The House of Eliott: Series 1, Episode 3

Evie is all a flutter for her first meeting with Aunt Lydia’s dressmaker, Madame Partini. Beatrice manages to calm her down and convince her to eat a slice of toast, and the relieved Evie does so with a smile. Bea sees her sister off to her first day of work like the partners they are soon to become, and Evie walks to Mrs. Partini’s dress shop, where a French accented young woman opens the door to let her in. Meanwhile, Henry Eliott’s longtime mistress, Mrs. , shows up, and you know nothing good is to come of her visit! Mrs. glances around the drawing room, noticing its fineness and luxurious appointment–“very nice”. Evie is being grilled by Mrs. Partini, who dismisses her home sewing skills with Bea, and further Evie by demanding she be frank over expecting payment and to expect nothing. Beatrice enters the drawing room, where Mrs. Pierce is admiring a small statuette, and Bea’s greeting reveals that she assumes Mrs. Pierce is a prospective home buyer. Mrs. Pierce seems a trifle gleeful to lay the bombshell on Bea.

The scene zips back to Evie at Mrs. Partini, who takes her into the sewing room and puts a broom in her hand. Evie doesn’t sweep to Mrs. Partini’s approval, and the woman snaps at her and shows her the proper way to sweep the floor. Back to Bea–she is furious and disgusted to see the physical manifestation of her father’s affair. Mrs. Pierce plays her cards: there must be something Henry left for her, and she tries to guilt Bea into giving her something by implying Bea and Evie are poor and she is not. When that tactic doesn’t work, Mrs. Pierce pulls out the “son” card and sweeps from the house. Evie seems to have graduated from sweeping the floor to sorting buttons, and her fellow button-sorter is a nice blonde girl who obviously commiserate with Mrs. Partini’s rudeness. Bea strides to Jack’s studio in a bit of a funk, but is cheered up by Piggy’s phone call. He invites her out for supper–and probably dancing–that evening, but she declines, citing family business. It’s nice to see Beatrice taking Piggy’s interest seriously–too often in films, TV, and books, once the love interest is hinted at or shown, the soon-to-be-losing suitor is suddenly treated like a nuisance. Beatrice’s fondness for Piggy is realistic and pleasing to watch.

As she is cleaning up Jack’s studio, he rushes in with a photograph of Queen Victoria wearing antler’s ears–“we are not amused”. Beatrice is baffled; it is in the style of Dada, surrealism, modern art, and she doesn’t hesitate to declare herself too stupid to understand modern art. Jack puts the photograph away and notices the extent of Bea’s help, and once again mentions how indispensable he is beginning to find her. Evie seems to be running some errands for Mrs. Partini, and seems to be doing quite well at it. Jack is taking a photograph of a doughty General, and Bea brings in a tray of tea and cakes, but the blustery man declines something stronger, fearing his wife’s complaint. As the general is taking his tea, he collars Bea to ask her if she can make a jacket for his wife out of a bolt of silk he got from China just before the revolution. As an aside, he mentions that until Bea, his wife hadn’t anything new since the coronation! How kind of him to pretend not to notice his wife’s shabbiness. The General steps back on the podium for more photographs after the tea. Beatrice is tidying up Jack’s appointments, and as always, he groans over his line of clients. He suggests something more congenial, like walking down to the Lamb & Flag, and invites Bea, but she has luncheon with Odious Arthur. Jack mocks Arthur’s stodgy personality, and asks Bea if she wouldn’t rather be Bohemian with him. But alas, it isn’t to be, and Bea marches from his office–Jack gives her an interesting look as she walks out.

Bea lunches with Arthur at some stodgy place, where Bea demands he tell her the truth about Mrs. Pierce. In this conversation, Bea is disgusted that Arthur has been able to do whatever he wants (because he is a man), but Arthur stresses that it is because of that that he has always tried to behave responsible. Bea cannot even get the word “half-brother” out of her mouth, but is determined to find out of Mrs. Pierce and her son have a claim on the estate. Arthur switches the subject to the house–they must sell as soon as possible because they cannot make the mortgage payments. Arthur pushes the conversation back to Evie, and his–of course–disapproves of her working. Bea gets snippy with him about her lack of any other skill or prospects and the fact that in this time of vast unemployment, Evie is fortunate to have a job. Arthur believes the unemployment figures exaggerated. Odious Arthur must bring every conversation about Evie onto the topic of her looks and how ~tempting~ they are and how they will lead her astray. EYE ROLL.

Bea comes home to find Evie and Molly in the kitchen preparing for dinner. Molly scampers away to fetch their supper of cold mutton just as Bea lays into Evie for going to see Mrs. Pierce. Molly returns with the food, but Bea is too furious to eat and stomps upstairs. Arthur is loosening his tie in a dark, smoky pub, where he has an odd conversation with a number of men before he scoots away. Later that night, Evie creeps into Bea’s bedroom to apologize. Bea at first turns her back on her sister, but Evie hesitantly discusses the work she’d done on the jacket until Bea is more receptive to her apology. The sisters make up–they’d both tried to protect one another. Arthur and Aunt Lydia are at the theatre, where Lydia sneers at everyone through her opera glasses, tearing their fashion sense apart. Pretty funny to do when Lydia looks like a cockatoo! Lydia is pleased that Evie is doing well at Mrs. Partini’s, but is adamant that Evie must marry before she becomes too good at her job. Lydia and Arthur begin to discuss the girls’ finances, but declines Arthur’s suggestion that Bea and Evie live with them. She also tells Arthur to only give the sisters one hundred pounds instead of the about five hundred the sale of the house will yield. Keep them on a tight leash until they cease to bear the Eliott name, “which in Beatrice’s case, may be forever”–says Aunt Lydia!

Evie and Penelope take a stroll where they discuss Evie’s work and the unsuitability of one of Evie’s coworkers. Penelope suggests Bea for the position, and fie on Jack! In the house, Penelope walks into the gloomy parlour and suggests they use the room for their dressmaking business. Back at Jack’s studio, Jack is taking photos of Piggy, who is dressed as a gypsy violinist. After Jack ends the shoot, the charming Piggy tries to wheedle a date out of Bea, and Jack (jealous!! How interesting), sings “I’m getting tired of playing second fiddle”. Jack tries to downplay his reaction as an attempt to keep things professional in his studio, but we and Piggy know what’s what. Bea is charmed by Piggy’s flirting, and Jack once again attempts to cover his tracks by gravely telling Bea that Piggy is a good man. Mrs. Partini and Evie are in the office trying to make sense of the disastrous Lettie’s bookkeeping, and Evie suggests Bea’s talents at keeping books and figures. Mrs. Partini is exasperated and takes up Evie’s suggestion.

At the Eliott home, Evie is fitting a muslin on a reluctant Penelope, who says she only came over to make sure she and Bea weren’t exploiting Tilly, but you can tell that she enjoys the female companionship. I can only imagine that Penelope’s determination to defy feminine stereotypes no doubt led her to shun the company of women (or rather, ladies of her same class), and the Eliott sisters her are first taste of intelligent, amusing, and forceful ladies who don’t have to wear trousers or run around fighting for the vote to defy feminine stereotypes. And they are dressmakers–one of the most feminine of professions! Funnily enough, Tilly is coming out of her shell, much to Penelope’s surprise, and Tilly mentions that she finds Highate a different country. Penelope turns the conversation to Mrs. Partini’s offer of employment, but Bea is adamant that she should remain with Jack out of gratitude for her first job. Penelope is disgusted by the idea of gratitude getting in the way of progress!

The following day or so, Jack and Bea are working outside with a client who insisted upon being photographed on her horse in Hyde Park. Bea mutters an aside about the lady and Jack is thrilled and surprised that Beatrice Eliott has told a joke. Bea’s comeback quip is even funnier–working with him requires her to acquire a sense of humor. Jack begins to convince Bea that Mrs. Partini’s offer is one of a lifetime and he believes her talent, her gift, shouldn’t be wasted in his studio. As he attempts to set up the shot of his client, a motorcar horn blares offscreen, and upsets Lady Serena’s horse, which rears up and canters away. The culprit of this disturbance is Daphne Haycock, who ambles over in a smart yellow toque and sable coat. Beatrice is very disapproving of Daphne–Evie probably told her about finding Daphne with Jack–and it’s interesting that when Daphne invites them both to the theatre, Jack’s refusal includes Bea. Daphne is stunned by the rejection, but swans away after declaring she will see him at Ciro’s after the play. Bea fills the silence with Piggy’s opinion about the play, but Jack turns the conversation to what matters: Bea needs to see Mrs. Partini. The dressmaker herself walks around her sewing room, where she examines Evie’s sewing at the machine and grudgingly approves of her skill.

A mailman walks away from the Eliott house and we see that the house has been sold. Bea is back in Arthur’s office, where he has to choke out his lie over the proceeds of the sale. A now assertive and experienced Beatrice demands to see her father’s ledger to tally up the accounts and doubts, but Odious Arthur has doctored them a bit. He springs up when his secretary enters with tea, grateful for the distraction. Well, even though Arthur is pompous and odious, he still feels uneasy about lying to Beatrice (or is he just afraid of Bea blowing up at him again?). Arthur offers Bea and Evie residence in his home–defying Aunt Lydia!–but Bea declines this, determined to find her own lodgings. Bea and Evie are window shopping on Bond Street as they discuss their new circumstances: homeless and only in possession of a hundred pounds. It turns out that Jack is going to fix them up with a flat above his studio and Bea will work at Mrs. Partini’s. They examine the flat, which is quite spacious and airy–TV poverty, of course! Because I can imagine that if London is expensive now, it was definitely expensive in 1920! Bea and Evie begin to make glorious plans for setting up their dressmaking business and launching the life of Bright Young Things they’d been denied when they discovered their father died and left them in debt. Jack arrives with his favorite accompaniment: champagne!

The first inklings of conflict that may arise between Mrs. Partini and the Eliott sisters is almost immediate, as a client raves over Bea and Evie’s dressmaking/designing skills and hopes they are being well paid for their employment. Class consciousness rears its ugly head, and the kid gloves+privilege with which ladies of their acquaintance hope Bea and Evie are given seems rather similar to a circumstance in which the Eliott sisters find themselves later on in the show! Mrs. Partini is rather sour at the woman’s remarks, rightly presuming that not only would the Eliott sisters poach her clients, but that there’s a chance they may take over the business. Evie is is working in the sewing room and Bea is in the office sorting out the orders, paperwork, etc. She’s excited about the strides she’s made for Mrs. Partini, and the dressmaker, no doubt annoyed by Lady Saxby’s hints, reacts sharply to Bea’s very English and very upper class colloquialism. Bea senses that Mrs. Partini is rather distant, but continues to press her point–and based on Mrs. Partini’s continued shortness with Bea, this is a constant refrain of Beatrice. Mrs. Partini accepts Bea’s suggestion on how to save money, and this seems to lift her spirits.

Bea and Evie are taking the best furniture with them, and give Molly whatever she wants that’s left over. The moving lorry takes their belongings to their new flat. Molly comforts a grieving Evie, who demands she come and see her at Darston. Bea comes out, locks the door, gives Molly a hug and kiss, and three women depart the house for the final time (Molly and Evie give it one last look as Bea marches resolutely on). Tilly arrives for work at the Eliott sisters’ new flat up three or four flights of stairs. The door has been left open, and Tilly peeks into a few rooms before Evie pops up in her oldest clothes: she has been painting. Downstairs, Jack cannot make heads or tails of his papers, and neither can Piggy, who suggests they go upstairs and find Beatrice. Tilly is chilled at the white walls–according to Evie it’s the latest mode–but it reminds Tilly of a hospital. Jack and Piggy knock on the door, but Evie is horrified at the thought of guests seeing her in paint-spattered clothing, and sends Tilly to see who it is. She gives Piggy and Jack the third degree, and Jack is rather amused by her charm. He winks at her after she protests that Evie and Bea are too busy to have dinner with the men, and Tilly can only laugh. Evie is annoyed that all of her work keeps her from accepting that treat, and Tilly’s solution is for Evie to cut her hair! Bea walks in just as Tilly delivers the final snip, and is rather taken aback. She declines Tilly’s offer of a haircut with the excuse that she preferred a hairdresser; Tilly would too, if she could afford it!

Bea and Evie browse the secondhand market, where Evie convinces Bea to purchase a daring frock for a night on the town with Piggy. At work, Mrs. Partini bursts into the workroom with a gown and practically flings it at Evie, claiming her sewing was shoddy. Evie defends her work by claiming the dress would only come apart if it were violently torn. This gets Mrs. Partini’s back up–Evie is besmirching the name of the client and Mrs. Partini, whose clientele would never be violent. Evie’s attempt to explain further backfire on her, as Mrs. Partini is growing very sensitive to the fact that she employs ladies in her dressmaking establishment, ladies who socialize with her clientele and/or know their habits, thus blurring the line between shopkeeper and customer. That night, we discover that Bea has cut her hair! She, Evie, and Tilly are having supper in the drawing room, and Bea remakes the frock she purchased from the market. Bea has decided to approach Mrs. Partini about a pay rise, or perhaps an increased role in the business, because Mrs. Partini has profited from their business acumen and sewing expertise. Walking before you crawl, Bea, tsk tsk. Tilly ends the small argument by her honest opinion that no one would pay the Eliott sisters what they’re worth.

As Bea and Piggy fly kites in the park, Jack attempts to cheer up Evie and disabuse her of her crush, but Evie’s crush disappeared the moment she saw him with Daphne in his studio. Bea’s confrontation of Mrs. Partini does not go well (did anyone not expect this), and she assumes that the increase in clientele and profits mean Evie and Bea deserve a raise. Mrs. Partini’s refusal to do so leads Bea to offer her and Evie’s resignation, and Mrs. Partini hands their wages to Bea and kicks her out of the office. Mrs. Partini changes her tune a bit as Bea slowly gathers her things, and claims they can begin again, but the prideful Bea will not accept anything less than the raise she feels she and Evie deserves, and she goes to fetch Evie from the workroom. Bea and Evie discuss this new development in the park, where Bea expresses her doubt over her hasty decision. Evie encourages her, and they count what they do have: a hundred pounds and commissions from their acquaintances. They go off to see a Chaplin matinée, but when they come back to the flat, a bombshell awaits them in the form of their half-brother, who calls himself Sebastian Eliott!