- A wide-eyed young scion of a conservative family embarks on a mission to infiltrate the wealthy neighboring clan dominated by ruthless railroad tycoon George Russell, his rakish son, Larry, and his ambitious wife, Bertha.
- George scolds the board for the poor preparation of the impending trial while Bertha plans Gladys's debutante ball. Oscar travels to Newport with the Russell family to court Gladys, but lover John Adams thwarts him. Aurora distrusts Tom, but Marian accepts his marriage proposal and they plan to elope. When Mrs. Flora McNeil asks George's valet Watson why he has been watching her home, he introduces himself as "Collyer," causing her to quickly leave. Bridget finds Jack at his mother's grave, revealing all his family members are dead or estranged. Through Marian, George Russell discovers his stenographer, Miss Ainsley, and George Dixon framed him for negligence and the charges are dismissed. McCallister takes Bertha to see Mrs. Astor's grand Newport home while she is out, but Mrs. Astor returns early, so Bertha must hastily exit out the back. Miss Armstrong intercepts Tom's letter to Peggy, forcing Peggy to reveal to the van Rhijn-Brook family that she bore a stillborn son and her father forcibly annulled her marriage. Agnes will not fire Armstrong, so Peggy resigns.—KGF Vissers
- SPOILERS: George Russell (Morgan Spector) meets with his secretary Church (Jack Gilpin) and attorneys in advance of the upcoming train derailment court hearing; George continues to seek information about Mr. Dixon, the man in charge of building the defective train engine, to exonerate himself. Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) goes through last-minute details of her daughter's debutante ball with her staff. Oscar Van Rhijk (Blake Ritson) and his gay lover John Adams (Claybourne Elder) lunch at a men's club and quarrel about Oscar going off to Newport in pursuit of Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga). While seeing off Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) and Oscar on their journey to Newport, Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) observes George's stenographer Mabel Ainsley (Zuzanna Szadkowski) as she's dropping off paperwork for her employer Mr. Russell. Tom Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel) drops a note off for Miss Scott; lady's maid Armstrong (Debra Monk) offers to deliver it to her room. Marian tells Miss Scott she's decided to elope with Mr. Raikes. Miss Scott discovers Armstrong likely read her note. Gladys and Carrie Astor (Amy Forsyth) practice for the quadrille dance to be performed at her upcoming ball. Watson (Michael Cerveris) mysteriously stands outside a Mrs. Flora McNeil's (Rebecca Haden) home with whom he seems to be acquainted. Marian goes to Mr. Raikes' office and accepts his marriage proposal. The servants question the Monsieur Baudin (Douglas Sills) as to his argument with a woman in front of the house earlier, but he refuses to comment. In Newport, Bertha enjoys the company of Ward McAllister (Nathan Lane) and Aurora Fane (Kelli O'Hara). In Bloomingdale's, just as Mabel Ainsley is leaving, Marian enters. Having left a pocketbook at the counter, Marian agrees to return it. She leaves it with Mr. Russell, the woman's employer, only knowing the woman as "Dixon." Servants speculate as to where Jack Treacher (Ben Ahlers) goes with his daisy bouquet every week. When Jack arranges for an afternoon off, Bridget (Taylor Richqrdson) follows him. The destination ends up to be his mother's gravestone. Miss Scott decides to confess to her employer Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) before her lady's maid betrays her. Miss Scott's history is she married a man and had a child; unfortunately, it died in childbirth. In Newport at the casino, the young people play doubles tennis. Oscar's jealous gay lover John turns up as a surprise visitor to interfere with Oscar's plan to woo Gladys. George sits in his court hearing about the train derailment. A surprise witness is brought forward, who is Mabel Ainsley. She is betrayed as being in league with Dixon, having secretly given Dixon a seemingly incriminating note. Mr. Russell is exonerated and the judge tells Mabel he's turning over the evidence on Dixon and her to the prosecutor. She tries to apologize but George promises to restrict her future to scrubbing floors. Mamie Fish (Ashlie Atkinson) holds a Newport dinner party with John Adams seated next to Gladys who seems to charm her to the consternation of Oscar. Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy) continues to resist efforts to acknowledge the Russells. Miss Scott decides to leave her job and move home. Mr. McAllister, Mrs. Fane and Mrs. Russell arrange to go take a tour of Mrs. Astor's home while she is away. However in the middle of their tour, Mrs. Astor arrives unexpectedly and Mrs. Russell is embarrassed to be hustled out the back door.
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