Quigley will contribute to that in some way to save her own hide (like turning state's witness or something). The actor who plays Fallon said he "loved this job" past tense so yeah, unfortunately, I don't think Fallon will be making it past S2. Of course that would be exactly what he deserves but I hope they don't try to pull some Lucy sad and crying at his execution scene (or pls no even worse she's pregnant with his hellspawn). It'd be a pity because I think the character is super interesting and a fun evil character to love to hate and the actor is terrific, but as we saw with Kitty Carter this show pulls no punches when it comes to killing off interesting popular characters (yes, I'm still bummed they did that). 

[OtterMommy]

In the 02.04 thread, @Elivesta29 wrote:

Quote

I'm not sure about Charlotte not being Margaret's, what motivation would a rather ambitious, relatively self serving bawd have to take in a child that wasn't hers? When Margaret and Nancy escaped Quigley's, taking a child who wasn't either of theirs seems a pretty burdensome thing to do. We know Charlotte was born under Quigley's roof, and it seems Lucy wasn't(as it hasn't been mentioned and Quigley's shown no interest in Lucy, but plenty in Charlotte) maybe Margaret associated Charlotte with Quigley, and perhaps she had less time to bond with Charlotte in comparison to Lucy. 

Yes, that sort of gives me pause.  On the one hand, we've seen (with Fanny's baby and what we've heard about Margaret and her daughters), that babies born in the brothels are raised by all the women there.  Given that, I can see Margaret forming an attachment with this child and then taking her when she left.  That would also give us another reason why Quigley was so furious with Margaret--it's not just that she lost Margaret (an employee), but also Charlotte (a potential employee, who didn't "belong" to Margaret).

On the other hand, if this were the case, Margaret would have to know about Isabelle and, so far, that doesn't seem to be the case.  I'm wracking my brain, have they even been in each other's orbit yet?  I know they were both at the pleasure ball, but I don't remember their paths crossing...and I don't remember Charlotte ever mentioning Isabelle to Margaret.  So, who knows what is going on? 

I will say, that if it does play out that Isabelle is in fact Charlotte's mother, they set it up better than most shows would have.    And if it turns out that it is something else, that is one heck of an effective red herring they just threw us. 

[MCMLXXVII]

15 hours ago, PinkRibbons said:

One thing I do always wonder about is why Margaret doesn't speak/pretend with a more genteel accent, considering her years with Quigley. It would be an asset to her on her road to respectability.

Yes! This is has bothered me since last season. Even at the beginning of season 1, I would have thought that Charlotte especially would “code switch” to a posher accent around the nobles.

[Riplet68]

Charlotte does effect a posh accent when she feels it’s necessary.  Quigley said something last season about being bummed that her son was the one she kept, when she could have got rid of him like others, or kept a different one, or something like that.  Of course that could be alluding to abortion

[MCMLXXVII]

27 minutes ago, Riplet68 said:

  Quigley said something last season about being bummed that her son was the one she kept, when she could have got rid of him like others, or kept a different one, or something like that.  Of course that could be alluding to abortion

Hmm...It makes sense that a baud might be the go-to person for discreet abortion/birth control information at that time. Maybe Lady Isabelle’s attempt failed?

[rubinia]

8 hours ago, Riplet68 said:

Charlotte does effect a posh accent when she feels it’s necessary.  Quigley said something last season about being bummed that her son was the one she kept, when she could have got rid of him like others, or kept a different one, or something like that.  Of course that could be alluding to abortion

Or adoption (aka abandoning babies at an orphanage).

[OtterMommy]

My guess is that Quigley employed both abortion and "adoption" in her childbearing history, but I would also add abandonment to the list.  We don't know that much about Quigley history yet--we know that she had an abusive father, but we don't know if she was born into some level of wealth that would afford her her current lifestyle.  I can't believe that if she came from a lowly background she'd be able to find and/or afford homes for her unwanted children.  If she were to get this route, it would be something along the lines of Fantine and Cosette in Les Miserables where the mother would still have to financially support the child and, honestly, I can't see Lydia Quigley being there for that game.  And, among the lower class, no one would be able to (or want) to adopt a child just for the sake of parenting them. 

I couldn't remember much about orphanages in 18th century England (my degree is in British History, so I am familiar with the era), but I did find this article after a quick Google search which basically says that putting an infant in an orphanage was pretty much a death sentence.  To me, taking an infant to an orphanage in Georgian England would fall under abandonment, not adoption.

As for abortion, it's been around for centuries and I'm sure that if Quigley had known she was pregnant early enough, she would have had an abortion.  However, my guess is that it was just as often, or more often, the case where the pregnancy wasn't actually "discovered" until shortly before birth (case: Fanny).  And while abortion was available, it doesn't change the fact that it became more dangerous to the mother the farther along she was in her pregnancy .

Another possibility is that Quigley--how should I put this?--farmed out daughters.  We know that she wasn't against employing girls as young as 10 (case: Margaret) and we've seen how the girls are almost a commodity to the madams (and pimps, although that hasn't been shown in the show).  

Honestly, this is all heartbreaking, any way you look at it.

[nodorothyparker]

Didn't Quigley specifically mention "getting rid" of a daughter last season?  I could swear she did, but wouldn't even begin to know which episode that might have been to go back and look.  This show and Poldark are frustrating in that they don't call their episodes anything but their number, which makes it so much harder for me to pinpoint what might have happened when.

Anyway, I had the thought at the time that maybe she farmed that kid out to some Dickensian Jane Eyre sort of institution where if they survived they probably ended up among the working poor as a governess or maid somewhere.  Yeah, I read a lot of British lit.  The rule of TV, of course being that if a character mentions an offscreen relative or child they gave away, they'll showing up sooner or later probably at a most inopportune time.  So I fully expect that kid at least to come up again at some point. 

On point, I'm having a fair bit of trouble believing Charlotte as Isabella's bastard child (Which they did everything but scream at the top of their lungs about at a crowded card party.  Seriously, ladies.  A little discretion.) mainly because as others have already said, taking a child who wasn't actually either of theirs seems an awful lot of trouble for Margaret and Nancy to have gone to when they escaped Quigley's house and let's just be honest that Margaret isn't that soft.  I also have no trouble believing that Quigley wouldn't have made a point somewhere along the way of throwing it in hers and Charlotte's faces that Charlotte isn't her daughter if that was really the case to hurt Margaret no matter how much of a soft spot she seems to have for Charlotte.

[Riplet68]

My 3 am brain thought:  Isabella was the marquess’ entry ticket into the “club.”  His virgin.  This would explain her fear of him and warning to Charlotte.  They took turns on her, she got preggers.  Lydia would know about that.  Well, the preggers part.  Of course, I find it hard to believe that if the club was that old, she only became curious about members in season 1- though she had obviously been doing it a while.  Season 1 implied that that was first girl killed (the 2nd girl quigley got them). She was shocked the girl had died.  When judge wanted another so quickly, she conjectured the death was an accidrnt, but now all wanted to (orneeded to) kill a virgin so they would be equal or something to that affect.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Riplet68

[pamplemousse]

I rewatched episode 1 of season 2 and just noticed something for the first time. When Lord Fallon goes to Greek Street and picks up Kitty, Liddington is there handling the horses and pretending to be his coachman. It was Liddington's button that was found in Kitty's hair. So did they kill her together or was it Fallon or Liddington acting alone?

[abbyzenn]

Not sure if this goes here and whether or not it's considered a spoiler.  But I was curious as to how many episodes are this season and I found this:

Spoiler

Jessica Brown Findlay's idmb page only shows 7 episodes yet everyone else is listed for episode 8.  Could something happen to Charlotte that she is not in episode 8?  

[LizzyBennet]

9 hours ago, abbyzenn said:

Not sure if this goes here and whether or not it's considered a spoiler.  But I was curious as to how many episodes are this season and I found this:

  Reveal hidden contents

Jessica Brown Findlay's idmb page only shows 7 episodes yet everyone else is listed for episode 8.  Could something happen to Charlotte that she is not in episode 8?  

 

Spoiler

IMDB is wrong a lot so I wouldn’t take it as gospel. I’ve read the synopsis for the last few episodes and she’s mentioned by name in the next two and there is no reason she shouldn’t be in the finale. I’m more concerned about another important character getting killed off because the actress now has a job in the US on The Walking Dead(google at your own risk). I really hope she stays on because this show wouldn’t feel right without her.

Edited August 6, 2018 by LizzyBennet

[snowwhyte]

So heading into the season finale we have three main villains, Quigley, Fallon and Blayne. What do we think their fates will be? Who will die, who will end in prison and who will continue on to be next season's villain? 

I'm thinking that Quigley will still be the villain next season. She provides Charlotte with a purpose that she might lack otherwise and I don't think she can be taken down while she still has leverage in the form of the chief justice.

I don't think Blaine can be taken out except by death. I can see Lady Isabella killing him to protect her daughter if he attacks her but that would be a bit too similar to what happened to Sir George.

I would quite enjoy it if Fallon was arrested and sent to the colonies. I know the punishment for murder is death but I think that would be too easy an end for him. He should be forced to do manual labour with the "inferior" people. 

Edited August 15, 2018 by snowwhyte

[OtterMommy]

I think that there will come a point where Quiqley, through her own machinations, gets herself in such a tight spot that she will ultimately have to side with the other women.  I feel like this show is heading down the road of "all the aristocratic men are evil."  I'm okay with that, but I would love to see a benevolent aristocratic man show up if only to break up the stereotype somehow.

Fallon will never be sent to the colonies.  Men of his standing never were.  The whole idea of penal transportation was to get rid of the riff-raff.  He is much more likely to hang for his crimes (although I have a feeling that Lucy might cause his end).

Oh, and while I think that Quigley will eventually "turn," I'd still love to see her hang.  Just sayin'.

[snowwhyte]

I assumed Lucy would kill Fallon with one of his own weapons but as much as I would enjoy seeing Fallon die I don't want Lucy to become a murderer.

[OtterMommy]

In the 2.7 thread, @chaifan wrote:

Quote

I am still hoping for a bit of housecleaning before the season ends.  If I were writing the show, I'd put Quigley in a bind, maybe another dead body, but make it so she, Charlotte and Lucy can band together to pin it on Fallon.  How about Quigley accidentally screws the Lord Justice to death, and they plant the body at Fallon's with Fallon's bloody sword nearby.  That would work for me.  Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe they could convince the kidnapped girl to implicate Blaine, and he's arrested and tried for kidnap and rape. (Or, as suggested above, figure out a way to commit him to the asylum.)  Lady Fitz gets her fortune and can live with her daughter in peace.

I do think that there should be some housekeeping...the cast is starting to get a little bloated.  It's fine now, but if they keep growing it, it will become unmanageable.  

I'm thinking Blaine is the most likely to go, only because his storyline has so much urgency at the moment.  I don't really see how they can keep it going from the point we are currently at.  Either Blaine finds Sophia and does something to Lady Fitz, or Lady Fitz does something (or someone does something at her behest) to Blaine.  Honestly, though, I'd love to see that vile character gone.  Villains like him are effective, but only for short periods of time.  It does seem like they are trying to set up Sophia as an at least supporting character, so I'm hoping Lady Fitz is the one who sticks around.

[chaifan]

Another idea for how to get rid of Marquess/Blaine (is Blaine is first name, family name?  I get so confused)... He meets Sophia without knowing who she is, attacks her, is very close to raping her before someone (Lady Fitz, ideally) intervenes.  He is so weirded out that he almost had sex with/raped his own daughter, coupled with the realization that his daughter is the product of him raping is sister, and he goes insane and ends up in the asylum.  Lady Fitz gets the money, Sophia gets to stay with her, and Charlotte moves in so they're one big happy family (who can all share clothes, shoes and wigs!). 

[ElizaD]

I watched the season 2 trailer and it included shots that didn't reveal much before the season aired but look plot-relevant now that we know the state of the storylines before the finale. There's Lucy looking shocked with untidy hair (maybe the scene where she finds out about the hanging), and another where she's tying up Fallon, and Lydia screaming as she pounds on a door.

So I'd say that Fallon is doomed: whether the women kill him or the Spartans kill him/let him take the blame for their crimes as his punishment for screwing up, I think he's the villain who's 100% doomed. The marquess also feels like he ought to go: he's so powerful and his story so intense right now that it needs a big resolution. I love the idea that he's sent to the asylum. If Isabella escapes his control and the Spartans are forced into hiding, it works as a big finale for both the season and potentially the show, so that it will be free to move on to something new if it gets renewed but be a reasonably complete story if it doesn't. Lydia is the long-term villain who's also a complex character and important to a ton of relationships, so I'd guess that she'll be humbled but not destroyed. Seeing her locked in (hopefully when Emily flees the house with Abigail), just as she's locked in her victims, ought to be delicious.

[Hazel55]

Some finale predictions:

• There's no way Margaret's getting deported. Just as she (predictably) got out of her death sentence last week, she'll "miraculously" get out of this predicament as well. I can't believe that anyone bought that there was a chance they were going to kill her off/ have next season without Margaret. She's not going anywhere, y'all.
• Fallon and the spartans are all done. I think pretty much everyone's called this, but its worth noting again.
• Lydia will survive. She's almost as death proof as Margaret. She may end up in prison or something (only to be set to worm her way out next season); but they almost surely won't kill her. Unlike with Margaret, there's a slight chance, but it's still pretty unlikely. 
• Justice Hunt will die. I really don't think he's going to make it after his treasonous act of setting Margaret free. No way the Lord Chief Justice is going to let him get away with that. Like Margaret, he's committed a capital offense that is clearly going to come to light, but unlike her, he doesn't have main character death immunity. 
  It's a shame, because he's probably the only male character to exhibit any ambiguity (they are all either pure good (Irish dude and North) or pure evil (every other guy on the show); and the only  male character with his own independent character arc. But I can't see him getting away with setting Margaret free. 
• Everybody else will live.
• It's a shame, but I believe this will be the last season, due to much lower ratings and critical interest this season. A shame. Everything good goes off the air, and this seems to especially be the case for historical shows (Penny Dreadful, the Knick, etc.)

Edited August 22, 2018 by Hazel55

[HazelEyes4325]

16 minutes ago, Hazel55 said:

• It's a shame, but I believe this will be the last season, due to much lower ratings and critical interest this season. A shame. Everything good goes off the air, and this seems to especially be the case for historical shows (Penny Dreadful, the Knick, etc.)

 

But do we know about ratings?  I haven't seen anything that indicates what the viewership of this show is.  I've also seen *more* articles about it this season as compared to last.  I could wrong, but I do think we might be getting a 3rd season.  IIRC, they didn't renew it for a 2nd season until the 1st season had been over for several weeks.

[ferjy]

23 minutes ago, Hazel55 said:

Some finale predictions:

• There's no way Margaret's getting deported. Just as she (predictably) got out of her death sentence last week, she'll "miraculously" get out of this predicament as well. I can't believe that anyone bought that there was a chance they were going to kill her off/ have next season without Margaret. She's not going anywhere, y'all.
• Fallon and the spartans are all done. I think pretty much everyone's called this, but its worth noting again.
• Lydia will survive. She's almost as death proof as Margaret. She may end up in prison or something (only to be set to worm her way out next season); but they almost surely won't kill her. Unlike with Margaret, there's a slight chance, but it's still pretty unlikely. 
• Justice Hunt will die. I really don't think he's going to make it after his treasonous act of setting Margaret free. No way the Lord Chief Justice is going to let him get away with that. Like Margaret, he's committed a capital offense that is clearly going to come to light, but unlike her, he doesn't have main character death immunity. 
  It's a shame, because he's probably the only male character to exhibit any ambiguity (they are all either pure good (Irish dude and Joseph) or pure evil (every other guy on the show); and the only  male character with his own independent character arc. But I can't see him getting away with setting Margaret free. 
• Everybody else will live.
• It's a shame, but I believe this will be the last season, due to much lower ratings and critical interest this season. A shame. Everything good goes off the air, and this seems to especially be the case for historical shows (Penny Dreadful, the Knick, etc.)

I’m still miffed about Penny Dreadful. >:(

Well, I’m an idiot. I thought last week was the finale. It seemed a bit of an abrupt ending. I’m thrilled there’s another episode. It should be an exciting one. Difficult though it may be, I think Lucy will turn against Fallon when she learns about Margaret’s fate. I have faith in her (don’t disappoint me, Lucy!).

Fingers crossed that Amelia makes it. It’s so unsafe for her at the moment. 

I hope the ladies manage some successful revenges. There’s plenty of them I’d like to see pay for their sins but Blayne I hope falls the hardest. I still would love to see him thrown in the asylum. The vision of him helpless in a straitjacket is too luscious! 

[OtterMommy]

I'm going to go ahead and work on 2 assumptions here:

1 - This show is getting a 3rd season

2 - Margaret is truly in America and won't be making some miraculous return (sniff!)

The next season should be interesting, but I could see how things could work.  Yes, Lydia is still around, but I don't know how she would get out of Bedlam, unless Charles has a sudden change of heart (which I doubt, since I assume he is now the proprietor at Golden Street).  This show works best on several opposing forces, and we still have that, even with Lydia and Margaret essentially out of the picture.  Spartan is still around, and only short 1 person.  I'm sure there is some animosity now between Charlotte, Lucy, and Nancy and Lady Fitz,  I also see the beginning of a conflict between Emily and North, even if it was based on a misconception on her part.  We also have Harriet and her group and wherever they land (I'm guessing Greek Street).  Then we have Charles vs. Emily and that whole deal.  And who the hell knows what Cherry is up to.

Clearly, Charlotte (possibly with Nancy), is ascending to the "Margaret" role of the show.  I can actually see Emily becoming a bit of a Lydia here.  They are able to keep the momentum of the show going, even without the matriarch characters.

Also, while I hope that there is a 3rd season, I'm not sure they can keep things going much beyond that.  Either Spartan is done or everyone is dead, but something has to happen at this point.  As much as I loved this season (I think it was better than the first, which I also loved), it did feel like the second book in a trilogy to me

[PinkRibbons]

I think it would be very interesting to see Emily become the next Lydia. She would be more sympathetic because we'll have seen her failing so much before establishing herself. I can see Emily becoming rather nihilistic.

I'm gonna call a time-jump next (possible) season. Mostly because I think as soon as Jacob hits about 15, he's outta that house and on his way to America to find his mother. His sisters and father trying to stop him, or worrying over whether they should help him out or let him do something they consider foolish. I can see Charlotte and Lucy clashing on that.

In general I see Charlotte and Lucy having a difficult relationship going forward because the big cats can't share a cage. One thing I loved this season was seeing how vastly different - and possibly equally effective -- harlots Lucy and Charlotte are. Charlotte works with openness and charm, always making whoever she's working for feel like they're the most special person to her in the world. Lucy, meanwhile, uses mystery and aloofness, and a kind of contrary arrogance that invites people to come and try to tame her. She appeals to anyone who loves a challenge.  Anyone who gets Charlotte thanks their lucky stars that she could see something so special in them particularly, while anyone who gets Lucy will feel some great achievement in managing to entrance an Ice Queen.

I don't see Charlotte ever going for a keeper again with the house to run, but I think Lucy might try again. She's said flat-out that she doesn't want to be like the other girls in the house; she yearns to be special. So unless she wants to run an opposing house (and I don't think that would interest her), she'll have to get out there and look for more fitting situations.

I wish they had told Fanny that Margaret was alive; she was the only one left of the original household that came to Greek Street from the previous house. She'd known Margaret long enough to truly mourn her loss. Hopefully they will have told her when the show comes back. She's got a senior position by default in the house now. Sukey's outburst in the final episode of season 2 was very interesting, although she sounds a little too much like a replacement Kitty for me. But the fact that she has a background in service of rich people should be interesting as they try to round up Lydia's old clientele.

Anne Pettifer was featured so much this season that I think she will be the only thing that stops Charles from running Golden Square into the ground. Cherry might try to help him, but there's no way he can run that business successfully on his own.

[OtterMommy]

30 minutes ago, PinkRibbons said:

I'm gonna call a time-jump next (possible) season. Mostly because I think as soon as Jacob hits about 15, he's outta that house and on his way to America to find his mother. His sisters and father trying to stop him, or worrying over whether they should help him out or let him do something they consider foolish. I can see Charlotte and Lucy clashing on that.

 

I just can't see Jacob (or North) going to America.  That is almost like someone who is Jewish (even if they are ethnically Jewish, but practicing another or no religion) going to Germany in 1938.  There is absolutely no mystery about slavery in the Colonies, especially in the Southern Colonies (which includes Virginia) and they know Harriet, who had been enslaved.  Yes, they would be "free" once they arrived, but they would have no way to prove it (and frequently "proof" meant nothing).  This show has been incredibly historically accurate and I think if they try something like this, it will blow all its believability out of the water.

[heckkitty]

3 hours ago, PinkRibbons said:

Anne Pettifer was featured so much this season that I think she will be the only thing that stops Charles from running Golden Square into the ground. Cherry might try to help him, but there's no way he can run that business successfully on his own.

I could see Anne taking Lydia’s place as a villain. She’s got a pretty cold streak. 

 

I am am fascinated to know what ends up happening with Emily. I kind of love her.  It would be great if she wound up being actually pregnant 

Edited August 23, 2018 by heckkitty

[chaifan]

I just posted a bit of this in the episode thread, but it is also speculation:

1.  I think Lydia will not stay in Bedlam long.  Charles will keep her there long enough to "learn her lesson", so to speak, then get her out knowing that if she starts acting up he can easily put her back there.  Lydia will still be the face of Golden Square, using her prior aristocrat contacts to bring in clients.  Emily, Charles and Cherry will actually run the joint.  (OK, Emily and Cherry - Charles is useless.)

2.  I think we're done with the Spartans.  Yes, only Fallon is gone, but other than the Marquess all others were just bit players. 

3.  Charles and Emily will make up.  Cherry had a really good point about Lydia being a monster, justifying Emily's fake pregnancy out of fear.  I like them as a couple, so I am hoping this happens.  Emily is much more interesting as a madam than a drunk house whore. 

4.  I can't think of a plausible way to get Margaret back.  Something would have to happen to the Lord Chief Justice, Hunt gets reinstated and promoted, and then someone would have to go get her and bring her back.  And in that time the entire season would be over.  With her now on the Walking Dead, it is possible this character is truly gone, at least for the time being. 

[LadyintheLoop]

Maybe the ship runs into difficulties and returns (did that ever happen?) and Margaret escapes. She could hide in plain sight since she's supposed to be dead. The Spartans will stay away from anyone who knows their business, and Lydia may soon be genuinely mad.

Hunt joins the Bow Street Runners, with Violet as his eyes and ears on the street.

Abigail becomes to Charlotte what Margaret was to Lydia.

[ElizaD]

The trailers revealed nothing about Margaret marrying, which I would never have guessed to be the way the show got her to return. There's no hints about how that plot will unfold. My guess: Margaret will figure out some way to be with William and Jacob but they have to leave for another British city because London is too risky and Lucy becomes the Greek Street bawd after the molly house is raided by the law. My wild prediction is that Emily ends up going to America as the new Mrs Young: she's learning the business skills to be the kind of partner Jonas appreciates.

Even though Hal didn't intend to kill Charlotte, I can't see him escaping that bad karma. I thought that the feud would push him until he broke, but I didn't expect it to happen this soon.

The Wells house is without a bawd, they need to address that somehow. Lucy's plot is focused on the molly house. Maybe Margaret can put Fanny in charge and guide her in secret.

There's a trailer shot of Lydia and Kate meeting Blayne and a Joffrey-vibeish young man. So Kate's bound to get disillusioned at some point, but she will earn enough to place Lydia in high society again.