The Elizabethan fete at Riseholme is a great success: even when there is a setback and the 'Golden Hinde' collapses due to poor workmanship, jettisoning 3 cooks into the river and encouraging Daisy Quantock to flee, Lucia's quick thinking with a stirring quote wins the day.
All credit to Geraldine McKewan who not only looks the part but cleverly overacts when Lucia gives Elizabeth's 'I may have the heart of a woman but I have the stomach of a prince' speech
Lucia sportingly gives credit to Daisy's 'spadework' in setting up the fete but it is Lucia who is the flamboyant and acknowledged star.
Flush with heady success and with Riseholme firmly in her unopposed sovereignty, Lucia and Georgie motor across to Tilling to begin their holiday.
Lucia begins to discuss their relationship with George, who is plainly uncomfortable with the prospect that Lucia might wish to become 'closer', especially physically. He is delighted when Lucia explains that she is happy with the relationship as it is and she plainly doesn't want to get closer- at least for now.
Lucia is somewhat bored by her unopposed hegemony at Riseholme and is seeking new challenges and thrills. She is soon to find them.
On arrival, Lucia finds Mapp awaiting her, still fussing about over household effects she wants to remove during the let.
Lucia and Benjy soon find the famed Blumenfeld piano is a write off. My father has played piano for many years, including membership of 3 and 4 piece bands in the 60s. He knew instantly on hearing the sound produced that the piano is useless unless completely restrung. It is beyond tuning. No wonder Georgie describes it as a hurdy-gurdy! To be fair to Mapp, since nothing indicates she actually plays the instrument but only explains that it was owned by her mother and grandmother, she may simply be unaware of the ongoing requirement to keep the instrument tuned.
The piano is pushed into the telephone room and replaced by a serviceable instrument rented from Brighton.
This proves but a precursor, as Mapp repeatedly barges in unannounced and without prior notice, on one pretext or another. Even when Lucia instructs Grosvenor (the excellent Geraldine Newman) to leave the chain on the door during the day, Mapp barges through, ripping the chain out which has to be refitted more stoutly by the locksmith.
To cap this off, Mapp arrives to argue about the duties of Coplan the gardener. Lucia had instructed Coplan to weed the untidy garden but Coplan demurred, explaining that Mapp has asked him to report to her each morning for instruction on the fruit and vegetable produce, which Mapp has specifically excluded from Lucia's enjoyment under the terms agreed because she has contracted it to Twistebans the greengrocers in town. Lucia curtly explains that she pays his wages (14 shillings a week, discussed in the previous episode) and she expects him to spend his time as she requires.
When Mapp protests that the rent agreed excluded fruit and veg, Lucia agrees but makes it clear that she pays for Coplan's time and she means to have it. Mapp must pay somebody else to look after her fruit and veg produce. Mapp is forced to concede.
Next day, carrying her easel for painting, Lucia encounters Major Benjy and although he explains that Tilling residents usually take tea together, Lucia asks him to dine, dinner and bridge. When Lucia asks who might come also, Benjy loyally suggests Mapp but Lucia turns this down on the grounds that Mapp might feel embarrassed to be invited to dine at her own house. This seems unlikely, but Benjy is happy when Diva Plaistow proves acceptable.
Later, Georgie is heartbroken when Lucia explains that Cadman the chauffeur has indicated his wish to marry Georgie's maid Foljambe - when they return to Riseholme. Lucia tries to talk him round, but Georgie explains that 'this is the worst thing that ever happened to me' and is desolate when Lucia explains that she won't lose Cadman's services, but he may lose Foljambe's. Georgie starts talking about codicils to his will in terms of his eventual bequest to Foljambe!
Fortunately Foljambe is disposed to work for Georgie during the day once she's married and the marriage won't take place for a bit anyway. Georgie calms down and Lucia's first entertainment begins.
Diva and Benjy duly attend and thoroughly enjoy the repast, a recipe Lucia says her great aunt discovered in Normandy - Lobster a la Riseholme. To top it all, Lucia loses at Bridge very sportingly, prompting Diva to compare the scoldings she has received from Mapp over Bridge in that very room with Lucia's generosity.
One other matter arose over dinner. Lucia, always speaking generously of Mapp, brings up the subject of her fruit having to be purchased at Twistebans despite being grown in the garden here. Under discussion, it is soon discovered not only that Mapp has overcharged Lucia but that she is selling her own garden produce and eating Diva's! Added to the refusal to explain the rent agreed to herself and Irene in the last episode, Diva is very disgruntled and the matter is liable to be raised again over lunch with the Wyses..
So far, it is Mapp who is responsible for all of the needling at Lucia. She has overcharged the rent to her, withheld the garden produce and then attempted to use Coplan's time which Lucia is paying for. There is also the unwarranted buildup of the piano as a partial basis for the rent charged. On top of that. Mapp's persistent refusal to respect Lucia's privacy and allow her uninterrupted enjoyment of the property keeps adding to the aggravation.
Nevertheless, for now, Lucia says nothing adverse about Mapp and responds in the negative when Georgie eggs Lucia on, asking if 'this means war'.
However, Lucia does hit back by permitting Rev Bartlett to hold a charity fete in the gardens of Mallards for the benefit of the hospital. Mapp has never permitted this and she is also chagrined that the poor and workhouse folk will be permitted entry on Rev Bartlett's suggestion.
When Mapp again barges in to complain vociferously, Lucia send her away with a flea in her ear.
There are certainly lessons which both Mapp and Lucia could earn from having a professionally prepared rental agreement!
Nevertheless, Mapp encourages Lucia and Benjy.to submit their recent artwork - painted in town - to the Tilling art exhibition. They duly do so, only to receive the submissions back promptly along with a letter- typed by Mapp - politely declining the exhibits due to lack of space. Both Lucia and Georgie are considerably pained by this - but at last, Lucia acknowledges affirmatively- as ever with a laugh and a smile, relishing the contest - , when Georgie suggests that .'this means war'
All credit to Geraldine McKewan who not only looks the part but cleverly overacts when Lucia gives Elizabeth's 'I may have the heart of a woman but I have the stomach of a prince' speech
Lucia sportingly gives credit to Daisy's 'spadework' in setting up the fete but it is Lucia who is the flamboyant and acknowledged star.
Flush with heady success and with Riseholme firmly in her unopposed sovereignty, Lucia and Georgie motor across to Tilling to begin their holiday.
Lucia begins to discuss their relationship with George, who is plainly uncomfortable with the prospect that Lucia might wish to become 'closer', especially physically. He is delighted when Lucia explains that she is happy with the relationship as it is and she plainly doesn't want to get closer- at least for now.
Lucia is somewhat bored by her unopposed hegemony at Riseholme and is seeking new challenges and thrills. She is soon to find them.
On arrival, Lucia finds Mapp awaiting her, still fussing about over household effects she wants to remove during the let.
Lucia and Benjy soon find the famed Blumenfeld piano is a write off. My father has played piano for many years, including membership of 3 and 4 piece bands in the 60s. He knew instantly on hearing the sound produced that the piano is useless unless completely restrung. It is beyond tuning. No wonder Georgie describes it as a hurdy-gurdy! To be fair to Mapp, since nothing indicates she actually plays the instrument but only explains that it was owned by her mother and grandmother, she may simply be unaware of the ongoing requirement to keep the instrument tuned.
The piano is pushed into the telephone room and replaced by a serviceable instrument rented from Brighton.
This proves but a precursor, as Mapp repeatedly barges in unannounced and without prior notice, on one pretext or another. Even when Lucia instructs Grosvenor (the excellent Geraldine Newman) to leave the chain on the door during the day, Mapp barges through, ripping the chain out which has to be refitted more stoutly by the locksmith.
To cap this off, Mapp arrives to argue about the duties of Coplan the gardener. Lucia had instructed Coplan to weed the untidy garden but Coplan demurred, explaining that Mapp has asked him to report to her each morning for instruction on the fruit and vegetable produce, which Mapp has specifically excluded from Lucia's enjoyment under the terms agreed because she has contracted it to Twistebans the greengrocers in town. Lucia curtly explains that she pays his wages (14 shillings a week, discussed in the previous episode) and she expects him to spend his time as she requires.
When Mapp protests that the rent agreed excluded fruit and veg, Lucia agrees but makes it clear that she pays for Coplan's time and she means to have it. Mapp must pay somebody else to look after her fruit and veg produce. Mapp is forced to concede.
Next day, carrying her easel for painting, Lucia encounters Major Benjy and although he explains that Tilling residents usually take tea together, Lucia asks him to dine, dinner and bridge. When Lucia asks who might come also, Benjy loyally suggests Mapp but Lucia turns this down on the grounds that Mapp might feel embarrassed to be invited to dine at her own house. This seems unlikely, but Benjy is happy when Diva Plaistow proves acceptable.
Later, Georgie is heartbroken when Lucia explains that Cadman the chauffeur has indicated his wish to marry Georgie's maid Foljambe - when they return to Riseholme. Lucia tries to talk him round, but Georgie explains that 'this is the worst thing that ever happened to me' and is desolate when Lucia explains that she won't lose Cadman's services, but he may lose Foljambe's. Georgie starts talking about codicils to his will in terms of his eventual bequest to Foljambe!
Fortunately Foljambe is disposed to work for Georgie during the day once she's married and the marriage won't take place for a bit anyway. Georgie calms down and Lucia's first entertainment begins.
Diva and Benjy duly attend and thoroughly enjoy the repast, a recipe Lucia says her great aunt discovered in Normandy - Lobster a la Riseholme. To top it all, Lucia loses at Bridge very sportingly, prompting Diva to compare the scoldings she has received from Mapp over Bridge in that very room with Lucia's generosity.
One other matter arose over dinner. Lucia, always speaking generously of Mapp, brings up the subject of her fruit having to be purchased at Twistebans despite being grown in the garden here. Under discussion, it is soon discovered not only that Mapp has overcharged Lucia but that she is selling her own garden produce and eating Diva's! Added to the refusal to explain the rent agreed to herself and Irene in the last episode, Diva is very disgruntled and the matter is liable to be raised again over lunch with the Wyses..
So far, it is Mapp who is responsible for all of the needling at Lucia. She has overcharged the rent to her, withheld the garden produce and then attempted to use Coplan's time which Lucia is paying for. There is also the unwarranted buildup of the piano as a partial basis for the rent charged. On top of that. Mapp's persistent refusal to respect Lucia's privacy and allow her uninterrupted enjoyment of the property keeps adding to the aggravation.
Nevertheless, for now, Lucia says nothing adverse about Mapp and responds in the negative when Georgie eggs Lucia on, asking if 'this means war'.
However, Lucia does hit back by permitting Rev Bartlett to hold a charity fete in the gardens of Mallards for the benefit of the hospital. Mapp has never permitted this and she is also chagrined that the poor and workhouse folk will be permitted entry on Rev Bartlett's suggestion.
When Mapp again barges in to complain vociferously, Lucia send her away with a flea in her ear.
There are certainly lessons which both Mapp and Lucia could earn from having a professionally prepared rental agreement!
Nevertheless, Mapp encourages Lucia and Benjy.to submit their recent artwork - painted in town - to the Tilling art exhibition. They duly do so, only to receive the submissions back promptly along with a letter- typed by Mapp - politely declining the exhibits due to lack of space. Both Lucia and Georgie are considerably pained by this - but at last, Lucia acknowledges affirmatively- as ever with a laugh and a smile, relishing the contest - , when Georgie suggests that .'this means war'