<i>The Gilded Age</i> Season 3, Episode 3 Recap: Bertha Refuses to Fail

Spoilers below.

Never bet against Bertha Russell on The Gilded Age. Her daughter, Gladys, learns this valuable lesson the hard way when she becomes officially engaged to a man she doesn’t even know, let alone love. After negotiations between George and the Duke of Buckingham break down quickly, Gladys thinks she has made a lucky escape. But with her winning streak at stake, Bertha puts in the work, proving persistence pays off.

Bertha is not alone in going after what she wants. Larry and Jack make the rounds with potential clock investors, Ada continues her temperance quest, and Agnes contemplates a life without influence on society. In Newport, Peggy gets to know Dr. Kirkland and his family, leading to the unfortunate discovery that his mother might be an obstacle to happiness. Will Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkland (Phylicia Rashad) be as combative as Bertha?

No one has ever been more over trying to play nice than George as he hashes out the financial details for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Hector is unaccustomed to men like this, and George has neither the time nor the inclination to listen to Hector talk about the costly upkeep of his many ancestral properties. When Hector mentions how disappointing it will be if this engagement falls through, George is blunt: “I couldn’t care less.” His wife feels very differently and is upset when she sees Hector going to bed without the deal done. Gladys perks up, but Larry is realistic: their father is “no match for mother.”

Cut to Bertha and George getting into it, with Bertha pouting that she wanted to announce the engagement at the portrait unveiling. Again, George has zero patience for this drama that will play out in the press, as he is not the one who will look foolish, and he has other, more pressing railroad business to attend to. Gladys listens in the dark to her parents’ arguing and is positively beaming when George says he won’t compromise further.

Downstairs, Larry and Marian are interrupted mid-embrace by Bertha’s maid, Miss Andre (Rachel Pickup), who walks in while they are kissing. Larry is amused, but Marian is concerned about what Bertha will say. So much so that when she gets home, she goes straight to Ada’s room to tell her. “It’s only a kiss,” Ada cooly reasons. Ada has so many self-doubts that reassuring her niece is good. Unfortunately, having seen Bertha’s meddling up close, it is understandable why Marian is concerned.

Despite what George said, he does have one more offer up his tailored sleeve. The extra money Hector has requested will go to Gladys as income. “But what use is that to me?” Hector snits. At that, George shuts up shop: negotiations are over. Suffice it to say, Bertha is furious when she sees her grand plan falling apart. “This mess is of your making. I wash my hands of it,” George tells her (and Morgan Spector earns the line-reading award of the week). Gladys can barely contain her joy that she won’t have to walk down the aisle soon.

Peggy’s health has improved, so she can enjoy staying with cousin Athena (Jessica Frances Dukes) in Newport. Peggy receives an unexpected letter from Dr. William Kirkland, highlighting his eagerness to see her again. When Peggy arrives home from her seaside stroll with the doctor, Athena and Peggy’s mother, Dorothy, giddily ask for updates. Regardless of how much she enjoyed herself, Peggy isn’t committing to anything yet. Luckily, Dr. Kirkland has invited Peggy and her family to his parents' home in Newport, where they will host a party.

William’s father, Frederick (Brian Stokes Mitchell), is warm and pleasant, while William's mother, Elizabeth, is a snob. She can’t help but brag that five generations of her family have made their home in Rhode Island and flex her heritage dates back to the American War of Independence as free people. Elizabeth knowingly disparages Peggy’s father, Arthur. She refers to him as a salesman, diminishing his achievements. “Oh, I see,” is how she responds to learning that Arthur was enslaved and moved north after emancipation. Mrs. Kirkland is also concerned about the amount of time her grandkids spend outside without a parasol, highlighting the colorism prevalent in 19th-century society.

Later, Athena refers to this as Elizabeth’s preferences, but Arthur calls it what it is: prejudice. Arthur never wants to see William’s mother again (he calls her a “piece of work”), making Peggy’s burgeoning romance complicated. When Arthur returns to the city later, he recalls that Dorothy’s parents wanted her to marry someone born “free and light.” However, Dorothy points out that things worked out between them, and he needs to refrain from meddling in Peggy’s love life again.

At 61st Street, Agnes is fuming that her name is absent from a list of donors in the newspaper for a charity she has supported since its inception. Ada signs the checks, so Ada gets the credit. Agnes dials up her outrage that it’s like she doesn’t exist, saying she might have to join the cast-offs and women of ill repute in Newport with Aurora. “At least they’ll have wine,” she quips. Temperance continues to cause tension in this household. Later during lunch, Agnes continues to complain that she is becoming invisible. Still, Ada’s outrage steals the show when Bannister reveals that only Armstrong signed the temperance pledge.

Oscar is highly entertained by the back and forth, and Ada makes a dramatic exit, thinking the staff doesn’t respect her much. When Ada visits the kitchen later that night, she asks Mrs. Bauer if they would have signed the pledge if Agnes had made the request. Mrs. Bauer points out that Armstrong went against Agnes, proving that Ada’s temperament has nothing to do with it. It is also better for the well-being of the staff that they don’t feel pressured into a crusade Ada is on to fill the gap left by Luke’s absence.

All Ada wants is to talk to Luke again; she can’t contain her tears any longer. What would Agnes say about her crying in front of the staff? However, Mrs. Bauer might have a way for Ada to talk to Luke again. Is the cook alluding to a seánce? While this era saw a rise in Ouija boards and spiritualism, it seems unlikely that Agnes would be on board with this path.

Jack's clock meetings are the other big news in the Forte house. Despite his fancy suit, Jack has a touch of impostor syndrome before heading out. Luckily, Jack finds his voice when Larry doesn’t know the answer to a technical question, proving he is a natural. It is neither good nor bad news for Team Clock, but Jack needs some convincing (from Armstrong of all people) that the dream lives on. Not that Armstrong was attempting to give a pep talk, but the world works in a strange way.

Bertha no longer has a duke to entertain, but this won’t stop her from showing her face at the opera. George skips this outing in favor of work, meaning he isn’t around to witness another crisis: Larry and Marian’s romance. As predicted, Miss Andre tells Bertha what she saw, trying to downplay the scandal after she realizes Bertha is unhappy with this development. This disappointment is nothing compared to seeing the duke hanging out with another wealthy family. The Delanceys have an eligible, attractive daughter, who is laughing up a storm with the single aristocrat. But Larry should also watch his back because mentioning that he danced with Martha Delancey (Annie Tolis) once will put ideas in his mother’s head.

When George gets home late, Bertha lets him have it with both barrels: she was humiliated in the opera house she helped build. Again, he isn’t that bothered. Yet, Bertha makes a strong argument that winning in business and society is intrinsically linked, and this defeat will be detrimental to both. George reveals that Mr. Delancey (Andrew Garmen) does not have the funds to pay for a duke, which is reassuring. Bertha tries to bridge the gap between them by getting amorous, but George says he is too tired, and Bertha is left alone and rebuffed once more.

Rather than admit defeat, Bertha has called Mr. Delancey to the house under the pretense of a meeting with George. Mr. Delancey is intrigued enough to stay and is not insulted when Bertha claims she knows his finances. He reveals that he can afford a duke (or two) but doesn’t want his grandchildren growing up in another country. Before he leaves, Bertha gives the impression she will be in contact, suggesting she has plans for Larry and his daughter. Watch out, Marian! Next up on Bertha’s hit list is Hector. She makes him see clearly that a marriage is about sharing assets, so Gladys’s allowance will be his. As long as he treats Gladys right, he can save his estate.

Everything comes together before the unveiling of Gladys’s portrait by John Singer Sargent as if Betha planned it this way. George seems almost impressed that his wife has achieved her goal, with the mood softening between them as she adds some lavish jewels to her ensemble. Once more, George mentions that they were a love match and wants the same for Gladys. Of course, Bertha has an answer for everything because she thinks they work because they are well suited, and so are Gladys and Hector.

Bertha is reaching to make her choices seem less selfish because Gladys looks betrayed when she sees Hector has come back. Gladys is not the beaming bride-to-be and can’t help crying. It doesn’t help that Larry went to see Billy Carlton, and there is no return from Bertha's threats about destroying Billy’s life. Now, George is asking Gladys to give Hector a chance, and the battle is already lost.

There is no swooning, but Gladys does appreciate that Hector doesn’t try to pretend and agrees that the whole thing is odd. Much to Bertha’s delight, they come out of this room as a betrothed couple. But that isn’t the main event. Instead, Bertha gets her moment in front of the likes of Mrs. Astor as the painting is a stunner, and then George announces the “happy” news. A beaming Bertha quips that it will be the wedding of the century. Gladys, wearing the same outfit as her portrait, tugs at her pearl choker one too many times, snapping the expensive accessory. Talk about bad omens!