Belgravia Season 1, Episode 5 recap: Is Charles legitimate?

The truth about Charles Pope’s heritage begins to get out in the penultimate episode of Belgravia while John digs into his legitimacy as the rightful heir.

Episode 5 of Belgravia begins with Turton poking through his master’s desk by candlelight to find information on Charles Pope, as he was paid to do by John Bellasis.

An opportunity arose for snooping during the Trenchard’s dinner, while Oliver chattered about an upcoming visit to Manchester, Turton was supposed to looking for a wine from a specific year, instead opting to investigate James’ office.

He reports to John after, divulging that he found a letter addressed to James from Reverend Benjamin Pope saying that a young child named Charles was doing well in bible studies 20 years ago. John begins to realize there is something more afoot here than a simple business arrangement.

John wants the first page of the letter with the Reverend’s address, but Turton won’t give it up without another 20 pounds. Initially, John is like “WHAT!?” making everyone in the room look up, but Turton drives a hard bargain and John doesn’t have much of a choice if he wants the information.

Anne also asks Ellis why she went to the Brockenhurst house to find a fan that was never lost. Ellis gets antsy as her duplicity catches up with her. Ellis muddles her way through some excuses to explain her deceitful acts.

It appears, for now, Anne is satisfied, though she warns Ellis to consider what she writes about their family in the future.

Turton confronts Ellis about all of this, asking after Jane and why she is in correspondence.

She says they should tell John Bellasis since the conversation with Anne was about Charles. They have a brief argument over this, John is sowing discord between the Trenchard servants as they all want John’s coin.

Ellis is truly a snake in the grass. She immediately goes to John who tells her to keep a watchful eye on Jane when she arrives for a visit. She is to report everything that Jane knows about Mr. Pope back to him.

John decides to pay Rev. Pope a visit, only to learn that he has passed away, so he speaks to his widow instead. But John doesn’t play his cards right and she sees right through him, dismissing him before divulging anything too incriminating. It looks like John suspects James may have had a child out of wedlock.

When Jane arrives at the Trenchards, Ellis confronts her over her knowledge of Charles Pope. She intends to travel to America to help her brother run his new home on Fifth Avenue in New York. She brings with her letters from Sophia that she intends to give to Anne.

Ellis steals them and brings them to  Turton. They copy them in the hopes that John will pay a pretty penny for their contents. John is deeply rattled by what he finds in the contents. Jane gives Anne a copy of the marriage certificate between Edmund and Sophia.

John doesn’t yet know whether or not the marriage certificate is real, the letters say it was a sham, but he needs to learn more about the clergyman Bouverie to know for sure.

If the marriage truly is legitimate and everyone finds out, then John will lose his place as heir to Brockenhurst estate, it will go to Charles instead and John’s entire world will come crashing down. Hence why he barks at Ellis to steal the letters and burn them all, he’ll even pay her 1,000 pounds if she loses her place.

Jane also gives Anne the rest of Sophia’s letters from over the years. Anne is touched by the contents.