Ann and Anne are in Paris dining in a fancy ballroom. I am always shocked to see Anne Lister in a dress, with boufant sleeves and a silly hairpeace protruding from her head, with hair piled up high, but I do understand. She has to camouflage sometimes if she doesn’t want to be a complete outcast who isn’t allowed inside venues.
We do catch an important tidbit of their conversation as Anne speaks of a scholar who, “…considers himself a Daoist. He believes in God but also the natural laws of the universe, so doesn’t interpret the bible as literal. Neither should we.” The moment is boisterously broken when Isabella “Tib” Norcliffe, Anne’s ex, enters and loudly addresses Anne from across the room. She pulls up a chair and makes herself right at home at their table. Tib is… a lot.
Tib starts gossiping to Ann and Anne throws her a disincentive look, but Tib proceeds to ask Anne if she has seen Mrs. Lawton recently. Stirring the pot, indeed. Tib rambles off a list of female names and all but winks at Anne, and the insinuation is clear. And now we learn that Ann has never heard of Mrs. Lawton. She’s been kept quite in the dark about that relationship of Anne’s. Tib questions their plans for the next day, Ann answers: a visit to the Louvre, and Tib proceeds to invite herself along.
Oh God, they’re at the Louvre and Tib is already riding Anne’s ass — “she hasn’t got a clue, has she? About the vast, rich tapestry of your fruity past.” Ann is on the other side of the room, talking with some friends she’s bumped into. Tib further judges Ann as not being Anne’s type. Anne’s protective anger melts to disappointment as her eyes soften imploringly to her dear friend, “Just be happy for me.” At least Tib gives Anne a compliment, calling her a force of nature, something Mariana wasn’t able to be.
Tib makes a comical point to endcap the conversation, referencing Mariana stealing Anne from Tib, “Well if it hadn’t been her, it would have been someone else wouldn’t it? After all, two jacks don’t suit.” And I will henceforth be calling butches and mascs jacks, as is only right.
Marian is visiting the elder Ms. Walker, Ann’s Aunt. Apparently, Ms. Walker has been ignoring the numerous letters sent to her by Anne’s aunt, updating her on Ann and Anne’s Parisian adventures. Marian shares that the two have extended their time abroad and will be visiting the Alps because Anne has always wanted to conquer Mont Blanc. Ms. Walker says nothing new, she’s still entirely rude and just a jerk about Anne.
Cue an epic scene intro of Anne Lister hiking through the snowy mountains. She’s followed up by their assistance and Ann led on horseback. Ann dismounts to join Anne, overlooking the absolute wonder of the scenery, clasping hands as they take in the grandiosity. What a pure emblem of the journey they are making to create a life as wife and wife in an era where they are outright pioneers. They make it to a charming Alpine house. Ann adoringly watches Anne, brimming with joy and vigor, completely in her element on such an adventure.
Ann Walker’s extended family sits around in a literal circle and talks shit about her and Anne Lister. You know that spindly annoying Aunt, the busybody who tried to sneak in on them snogging — she’s the ringleader here, obviously. Per the usual, they are planning on how to marry off Ann to some man (any man.)
It’s thunderstorming and gloomy as Anne rides inside her carriage, reading a letter from Mariana. The letter confides, Mariana is seriously depressed and in agony that Anne has taken another lover. Certainly, Mariana’s feelings are not Anne’s responsibility at this juncture. Had she chosen to be bolder, she could be walking in Ann’s shoes herself. Nevertheless, Anne looks tender as she reads of Mariana’s pain, and Mariana is at least in admittance that she is incapable of ever being an impartial judge. Ann, snoozing across from Anne in the carriage, awakens and sees the look on Anne’s face as she reads the delicate letter.
In a moment that has been building since this episode began, as the wives cuddle in bed, Ann requests, “Tell me about Mrs. Lawton. You looked so sad looking over the letter you got from her in Geneva.” Anne reduces the complicated truth of the matter, saying Mariana has been feeling quite low and what saddens her friends, saddens her. Ann discloses to Anne something that took place at the Louvre. Ann’s friends had peculiar commentary, one saying to the other, “Mariana would not be too pleased if she was to meet her successor.” Sweet Ann is taking this entirely better than I would have, simply seeking, “I do wish you’d tell me things, Anne. Otherwise, I just look foolish.”
Anne ascents. She makes note that she is older than Ann, and that she has had, “a life.” Ann reminds Anne that she once told her that she had never done “anything like this before.” Anne admits that she had just met Ann then and was too scared of judgment to be honest. The real truth does come spilling out, with Anne finally admitting that she and Mariana, at one time, had been devoted to each other in the same way. Ann looks pleased with the confession and explanation.
The couple arrives back at Shibden after their travels. I love how happy Anne’s family is to see them both. Anne admits, over lunch, that she smuggled two lace handkerchiefs in her underwear across the Swiss/Italian border. She bought them for her wife (lovingly nicknamed “Adney” now,) after all, and Anne Lister doesn’t accept authority well. Anne is, as they say, back on her bullshit, and has a full docket of items to attend to now that she’s back home.
A visit is in order, and Ann is surprisingly confident and at ease upon encountering her Aunt and cousin. She is clearly thriving in her new environment and relationship with Anne. Of course, salty Auntie refuses a handshake from Anne but Anne is delightfully friendly none-the-less in her usual state of undeterance. Anne and Ann enthusiastically share stories of their adventures until they are rudely interrupted by Aunt Walker. Again, Ann handles it with grace, reiterating their good intentions.
Of course, spindly Aunt, Mrs. Priestley and her obedient husband show up at Shibden Hall looking for Ann. Marian is kind as ever, and the Priestley’s are as cold in return as anticipated. Marian gives a good report on the couples travels and the positive effect on their health. The Priestley’s make sure to aggressively tell Marian that no one in their family is happy about Ann moving into Shibden, and that they will continue to object and attempt to muck up the plans. Mrs. Priestley goes so far as to say, she thinks it might have been better if Ann had been successful in her attempt to kill herself. The cruelty co- mingling with unacceptance knows no bounds here.
Ann is fiery and I love to see this change! She certainly is not the victim anymore and is finally, instead of turning to submission, angry with her family. This is a big step forward for Ann. As Anne and Ann are making a visit through Crow’s Nest, being watched over by an employed family, they are overheard speaking on the matter by the family’s children (hiding as they aren’t meant to be wandering around the house.) A conveniently placed mirror gives the children an unobstructed view of Anne and Ann kissing.
The wheels are finally turning in Marian’s mind and she’s realizing that Anne doesn’t just have a best friend, she’s a full-on lesbian. She’s having a heart to heart with their Aunt. And then we get this gem from Aunt Lister, the monologue we all deserve:
“You’ve no idea how many tears I’ve shed over Anne over the years. It’s not because I’m ashamed of her — not once, not for a moment — but because I love her. I can never stand the thought of anything nasty being said about her. When I hear things like that I think, shame on them. Shame on anyone who says it or thinks it or listens to it. If these people, if any of these people, had a fraction of her talent for happiness, for friendship, her passion for life and people in the world and everything in it, then they’d have something else to talk about. But they don’t. Most people are mundane and narrow. And Anne, she’s just got too much about her for this world. I’ve known it since she was 11! They can’t put her into a neat little box and because that makes her seem different, they say hateful things to try to belittle her. It used to upset her when she was younger but now she’s strong and she’s clever and they can’t touch her. What harm does she do? You look at Ms. Walker’s face — could she be any happier?”
Back at Crow’s Nest Anne and Ann are making out and, fortuitously, stop before going further. The kids are, meanwhile, having a panic attack yet somehow manage to remain silent enough to go unnoticed. The wives leave the room and we are left wondering what will become of this unintentional mishap.
A darling moment has Anne writing her daily journal entry while Ann sits with her. Ann asks for assurance that her family can’t do anything, really, to harm Ann, such as having her committed. Anne tells her that she’s taken control of her own destiny now, and her family cannot thwart that. Anne really opens up to Ann, and merges their lives further, by reading her latest letter from Mariana aloud. Mariana seems to have softened and claims that if she herself cannot make Anne happy, she is glad that another can. She is hoping they can all meet and Anne asks for Ann’s permission on that matter. Ann gives her approval.
The letter to Ann’s sister, asking about the division of their family estate, is finally sent along. Her sister’s husband, obviously, is adamantly against the division of the state. His eyes are always on what he can gain from the family fortune. He isn’t yet done trying to figure out how to take Ann and Anne down either. The mercilessness of their haters is rampant.
Mariana throws an emotionally manipulative curveball, as another letter arrives in which she informs Anne that she passed by Shibden a week ago and did not visit. She points out that she will be bothering Anne less now, as is fit. Driving it home, Mariana insists that she will never see Anne again. Talk about an ultimatum. Ah, yes, I knew Mariana hadn’t suddenly changed into some angelic creature full of forgiveness and compassion. She is a lover scorned and will behave as such, tantruming and torturing Anne in an attempt to reacquire what she believes is hers. Anne is completely unnerved and shocked. She really thought she could have it all.
