Onedin Line Timeless Themes

by Susan Ternyey, June 2025

What makes a successful marriage? 

Examples:  Anne & James, Robert & Sarah

Season 1 Episode 1 “The Wind Blows”

     Anne and James begin their marriage as a partnership, and that is a good way to begin a successful marriage.  They each have something to bring to the marriage (not just a ship and a homemaker, though that was part of it), they each have and are clear about their expectations of their marriage partnership, and they put their cards openly on the table.  She is clear about expecting both the protection of his name, and financial support/security for both herself and her father.  She offers herself as an uncomplaining and thorough housekeeper, a companion for better or worse, for richer and poorer.  She promises her loyalty and commitment (“I therefore plight thee my troth”).  He also considers it a lifetime commitment. 

     James knows that a marriage commitment requires “a good deal of thought”.  He knows that it’s more than a romantic notion.  In fact, he tells his family that romantic notions can get in the way of clearheaded decisions about marriage.  On their wedding night he is tender toward her feelings about not being beautiful.  If people only married for good looks, there would be a lot of lonely people in the world he tells her as he holds her and strokes her long hair.  There are more important reasons for marrying than the mere outward appearance of a spouse. 

     It’s important to note that Anne & James knew something of each other, and of their families.  They weren’t suddenly marrying strangers. James says it’s important to know both the strengths and weaknesses of one another.

1. Anne’s father calls James’ family pious and parsimonious.  Thus, she has some reason to believe that he is free of some of the vices that have destroyed marriages for millennia, one of which is being reckless with money.  We will see through the series that she is also careful with money.  She expects that he is going to be a shrewd bargainer from the beginning.  He sees the same in her.
2. Neither of them seems to be ultra-religious through the series, but they have similar basic religious training and familiarity with the Bible. 
3. He knows that her father is an alcoholic, and that she knows it, but they both accept it (and she keeps some tabs on her father’s drinking habits).  It doesn’t appear that either nags the other about their family members’ faults.

     Already in the first episode, James has recognized Anne is an intelligent woman, and has business acumen.  An acquaintance says they are two peas from the same pod, in that sense.  James can see that she is a strong woman, and realistic.  She is no more a dreamy-eyed romantic than he.  She recognizes that he is likely to be a good provider (works hard, has vision/ambition).

     Immediately after their wedding and shipboard (frugal) reception, Anne tells James that she intends to sail with him.  He knows something about shipboard atmosphere and the dangers of sailing in those days, and tells her it’s no place for a woman.  From later episodes, I think it’s fair to say that he is at least in part being protective, but he may also be expressing the general attitudes of the times, and perhaps he thinks it may be a distraction to have her aboard, both for himself and the crew.  No doubt he knows the attitude his crew is likely to have about having a woman on board.  But Anne tells him that “a wife’s place is beside her husband”, and that she expects that they should sink or swim together.  She’s been a sea captain’s daughter, and doesn’t want to spend the hours & days while he is gone alone and worried.  She knows enough about the dangers, and tells him, “I’ve no more fancy for widowhood than spinsterhood.”

     Whether or not her arguments have convinced him, James is anxious to get started on this most important voyage (the crucial beginning of their venture together), rather than to argue.  He accepts her will, and later he’ll be glad he did.

     The next morning Anne is sewing a house flag for their undertaking, the Onedin Line.  She is ready to be a real partner in the success of their adventure.  She and James exchange a glance with a subtle expression of satisfaction on each of their faces.  This is another important key to a successful marriage:  finding satisfaction in intimacy.  For some couples this may be more difficult than for others, but looking for it through other means than between spouses has spelt disaster to other couples in this series and in real life.

      On deck James is obviously delighted with her work and efforts on the house flag (and she has the skill to do a good job).  It will be a symbol of their marital partnership as well as a business partnership.  Though the business partnership will be a Limited Liability Company, their marital partnership will require their all. He proudly runs up the colors for his competitor/adversary to see.

     Anne asks for more clarification of James’ strategy to win the first contract for their company with Senhor Braganza, the wine grower in Lisbon.  His old boss, now stiff and vengeful competitor, has arrived in Lisbon first.  “Still take me for a fool?” he asks her when she broaches the subject, then explains that he has written ahead for Braganza to hear his offer before renewing the other contract.  “But will he?” she asks.  “Well, he’d be a fool not to, and he’s no fool.”  Anne’s expression as he leaves for the negotiations shows her appreciation for James’ shrewdness in business.

     James’ sister-in-law Sarah says that people marry out of mutual regard.   Sarah and Robert have a good marriage, even though they at times have frustrations with each other.  Few marriages don’t have some of those, including Anne & James, as time goes on.  It’s a testament to good marriages and their partners that they can withstand and work through their frustrations.  It’s a testament to their fidelity to their commitment when they stick it out.  Though James’ primary motivation for marrying Anne at first was to acquire a ship, to become a shipowner, the beginning of his envisioned fleet and shipping line, it becomes ever more clear as time goes on that he and Anne do have mutual regard for one another.

     When before sailing Anne sees the partnership contract James has signed with his brother Robert, she is incensed.  It takes some time for him to get her calmed down.  He tells her that he’s unwilling to be “berated before or after marriage.”  (Berating certainly doesn’t lend itself to successful, happy marriages.)  Already there’s a frustration in their partnership even before marriage, and it is so early on, before their relationship has had time to develop resiliency, it nearly destroys their partnership.  At last, he is able to explain what the document entails.  She clearly has less experience in this, and once she is calmed down, is willing to learn something.  Certainly, he should have explained what he was doing before it came to such a head.  But such misunderstandings not only happen in life and in marriage, but in scripts that writers intend to cause drama and audience interest.

     James’ sister Elizabeth asserts that people should marry for love.  But as will be seen, she doesn’t know what love is.  Her disastrous romantic relationships throughout her life are evidence that love alone is not enough to sustain a successful, happy marriage.

Season 1 Episode 2 “Plain Sailing” (the opposite of what life proves to be)

     On the 5^th day of sailing home from James’ successful first contract with Braganza, the wine grower in Lisbon, James and Anne emerge from below deck, and James happily teaches Anne, a ready and able pupil, about navigation.  She loves sailing, as he does.  It’s so important for a successful, happy marriage to have shared interests. 

     These first few months of their marriage are doing much to cement their relationship.  They come to understand one another more, they have weathered their seemingly first misunderstanding, they have enjoyed their time together.  They share a sense of humor.

     Then they share adversity.  Despite her feeling and real inadequacies, she doesn’t shrink from tackling what needs to be done to pursue the best interests of the partnership, as she knows her husband would do.  The crew doesn’t like having a woman onboard.  When James becomes ill, and she is the only literate person onboard, they don’t like having a woman in charge.  She is inexperienced in both commanding and navigating, and clashes with not only the crew but the 1^st mate (though he defends her in front of the crew, they have words privately).  When it all comes to a head, however, she finds a way to negotiate with him, plucks up her own courage and efforts to keep trying to navigate, even though she has made some errors.  She promises to teach him to read, write, and do figures.

     Through all this, she tends her husband the best she can, and he tries to give her the instruction she needs, despite his own desperate illness.  And in the midst of a terrible storm, he struggles out of his bunk against her objections that he is still too ill, to take charge of the ship.  When he asks who’s been navigating, he acknowledges her accomplishment with, “Oh, you learn fast,” and she says simply, “I had to.”

      With sickness, injury, and death, they are short-handed, but James and his mate are quick to do whatever needs done to bring the ship home.

     On docking at Liverpool, Anne takes on telling the widow of her loss and offering what solace she can.  She doesn’t shrink from hard things, nor does James.  No doubt this is a part of the steadily increasing mutual regard they feel toward one another.

Season 1 Episode 3 “Other Points of the Compass”

     Once in port, James is faced with expenses he hadn’t counted on . . . harbor dues, etc.  They have virtually no cash in hand to cover such expenses.  Anne’s father harshly criticizes James and predicts disaster.  Anne praises her husband’s cleverness in getting the wine trade from his former employer.

     As James’ discouragement overtakes him, rather than joining criticism to his troubles, she offers stern encouragement of the kind that would be most effective with him.  When she asks if he has any jewelry they could hock, beside her mother’s rings, he says with a smile at her, “My partner is my only adornment,” and they share a tender clasp of hands and eyes.  They decide with humor that they are not yet so desperate that she must pawn her mother’s rings.

     Anne takes on the role of company clerk and “note cracker” (payer of the notes due the crewmen and their wives).   James’ younger sister Elizabeth comes to see Anne as she is writing letters to all the customers of the wine trade they have acquired as agents.  Anne tells her with pride that as James had fallen ill on the voyage, she had to navigate most of the way home, and that now she is company clerk.  She asks pardon for the housekeeping that suffers for the sake of company business.  Elizabeth asks if she has any regrets for taking the voyage, and Anne with Victorian propriety (no details) admits that she is happy being married rather than single.  Elizabeth notices how happy she looks and Anne confirms her happiness.  Her life is enriched, has purpose, and happy companionship.  Later when Elizabeth calls, Anne is on her knees getting black from cleaning the stove.  Elizabeth remarks that she’s making a skivvy of herself for a man, but Anne replies that she does whatever she can (to make the partnership/her life succeed).

     At supper in her father’s home, where they must live, Anne fishes for a compliment from her husband for her cooking, now she has a better kitchen than onboard ship.  James teasingly offers minimal praise, she returns the tease, and they exchange a smile, which her father sees, and comments that they will be “billin’ ‘n cooin’ by Christmas”.  This from a partnership for financial profit. 

Season 1 Episode 4 “High Price”

     Without a warehouse, their premises are crowded with wine casks.  Anne’s father complains about his “upstart merchantman . . . son-in-law”.  Anne defends her husband, and indicates the situation is temporary.  She notices her father has another new suit and a new pocket watch.  Where is he getting the money?  Her father calls her husband a penny pincher, says he robbed him of his ship, turned his daughter’s head with fancy promises.  She points out that James has kept his bargain to take care of him, her father.  As it turns out, her father has mortgaged his home in order to live beyond his means, and ends up losing it.

     James is determined to get a warehouse, more ships, and a home of her own for Anne to keep, but she says one can’t always have what one “needs”.  She’s worried that her husband’s schemes will ruin them all (yet no matter her private concerns, she defends her husband to others).  He is so focused on the business that he hardly hears what she says, and walks out while she is still talking to him. 

     Anne is still keeping the company accounts, and though they are making a profit, it’s small.  It’s discouraging, but James knows that they must start small and build the business gradually.  She doesn’t press him for immediate wealth.

     When James manages to find a warehouse and is in the midst of shrewdly negotiating for it, Anne goes to see it.  It’s a “rag and bone yard”, and Anne bargains for a couple silver candlesticks.  She thought they were plated, but discovers a mark that proves them to be solid silver.  When James realizes the “rag and bone yard” must be a fencing operation, it gives him the leverage he needs to close the deal entirely.  He kisses Anne, calling her a genius, and skips out happy as a kid, to conclude the bargain.

     When James’ former employer, now bitter competitor, buys up Anne’s father’s debt and forecloses, Anne and James must live above the “new” (dreary old and rat-infested) warehouse while her father goes to stay with his sister).  Anne isn’t happy about the new premises, but she makes up her mind to it, and her husband promises that they’ll one day have a real house.

Season 1 Episode 5 “Catch as Can”

     Anne and James are invited for a weekend at his sister’s admirer’s home, which he has just inherited, and James is anxious to encourage and develop that relationship, not knowing that his sister has been intimate with her other suitor.  The admirer wants Elizabeth to join them, and James leaves it to Anne to convince her to go.  Anne enlists James’ sister-in-law, knowing that Elizabeth resists anything she thinks James is behind.  Preparation for the weekend provides another opportunity to see the teasing humor that the couple share.

     But when James’ bitter rival, his previous employer (from whom he “stole” his start) attempts once again to undercut him by having James’ loyal 1^st mate and right hand man crimped (shanghaied/kidnapped) by a Yankee ship sailing for Boston, James is not content to merely get a new mate.  He desperately searches for the man, and gives up his opportunity to cultivate a prospective alliance with Elizabeth’s admirer (sole heir to a prosperous and quality shipbuilder). 

     Anne is disappointed that he won’t be joining the weekend plans (he says he’ll come later), and worried about the danger he’ll be in.  She admits that he has become “precious” to her.  He deals with the danger by teasing her, as it is becoming more apparent that he is often uncomfortable expressing or even admitting his deeper feelings, maybe even to himself.  She seems to accept that.  He does bring her gifts from at least some of his voyages, which she treasures.  He seems to like pleasing her with them. 

     Anne sees that James’ 1^st mate Baines is valued by him, but tells him he needs to make it more clear to Baines himself.  They don’t really have different perspectives about Baines’ value to their venture, but she will speak up in Baines’ behalf many times as James takes him for granted or takes over command, as James is prone to do when he sails on a ship he owns.  Since that 1^st return voyage from Lisbon together, Anne has been true to her word and taught Baines to read and write.  She insists that he no more sign with an X, but by writing his name.  That turns out to be key to James being able to rescue him from the Yankee ship.  And Baines has come to be a fast friend and loyal to Anne because she champions him, has faith in him, and encourages/helps him develop and grow. 

Season 1 Episode 6 “Salvage”

     In this episode James finally learns of his sister Elizabeth’s illegitimate pregnancy.  All the family insist that she must marry the father of her child.  But she is defiant, and blames only James for pressuring her to marry the man to whom she has given herself.  There’s so much to discuss about Elizabeth’s personality, ideas, and choices–and they do affect the rest of the family, including Anne & James—that they must be another discussion (in the vein of how not to have a successful marriage or romantic relationship).

     However, it’s worth mentioning that Elizabeth had advised her older brother that people should marry for love, and now she asks James if it’s wrong to “love a man”, confounding love and sex.  James replies disgustedly, “You call this love?”

     Later Elizabeth asks Anne’s advice.  Anne says, “You were a fool to give yourself to him outside marriage, but now the harm’s done . . .”  Elizabeth, unwilling to do anything she doesn’t feel like (no matter her own choices), accuses Anne of just siding with James.  Anne says, “Life is full of traps for us women, and despite your talk of independence, you’ve fallen into the oldest trap of all.”  Anne and James share this sense of morality, of right and wrong respecting premarital sex and marital fidelity.  And as much as Elizabeth seeks to confide in Anne, Anne considers her willful and unwise, the cause of her own downfall, just as James does.  Until Elizabeth marries, James relies on Anne to deal with her, as he doesn’t consider his brother Robert & wife Sarah capable:  perhaps a backhand compliment from James, showing his esteem for Anne’s capabilities.

     When Elizabeth asks Anne, “Why should my brother rule my life?”  (Ignoring social convention, and the same insistence of the rest of the family),  Anne replies, “I have a great affection for James, but he can be a hard man if he’s pushed . . . I beg you do not cross him over this.  And his decision is the right one.” 

     The one time that the writers have Sarah seriously disloyal to her husband and (at the time infant) son, is in this episode.  They have her saying, “There are some loyalties we must put even above children.”  It’s a highly unlikely response historically, as well as the portrayal of her character in the series.   Sarah is ever devoted to her husband and son (even if at times she is perturbed at Robert).  Additionally, her character avoids unpleasant social situations. 

     Anne is acting as accountant/”note cracker” for the company, and one of the seamen’s wives comes to her asking for an advance on his pay, beyond the mid-voyage allotment the wives are allowed.  Despite the woman’s begging, Anne stays firm that it is against custom and practice.  When James come into the office, he points out the woman’s financial foolishness, as well as the hypocrisy of the woman begging for the sake of the starving children, when she has spent money drinking gin in the bar without caring how it will starve the children.

Season 1 Episode 7 “Passage to Pernambuco”

     True to his promise, James has managed to get a 5-room home for Anne and himself.  He entrusts her to prepare for moving in while he sails to Lisbon.  He expects to be back in 6 weeks or less.  She doesn’t want to be left behind, but he thinks she’ll be busy with getting ready for the move, convincing Elizabeth to do the right thing (Anne is to see the banns are read), and he says her father will be “good company” while he’s gone.  Surely he must mean that ironically.

     Concerning Elizabeth, James comments that her admirer Albert, the heir to the shipyard, is “besotted with her.  Now a little encouragement on both sides, and she could well have been mistress of a . . .” “Shipyard?” Anne finishes his thought.  “Well why not?  Marry the master, not the servant, if marry you must.”  This is telling about his ideas on marriage in general.  He apparently doesn’t consider it an absolute in life. 

     James wants Anne to convince Elizabeth of the benefits of being a seaman’s wife, which is ironic, because Anne is all too aware of the drawbacks of being a seaman’s wife: the loneliness, the waiting, the worrying.  Anne says she’ll miss him.  He doesn’t want Anne to come to the wharf to see him off, telling her that one goodbye is enough.  We don’t know if that one goodbye has already taken place, because in this parting scene there is hardly a goodbye, at least on his part.  He allows her to kiss him (she gives him a peck on the cheek), but he leaves without returning it.

     Elizabeth comes to visit Anne, compliments her on the house they are to move into (Elizabeth walked past it with . . . she breaks off before admitting what we can surmise, that it was with Albert, as we have just seen her frolicking with, even kissing).  Anne is cutting fabric, perhaps for the curtains James had left her measurements for.  Anne begins to speak positively about Elizabeth becoming mistress of her own home, once married to Daniel, the father of her child.  Elizabeth says she hasn’t said she’d marry Daniel.

      Anne tells her, “You have no choice . . .” But Elizabeth insists, “There’s always a choice.”  Anne says, “Not in your circumstances.”  Elizabeth gives an explanation for why she was intimate with Daniel:  she felt sorry for him.  Elizabeth admits she was foolish, but that Daniel can be very persuasive.  Remembering the scene from S1 E3, Elizabeth could also be persuasive. 

     Anne tells her straightly, steadily, “You can be married quickly and quietly, and none the wiser.”  A scheme begins fomenting in Elizabeth’s mind.  Albert has asked her to marry him, even elope with him, and she thinks that very romantic.  Daniel is not really a romantic.  Elizabeth suggests that she could marry Albert, “Quickly and quietly, and none the wiser.”

     Anne is scandalized that Elizabeth could even consider deceiving Albert so.  When Elizabeth says she’ll never be a sea captain’s wife, “Never, never never!” Anne nearly loses her cool, “You should have thought about that . . .” But she breaks off, remodulates her tone, and tries again to convince Elizabeth of the benefits of being a sea captain’s wife, her own house . . . but Elizabeth says she’s seen those houses, and knows of the lonely walks of the inhabitants of them.  Anne suggests, “Many captains take their wives with them.”  Such an idea appeals to Anne, but not to Elizabeth.  She has “no taste for shipboard life.”

     So while Elizabeth has quoted the old proverb “Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”, it doesn’t apply in every circumstance as to what makes a happy, successful marriage.  As people vary in what they want in life, so they will vary in the kind of marriage in which they will find success and happiness.  Some principles seem universal, while some particulars are not.

     Elizabeth now poses that marriage to Albert will give her the life she wants, she will want for nothing.  Anne bursts out, “Money!  So that’s what’s turned your head.”  Apparently Elizabeth has changed her mind about marrying for love, though she is clearly attracted to Albert the persistent romantic, as he is to her.  He had asked her if she loved Daniel, and she was unsure.   He said if she was unsure, she wasn’t in love with him.  But Love is its own discussion.  It just has to be touched on, as one of the reasons people say they marry.

     Elizabeth defends her interest in “marrying for money”, asking why she shouldn’t have her share.  “For what other reason did you and James marry?” But Anne points out, “Your brother and I did not deceive each other, Elizabeth.”

     Then Elizabeth goes back to the idea of love, saying that Albert loves her and wants to marry.  She is sure that he will never know the child isn’t his.  Anne is not convinced.

     Elizabeth does elope with Albert, and writes home from her honeymoon that she is gloriously happy.  She is still ecstatic when they return. 

     As it turns out, James ends up going into half shares in another ship, with Braganza the wine grower.  That’s an interesting negotiation, but outside the purview of this discussion.  The salient point is that James ends up being away for nearly 3 months.  He sends instructions to Robert, as the other company director, to carry on trade while he is away.  Robert complains to Anne that he doesn’t have any idea how to proceed.  Anne, as the bookkeeper/accountant explains to him (a company director) how it works. 

     Anne has the intelligence and understanding to know what to do, while Robert is worried that James is putting them all in debt again (implying that they have prospered enough to be out of debt).  She defends her husband, “James knows what he’s about.”  She is loyal, as she had vowed she would be, but it seems clear that she trusts and admires her husband’s business sense, despite her previous apprehensions (S1 E4). 

     Marry for love?  Marry someone because they love you?  (What love is is its own discussion.)  Marry for money?  For financial security?  To gain property?  Marry to legitimatize an unborn child?  Essentially marrying for lust?  Marry for good looks?  Marry out of genuine or mutual regard for one another?  Marry for companionship?  As a partnership?  Such is not a comprehensive list, only a start.  This is a discussion of the facts of life that all parents should have with their children. 

     The question, Why marry? is important to the discussion of what makes a successful, happy marriage.  It’s foundational.  But then the structure must be built up from there.  

1. Honesty
2. A partnership relationship, having/sharing a vision and working together toward goals
3. A lifetime commitment
4. Loyalty (including not exposing one another to ridicule, defending one another’s reputation before others)
5. Avoiding recriminations
6. Clear and realistic expectations
7. Knowledge of one another’s character, personality, strengths, even faults (with a willingness to make allowance for imperfections)
8. Lack of major vices
9. Appreciation of one another’s strengths and abilities
10. Shared humor
11. Shared interests
12. Delight in one another, considering one another precious
13. Willingness to work hard, learn and to do hard things, a do what needs done, even if mundane
14. Facing life’s difficulties/adversities/setbacks and hazards together (bonding experiences)
15. Encouraging one another, seeking to bring out the best in one another
16. Patience, not only for one another, but in Life’s vissicitudes, and in the attainment of goals
17. Trust
18. Recognizing/valuing the importance of each other’s friends/family/colleagues (no nagging complaints about them)
19. Staying ethical/moral
20. Humility (even while being confident)

 . . . all these qualities we have seen so far in just 7 episodes of the series.  Naturally, some of these qualities will be tested in their life together, and sometimes the characters will fall short (as we all do), but these are a good start, and a good way to continue, in order to find success and happiness in marriage.

Season 1 Episode 8 “Homecoming”—Dealing with jealousy, old romances.

     Anne and James have only been married for 6 months.  Another challenge comes up for them/their marriage when the man Anne had known all her life and thought she would marry, returns after 4 years without word.  After so long with no word, she had thought nothing was settled and there was no reason to question why he didn’t write to her.

     Anne has been fixing up their new house, but she’s begun talking to herself out of lonliness.  She’s been counting up the 85 days James has been gone.  Unfortunately, this old acquaintance came just as James returned, so she was not there waiting for him at the dock, as both Anne & James expected she would.  She has prepared a gift for James, and he has brought a gift for her.  She had a good supper prepared for him, but her unexpected visitor has enjoyed her hospitality to the extent that there’s none left when James gets home.

     Now complications arise.  Anne’s acquaintance has no money.  She lends him some.  James offers him a berth on his ship (not knowing that the man was a failure at being a sailor).  But Anne doesn’t want to be stuck at home alone again, so decides to sail with her husband.  It makes for an awkward triangle. 

     Anne had known the man all her life, cared deeply about him.  They have only begun to renew their acquaintance.  There’s talk among the crew.  James is not only jealous, he feels humiliated as captain.  There’s much more to the story, but these are the essentials as far as their relationship goes, except that James as captain bids her not interfere with his decisions and running of the ship. 

     When it all come to a head, shipboard Justice is at issue.  Anne learns that there is much that she never realized about both shipboard life and about being a seaman’s wife.  She is humble enough to admit it, and to learn from the experience.  Her admission amounts to an apology.

Season 1 Episode 9 “When My Ship Comes Home”—ethics, forgiveness

     The next test comes when an insurance claim is disavowed, threatening financial ruin.  James can see that the insurance man (who is chief partner in the firm) is immovable about paying out, over an invented technicality.  He decides to get the man drunk and trick him into signing off.  This is in London, where Anne has insisted she accompany James, as she has never been to that famous city, the capital of the kingdom and empire.  She has faith that all will work out.  Perhaps that is faith that the right will prevail, or faith in James’ ability to right the problem, or both.

     James doesn’t want to admit to Anne what he’s up to, obviously thinking it will offend her ethics.  But when she realizes the dire position they are in, and she is about to lose the very security she had bargained for in the first place, she says she is willing to set aside her scruples rather than be ruined.  In following episodes her conscience will be both educated (as in the previous episode) and a source of frustration/conflict in their marriage. 

     But James’ strategy with the insurance problem fails.  He is ruined, his brother Robert is ruined and loses his shop and home.  He and his wife and child have to move in with Anne & James.  James must go around borrowing from everyone he knows, and even a loan shark, to raise money.  But he isn’t raising the money to pay off his debt (it would never be enough), nor Robert’s, he intends to use it to pursue a trading venture to try to earn the money he needs.  

     The ship in which he owns half shares with Braganza is already sailing to Lisbon, so out of immediate reach (of his old nemesis/former employer to whom he owes the debt), but his first ship, the “Charlotte Rhodes” has been distrained (impounded) in port.  He and Baines steal onto it at night to sail away.  Anne sneaks aboard as a stow away.  James isn’t happy about that (he knows it’s a dangerous voyage), but when she reveals herself, he manages a smile after all.

     James had previously been approached to run guns from Gibraltar to French rebels.  He had disdained the idea.  But now he’s desperate.  He makes the dangerous deal.  Anne isn’t happy about that, nor his attitude that its none of his business whether the rebels will be successful or not. 

     But the venture succeeds, and he gains the money he needs to pay off his debt, but not to get a shop and home back for Robert and his wife Sarah.  Anne says Robert & Sarah will never forgive him, though surely she must see that James could not have prevented their predicament (once again it was James’ former employer who forced them to sell out so he could extend his shipping business). 

     James asks if Anne will forgive him, and she doesn’t answer.  It’s unclear if it’s the gun running or the loss of Robert’s shop and home to which James, and Anne, refer.  We don’t know whether it’s only at the time she may not be able to reassure him of her forgiveness, or whether she will hold it against him for some time.  But this issue of ethics/conscience and that of forgiveness will come up again.

Season 1 Episode 10 “A Very Important Passenger”—bonding through shared experience, resolving differences of opinion

     It’s been 3 months since the last episode (in the storyline), and brother Robert complains to James that he’s had plenty of money pass through his hands to get him a new shop, but James spends it all on chartering ships and buying cargoes for trade.  James tells him he means to have a fleet of ships, and that’s more important than a shop for Robert.

     Then an opportunity arises to earn a large profit carrying a mysterious passenger to Italy, where James is headed anyway.  James agrees to use those funds to fund a shop for Robert.  The mysterious passenger turns out to be Garibaldi, so it’s still 1860.

     Anne is sailing with James and his passenger.  She was the one who saw to the ship’s vittles.  Baines has been poisoned (nonlethally) as an excuse for a secretive assassin and accomplices to crew the ship.  Garibaldi is charming but not amoral, Anne is friendly and sympathetic to him, but faithful to James.  When Garibaldi and James differ about where to sail first, Anne pleads Garibaldi’s cause, but she refuses to be disloyal to her husband. 

     The assassins are foiled, and Anne pleads for James to accommodate Garibaldi’s wishes.  He tells her he had already changed course.  But then another British ship takes Garibaldi on, and James is free to pursue his trade and go home, having earned the money for Robert’s new shop.

     Thus James and Anne have come through another bonding experience:  another danger, another resolved difference of opinion.  And their venture is prosperous, despite setbacks.

Season 1 Episode 11 “Mutiny”—loyalty, helping & protecting one another

     At a family dinner while James is away solving the problem of a mutiny aboard a ship he has chartered, James’ siblings, Robert and Elizabeth, sound just like mutineers–as if James were the master of the family.   James is principal shareholder  in 3 companies (85% vs 15% for Robert; as James directs the businesses and works hardest):  the original Onedin Line (shipping), Onedin Warehouses, and Onedin Chandlers.  Robert says, “Well, that’s all fine and grand on paper, but here we are without a penny in our pockets, and bill-waving creditors around every corner you turn.” Their home, dress, and table/spread don’t make them appear in poverty.

          Anne speaks up, “You’re being unfair, Robert.  If it were not for your brother James, you’d not have a chandler’s shop,”  to which Elizabeth answers, “And if were not for brother James, Robert would not have lost the shop father left him in the first place.”  “Exactly!” Robert concurs.  “Here we are up to our necks in debt, and James conveniently slips away to France.”

     Elizabeth’s husband Albert says he’d be interested in buying some shares. He apparently has faith in James’ business abilities. But Robert tells him he should invest elsewhere.  Anne again defends her husband, “Well, you’re quite unreasonable.  James has a very shrewd and sound business sense.”  Robert objects again, “Then why doesn’t he concentrate, then, on securing a cargo for our own two ships, eh?”  And Elizabeth chimes in,  “But, oh no, brother James has to go chartering ships to catch fancy trade like pineapples from the West Indies.”  “Right.  Always biting off more than he can chew,” Robert says as he takes a big bite of his supper.

     “I fear James forgets that people run ships.  Winds and tides are not the only enemies with which he has to contend,” Albert says, as the family here proves. 

     James takes the side of the captain of the mutinous ship, but he is a realist, and negotiates with the crew so that he can get his cargo home to sell.  As it turns out, the captain is mentally unstable.  He sabotaged the ship, and tries to sabotage the crew as though they hung him to look like suicide, when he takes his own life. 

     Robert and Anne come out to the ship with the pilot to tell James the ship is dangerously low in the water.  James takes Anne aside, not wanting her to be involved in the whole affair, trying to protect her from it.  Nevertheless, she stays with him, helping to investigate what really happened.

     Because the crew served well under him, James testifies on their behalf, and they are acquitted. 

     Couples who want their marriage to succeed stand up for one another, defend one another, help one another.

Season 1 Episode 12 “Cry of the Blackbird”—different opinions & perspectives, bonding through shared experiences (even traumatic ones), conscience, apologizing, forgiving

     Sailing for Australia with a group of emigrants bound for New South Wales, Anne feeds the starving emigrants from the ship’s stores.  James, anxious to earn the money to buy out Braganza’s share of the “Pampero”, has calculated the ship’s stores very closely.  He tells Anne that he warned the passengers of the mortal risks and that they would have to provide for their own victuals.  Anne reminds him that it’s been 2 weeks since they came to a port where the people could buy food, and it’s another 5 days before they’ll reach another.  She exclaims that they’ll starve, and tells him that human lives are more important than profits.  She goes on feeding them, and James doesn’t prevent her, though he looks on with a scowl.

     Once in New South Wales, James finds out that the wool contract he has is worthless.  There’s no wool, he is told.  A pastor overhears, and bargains to have him pick up some natives from Papua New Guinea and sail them to Queensland to a mission there.  James is skeptical of the man, but undertakes the voyage for the sake of not having sailed 12,000 miles for a total loss.  Anne sees the man as the epitome of caring more about people than profits.

     When the pastor’s alcoholism is revealed, Anne makes allowance for him.  When he goes ashore to preach a fiery sermon to persuade the natives to sail away, James and Baines watch them surreptitiously.  Baines mentions Anne’s different opinion of the pastor, and James says that a man doesn’t have to have the same opinions as his wife.

     Anne has a discussion with the pastor about the souls of the natives.  She sees them happy, so how could they be sinners?  He tells her of their different sexual mores.  This touches her Victorian sensibilities.  It poses the difference between an innocent conscience and an educated conscience, which is another discussion for another day.

     But more and more details come forth, and Anne sees the pastor taking advantage of a native girl, the chief’s daughter.  She objects to the idea of lying to the natives to “save their souls’.  The truth comes out that the Pastor and his 2 unsavory helpers are “blackbirding”, selling the natives into virtual slavery.  The ethics of the situation become intolerable.  The pastor offers to pay more, and indicates that other captains have looked the other way in order to make the money.  James is definitely against being used as a slaver, but he is being sorely tested.

     Baines can’t bear to have the natives sold into slavery, and tells them the truth about the “God-fella”.  They rise up in revolt, kill the pastor by setting him on fire.  The pastor tries to use Anne as a shield, so she sees the whole gruesome thing, and is traumatized to tears. 

     James comes in and tells her gently, “I wouldn’t have let harm come to them in the end.  Maybe . . . once I’d seen what they were to be condemned to . . . I’ve given orders for the ship to turn back for the island . . . Does that mean anything to ya?” he tries to console his sobbing wife.  He bemoans the thousands of miles they’ve wasted for nothing.  But then he turns back to his wife.  “Anne . . . Why d’ya bother with the likes of me?”  She takes hold of the hand he has on her shoulder.  They have come through a long, traumatic experience, and in the end have come together. 

Season 1 Episode 13 “Shadow of Doubt”—perspectives/experience/influence, kindness

     The truth finally comes out that Elizabeth’s 1 year old child William is not Albert’s but Daniel’s.  Much of the episode is taken up with Albert’s pursuit of the truth.

     At William’s birthday party Robert gets a little tipsy and makes a telling remark that brings about the “Shadow of Doubt”.  Albert goes around questioning everyone who might know what the truth is.  When he arrives to talk to Robert and Sarah in their shop, they have come up with a highly unconvincing excuse.  Sarah loyally backs up Robert’s story—they stick together.  It’s not really an issue of their ethics, they have just concocted a story (a white lie) in order to protect Elizabeth, her child, and her marriage.  As they finally tell Albert, he should go to Elizabeth with his questions.  (He has questioned her, and feels like he just gets a run-around.)

     Robert decides to take Sarah to see her brother and his wife (where did they leave their toddler Samuel?).  She tells him affectionately “Robert, you are the kindest of men.”  They find that her brother and wife are destitute.  They bring out their picnic, which to her brother and wife is a feast.  As Sarah’s brother wishes he could sail to Canada, Robert (as a director in the company) arranges for them to sail with James for free, under the Articles of Association family members can sail free. James didn’t intend for it to extend that far, but the black and white doesn’t split those hairs.  It appears that Robert also bought/got his in-laws new clothes. Anne is amused at Robert’s outwitting James for once, and she decides that she will also sail to Canada.

     Despite having a minimal exam by a doctor to get aboard (stick out the tongue and let him look in), Sarah’s sister-in-law turns out to have Smallpox; her husband gets it too.  James at first tries to shield Anne from the “bedlam” in the hold with the emigrants, but she takes up tending the sick.  She tries to get James to turn back to Liverpool for the sake of the smallpox sufferers.  But James insists it wouldn’t do any good.  And Baines tells her the same.  James explains to her the horrors of being in quarantine . . . “Guard boats to see that nobody approaches or leaves.  Nobody’s to bring you fresh water or meat or bread or biscuits.  You live off what’s left of the ship’s vittles, rotten meat, foul water, and then if the smallpox don’t take, cholera and typhus do.  Now while I’m on time charter, I’m caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.  With a vengeance.” There’s also the issue that all the other passengers have paid to go to Canada, and won’t be happy to have to go back.

          Another day Anne comes on deck to tell James that the husband is getting worse.  “What can I do?  I’m not a doctor . . . Anne, you’ve had no sleep.  Now get down below.  Look, if you’re ill, who’s going to look after them?  Now, below, rest,” he gently commands her.  She accedes. 

     When Sarah’s brother dies and James enters it into the log “due to natural causes”, as he wants a clean bill of health when they reach Canada, to avoid quarantine, Anne is uncomfortable.  She seems to understand that being in quarantine isn’t going to do anyone any good, but she’s unsure of James’ motives. 

     “My motives have never changed from the first day that we met.  Have yours?” he questions her.  “The wife [of Sarah’s brother] will recover.  We’re past the danger.  Now to turn back would have been impracticable.  You must understand that.”  “Would you have turned back had it been me?”  She tests at once his love for her and his motives for not turning back.  “No.  To turn back would have made no difference.  Don’t you see that?  Oh, Anne,” his voice becomes gentle.  “When will you stop trying to be my conscience, eh?”  She shakes her head with a smile.  “One of these days, one of these days . . . your confounded scruples will . . . bring us to the workhouse,” he gently chides her, then leaves, and she looks thoughtfully at the log.

     Anne and James see things from different perspectives, often because he has more experience than her in some things.  But she still struggles with her conscience, and that of her husband.  He also struggles with her conscience, because he is a practical man, a realist, and weighs the facts on a different scale than hers.  This issue of conscience will build to a head in a few more episodes. 

Season 1 Episode 14 “Blockade”—What’s Paradise? Consider reality, support, tenderness, shared interests, compassion, avoiding temptations to infidelity . . . this episode is full of issues

     During the US Civil war Liverpool is hurting.  The loss of the US cotton trade has cotton mills in England shut down.  James characterizes the times with, “Half of Lancashire starving, and the other half watching ‘em.”

     A 15-year-old girl approaches James in a pub and asks if she can “please” him.  The mill at which she worked is shut down.  He pays for a drink and a meal for her, gives her a florin, and tells her to eat and go home.  Compassion, scruples.

     An agent for the US Confederacy approaches James, then.  He had sent a note to James to meet.  Though James disapproves of slavery (as shown in more than one episode), he tells the man, “Sir, I’m an Englishman.  Now, your war is none of my affair.  If I have an interest in this venture [of running the Yankee blockade], it’s purely as a matter of business.” The man had tried to appeal to his patriotism, in helping his own country as well as that of the Confederacy.

     James asks Robert about their assets.  They have the warehouse, the “Charlotte Rhodes”, and the “Pampero” . . . perhaps £2400-2500, Robert estimates.  James apparently intends to mortgage them to get cash for cargo to the US.

     Anne sails with James (as well as Elizabeth’s husband Albert), though she hates the venture herself.  She is very much against slavery and doing anything to support it.  And yet, she goes along with her husband, not wanting to be separated, especially in danger. 

     On the voyage to the US James comes up behind Anne on deck in a friendly way.  She reminds him that the crew will witness anything between them.  James replies with “It was your notion.”  She accepts his arm around her shoulder, and remarks, “It’s very beautiful.”  He likens the ocean to a pearl one day, an oyster the rest of the time.  She mentions that the sea can be cruel, “and yet on a day like this . . .”  They share a tender/paradisical moment, and she could only wish they were not on this kind of venture (running a blockade with arms & supplies for the slaveholding South).  The pearl/oyster could be a metaphor for Anne, the sea a metaphor for James—a more involved discussion of their characters is for another day.

     They sail to Bermuda, which Baines says some call Paradise.  It is also beautiful.  There James negotiates with a wealthy pilot to get them into Wilmington to trade their cargo.  But the Pilot enjoys his paradise at the price of slavery.

     The Pilot calls Anne “A fine lady . . .” and James agrees, “I think so.”  “. . . but do you discuss business in front of her?”  “She is my wife, and my partner.”  The pilot asks Anne what she thinks of the venture, and she answers honestly that she doesn’t approve.  The pilot warns her that she should not say so, or some will take it amiss.  After that, James carries on the negotiations with the man without Anne. 

     James had told Anne that she was to remain in Bermuda, but when she learns of the danger to James, she insists on sailing with him.  “If you’re to die, I shall risk it, too.”

     When they arrive in port, after a terrifying trip in the dark, so near the shore that the sound of the crashing waves was deafening, Anne and Baines watch soldiers march by, slaves working hard or being led along in chains, their backs horribly scarred.  She hates it.  Baines says, “Aye, it isn’t Paradise, that’s for sure.  More like hell, it is, saving your presence, ma’am.”

     Anne comes in during the negotiations for selling the cargo, and James asks that his wife stay, in a way more a statement than seeking permission.  After James makes his hard bargain, he leaves Anne to “look after” their guest, the Confederate major.  She asks him about his situation, and how he can reconcile fighting for slavery.  He asks her if she is so opposed, why is she involved in the trade.  It is apparent that sometimes people find themselves in circumstances at odds with their values.

     When James is ready to go, the pilot is unwilling to take them at this point. He says by now too many know they are there, and will be watching for them. He offers no set date when he will take them.  James is anxious over Anne being exposed to the fever that infects the port.  Finally James decides they will risk going without the pilot.  They get through the fearful part, but then are boarded by Federal troops who are to take them to a Federal prison.  Anne asks if it was the pilot who betrayed them.  The captain refuses to divulge, but she takes that as much as an admission.

     James and Albert find that the Scots-American Captain is highly interested in steam engines, and they use that interest to work on him, bargaining that for half the profits of the highly profitable voyage and a prestigious place in their company, he will help them escape. 

      Uncharacteristically, James has Anne leave before they negotiate.  Again, perhaps he felt it might offend her scruples.  But he obviously did tell her about the deal.

     Robert comes to greet them as they dock, enthusiastically saying, “We’re rich, Anne, we’re rich!”  She says steadily, “Yes, Robert.  We went to make a profit, and it seems we made one . . . I trust we’re all proud of ourselves.”  She is less than proud.

     On the dock stands the young girl who had approached James in the tavern, offering to “please him”.  Anne asks James if he knows her.  He denies having ever seen her, and thus avoids what would have inevitably evolved, or devolved, into a compromising situation.

Season 1 Episode 15 “Winner Take All”—family & friend relationships, business, influence, encouraging: finding something of ultimate importance in a marriage partnership   

     Anne & James’ marriage and partnership has prospered.  In less than 5 years they have come from £175 and one sailing ship, to £27,484 in assets, including 1 sailing ship, half ownership in another, and 3 companies (a shipping line, a warehouse company, and a chandlering [ship supply & household necessities] company).  James owns 85%, Robert 15% of their Limited Partnership companies.  James & Anne lease a 5 bedroom home and support her father (living with them  and spending money). 

     Anne’s father still isn’t shy about his criticisms of James.  Anne continues to defend her husband against her father’s attacks, as well as others who criticize him.  James involves her in the business, and she is a capable partner in both the business and their marriage, even though sometimes on a learning curve.

     Anne continues to help, encourage, and champion Baines, James’ first mate and right-hand man.  He is to take his master’s exam, and she is sewing stripes on a uniform for him.  Because of his newly acquired literacy, James is less confident that Baines will pass the test.  But when he does (at the bottom of the testers), James says he never doubted, and gives him the “Pampero” as his first command, on a voyage that will round the dangerous Horn of South America.

     Anne questions of all their assets, how much of it is cash.  James assures her, “Oh, have no fear, Anne, we’re well cushioned against adversity.”  Then she brings up James’ brother Robert.  What about his 15%?  James informs her (if she doesn’t already know), “Now shareholders are paid on profits, not assets.”  Presumably Robert and Sarah live off the profits of the shop. Anne continues, “Robert is a shareholder, and as such, is entitled to a return on his investment.”   “Ah, £15 worth of shares,” James reminds her.  “When you needed it most,” she in turn reminds him.  James asks her, “Have you any idea how much those shares are now worth?”  Webster says, “Nor, I imagine, does Robert.”  “He’ll be paid,” James protests.  “But first I must pay off Senhor Braganza for my share of the “Pampero”.  Now that’s £1500,” but James moderates his volume to say, “Oh, maybe if I declare a bonus of  £200, that should take care of Robert, eh?”  Anne gives him a look, “15%?”  James explains, “Well, a company cannot expand without reserves.”

     James’ sister Elizabeth’s husband Albert had resigned working for his father, Frazer Shipyards, to focus on his steamship designs.  But with less income than outgo (Elizabeth is less prone to economize than Anne, and no doubt Albert is less sensitive to frugal living than James, as well), they are not able to keep their heads above water.  Elizabeth manages a reconciliation between her husband and his father, so that he is rehired, but but his father insists he not spend any company time and resources on steamships. 

     Albert took to heart James’ promise that the profits of the blockade running in the US Civil War would be used to build his steamship design.  The Scots-Yankee captain ran off with his promised half-share of the profits.  James keeps putting Albert off, considering that it was merely a way of getting out of a tough bind. 

     At tea, Elizabeth brings up the issue with Anne and Sarah.  Anne explains James’ viewpoint.  Elizabeth suggests that the wives might be able to effectuate a dinner party where Albert will have a chance to put forth his ideas.  Sarah loves the idea, and immediately suggests they invite Albert’s parents and Anne’s father.  Then while the men talk over after-dinner drinks, they can talk business.  No doubt the idea is that Albert’s father will be less vocally critical of Albert’s steamship interests in front of others.

     Anne is skeptical that James can be convinced to attend a dinner party, as he doesn’t care for socializing.  So the other two women suggest he can hardly refuse if he and Anne are hosting.  Thus the wives exert their influence behind the scenes.

     The dinner party goes well.  The company is jovial and enjoy laughing over the retelling of a melodrama involving ships that Albert and Elizabeth attended.  A few comments are made about whether steam or sailing ships would have fared better in the story.  When the women retire, Albert has a chance to talk about his ideas.  He manages to convince James of the profitability of what he can design as a steamship.  Thus, plans are negotiated to create a public company to build it.  James will see to the funding (and get ownership of the ship), Albert will be the designer, the Frazer shipyard will build it, and Albert, James, & Robert will become partners.

     But James’ 2 nemeses, his former boss now bitter rival Callon and Elizabeth’s spurned suitor Daniel Fogarty who works for Callon, find out about the plan, and manage to essentially gain control of the company by buying up shares surreptitiously, then turning the tide of the 1st shareholders’ meeting against Albert’s design through derisive humor.  Much of the storyline of the series then follows James’ efforts to take back control of the company and the steamship.  James has invested all he has into the company, and it’s a struggle for many years, with many setbacks.

     One of the setbacks comes right away when Capt. Baines’ first command, the “Pompero” is wrecked in a storm rounding the Horn. 

     With all else going on, and so much of his hopes and dreams tied up in the “Pampero”, James takes the news badly.  He gives in to angry outbursts.  It’s a total loss:  it’s not insured for doubling round the horn.  Anne tries to assuage some of the anger in that Baines, at least, is saved and on his way home. 

     “It seems even the elements are against me, Anne,” James laments.  “There’ll be other ships, other cargoes.  Come now, where’s the man I married?  The man with ambition enough for an army of Napoleons?” (see S1 E1) Such is Anne’s stern brand of encouragement, which usually works with James. 

     “I’ve brought you nothing but misfortune,” he bemoans.  “And I married you for security.”  “Hmm.  Well, don’t you regret our marriage now?”  Anne softly replies, “I may have married you for security, but I found something more important.  You’ve not lost everything.  You still have the ‘Charlotte Rhodes’”.  “Well, seems I still have you, Anne,” his look embraces her, and she gently leans on him.

Season 2 Episode 1 “The Hard Case”—influence, trust, loyalty, family & friends, conscience

     This episode replays the loss of the “Pampero”, then shows Baines reporting to his boss, James, at home in Anne’s kitchen where she is doing the washing as James is labeling casks to be shipped, and Capt. Webster (Anne’s father) is sitting at the table.  

     Anne learns of the inadequate accommodations for such disasters of the time, but is glad Baines wasn’t lost along with the ship and most of the crew.  Neither James nor Capt. Webster blame Baines for the loss, knowing the hazards of sailing round the Horn of South America.  Baines is surprised that immediately James gives him another command.

     With the loss of the “Pampero”, and the loss of the control of his steamship venture, James’ prosperity is also at a loss.  Thus, his and Anne’s account with Robert’s shop is mounting, to Sarah’s dismay.  But Robert defends Anne, as family, and tells his wife that Anne’s credit is good.  But he doesn’t want to be involved in any more of James’ schemes.

     Another account owing at Robert & Sarah’s shop is the Jessops’.  Anne hears Sarah refuse them any more credit, and offers to speak to James about hiring Jessop, who is known as a troublemaker (encouraging seamen to organize for better wages & conditions), thus often out of work.  She is true to her promise, and James hires him, even over Baines’ objections.

     As Albert steams Anne & James out to the chartered “Star of Bethlehem” in his little pinnace, Anne & Elizabeth are seated together, and Elizabeth speaks of her marriage decision.  Anne gives her some marital advice:  You must learn to encourage, not carp.  It’s obviously advice Anne lives.  She doesn’t always agree with her husband, and doesn’t just meekly remain silent about her concerns, but she doesn’t carp at him.

     On the voyage Anne remarks how hard Baines is driving the men (as James had required of him).  James says that Baines is learning the art of command.  She then asks, “Is building Albert’s ship so important to you?”  “Yes,” he confirms.  “I formed that company, I intend to regain control . . . Stop trying to be my conscience,” he repeats the refrain.  But then his tone softens, as he says, “Trust me.  If you don’t, all this is for nothing.”  There’s no question it’s important to James to succeed for his own sake, but clearly it’s important to him that Anne be on/by his side in his successes.  If not, they would be meaningless to him.  That’s how important Anne has become to him.

Season 2 Episode 2 “Pound & Pint”—loyalty, justice, conflicts of conscience

     While on the voyage of the “Star of Bethlehem”, Jessop among the crew and fomenting a seaman’s strike, differences in perspective between Anne & James bring conflicts in their marriage/partnership/relationship. 

     A necessary sudden shift of course to avoid disaster resulted in a man being lost overboard and attacked by a shark.  Anne had questioned James’ entry in the log about making diligent inquiries (vs his own eye-witness to the event, S2 E1).  Now at a seamen’s auction to benefit the widow, Anne at last bids what is considered an exorbitant sum of £5.  When he and Anne are alone, James objects and says he will not pay it.  She considers it the least they can do, he regards it as foolishness and unnecessary. There are charitable institutions for helping the poor. Visions of Dickensian workhouses come to mind.

     Later, as Anne is down giving Jessop the money for the widow, he expresses his dissatisfaction with the seamen’s lot.  She defends her husband, “My husband is a hard man, but a fair and just one.”  To which Jessop counters, “but not known to be a generous one.”  Jessop tells her he’s not looking for charity, he just justly wants better pay, better conditions.

     Jessop drops a belaying pin while aloft, which nearly hits Anne.  Baines’ takes swift action, calling the man down on deck and hitting him hard.  “You might have killed Mrs. Onedin!” he charges the man.  James tells Anne that he would’ve done the same.  “It was an accident!” Anne insists.  But James tells her that there was no reason for the man to carry a belaying pin aloft (maybe he forgot he had it on his person? he’s not a killer).  If Mr. Baines didn’t act, James says he would have to put the man in irons to await British justice on land, a charge of attempted murder.  Such an inquiry is bound to be found against him, James tells her. 

     On the way home, some bad meat has to be dumped overboard.  The crew is put on half rations.  As Anne and James are eating chicken, she pleads on behalf of the crew:  the men have longstanding grievances.  James tells her that it’s the last chicken, and tomorrow they’ll also be on short commons.  He points out that captains must abide by the Articles set by Parliament, as well as the men.  This voyage is no different than any other.  Anne intimates that the captain can use the Articles for his own profit, that the penalties tend to be lopsided toward the people in authority.  James vows this is the last time that Jessop, considered a troublemaker, will sail on an Onedin ship. 

     When Anne complains that James is only interested in profits, James suggests she best stay home, or she’ll make them bankrupt.  (Not every prediction a character in the series makes comes true.)  “I might remind you, Anne, that the money you affect to despise brings you the security that you crave.”

     Back in Liverpool, Jessop leads a seamen’s strike, yet he insists there be no violence until they give the shipowners a chance to hear and accommodate their list of demands, and then only if they get no cooperation.  They do prevent James (no doubt others as well), from boarding his own ship.  James and Daniel Fogarty sit together to hear their demands, and Daniel is adamant and intransigent against them.  James sees that the hearing is useless at this point and suggests an adjournment until all cool down. 

     While discussing the strike with his shopkeeper brother Robert and wife Sarah, James reminds them of past bread riots.  Robert sees a cool head is needed.  James strategizes that they let the men feel the pangs of not working:  “. . . if we bow, it costs us money; if we stand firm it costs us money . . . It’s not so much what they want,  but how little they can be persuaded to take.”  Robert later suggests they bend a bit, offer better food, which James accuses him is just to benefit himself as ships’ chandler.

     James takes Robert with him to negotiate with Jessop and his strike council.  Jessop has written specific demands, and demands that James be specific.  James tells him there’s no way they are going to get all their demands, but he has written up exactly what he is willing to offer.  Jessop sees it has some reasonableness, and is willing to put it to the men.  James wants assurance that the men will not work for any other shipping lines unless they are willing to offer the same, knowing that Fogarty will not agree, and such will benefit his own company.  The strike council agree, even knowing his motives.

     But Fogarty brings in violent strike breakers, and Jessop and the leaders are sent to prison.  Anne has compassion for Mrs. Jessop, in particular, and bakes and takes bread and supplies to keep them from starvation.  When James finds out, he feels she is betraying him in favor of his adversaries.  Anne distinguishes between the men on strike, and their families.  James doesn’t. 

     They argue about whether she has any right to use monies she has scrimped and saved from the household budget—only shorting herself, not James’ comforts—as she chooses.  He reminds her that legally any money a wife receives is “at her husband’s forbearance”.  Wives do not have property.  Anne insists that she deserves to be treated as a person with her own power of decision-making and actions. 

     Despite the bond/love that has grown between Anne and James (an acquaintance has remarked that they are a matched pair), as Anne is leaving with supplies for Mrs. Jessop, James tells her sternly, “If you leave against my express wishes [to give charity to the suffering families of the strikers], you needn’t bother to come back.”  He’s a little shocked at his own words, but stubbornly sticks to them.  “I mean what I say!”  “Yes, James, I see that you do.”  She slams the door behind her.

Season 2 Episode 3 “A Woman Alone”—principles, stubbornness/pride

     Both Anne and James suffer in their separation, but both are determined and stubbornly stick to their principles–not that they shouldn’t have principles and stick by them.  This is one of  the most powerful examples in the series to show that there is more than one side to every question, and that each side has its own valid and salient points.  How can these be reconciled, or can they?  These are great opportunities for discussion of some really important issues, timeless themes.

     Baines is surprised Anne was not at the quay to greet the ship when he arrived in port.  James stiffly, coldly tells him, “Mrs. Onedin is no longer in my house.”  To Baines’ concerned face, he says, “It was her own decision.”   Baines makes up an excuse to go see Anne, but James is sure that she’ll soon be back.   

     James comes home to an empty house, no longer tidy.   He happens on the fan he had given Anne when they were first married, and that gives him pause.  He hears Anne coming in and acts quickly to appear unaffected by her absence.  He supposes that she’s come back to him, then.  But she has only come for some things that belong to her.  “Nothing here belongs to you,” he tells her.  “Maybe not legally, but I’ve worked just as hard as you for our few possessions.  I’ve scraped and saved and gone without . . . kept the accounts, paid out wages, balanced the books . . .”  James replies, “It’s a wife’s duty to help her husband.”  He doesn’t say that it’s a husband’s duty to help his wife, but by the time he is married to his second wife, he seems to have come to feel disposed, even if not duty bound, to help his wife in her interests, even if he doesn’t agree with her projects (such as helping her get the house she wants for her children’s home).

     “You should have taken a partner, not a wife,” Anne says.  In a gentler tone James says, “If I remember right, our marriage was a partnership.  I was desperate for a ship, and you for a husband . . . Where are you living now?”  “You told me to leave . . . where I go is no concern of yours,” Anne says rather coldly.  James almost pleads, “If you’d undertake to be reasonable . . .”  To which Anne interpolates that he’s offering “Forgiveness?  For what?”  “Disloyalty,” he names it.  “When a man’s fighting for his very survival, the least he can expect is that his own wife be loyal to him . . . You’re out there feeding . . . the very people holding me ransom!”

     “I must go,” is all she says.  But James doesn’t want to let her go, “I’ve told you that’s not necessary . . . promise that it won’t happen again . . .”  “You want me to promise that if I hear a child crying with hunger, I’ll refuse to feed him because you have a quarrel with his father?”

     “I want you to stop believing that God Almighty appointed you the keeper of my conscience.  Stop meddling in affairs you know nothing about. . .”  he says less gently, then changes tactics.  “You’re a woman.  You won’t survive alone.”  Anne brings up what seems to have been playing on her mind for awhile, even if only in the deep recesses, “You married me because I asked you, and you’ve never stopped reminding me of that.  If I ever enter this house again, it will be because you ask me.  Otherwise, Never!”

     Anne applies to work as a governess, but is rejected because she “forsook [her] vows”, and left her husband. 

     Anne goes to stay for cheap at a place of common lodgings, perhaps a warped version of a hostel, where she is robbed by a cagey, lying, drama queen old crone.  She meets Mrs. (Ellen) Jessop there, who is fetching washing from the lodging house keeper.   How very Dickensian. Ellen offers to let her stay with her a day or two, ‘til she can find another place.  She won’t charge for the bed, but can’t afford to feed her.

     Anne ends up staying more than a day or two, during which time she learns a lot about the lot of the poor in her own country—things she never suspected, and the consequences of certain well-meaning laws.  Mrs. Jessop accuses her of merely playing a game she doesn’t know the meaning of, and advises her to go crawling back to her husband:  she’s just making things worse for the poor whose lives are involved with hers.  Yet, Mrs. Jessop good-heartedly continues to allow her to stay.

     At last Anne manages to get herself hired as a bookkeeper in a shop.  She feels vindicated against James’ prediction that she couldn’t make it on her own.

Season 2 Episode 4 “Fetch and Carry”—self determination

     Although Anne was good at bookkeeping/cashiering for Chumley the shopkeeper, through her intelligence and much practice (probably for her father, as well as for Onedin Line), she’s been dismissed because her fellow workers were against having a woman doing what they consider a man’s job.  One might speculate it had also to do with her being so good at it.

     “Might have known it,” her father, Capt. Webster, says without sympathy.  “Well, spinster you started, and spinster you’ll end.  Look at you, taking in washing–a naval officer’s daughter.”  “You should be glad I remembered you,” she tells him.  “Look at your hands, a washerwoman’s hands [It’s doubtful he worried about her hands when she acted as his servant].  “I make my way as best I can,” Anne has ever said. 

     “I’ll say one word.  You’ve got a husband.  Go to him and make your peace [after all the fuss he’s made about her marrying James] . . . Now listen, you’re a married woman, and you’ve got obligations.  Every week that goes by you put yourself further in the wrong.  In a court of law you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.  It’s desertion.  In one word . . .”

     Anne interrupts, “One word?”  “Well, I can’t stand to see you like this.  Where are you living?  [Albert’s father knows, but not her own father?]  “With Ellen Jessop.”  “What, the strike leader’s wife?”  “I’d no one else to turn to.”  “You best turn to James, before he loses sight of you altogether.”  Anne leaves her father’s place.

     Capt. Webster tells Sarah that he can no longer reason with his daughter.  James keeps himself aboard his ship and won’t speak to anyone.  “He’s got a woman of color aboard . . . she’s not a fandango . . . She’s a charterer, I gather.”  “Anne is determined not to return home,” Webster tells Sarah.  “Then we’d best not interfere,” Sarah returns.  “If James has a charter, things may very well improve upon his return . . . brother or no, James has done quite enough harm in this port [she means hers and Robert’s family].”

     When James returns from making a deal aboard the “Samantha”, he and Anne meet in the company of Robert and Capt. Webster, and the latter says to them, “Well, come on.  One of you say something.  Come on, Anne.  It’s time to settle your differences.  Your husband’s home from the sea.  Now swallow your pride and make it up.”

     “Not I.  It was James who asked me to come here,” Anne says.  “I did?  I did not say that,” James objects.  Pointing to Robert he says, “You said that . . . You said that Anne said she wanted to see me.”  “We meant well, James,” Robert says.  Anne leaves.  Capt. Webster tells James, “You’re like a stone, man.  Had you not a word to say to her?”  “Well, I came, didn’t I?” James defends himself.

     Anne comes aboard James’ ship to deliver some of Baines’ washing from his sister.  He seems happy to see her.  He asks if James knows what Anne is up to.  “If he does, I’ve not told him.  You see, I’ve not spoken to him for some time.”  “Aye, I heard you was parted,” Baines says sadly.  Just then Miss Indigo Jones calls for Baines to stow her gear in his cabin.  Thus, Anne sees the charterer.  To her query, Baines doesn’t know any details about the deal. 

     Baines with good intentions interrupts James’ negotiations with Miss Indigo, and James reluctantly comes out to Anne, “I’m told you wish to see me,” he seems a bit pleased.  “No, I just chanced to see Capt. Baines,” she prevaricates a bit, not explaining why she really came aboard.  “With this sack on your back?”  Baines takes the sack, and Anne says, “I’ve experienced worse things, even than being spoken to like that.”  “Yes, I daresay.  Well, I’ve charterers to entertain,” he says rather shortly.  “James, if you’d only unbend . . . You’ve so much pride still.”  “My pride is to stand upright and not to go begging, and to do that I’ll use my wits if I have to, while you with your hand on your chapel heart invite nothing but sickness.”  “I’ll remember that,” she says. 

     “Look, I must sail with this tide.  I’ll ask Baines to summon a cab,” he unbends his tone a bit.

     “James, is that foreign woman sailing with you?”  Anne asks.  “Aye, she is . . . Anne, no good advice, if you please.  If there’s a profit involved, I’ll sail with the Queen of Sheba, and not a qualm of conscience about it.”  He calls to Baines, “Kindly see Mrs. Onedin ashore, and in future, trouble me with ship’s business only.”  Anne asks Baines if he doesn’t know anything more than that it’s a fetch & carry job.  “It’s not illegal, is it?”  “Oh no, ma’am.  He’s just not been himself, that’s all, snapping the heads off everyone excepting strangers.”  Obviously James is upset about their separation.  With a sigh Anne says, “I don’t know what lengths my husband will go to to make his profit . . . My greatest concern is what he will do to himself.”

     Later, as James and Baines eat on board, Baines speaks again of Anne.  He admits to telling her what little he knows, since she’s James’ wife.  James is unhappy at that.  “She’s your wife, and not a stranger.  She’s been good to me . . . Mr. Onedin, I don’t like having words nor feelings.  Sealed orders I’ve been under before, but mouth shut’s not sealed orders, and I am the master, and I have a right to know the charter proper.”  James relents and fills in some details.  Though James tries to make it clean by taking precautions, it ends up being a dirty job.

Season 2 Episode 5 “Yellow Jack”—in the extremities, what matters most?  Humility. Apology, Forgiveness

     Anne & another woman note the 7th funeral procession from Wellington St, “. . . all of Yellow Jack, and all off the same ship . . . the Chilean packet, the ‘Samantha’, and God curse whoever brought her into this port.”  Anne looks as if she might suspect who it was.

     “The fact of the matter is, 7 people have died, and there’s danger of fever spreading along Wellington St, and in every case, there’s a connection with men paid off the “Samantha”, Albert tells James in a tone most upset.  “Well, the ‘Samantha’s’ discharged and turned around,” James replies.  “But with our help, James.”  “She closed and opened articles under her own master,” James responds.

     “Fly, Fly,” Webster tells his daughter Anne.  “I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times.  ‘Fly’ [as in glib, or too smooth a talker] is the word for that man . . . I knew it the moment I first set eyes on him.  And heartless, with it.   What did he say to you when at last he stepped ashore?  Well, what did he say in his brother’s shop?” [Capt. Webster was there, doesn’t he remember?]

     “Sarah arranged that meeting between James and I.  She tried to mend the situation.  She meant well, but she served only to strengthen the rift between us.”

     “How long is it now that you’ve parted?”  “It’s a month,” she replies.  Webster goes on, “Logic and common sense went out of the window the moment that man appeared.  You’ve let yourself sink down to the most dreadful circumstances, and me with you.  That was my ship once, the ‘Charlotte Rhodes’, till he came along. Have you forgot that? [Has he forgot that it was about to be auctioned, that he himself had brought both her and himself to the most dreadful circumstance?]  And where is she [the “Charlotte Rhodes”] now?  Does anybody know?”

     “She sailed with Capt. Baines in command as soon as the ‘Samantha’ docked.  Oh, that reminds me, Capt. Baines gave me some advance notes for his sister Alice.  I still have to cash them.”  “Did he mention he’d be away on a long voyage? . . . with Yellow Jack there’s always quarantine laws, a great immobility of ships.  James got her away so fast, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t an inkling of what lay in store for the crew that came off the ‘Samantha’.”

     “No. James couldn’t have been aware there was fever aboard.  If he had done, he’d have made it known.”  “What if it prevented the ‘Charlotte Rhodes’ sailing for profit?” Webster essentially accuses.  “James is concerned for himself and for profit, but he’d never do anything criminal,”  Anne says, though she knows he sneaked out of port when his ship was distrained (S1 E9).  I imagine she didn’t see that as exactly criminal.

     Anne brings the money Baines sent to his sister Alice.  His sister asks if he didn’t leave any word, or say where he was sailing.  No, he just gave Anne the money to give to her.  Anne helps her with taking in her washing from the clothesline as they talk.

     “We learned this morning that the cesspit is to be blown up and the water supply diverted.  All the houses will have to be emptied.  There’s a danger that we’ll have to move.  Sewer here is too close and this corner of the court is too old.  They’ve been looking for an excuse to bring it down [yet she blames it on the person who brought in the latest disease] . . . The medical authorities have agreed on the danger, but not on what’s gonna happen to us.  If people here could get their hands on the master of the ‘Samantha’, there would be murder done in Wellington St.”

     “Do you think that whoever brought that ship in knew that there was fever aboard?”  “Whoever brought her in was thinking of her cargo and not her seamen.  The guano was discharged as quickly as if it were gold, and the ship put out again as fast as they could manage, as though they daren’t wait to see what they’d left behind,” Alice says.  “Then they must have known,” Anne supposes. 

     “Someone here in Liverpool took the crew out to her, must have done.  It’s Liverpool seamen lying limed and tarred in paupers’ graves, and they might just as well have been stabbed, because there’s not one alive to tell the tale, not one.”

     Anne confronts James, “Then you will admit nothing?”  “I’ll not be treated like some trembling apprentice brought before its master.”  “James, 7 men are dead,”  Anne emphasizes.  “Look, I’ve been at sea since I was 14 years old.  Ships’ logs are full of such tragedies.”  “You ferried sailors out to the ‘Samantha’ at the owner’s request, but did you know that there was fever aboard?”  “She was a Chilean ship.”  “Is that an answer?” Anne’s voice raises and quickens.  “Well, can I be responsible for every filth-racked port in the world?”  “No, but Liverpool men are dead, and you are evading something.  Whatever it may be, why don’t you come forward?”  “It’s not just myself.  It’s Frazer, Albert Frazer.  I involved him in a share of the ‘Samantha’s’ profits.  Now that his father is to be the chairman of this inquiry, we’ve no other course but to remain silent,” he explains to her.

     “Oh, James, I fear for you.  If it’s not one evasion, then it’s another . . . You cannot give a straight answer, and your concern for other people is so small that it amounts to a kind of heartlessness, and it . . . it disgusts me!”  She ends on a high note.

     “Oh, does it indeed?!”  “I thought that if I was to separate from you, it would bring you to some understanding of me, of values, even, of some concern other than your pocket, but it’s not done so.  You go from one purpose to the next, not caring what happens to other people . . . not those whom you employ, not even your wife.  You’re selfish, ruthless, and you have no cares in the world that cannot be measured on a balance sheet,” she yells at him.  Knowing that he loves her, she was counting on that to influence him, if she went away.  At present she is so upset that she’s saying things that belie how deeply she cares for him, and the great respect she has had for him.  She’s not feeling it right now.  In the heat of battles, people say things.

     James backs away from her, saying, “I see your tongue has sharpened in my absence.”  “But nothing has happened to your conscience.”  “I gave you your choice,” he defends himself.  “To deny my principles or to leave your house.”  “Aye, and you chose to leave,” he goes on the offense.  “And I said I would not come back unless you asked me, and I meant it, James,” she says sadly.  He leaves angrily.

     While Anne is helping her father out (where is he staying?), Capt. Webster says, “Yellow Fever.  I can’t understand what all the hubbub’s about.  The Cuba sweats we used to call them.  I’d many a spell myself.  Nothing that a good stiff tot (drink) can’t cure.”  He looks over at Anne washing some piece of clothing out.  “Whose is that rag?” he asks.

     “It belongs to Mr. Baines’ sister.  Their water supply’s been diverted, and she’s got two children.”  “Oh, Wellington St, always fever in Wellington St, always was, always will be.  They live like pigs down there, some of them, pigs.  What you want to go down there for I can’t imagine, and I don’t know what you look like.”  Knowing Webster’s disdain of just about everyone, it’s hard to know exactly how fair an assessment he’s making.

     “I don’t know what I feel like, either,” she raises her voice, as exhausted people do.  “Well there you are, then,” he says.  “In my day, women knew how to keep their men dangling.  You had a double bed . . .?”  When she doesn’t immediately answer so private a question, he assumes, “No.  Well, I suppose it’s not your fault you’re such a plain Jane. Get any sense out of him when you saw him?”  “No,” she answers.  “Well, there you are, then.  Well, since you left him, that’s the legalities against you.”  After all he’s been against Anne’s marriage, is he really concerned about it now?  Is he embarrassed for her, for himself?  That is, for having a daughter who left her husband?

     Anne catches her breath and clutches her stomach.  Her father asks her what’s the matter.  She tells him she’s just tired.  “Well, go back to him and make your peace . . . When will you realize that a woman can’t stand on her own feet in this world?  She needs a man,” he tells her again, when she cries out, “No!”

     “I’m just tired, that’s all, tired and hot.”  “Well, you will spend your days down Wellington St . . .” he pauses, and they both realize what that means.  “I just don’t seem to have any strength,” but another pain causes her to grab both her stomach and the table, then her father’s arm.  He offer’s her a half a guinea to try the apothecary.

     Albert’s father, Jack Frazer is called upon to lead the inquiry.  He leans on Daniel Fogarty as an aide.  James has found it prudent to say as little as possible about the whole thing, but at last he must admit all he knew, at a dinner in Frazer’s home.  He had thought the ship had been on the voyage long enough to have played out the fever.  Yet, even still, he took whatever precautions he could to make sure it was safe for his men to board the ship.  He himself went aboard and did not contract the fever. 

     Frazer is very critical of James’ silence on the matter, until he realizes that through his son’s involvement, the scandal could also touch his own business.  Suddenly he sees the importance to himself not to be too indiscreet. 

     James finds out that Anne is in “hospital” with an unknown, but very painful affliction.  He goes to Capt. Webster for her night clothes.  Webster has plenty to complain at James as he stuffs her clothes in a bag, “You’ve got my ‘Charlotte Rhodes’ poxed up to the gunnels, and your wife took ill. Ever since she’s known you there’s been nothing but despair.  The way you act, heartbreak follows you like a shadow.  Who’ll you bring to ruin next, I wonder.”

     “I want her night clothes, nothing else,” James says stiffly.  “This once you’ll take what you’re given by me.  I tell you, I’ve seen that girl go down to nothing.  She’s worn out with worry and shame [possibly he’s projecting his own feelings of shame onto his daughter, who is not ashamed to do whatever she considers must be done], and don’t say it’s her fault.  Everybody’s actions aren’t concerned entirely with money, you know.  The purse is not everybody’s god.”

     “Just give me the bag,” James says angrily.  “Look at you . . . stone, stone.  I’ll tell you this, if she were to die, it would make no difference to you.  You’re incapable of any human feelings at all.  Nothing moves ya.  Damn it, if you were to drink, at least it would show you were human, but you’re too damn preoccupied to risk your liver for a little jollity.  And what about me?  Do you ask if I’ve got the fares to the blamed hospital?”  But James has already gone.

     James’ control over much of his emotions, as well as his commanding abilities, and shrewd success seems to pique nearly everyone.  They don’t see, or they forget, the times he shows genuine generosity and kindness.  But as Anne has said, he can be a hard man.  He has made some errors in judgement and shown unbending pride.  Anne seems the only one who can give him any mercy, and right now she is not feeling merciful.  She can also be stubbornly proud.

     The hospital is a crowded, dirty room full of cots with the sick on them.  Two disgusting crones “care” for the sick.  Anne is suffering horribly, and the 2 women theorize about her case, not at all charitably.  They change her into her night clothes and covet her regular clothes, which they are supposed to burn.   

     James sits alone outside the hospital, miserable.  He gets up to peek through the barred window of the door and sees one of the crones grin at him, then goes back to his seat outside.  Memories of Anne fill his mind. 

     Baines comes, “I’m wet because I swam ashore, went to my sister’s and sought you at your brother’s.  No word from you at the quarantine station, no word in passage, nor about the fever.  When I come ashore, it’s to find my sister made homeless,” Baines tells James with animation.  “Homeless?” James asks, almost in a daze. 

     “She’s a widow with 2 children, lived in the house 12 years.  They’re pulling down the court because of the water supply.  The house is next door to Mother Hubbard’s, where the seamen died:  the crew we took out to the ‘Samantha’.  And the last one, young Twinty Morgan, died in my arms, and do you know what his fear was?  ‘Captain,’ he says ‘you won’t put me over live, will you, like they done on the ‘Samantha’?

     “You’re beside yourself, man,” James says.  Baines accuses James of knowing there was murder done on that ship.  “I knew of no murder,” James tells him.  Baines continues about the wretched death of Twinty, the fever aboard the ‘Samantha’, the fate of his sister.  James tells him, “Mr. Baines, I did not know there was fever aboard her.  She’d been so long in passage, I thought it had blown itself out.”

     “Aye, excuses, but the dead don’t listen.  They can’t listen.  It’s a long way down in the water with anchor shackles for company, too weak to shout, dying and drowning for the sake of a fast coin, and the fast coin in your pocket, sir, not theirs.  There’s only lead in theirs . . .”  Baines can be just as forthright with James as James has been with him.  He doesn’t seem afraid for his employment, at least at the moment.  It seems an evidence of the strength of their longstanding relationship.

     Anne cries out in pain.  Baines asks, “Who’s that in there?  It’s . . . it’s not Mrs. Onedin . . .”  “Better get back on board ship.  You’re in breach of quarantine,” James dismisses him.  “She’s not got Yellow Jack . . .”  “I don’t know,” James says.  At another loud cry from Anne, James pushes past Baines and breaks into the sick room, pushing past the crones as well, looking frantically for Anne.  When he sees her, he calls her name, “Anne, Anne . . . Anne . . .”  “James,” she cries back in the midst of crying out in pain.  When the pain releases her a moment, Anne looks at James, grips his arm, “James . . .” she says pitifully.

     “Hey . . . I’m sorry . . .” James whispers, and then with great feeling he adds, “for all of it . . . all of it.”  She hugs him and he nestles his head to her.  We don’t know, but we suspect that Anne’s words, Capt. Webster’s words, and Baines’ words, beside his own memories and feelings have finally worked on him enough to humble him into an apology.  And her experiences and love for him have humbled her enough to forgive him.  With his apology, we presume that he is forgiving her for her harsh words and what seemed to him her betrayal.  They both recognize that their love, their partnership, is more valuable than their pride.

     Next we see James happily escorting equally happy Anne aboard ship, and Baines welcoming her with, “It’s a long haul to Foochow, but we’ll soon have those roses in your cheeks again.”  James smiles broadly, Anne likewise smiles, and Baines smiles to see them happily together again.  “Stand by to cast off,” Baines calls out to the crew, and the Onedin house flag, symbol of their partnership, is unfurled overhead as Anne and James hold one another in loving arms and gaze.

Season 2 Episode 6 “Survivor”—influence, compliments and complements

     The writers use the song of a music hall performer as background to the “Osiris” returning from Foochow, China under Capt. Baines, with both Anne & James aboard.  The lyrics speak of a sailor returning to his sweetheart, never again to part.  Though Anne was the one who physically parted from James, both their hearts have returned to each other, never again to part.  It doesn’t mean they won’t have some different perspectives still, but they have both realized the importance their relationship has for each of them.  It’s a complementary relationship from which they both benefit. 

     In Fouchow, James insists that Capt. Baines figure provender for 3 months, rather than Baines’ preferred 120 days, allowing for vagaries of the ocean and weather.  James wants to arrive back in Liverpool first, in order to get top price for the tea they’ll be carrying.  He also wants to keep the crew motivated to work hard at getting the ship home within those 3 months.  He insists, too, that Baines get the price of their provender down by 5%. 

     After Baines reluctantly goes to try to renegotiate for provisioning the trip home from Foochow, Anne says in good humor, “Tight-girthed as ever, James?”  “The men will not starve.  [If] rations run short after 90 days, there’s still salt pork and biscuits to keep life in them, at a reasonable cost.”

     “So, we’re back to thoughts of profit?” she smiles.  “On this voyage, what else is there?” he asks.  “There’s self-respect,” Anne replies.  “Mine?”  he asks, with his own teasing smile.  They appear to be still in the honeymoon phase of their late reconciliation.

     “No.  Captain Baines.  Destroy his authority and you’ll destroy the man,” Anne tells him.  No doubt she knows James has a hard time not taking over whenever he’s aboard his own ship (S2 E7, or even when it’s not his own ship, or his own life or business), even though he tells others that the captain is the top authority aboard ship (S2 E3 is just one example).

       On this return trip, they pick up a survivor in a boat.  His fellow in the boat is dead.  Anne & James complement one another in caring for him.  The man quotes scripture in his delirium, won’t eat meat, and shows oddities the crew consider suspect.  There are tales of “shipwreck madness”, and of cannibalism among survivors.  Both the man and the crew have their own superstitions, the man that this is his 3^rd & last disaster, and the crew that he is a Jonah figure (referring to an Old Testament story in the Bible), especially when the weather is uncooperative for the sailing of the ship. 

     Baines wants to drop the survivor off at Durban (South Africa), but James nixes that, as he figures it will lose them 2 days’ sailing.  A couple of crewmen decide that they must toss the man overboard, as in the Bible story, but they are caught at it and prevented. 

     When they are becalmed, Anne asks James, “Any sign of wind?”  “Not a breath,” James sighs.  “Here, do you remember our first voyage together, when I taught you to navigate?”  “Scant instruction for the rigors of that journey,” Anne remembers in the way that such difficulties later form a bond and a fondness.  “Aye,” James agrees.  “Now, if I handed command over to you again, what would you do?”

     “I haven’t a notion,” she says in the confident way one speaks, knowing one won’t be called on to come up with a solution, “. . . except to pray for a strong wind.”  We can only surmise whether that’s an expression of faith, a tease, or just a trite phrase.  “Let’s hope it’s not long in coming,” James returns.

     “I’d have been hard-pressed without you sometimes,” that memory might have been the impetus to elicit such an admission from him.  Perhaps it’s something he feels he owes her after all they went through before they were reconciled, as well.  “Compliments, now?” Anne teases him.  “Just the one,” he teases back.

     Anne asks if James can’t spare a compliment for Capt. Baines as well.  “Show him that you trust his judgment.”  “What, and let him waste time calling in at Durban?”  “Well, it would have set the crew’s minds at rest.”  “The crew can think what they like, so long as when Baines says jump, they jump.”

     When the survivor is well enough to get up, he is concerned that they might take the same inshore passage that was the cause of the shipwreck that left him afloat on a becalmed sea for 6 days or more.  James tells him, “I need a fast passage . . . But I assure you as owner, my concern for safety will be as great as yours.”

     A couple of men, unhappy with the rations, decide to kill one of the pigs on deck James has been saving for later in the voyage.  The survivor happens upon them and cries out.  One of the men hits him, he hits his head in the fall, and eventually dies.  On his deathbed he confesses that he had killed the other survivor in the boat, because he knew that other man had killed and drunk the blood of 2 other survivors.  It was all he could do himself, after killing his shipmate, not to drink his blood, he was so starved.

          After the death of the survivor, the wind picks up and the sails fill.  Probably the writers are not superstitious, they just like such coincidences in the storyline.  Baines has the ship sailing due west.  James asks him, “Considered a point or two north of west?”  “Take us inside the Agulhas Bank? . . . where the old man’s ship went down?” Baines asks incredulously.  “It’s the shortest way.  Wind behind us, we could gain a half a day,” James attempts to persuade.   “Only if the wind held,” Baines says skeptically, after their long time with no wind.  “A shift of two points would put us on a lee-shore,” Bains also points out.   “Are you superstitious, Capt. Baines?”  “No sir [disregarding the whistling incident in the last episode], but my judgment is we best avoid those particular straits,”  “Is it?”  “Aye, Mr. Onedin, it is.”  “Very well,  then . . . Captain.  It’s your ship.”  James walks away.  Anne smiles at Baines, and he returns it.

Season 2 Episode 7 “Coffin Ship” (the “Pibroch”)—influence, consequences & responsibility

     Once again James, as owner, overrode his Captain, Baines, who wanted to jettison cargo to avoid wrecking the “Charlotte Rhodes” on the rocks.  Thus, rather than provide promised work  to his seamen, he has to spend money on ship repairs.  Baines called James’ action wanton.  And James’ expressed attitude is less than sympathetic. 

     Additionally, Baine’s widowed sister and 2 children are in desperate circumstances, since they lost their home in Wellington Street, due to Yellow Jack brought into the harbor by sailors James had hired to sail the “Samantha” into port.  He comes to James asking for an advance in order to get her a safe and healthy place to live.  James says he can’t, and it’s ridiculous for Capt. Baines to even ask for such a sum, £100.

     Anne speaks up for Baines yet again, telling James not to provoke him.  She has seen Baines’ sister’s accommodations, and knows the problem.  She is surprised to hear Baines speak up so strongly against her husband, but she doesn’t condemn him.  She and Baines have their own strong bond of friendship and loyalty.  She doesn’t leave James over their different perspectives, but she tries to influence him to be his better self.

     Thus, Capt. Baines accepts command of the “Pibroch”, for a voyage that promises lucrative rewards.  Without the “Charlotte Rhodes” able to sail, James is also feeling desperate—needing to ship casks to Braganza to avoid being in breach of contract.  His monies are tied up in a 3-month period of grace Robert gave the tea brokers, so he can’t afford to charter a clipper to do the job.  Since the “Pibroch” is sailing only half laden, and in the same direction (South Africa, whereas James needs to go to Lisbon), James sails on it with his casks and a partial load of cloth.

     James hadn’t know ahead of time that Capt. Baines was commanding the “Pibroch”, but apparently Capt. Baines made it possible for James to ship.  “You were in trouble, sir.  And it’s not my way to leave a fellow seafarer high and dry, not when I can assist him.”  A not very subtle dig at James.

     In his defense, James says that he had offered Baines a share in the profit of his cargo of cloth, but Baines turned him down.   “It was a sincere effort to help you, you know.  You might find that you’ve been the loser once we get to Lisbon,” James suggests.  Baines replies, “Well, that’s as may be.”  “It doesn’t worry you?”  “Oh, I can see to myself, Mr. Onedin.  Don’t you lose no sleep about that,” Baines says calmly.

     But James gets more and more apprehensive about the viability of the “Pibroch”, which is leaking beyond concern.  Why was Baines chosen instead of someone with more experience as captain?  What happened to the previous captain?  Why is a fast voyage needed for a cargo of Bibles, beads, and blankets?  There are too many suspicious aspects of this whole voyage.  Capt. Baines keeps defending the ship and himself. 

        Baines is getting wound up, and thinks this may be working up to a fight.  But James calmly states, “No, no . . . I never did harm to you or yours, Baines, not deliberately, eh?”  “That may be, sir, that may be.  But you’ve done precious little to aid us, either.”     

     Another suspicious thing about the ship is that one of the sailors, considered a luny by all, won’t go below, no matter how soaked and cold he gets on deck.  James tries to find out why, and only gets some unintelligible hints.  James begins to suspect that they are sailing a coffin ship, an old ship overinsured and sent out to sink.  He wants to know what’s in those bales below. 

     “I don’t care what’s in them bales,” Baines says loudly in exasperation.  “Will you say guns, maybe, or opium?  I’ve known some mighty respectable skippers run things like that, and get no bad conscience from it.”  (see James the gun runner, S1 E9) 

     Then James takes the opportunity to accuse Baines of doing the same thing Baines had accused him of.  “Who’s talking about conscience, anyway?  I know yours well enough.  You’d never do anything discreditable just for money, now, would you? . . . Ah, the owners chose the right man for master here, thinking just like your owners want you to think.  But your sister and family, they don’t matter here.  Ship and crew matter here.  Your conduct is likely to prove wanton, Captain.  Wanton!” James throws Baines own words back in his face.  

     A storm is raging outside as well as inside the “Pibroch”.  The crew open the cargo and see that it is indeed copper dross from smelting, as James recognized a specimen thar fell out.  They jettison all they can, as the ship is awash and rolling in the waves. 

     James and Baines consult a map.  Baines decides to make for Finisterre, Spain, with the lighthouse to show the way.  James talks of the dangers, but Baines says it doesn’t much matter where they come to their end if it comes to that.  As they near the end of everything, Baines says, “She’ll stay in one piece long enough, Captain.  I mean to run her ashore sweet as a longboat.  Men don’t drown so easy with rocks to cling to . . .”

     In the meantime, Robert has found the previous captain of the “Pibroch”, and his suspicions were the reason he resigned from that command.  As Anne learns what a coffin ship is, she is terrified of the mortal danger James is in.  They start sending frantic messages to try to find the ship.  Robert sends the distraught Anne home, where she sists as if in a trance.  At last Robert comes with news of the safety of James, Baines, and the entire crew.  

       Later, Anne is setting the table for two, the tear-stained telegram sitting on the mantle above the stove.  James enters down the stairs with his seaman’s bag.  Anne rushes to him, and he smiling, holds her, her feet off the floor to reach his height. 

     “Easy . . . You shouldn’t have worried.  Ship hasn’t been launched yet that can sink me,” he chuckles.  “Coffin ship, James.”  “Aye.  I know it was bad . . .” then his tone turns a little grave, “Worse for Baines, though . . . Aye, and his kin.  There’s irony for you, now.  You were so anxious to help them, and you’ve done for them, I’m sorry to say . . .”  But that’s as serious as he can be, and he heads for the stove, “Here!  Any food in the house?” he askss in a light tone.

     Anne is troubled, “Done for them?”  “Aye.  All those cables you sent come to the attention of the insurers . . . Now there’s to be a full-scale inquiry into the sinking of the ‘Pibroch’, with Baines as master, held responsible for the deliberate wrecking of his vessel.”  “But Mr. Baines couldn’t have known she was a coffin ship.”  “He didn’t want to know.  He was just thinking of the money for his sister.”  “You’re not saying Mr. Baines is guilty . . .”  “Aye, well, the inquiry will answer that.  We have troubles enough of our own, eh?” 

     “Is there nothing we can do to help Mr. Baines?”  “Try and help people, and you only harm them.  Each man must take up his own burden.  God help those that haven’t the strength, eh?”  However, in fact James does show compassion and help people at times. Anne sits solemn, as James eats like a man who hasn’t eaten for a long time.  But then he takes her hand, and she turns to him with a smile full of meaning: no doubt including love and relief.  

Season 2 Episode 8 “Frisco Bound”—Stay and Smile

     At the inquest over the loss of the “Pibroch” (last episode), Baines loses his master’s license for 6 months.  While James testified at the inquest, he tried to be fair, not merely brutally truthful.  He still considers Baines his right-hand man, he still cares about him, is not indifferent to his troubles.  He immediately hires him on as mate, sailing to San Francisco around the Horn.  Ironically (the stuff that writers thrive on), the head of the inquiry (so critical of Baines and his low birth) is paying James to take on his son as apprentice.  He wants to cure his son of wanting to go to sea. 

     James has a reputation in the port (no doubt not only as able in command, but as a no-nonsense captain), and he and Baines are just the ones to give the young man the taste his father wants him to get (the head of inquiry probably didn’t know Baines would be sailing with James, though he is willing to accept that Baines makes a good 1^st Mate).

     Anne is not sailing this trip.  She goes down into James’ cabin to say goodbye, but since the “Pibroch” experience, she is full of her own apprehensions, to which he seems oblivious.

     “I think perhaps you’d rather I not come down to see you sail,” Anne says to James as he is busy with calculations.  “Well, I’d have you bid me goodbye with a smile, that’s all,” he tells her.  “It’s not every day you go round Cape Horn,” she expresses her anxiety.

     “Well, I’ve been around ‘er before.”  “Not as captain.”  “I’m as good as most,” he says defensively. “Oh, better, I’ll allow that.  But why go round her east to west the hard way?  Why not go round the Cape of Good Hope, across the Pacific, and back round the Horn, like most do?” 

     “Because it takes too much time.”  “Time is money,” she echoes his oft said words with a smile.  “Look, this cargo of silver ore from ‘Frisco . . . it’ll help buy more shares in the steamship company.” 

     “And for that you go round the Horn . . . Fog, snow, terrible winds . . . James, have you any notion of the fears I bear when you’re away from me?  After that last voyage on the ‘Pibroch’ . . .” 

     “Look, now’s not the time, eh.”  “Time!  You’ve no time for anything but your profits, James, and that’s the truth of it,” she voices her frustration.  Her fears have the best of her.  “It’s not just the profits that matter!  It’s what they can buy!” James explains to her.

     “That wretched steamship!  You risk body and soul to build an iron monster that no one but Albert believes will ever sail!” she gives vent to her worries.  “She’ll sail, if she’s ever built!  And she won’t be built unless I’ve found the money.” 

     Anne softens her tone, “Oh, forgive me, James.”  “Oh, look, I wish you’d go up on deck.  Or if you’re going to stay . . .”  “I’ll stay, and smile.”    

     When it’s time to disembark, on deck Anne bids James, a good voyage.  “Thank you, Anne,”  he says, preoccupied.  “Take care,” she stalls her leaving.  “I will,” he says, watching for his new apprentice.   So she turns to go, but he gently takes her arm, smiles, and kisses her (even right there in public, uncharacteristic for them).

     Elizabeth’s husband has decided to take passage with James.  Anne is surprised, and asks about Elizabeth.  He purposely only sent a note to be delivered about the time the ship is expected to leave.  Elizabeth arrives just as the ship is leaving.  She tells Anne, who is also watching from the quay, “Well, if that’s what he wants, let him go.”

     At tea, Elizabeth tells Anne, “I’m not such a fool as to think this Carrie Harris is the only [infidelity Albert has committed].  She’s the one I found out about, that’s all.”  Anne asks if Elizabeth told Albert she was thinking of leaving him, and Elizabeth says that’s why he’s gone on the voyage with James, to give her a taste of life without him, hoping she’ll think again about leaving.  “Well, he’s wrong.  I’ll not be there waiting for him when he returns, the chastened wife anxious to make amends.”

     Anne asks if Elizabeth is well, hinting at pregnancy.  “A child?  Not if I can help it.”  “You so easily reject what some of us pray for, Elizabeth,” Anne refers to her own wish to have a child.  “If you leave Albert, you lose house, home, everything . . . Albert’s gone on this voyage hoping that you’ll learn to accept the situation . . .”  “It’s easy for you to speak, Anne.  James never looks at other women.”  Anne brightens, “Before he sailed I reproved him for thinking of nothing but his profits.  It has its advantages, I suppose.”

     “It’s no use, Anne.  I am determined upon leaving him, and I mean what I say,” Elizabeth later tells Anne. “You still care for Albert, you know,” Anne tells her.  “You pretend you don’t, but you couldn’t hide your relief when I told you the ‘Charlotte Rhodes’ had arrived safely in San Francisco.”  “You are wrong,” Elizabeth maintains.  “I haven’t one jot of affection left for the man.”  “The news is that she’d be leaving San Francisco on the 17th.  So the ‘Charlotte Rhodes’ should be home within a week or so.  Now say you’re not affected,” Anne invites.  “I am not affected.  I am not!  I am not affected,” methinks, as Anne does, Elizabeth protesteth too much.

Season 2 Episode 9 “Beyond the Upper Sea”—Would you die for each other? Do you share delights?

     Albert is lured to Istanbul by a forward-thinking Turkish member of the court who pretends that they have surpassing steamships there.  Since James is already sailing for trade to Said, Egypt, he offers to take Albert, hoping Albert can arrange a cargo of Turkish tobacco for a good price.  Only his face reveals the tongue in cheek hope of other Turkish delights/hospitality.  They agree for Albert to sail with James, for their mutual benefit.

     Anne is sailing as well, but Elizabeth refuses, claiming that she is against it for her son’s sake.  “Albert, if you think I will expose William to the treacherous climate of the East and the horrific diseases . . .” she tells him, and those may in fact be major fears for her.  But in a later season we see that she really doesn’t want to reside anywhere but her own comfortable English home.

     Albert and Anne wave goodbye to Elizabeth and William (who appears to be 6-8 yrs old) on the dock.  Anne tries to console Albert with, “It would have been a most difficult journey for the child.”  He reluctantly agrees.  “She’s a good mother, Albert, and a good wife,” Anne, the peacemaker, attempts to reconcile him.  He glances at her without smiling.

     Aboard ship, Baines is talking to a group of crewmen, “Nay, you’ve seen nothing till you’ve seen the Turkish lass:  like marble statues [he gestures an hourglass figure], and soft as mother’s milk [chuckles from him and the crew].  You mark my words, before they drown the lot of you in their silky pantaloons.”  Anne comes up behind, “Like that are they?” she teases him.  “Don’t stop, Mr. Baines, I’m most interested.”  He quickly, with embarrassment, changes to giving orders about the topsails.  He and the crew disperse.  James comes up, “What’s come over Mr. Baines?”  “Silky pantaloons,” she laughs.  “Silky what?” James asks distractedly.

     Albert, James, and Anne are welcomed to Istanbul by Suleyman.  He introduces them to the British ambassador.  Suleyman then introduces them to his chief eunuch Abdullah, who will take them to their quarters, where Suleyman’s hand-picked, English speaking, trained concubines will see to all their needs.  Anne looks at James with some concern, and he is grinning, silently chuckling.    

     In their Istanbul quarters, Anne announces James’ bath is ready (“. . . you should have seen the way that eunuch perfumed it!”), and finds her husband being undressed by concubine women, with a drink in his hand and a big grin on his face.  “James!”  “What?” he asks “innocently”.  “They’re only undressing me . . . you know, serving . . .”  She shoos the women all out.  The eunuch comes in asking if they have offended in some way.  He says they’ll be punished.  “No, not punished . . .” Anne intervenes in their behalf, James grinning ever wider in the background.  “They have failed in their duties,” the eunuch says.  James explains, “Oh, if anything, they were being a bit too dutiful.”  He is highly amused.  

     It is plain that James is no prude, as Kate the high class brothel owner mentioned in S1 E9, she knows of no sea captains who are prudes.  From the words of the notorious crimping house owner in S5 E10 , there’s no doubt whether James was an innocent before marriage, she remembers “Little Jimmy Onedin”.   And yet, James’ sister Elizabeth has said (S2 E8) that Anne need not fear James’ infidelity, “James never looks at other women.”

     Anne gives Abdullah the eunuch her explanation, “They were undressing my husband.”  “But they must, unless you wish that particular privilege for yourself . . . These girls are here to share your wifely duties.  They’re trained to please both the man and the wife.”  No doubt there are women who would welcome such.  “Well, as far as we are concerned, all wifely duties shall be reserved for the wife,” Anne insists.  When Abdullah starts to protest, James steps in, so to speak, “All right, lad, we’ll send for you when we want you, eh?”  Abdullah and the women leave.

     Anne’s Victorian sensibilities are tread upon.  James, still amused, says, “Well, then? . . . Your wifely privileges . . . Prepare me for me bath.”  Anne takes a breath and proceeds to do so; when he takes hold of her, she laughs.  He picks her up in an embrace, kisses her, and we don’t have to guess what happens after that.

     While the men are being feasted, Anne and the concubines, as well as the eunuch, discuss love and equality of the sexes—both discussions for another time.

     Suleyman makes an offer to Albert that he can’t resist, to stay in Istanbul for 10 years as master builder for a fleet of steamships, with a generous salary.  James feels betrayed/abandoned by Albert when he needs him back in Liverpool to build the Onedin Steamship.  The British ambassador feels Albert is betraying his country’s interests, both in trade and in command of the seas. 

     “Have you considered Elizabeth?” Anne asks.  “Yes, I have done,” Albert answers.  “Would you sacrifice her?” Anne questions him.  “Elizabeth is hardly the sacrificial lamb [a Biblical reference].  You, Anne, you’d follow James through hell and high water.  You’d die for him, and so would he for you.  But Elizabeth, well, she’ll always do what is best for Elizabeth [or at least what she wants to think is in her self-interest].”

     James has been approached about an opportunity to trade in pumice for the Suez Canal.  He doesn’t want to hazard his sailing ship so close to the erupting island, so charters a steamer, and he and Anne “sail” on for that purpose.  Baines is to set sail from Turkey a couple days later.  But Suleyman is murdered by traditionalists in the Turkish court, and left on Albert’s bed to incriminate him.  One of the concubines, who is in love with him, drugs him and has the eunuch deliver him onboard Baines’ ship with the paperwork to sail.  She offers herself as the guilty party, giving her life for Albert’s sake.

Season 2 Episode 10 “An Inch of Candle”—sacrifice; and will you be there?

     Sailing home with a hold full of pineapples as trade goods, James & Baines come across an abandoned ship.  Though none of the crew agree, James thinks its well worthy of salvage, and puts it on a tow line.  But with pineapples at risk of spoiling, they leave the ship in Ireland to get their cargo home. 

     At home, Anne must bring coal up from the basement for the stove.  Elizabeth thinks it scandalous that James, a shipowner, doesn’t provide better housing for his wife.

     “Every penny James earns is for buying more shares in the company,” Anne says.  Elizabeth offers to help her, lest she injure herself.  Anne declines for the sake of not dirtying Elizabeth’s dress.  Elizabeth says Anne can’t lift the bucket of coal into the stove, Anne insists she can, but then she has a little “spell”.

     “It’ll all come soon enough, once James has control of the Onedin Line again,” Anne assures Elizabeth.  Elizabeth says that men all have their heads in the clouds, and Anne replies, “So long as we’ve got our feet on the ground, there’s no harm in that.”  Elizabeth smiles as she says, “Well, at least mine aren’t stuck in a basement.”  Anne also smiles, but bids her sister-in-law get back to her own home.  Elizabeth wants to be sure Anne’s alright.

     “I am all right.   It’s just a touch of sickness that comes over me at times.”  That catches Elizabeth’s attention.  “Well, haven’t you ever . . .”  Anne starts to say, but something dawns on them both.  “Oh, no.  No, it couldn’t be that,” Anne is afraid to hope, after so long.  Could it really be?  “James will be so pleased,” she says.  Elizabeth says, “Well, as long as he shows he is.  But this is no place to have a baby.  He’ll have to put his hand in his pocket for you now, Anne . . . an heir to the Onedin Line.”  Elizabeth seems genuinely pleased for Anne’s sake, but one can’t help wondering if she also feels some vindication for her own demands on her husband for a certain lifestyle.

     When Robert brings news of James stopping in Ireland, Elizabeth is at Anne’s with her apron on.  “James was ever a man of few words,”  she says, and Robert agrees, “Especially when words cost money.”  (Of course, Robert is not exactly a spendthrift, either, as in S1 E4, for instance).

     Anne becomes upset, worried about what might be causing James’ delay, fearing severe damage to the “Charlotte Rhodes”.  She’s had the scare of the “Pibroch” (S2 E7), and the stormy rounding the Horn (S2 E8), and she knows “the Irish Sea can be fearsome!  Oh, I can’t bear it when they sail without me.  The worst they can endure at sea is nothing beside the fancies that haunt me at home! . . . I was expecting him home today,” Anne sobs.

     “Whatever’s the matter with you, Anne?” asks Robert, who watched her stoic face while she awaited the “Pibroch”.  Anne is not one for histrionics.  “I’m sorry, Robert, I just keep bursting into tears for no reason at all.  But Elizabeth asks her confidentially, “You’re surprised?  It happened to me often enough.”  Robert wants to know what she’s referring to, but Elizabeth guides him out of the room.  “Listen, what are you doing here?” he asks her suspiciously.

     “I’m just calling,” Elizabeth answers.  “In an apron?”  “I’m giving Anne a hand in the kitchen.”  “You, giving someone a hand?” he asks, though she did help his wife Sarah (when she was pregnant, but at this point he doesn’t know why Elizabeth is helping).  I’ve never known you put yourself out for anybody . . . Listen, if there’s anything wrong with her in there, we ought to get a doctor,” Robert presses.  “We don’t need a doctor yet,” Elizabeth avouches.  “Yet?” Robert’s eyes begin to widen with the realization of what it all means.  Elizabeth nods, Robert runs in to congratulate Anne.

     “Why ever didn’t you tell me?”  Robert kisses Anne’s cheek.  “Well, I wanted James to be the first to know, Robert.”  “You just wait ‘til I tell Sarah . . . Don’t worry, she won’t breathe a word to anyone, I promise ya,” he declares as he bounds up the stairs to leave the house.  The two women smile knowingly.  “It’ll be all over Liverpool by nightfall,” Anne shakes her head. 

     “You’ll have to get used to being here on your own . . . There’ll be no more voyages with James when the baby’s born,” Elizabeth asserts.  “Why ever not?”  Anne asks.  “Babies just give them an excuse . . . to go off, fancy free.”  “Oh, just because Albert’s away . . .” 

     “Well as long as James gets you out of this place, that’s something.  But you’ll have to insist,”  Elizabeth maintains.  “I think not,” Anne is sure, “James himself will insist.” 

     When James and Baines return, Anne is not just on the quay, she rushes aboard ship.  They share a mutually happy embrace, and they go below, where James is so full of excitement over the prospects of the ship salvage, that she can hardly get a word in.  At last she just bursts out with “I’m having a baby!”  He’s not finished talking, but finally asks, “What did you say?”  She reiterates the news.  “Why didn’t you say so? . . .  You sure?” he asks steadily.  Anne asks if it’s good news, and after he finally takes it in, “That’s wonderful news . . . Most wonderful news I’ve ever heard in all my life!” 

       Robert comes in and asks what news.  “Here, Robert, I’m going to be a father!”  Robert reaches to shake his hand, “Oh, yes . . . Anne told me,” he laughs.  “It is certainly most wonderful news.” Knowing Anne wanted James to be first to know, one might think Robert could have left part of that out of his congratulations.

     “When’s it to be?” James asks Anne.  She answers, “January or February, maybe.”  “Here, this calls for a toast,”  James says, as he goes to get something to toast with, and Sarah enters.  “Sarah, I’m going to be a father,” he tells her enthusiastically.  “I know, Robert told me,” Sarah admits, also without thinking to alter her well-wishing.  “Oh, I am pleased for you Anne,”  Sarah congratulates her with a smile and a hug.  James tells Robert to get Baines, “I want everybody to drink to the heir of the Onedin Line.”  But Robert reminds him that Baines is busy getting the pineapples unloaded.  James agrees that isn’t to be interrupted.  Baines can drink to the news later.

     Sarah broaches the same subject Elizabeth was concerned about, “You’ll need a decent home now you’re starting a family.”  James proudly says, “Oh, my son will lack for nothing.”  “I believe it’s a girl,” Anne tries to insert a little reality.  “Oh, no, it’ll be a boy,” James affirms.  “Here’s to James the second, and to the company that will one day be his,” James proposes.  Sarah gives a little sober look at Robert.  She had counted on their son Samuel profiting from James’ childlessness.

     “There’s a very nice house in Trinity Road for sale,” Elizabeth informs James at home.  “Of course it will have to be furnished, and with a baby to bring up, Anne will need servants.”  “I’m well aware of Anne’s needs,” he tells her as he works on papers.  “One would hardly think so from a glance around this place.”  James loses patience with Elizabeth’s meddling, and as Anne comes down into the kitchen with a basket of groceries, she tells Elizabeth that “James has already put aside money for a house . . . The cargo of pineapples made a handsome profit.”

     “I thought a lot of it went bad,”  Elizabeth says.  “Only £50 worth. We made £500 profit on the rest, and with what we’ll get from salvaging the ‘Maria da Gloria’, Anne will lack for none of the comforts that you so kindly wish on her,” James lets on, and Anne doesn’t complain that he’s talking of profits again.

     Robert comes to Anne & James’ home to announce that the ship James salvaged has been put up for auction in a month.  Robert thinks it’s too short a time for people to check it out and decide if they want it, especially in a small port in Ireland.  He mourns that “she’ll not fetch more than £300 or £400.”  James advances, “The owner must have lost his wits!”  Robert explains, “The owner abandoned interest in it when it was lost 4 months ago.  It belongs to the insurers now, and they seem to want it off their hands just as soon as they can.”  They don’t know that the insurer has made a deal with Fogarty to auction it very low, to keep the salvage fee low, then sell it to the Callon Line for £2500.

     “Don’t they know a fast ship when the see one?”  James asks, perhaps rhetorically.  “Oh, don’t fret, James, it’s their loss,” Anne tries to console.  “And ours,” James amends.  Robert turns to Anne, “The salvage court will allow only 1/3 of the value.”  Only James thinks the ship is worth far more than the sellers let on.  Nobody has ever heard of the ship, nor seen her in English waters.  There’s not even mention of her in the shipping movement lists.  James knows there’s something peculiar about the ship, and he proposes that he and Robert will go see it that very night via the steam packet. Robert isn’t enthused about going, he ever suffers from seasickness.

     James submits to Anne that she’ll be OK while he and Robert are gone, and she in turn advises that she will, because she’s going with them.  James protests that in her condition a woman shouldn’t be traveling the Irish sea in a steam packet.  “The Irish Sea is a sight less dangerous than climbing those stairs every time I want to go out, or lugging coals from the cellar for that abominable stove.”  “You’ve never made complaint before,” James argues.  “I’ve never been with child before.”  She leaves like a man on a mission, and James looks after her with his stubborn jaw jutting.

          Aboard the “Maria da Gloria”, James & Robert talk with Mr. Sankey, the insurance man.  He answers very little . . . the crew were taken to Rio . . . the owners would be happy to get £500 and want a quick sale.  In the pub James figures the ship is worth 4x as much.  Robert and Anne are skeptical. 

       In their room above the pub that night, Anne and James are still talking about it.  James asks, “Why would they want to get rid of her so quickly, for such a measly sum?”  Anne gets a little tired of the conversation, “There’s more to life than ships.”  “I wanted you to stay at home, but no, you would come over here making yourself ill . . .”  James responds, referring to her uncharacteristic seasickness on the passage across. 

     “I’m sorry, I was foolish.  It’s Elizabeth.  She thinks Albert neglects her.”  “Neglects her?”  James scoffs, “Fine house, carriages, servants . . .”  “Everything she needs so he’s no need to feel guilty about not being there himself.  She thinks you’ll be the same.  For a moment, when you wanted me to stay behind . . . Oh, I admit, I was foolish, James . . .”  James suddenly puts his jacket back on and rushes out the door, preoccupied with the ship he has salvaged.  He sneaks aboard, and finds the remnants of chains on the bunks.  The insurance man awakens, and confronts him.  James pretends he has no interest in the ship, and leaves.

     Next morning James tells Robert that the ship was a slaver.  Even though the slave trade was made illegal in 1807, some 60 years or so previous, and the English & French have ships along the African coast to enforce it (Capt. Webster. Anne’s father commanded such a ship, S1 E1), Brazilians are still involved in the lucrative trade.  That’s why they needed a fast ship, to outrun the authorities.  James theorizes that the owners were evading the enforcers, took on a cargo of sugar, and sent the ship & crew far north into waters they were unfamiliar with.   At the first sign of trouble, they abandoned ship.  The owners then put it up for quick sale at auction.

     Now James is no longer in it for the salvage award, he wants the ship.  “For £500, she’d be an absolute bargain!”  He has visions of how such a fast ship would be advantageous.  He wants them all to feign a lack of interest.  “But I thought the £500 was for a house,” Anne inserts.  “Oh, Anne, we can always get a house, but we’ll never have a chance of a schooner like that.  Not for £500!”

     Back at home Anne is doling out less liquor than her father wants for drinking to his presumptive grandchild.  Anne says, “It’ll be 6 months at least, before he’s even born.  And the way you’re drinking his health, you’ll not be here for the christening.”  Capt. Webster mentions his understanding that they are to get a better home.  Anne affirms, “Yes, James is to buy a house for us,” she says without as much enthusiasm as some might expect.  Someone has been telling Webster about the property under consideration, but Anne says that she’s not sure she really likes the house in Trinity Road.  And, in any case, James needs the money for something else. She is used to making excuses for him.

     Elizabeth scolds James for not buying the house in Trinity Square, accuses him of putting his profit & ships before his own child.  He tells her, “Anne is as anxious as I am that that our child shall make no difference to our way of life.  She readily understands that if I need to put the affairs of the Onedin Line before a bow-fronted window or a lace-covered cot, that I’ve every right to do so . . . Well, am I not right, Anne?”  “Of course, James,” Anne says, not quite as adamantly as her husband.  Elizabeth goes, making a dig about Anne not having servants.

     “Could you put some more coal on the fire for me?” Anne asks James.  “I’ve managed to fill the bucket, but it’s the lifting I find hard.”  James approaches her, “Anne, if it should be necessary to find more than £500, would you begrudge me the expenditure?”  “How could you raise the money?” Anne asks.  “Sell some of the shares,” he answers.  “In that case, couldn’t you sell a few more, and we could have a house as well?”

     “It would be a year before the ‘Maria da Gloria’ made enough profit to buy back the shares,”  James explains.  “And a house couldn’t make any profit to buy them back,” Anne concedes.  “So you would begrudge me, aye?” James deduces from her manner. 

     A knock at the door induces their action.  As James moves to answer the door, Anne says, “I can manage the stairs without undue exertion at the moment, but not the coal.”  So James goes to put the coal on the fire while Anne answers the door:  it’s Emma Callon, who in the guise of well-wishing, has come to find out if James is planning to bid on the ship.  James cleverly plays a close-held hand.  He frames his answer such that with the baby coming, they have other things to spend their money on, whereas the Callon Company can well afford to take the risk of buying an unknown quantity. Emma says, “My uncle may have underrated you, but I do not.”  But she still doesn’t realize his ruse.

After Emma leaves, Anne’s comments and manner show that she is weary of the game.  But, a couple days later, as James is about to travel to Ireland for the auction, Anne tries to make amends for her comments, and encourages him to do what he was already intending. Capt. Baines (whose master’s license is restored) comments that she knows what James is like. She smiles, saying that she does, but for a moment she forgot.

     While he’s gone, Elizabeth is helping Anne polish silverware.  “James has taken all the money he could raise to Ireland with him,” Anne tells her, to which Elizabeth says, “I don’t know why you put up with it, Anne.”  “Why I ever questioned it, I want to know,” Anne responds.  “I married him for security, and I love him for the lack of it . . . Dear Elizabeth, you wouldn’t understand at all.”

     After Elizabeth leaves, Anne notices the fire needs more coal.  She takes the bucket down to get it.  But when she tries to life the bucket of coal to dump it into the stove, it is too much for her.

     When James comes back from Ireland, he comes down the stairs into the house, enthusiastically telling Robert, “. . . a thousand for the salvage award, which means the schooner has cost me under  £2000.”  Robert reminds him, “And you have but £500.  You’ll have to sell nearly £1500 worth of your shares.”  “Aye, but she’s a fine schooner,” James says with delight. 

     Capt. Webster breaks into his absorption with a gruff, “So, you’re back.”  Then James takes notice, “What’s happened?  Anne?  Where’s Anne?”  Elizabeth answers sternly, “In bed.  Ill.”  Webster tells him, “She was lifting the coal for that stove.  And no one else here at the time.”  James runs to Anne’s room, calling her name.

     Robert, with some agitation, speaks his fear, “She hasn’t lost . . .“  Elizabeth confirms bitterly, “Yes, but what matter?  James has gained another ship.“  She, and no doubt others, is quick to blame James for the loss of the baby, but Anne is too prone to self-effacement.  She shouldn’t have tried to lift the coal when she knew it was so difficult, though she wouldn’t be the first, last, or only to try to do things unwisely when pregnant (especially with one’s first pregnancy).  Family and friends could have seen to it that she always had someone there with her, perhaps.  Or, indeed, James might have at least hired a youngster to stay with her while he was gone.  He was too absorbed in his business, perhaps too inexperienced in caring for a pregnant wife (though Robert or Albert might have clued him in).

     James sits slowly and stiffly on the edge of Anne’s bed.  She asks, “Did you get the schooner?”  He says, “Yeah” in a sort of daze.  Anne says, “Good, it’s what we need,” and she buries her head in his chest, while he holds her, still sitting stiffly upright, trying–yet not wanting–to take in the loss of the long-awaited baby.      

Season 2 Episode 11 “Goodbye, Goodbye”—one’s choices affect others

     The loss of their baby (in the last episode) brings James to buy a big beautiful home, with servants, for Anne.   Maybe he is humbled, maybe as an apology to Anne, maybe to atone for his failure.  Albert comments, “High price to pay for a new house:  a lost baby.” 

     Anne plans a reception to celebrate the new house on Elizabeth and Albert’s wedding anniversary in their honor, though Elizabeth & Albert’s marriage is on the rocks.   Fogarty congratulates James on his “fine house, servants, a new prosperity.  Since you beat me to the ‘Maria da Gloria’ [last episode], you’re a man to be reckoned with again . . .”  Robert says to Sarah, “House full of gentry, Sarah . . .”  She agrees, “The cream of Liverpool society, Robert.”  “And us as good as any of them,” Robert brags. 

     James tells Albert that he is sailing directly for America (in fact, he leaves before the reception is over).  Anne will stay behind to look after his interests, and Albert suggests that Fogarty will also be “looking after” them.  James sold shares to pay for the house and his new ship to Sir & Lady Lazenby, with the agreement that he could buy them back.  He has chartered their ship for his American trading venture.

     As Albert and Elizabeth arrive at Anne & James’ reception, they almost immediately begin to bicker.  “Oh, do try to be civil, Albert,” she says, “I am your wife.”  “You haven’t been a wife to me in years,” he retorts.  “You’re never at home, are you?” she excuses.  “You refuse to follow me,” he accuses.  “And you had scant need for a wife in Turkey, by all accounts.”  I’m not sure whose accounts . . . it seems uncharacteristic that Anne, James, or Baines would say anything about it to her, but perhaps crew members gossiped, and that got around to her. 

     Elizabeth has been threatening to leave Albert since he had an affair with the singer.  After yet another argument full of recriminations, Albert leaves their house angry, Elizabeth follows him and sees him kissing the singer through the window of her house (he has just paid more bills for her), and Elizabeth takes that as final provocation to leave him.  Writers don’t worry about the cliche of people being seen kissing/embracing through a window at night.

Elizabeth goes to stay with Anne that very night, causing an embarrassing situation for Anne and her guests.  Albert follows his wife (who left a note) and accuses Anne of aiding and abetting Elizabeth.  Anne is offended and unhappy to be in the middle of their troubles, and to have them airing them in her home in front of guests.  She calls on Robert (since James is sailing for America) to make Albert leave, and she tries to get Elizabeth to go with him.  Albert does at last leave, goes to live with the singer.  Elizabeth stays.

     Albert sues Elizabeth for divorce.  She counter-sues to force him to support her.  The lawyers make all they can of it.  Neither Albert nor Elizabeth really want to hurt each other, but both are adamantly stubborn in continuing their suits.

     One day, as Anne is busy stitching something up, and Elizabeth plays idly a bit on the piano (Does Anne play? or is it merely a piece of furniture one is expected to have?), Anne tells her, “Truth to tell, I cannot feel a great deal of sympathy for you, Elizabeth.  You’ve behaved shabbily, in my opinion.  You foisted upon Albert a child who was not his own, yet he’s come to love young William.  He’s had to suffer selfishness and willfulness from you, and yet he still has some regard for you.”

     “Well, if you feel like that, perhaps I’d better not stay here,” Elizabeth tests the waters.  “No?  Where will you go?” Anne asks in all practicality, as is her wont.  “If I have been shabby to deceive Albert, though it was before my marriage, the man with whom it happened must yet do his duty by me.”

     “He wanted to do his duty, as you call it, at the time, and you rejected him.  Now, if you’ve got any girlish dream that Mr. Fogarty can somehow rescue you, you’re sadly mistaken.  Anything you did would ruin both of you.”

     Lady Lazenby comes to visit Anne to convince her that there must be no divorce.  It will ruin the whole family’s business interests, and in fact, she and her husband will have to divest themselves of any connections to them (sell their stocks to whomever, rather than wait for James to be able to buy them back).  But neither Anne nor Robert are able to sway the combatants.

     As soon as Elizabeth showed up at Anne’s, Anne sent word to James.  When James gets Anne’s message about Albert & Elizabeth’s troubles, once he arrives in New York, he walks into the ship’s cabin, “Damn!  Damn!  Damn!”  When Baines inquires, he says, “It’s from me wife.  Sent all the way across the Atlantic at great expense.” James doesn’t expose the whole story to Capt. Baines, but asks “. . . how goes the loading, then, eh?”  The molasses & wheat are loaded, all that’s left are crates of medical supplies.  “Sail on the first tide,” James pushes for leaving as soon as possible, even if it means embarking one sailor short. 

Baines asks if it’s bad news.  “Aye, bad and worse, unless we get back to England soon.” He still doesn’t explain to Baines the situation. Though Baines knew of his own separation, James was sure that wasn’t permanent. This divorce is a scandal James would not want to publish, hoping he could prevent it, no doubt.

     James sets a new course home, probably sailing a great circle (“shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere”–AI) to try to get home as quickly as possible.  Baines is concerned.  “I was trying to say if we run so far north on your course, there’s every chance we’ll meet ice at this time of year.”  James tells him, “Well, we’ve very little choice at the moment . . .”  “We may be blown still further north, sir, and we run the risk of meeting icebergs.”  James responds impatiently, “I’ve weighed the risks, Mr. Baines.  It’s imperative that we make a fast passage to Liverpool.”

     Unfortunately, Baines’ concerns are realized.  Snow covers the ship.  Icicles hang from the rigging.  The company flag is stiffly frozen as it blew (Isn’t that a metaphor?!).  James allows sails taken down as reluctantly as he dares.  While seamen are up doing so, ice is spotted floating off the starboard bow.  “And I need to be in Liverpool,” James laments, “Well, we’ve no choice, Mr. Baines.  We shall have to run for Iceland and a harbor.”

     Then James sees the top mast is badly cracked.  Baines calls for the sails to be taken down, but it’s too late.  The top of the mast comes crashing down on top of Baines!  His leg is desperately injured.  He is taken below, and James must perform surgery on his best friend.  Baines knows his leg has to be cut off.  James calls for rum as pain killer.

     A young man onboard is the son of a medical man.  He has noted ether and carbolic amongst the medical supplies they just happen to be carrying.  Against Baines’ pleas (he knows rum, he doesn’t trust these new meds), James decides to use them:  the young man administering the ether as he has seen done, and James using the carbolic to kill germs as he works on the leg.

     James thinks out loud of the consequences Baines will have to face—poverty and beggary—if his leg is amputated.  He can’t bring himself to do it, and decides to try to set the leg.  No one thinks it possible, and the greatest fear is gangrene setting in.  Nevertheless he proceeds. 

     After a long, intense operation, Baines begins to come around.  James asks, “How do you feel?”  “All right, sir, considering,” Baines struggles to say.  “That’s the end of me, ain’t it, sir . . . as a sailor? . . . You know, it’s funny . . . I always heard that you could still feel it.  I can still feel that leg there, clear as if I hadn’t lost it.”  He is clearly in horrible pain, and yet he’s an old seadog, not given to fussing about such things. 

     “You ain’t lost it . . . I didn’t cut it,” James tells him.  “Oh, don’t mollycoddle me, sir,” the tough old man says.  “You’re enough trouble to me with two legs, leave alone one . . . I . . I didn’t cut it.  I . . . I set it.  You still have both legs.”  “I’ve seen legs like that, sir.  You couldn’t save a leg like that, sir.” 

     James goes over and grabs a mirror, to show Baines he still has 2 legs.  “I’ll get the gangrene, sir!” Baines says.  “God!  No pleasing you,” James spits out angrily, but his face softens, and Baines stops arguing.

     Just then the word comes, “Sir!  The ice!  A thaw!  It’s breaking up, sir!”

     Back at home, Anne sets James’ photograph down.  She hears the bell, then the maid exclaiming over James come home.  He comes in the drawing room with his bag and his big grin.  Looking at her, he loses his grin, “Here, what’s wrong?”  At last, the despairing, disbelieving Anne breaks into a smile and a run to him, “I thought you were lost!”  He chuckles as they hold one another, “I’ve told you before.  You can’t lose me.”  They move to a seat, “Now . . . this letter.  Albert, and Elizabeth . . . what of them?”  “You’re too late, James.  They’ll be in court now.”

     When Emma found that Daniel would be involved in the divorce (and that William was actually Daniel’s child), she cut him.   Another couple at risk of having their life destroyed.

     But at the very doors of the courtroom, Albert and Elizabeth each relent, realizing that they love and need each other.  Disaster is averted, for the time being, in their lives and in all those around them.  Yet Baines will always carry residual pain from that change of course.

     After the divorce doesn’t go through, Fogarty goes back to the office.  Emma is there, and as she stands, the portrait of her grim faced uncle Thomas Callon looks disapproving behind her.  “I’ve come back,”  Emma tells Daniel.  “If you’ll have me.”  “Have you?  Yes, oh yes!”  Daniel embraces her.

     It belongs to a later discussion about children, but briefly, while talking about the effect of one’s choices on others, I think it appropriate to mention the 3 children of the 3 siblings, Robert, James, and Elizabeth.  Only Robert & Sarah’s son grew up with both parents in a decent marriage, and despite frustrations with his parents, he became the best man of the cousins.  James’ daughter grew up without a mother (who died prematurely), and a father too busy for her; she made some major mistakes that would affect, in turn, her own children.  Elizabeth’s son grew up without a father during his teen years, at least, and fell prey to the evil influence of a man he misjudged to be his friend.  He nearly ruined the prosperous company he inherited because of the influence of that evil man, and selfishly ruined his cousin’s life.  If his other cousin had not stepped in to be a father to his illegitimate child, he’d have ruined his own son’s life as well.

Season 2 Episode 12 “Bloody Week”—risk all for what/who?

     “By May 23, the third day of what became known as Semaine Sanglante or “Bloody Week,” Third Republic Versaillais troops had overrun most of Paris, and the slaughter of Communards began in earnest.

     “As mayhem and terror swept through Paris, shooting and killing of Communards, government soldiers, Catholic clergy and ordinary citizens occurred day and night, often without any real cause, and the streets of Paris were littered with corpses. In one horrific example, more than 300 suspected Communards were massacred inside the Church of Saint-Marie-Madeleine by Versaillais troops.

     “In retaliation, the National Guard responded by looting and burning government buildings citywide. The Tuileries Palace, opulent home of French monarchs since Henry IV in 1594, the Palais d’Orsay, the Richelieu library of the Louvre and dozens of other landmark buildings were burned to the ground by National Guardsmen.”  https://www.history.com/articles/paris-commune-1871

     James is pulled into the conflict of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) “Bloody Week” by Sir Richard Lazenby, who offers him a way to get back the shares he can’t afford to buy, as well as a way to collect on a debt James is owed by the French government (so Lazenby dangles before him). He uses Fogarty, and some other unnamed buyer, to pressure James with the old carrot and stick tactic.

     Albert and Elizabeth sail the channel with Anne, James, and Baines, despite James’ objections,. It’s supposed to be a 2^nd honeymoon, to renew their marriage.  But Elizabeth makes a big drama of her mal de mer, and the plan doesn’t really work for them.

     James goes through a series of bad situations, and ends up being captured, then sent into the heart of the mess in Paris, with a charge to betray a head of the Communards, which he manages to avoid and barely gets out of the fray with his life.

     When Anne learns of his capture, she attempts to go to his aid (in whatever capacity she might find) at peril to her own life (secretly, against Albert & Elizabeth’s insistence), but she is prevented by the Prussians, who put her under arrest for her own protection.

     Albert goes to rescue Anne, but is detained himself.  Elizabeth has Baines take her to bargain for their release with the potatoes James had arranged as cargo for trade, because the French are starving.

     It’s all a mess, a failure to achieve the objectives, and James is sorry he ever was involved in it, though Lazenby had left him little choice:  only the loss of his shares to Fogarty, who would then essentially own his company.

     As they sail home, James tells Anne in their cabin, “A war that should never have been fought.”  But Anne says, “Some ideas must be fought for.”  “Oh, rarely.  A good, and a right idea, of a way of winning without bloodshed, and . . . well, without having to climb over corpses.  I wish I’d had no part in it at all.”  “Conscience?”  Anne asks.  “If you develop a conscience, James, what then?  You’ll have no need of me.”  James scowls.  He doesn’t appear to believe her.  At least we don’t.

     It might be noted that this season was written with the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

     Anne and James have been married for 11 years.  Their nephews, Samuel and William (Robert & Sarah’s son, and Elizabeth’s son) are about 9 or 10.

Season 2 Episode 13 “The Challenge”—a good spouse, an affectionate spouse, and challenges

     While James is away trading in Zanzibar, Anne becomes bedridden.  The attending physician tells her, “I do wish you had consulted me earlier, Mrs. Onedin.”  But Anne shrugs it off, “It was nothing, Doctor.  Just a stitch, a slight attack of stomach cramps.”  “Which you imagine to be one of the disorders to which your sex is subject, hmm? . . . I will not hide it from you, Mrs. Onedin.  This disorder is of a more serious nature, and is directly connected with your recent miscarriage.  And you know your medical history over the past four years has been, well, not good.”  From this I take it that the miscarriage was 4 years prior, though it’s possible her troubles may have begun before the miscarriage.  Anne was said to be the wrong side of 30 in 1860, and this is over 11 years later, so she is in her 40s . . . not a super great age for pregnancy.

     Again Anne downplays it all, “Oh, that was nothing.”  The doctor disagrees, “Pain, Mrs. Onedin, is part of God’s mercy.  And we ignore his warnings at our peril.  You have a fine house, servants to do your bidding.  You’re more fortunate than most,” he says as he pulls a chair up to her bedside.  “Yes, James is a good husband,” Anne happily agrees.  “And an affectionate one?” the doctor gingerly broaches a subject not spoken openly.  “We hold each other in very high regard . . .” Anne cautiously answers the spoken, not the unspoken question, “if that is your meaning.”  “That is not my meaning,” the doctor says with a meaningful demeanor.

     “I will speak plainly, Mrs. Onedin.  Under no circumstances must you bear children.”  Anne is distressed at last, “I cannot have a child?  Ever?”  “I did not say that.  I said you must not,” the doctor counsels in all seriousness.  “My husband . . . He so longs for a son,” Anne speaks both of her husband’s longing, and her own longing to fulfill his longing, and mayber her own long-held desire to be a mother. James’ excitement over her previous pregnancy, and his sorrow over the loss, are proof enough of his longing, even if no one else has said anything about it to her.

     “Out of the question,” the doctor pronounces, “I’m sorry.”  “How can I possibly tell him?” Anne sadly wonders.  “I can spare you that embarrassment,” the doctor offers.  “When Mr. Onedin gets back . . .”  Anne interrupts, “No.  I shall tell him myself when he’s returned.”  But will she, or is she merely keeping the doctor from telling him?

     Anne’s father, Capt. Webster comes to visit her.  He’s concerned about her, no doubt knows she never admits to anything seriously wrong with her.  “Oh, nonsense, Father.  It’s nothing more than a woman’s ailment.  I shall be up and about shortly, she says as she stitches on some needlework.   He notices a plethora of bottles by her bedside, and she accounts for all the well-meaning remedies her friends and loved ones have brought.

     “What ails you, child?” he tries again to get her to give an honest answer.  “What really ails you? . . . at times you can be as close-mouthed as that husband of yours [Albert remarked in the beginning S1 E1, they are two peas of the same pod].  Where the devil is he?” her father wants to know.  “On his way home.  Robert sent him a telegraph,” she answers, though the telegraph was not about her, but business interests.  “I have little regard for the rogue, but I’d give a guinea at this moment to see him standing in that doorway,” Capt. Webster admits.

     “Would you pass me my purse?”  she takes out a coin for him, “Good luck money.”  “I’ve lost all taste for charity,” he waves it away.  “Oh, it’s not charity.  You know perfectly well that James and I were first married he struck a bargain that you would not want in your old age.  Well, he’s kept to that bargain.”  “I’ll grant him that.  I have everything I need and nothing I want.  I’ve become a well-dressed beggar with his hand eternally outstretched.”

     “Would you prefer a settlement?  Say, two guineas each and every week?” she asks.  “Well, he’d never agree to that,” Webster doubts.  “It’ll be arranged, in writing this time,” she seeks to assure him.  He’s suspicious.  “In writing?  Why in writing?”  “For your own peace of mind, of course.  Why else?”

     “For yours, perhaps?” he asks.  He has, after all, lost loved ones before.  “You’re dissembling, child.”  “Oh, take your guinea and go, Father,” she becomes defensive.  “I know it must be burning a hole in your pocket.”  “That son-in-law of mine has kept to the letter of his bargain simply because you’ve always been here to see that he does.  Is that your fear?”  “I don’t know what you mean,” she is curt.  Suddenly she is taken with a sharp pain.  “Can you pass my medicine?  It’s that little brown bottle.”  “Laudanum,” he reads with more concern, “Is the pain as bad as that, then?”  Another sharp pain brings her to grab his arm and he to put his arm around her, trying to comfort her as parents do their little ones, though she’s in her 40s. 

     Elizabeth comes to wait on Anne in her sick bed.  “Now drink this down.  It’s best beef tea.  I made it meself.”  “Oh, thank you, Elizabeth,” Anne appreciates the effort, and perhaps Elizabeth’s cooking has improved in the last 10 or so years.  “We’ll have you on your feet, and some color in your cheeks by the time James is home,” Elizabeth promises.  “I hope so.  I hate being a burden,” Anne states what everyone knows.  Elizabeth, with the kindness she sometimes shows, tells her “Nonsense.  Now, for the latest gossip.  Emma Callon and Daniel Fogarty are to be married on Oct. the 15th.”  “At last!” Anne exclaims.  “And we’re all to be invited, so you’ll have to be well for that.”

     Emma Callon, soon to be Fogarty, pays a call.   “Is there any news of Mr. Onedin?” she asks Anne.  “Yes.  He’s on his way home from Zanzibar.”  “. . .  is that not a long voyage?” Emma asks. “Oh no, James is coming home by way of the Suez Canal,” Anne answers.

     On the day of Jame’s return, he is signing papers for the port authority.  He declares a part cargo of Egyptian cotton.  He gets a big grin as Anne steps down from a carriage to meet him at the dock.  She returns his smile when she sees him. 

     In the cabin, James asks her, “Now what’s all this about dizzy spells and fainting fits?”  And she answers, as is typical, “Nothing more than a gout of the stomach.”  “Is that what the doctor said?” he probes further, knowing her, and maybe having been clued in by her father, Capt. Webster. “In so many words,” she evades.

     “In what words?” he pursues.  “Female complaint,” Anne answers her husband, and for many men, that’s not a subject they like to delve into, which might be why she said it.  “Oh, yeah,” James says as he moves a chair for her to sit.  “What treatment did he recommend?” he moves forward to something he feels more comfortable with.  “Time,” she abbreviates, then tries to change the subject to something she knows will distract him.

     “Time?” he isn’t deterred.  “If that’s the best he can do, we’ll get a second opinion,” James declares.  “I have a patent medicine, which I’m taking regularly, and he advised a rest.”  “Oh, well, that can be arranged.  Here.  How would you like to go to Harrogate, take the waters, hey?”  She thinks such an idea preposterous, and thinks a potent argument is to tell him to “think of the cost.”  “I am,” he says, “To pay a man for professional advice, and then not take it, that’s poor business.”  “I can rest just as easy at home.  And I have a poor enough opinion of medicinal waters without wanting to sample them.”  “How do you know if you haven’t tried it?”

     “Tell me about the Suez Canal,” Anne tries again to change the subject, and he gives her a look that says he knows what she’s about.  “They say it’s one of the eight wonders of the world.  What’s it really like?”  “Oh, it’s just a ditch, nothing more,” he downplays it, as well as the reaction he had as a steam tug pulled the “Oberon” through it:  “I’ll make a pretty profit out of the canal.”

     Robert had sent a telegram to James with the urgency for him to return right away, as a Mr. Mitchell was going around to all concerned, offering 5000 shares of the Onedin Steamship company for £10,000.  He had paid £2500 for them in total, buying them up from other shareholders.  Elizabeth talked him into waiting ‘til James’ return.  She knows it’s really a showdown between rivals James Onedin and Daniel Fogarty, who by marriage is becoming owner of the Callon Line and all Emma’s business interests.

     James’ return is on the very day of Daniel & Emma’s wedding.  James immediately arranges for a meeting between him and Mitchell, and Daniel.  Over Emma’s protests, Daniel attends the meeting, spoiling her special day, as she sees it.

     Mitchell seeks to have James and Fogarty get in a bidding war.  Fogarty soon bids £6000, and Mitchell is disappointed that James won’t play along, as he had counted on.  The man had called himself a sporting man, and James now shrewdly plays on that to offer a win-win proposition.  Mitchell is in the tea trade.  James suggests a race between Fogarty and himself, and whoever gets back to Liverpool from Foochow first, with a shipload of tea, gets to buy the shares for £5000, and that added to Mitchell’s profit from the sale of the tea would come to his desired £10,000.  Since James and Fogarty are not only competitors in business, but rivals in sailing ability, Fogarty accepts the challenge.

Season 2 Episode 14 “Race for Power”—a solicitous spouse, choices, consequences, honesty, loss

     James and Capt. Baines get a good start on the Fogertys (Daniel & Emma now wed, spending their honeymoon on this race, much to Emma’s displeasure).  Capt. Baines is sure they’ll get to Foochow in the “Oberon” first, as it’s a fine ship.  James reminds him that’s only half the race.  They must be first to return to Liverpool with a load of tea for Mr. Mitchell, in order to be able to buy the remaining shares of the Onedin Line Steamship Co.

     “You leave the sailing to me, sir,” Baines is confident in what he has to offer.  “I give you my word, we’ll be first home with the tea.”  “You’d better be right, Mr. Baines,” James doesn’t put on his poker face to Baines, his right-hand man.

     On the way to Foochow Anne becomes pregnant.  “You comfortable?” James asks Anne as he comes down into the ship’s cabin.  She’s happily knitting.  “How long will it be now?” he asks.  “You’ve asked me that same question every day for the past month,” she smilingly answers.  “I promise you, our son will be born in Liverpool.”

     “I’ve two reasons now for a fast passage, eh?” James is more solicitous than ever.  Clearly he is more than pleased at the prospect of having a son.  “Anne, uh, are you sure you’re eating enough?”  “James, I never stop eating.”  “Well, those bouts of sickness you had before we left home, you know . . .”  “I told you at the time it was nothing more than a woman’s ailment,” she touches his arm, “Oh, don’t look so worried.”  He’s still concerned, “The moment we reach Foochow, you shall have the best doctor available,” he promises.

     “When will that be?” she asks.  “I’ll show you,” he gets up again to retrieve the charts.  When she starts to get up to follow him, he says, “Here, now , , , you sit where you are,” and she smiles with amusement as he brings them over.  “Here we are.  Now I reckon Fogarty’s about 2 days astern of us.  We should be in Foochow within about 48 hours.  Then we’ll be loaded and homeward bound before he can get his mooring lines out.”

     “Oh, don’t be overconfident, James.  The tea crop may not be ready,” Anne gently cautions.  “Oh, yes it will,” James chuckles.  “I cabled from Liverpool requesting our agent to hold 10,000 cases against our coming, whatever the cost.  We shall win this race, Anne, and then Albert shall build not one, but a fleet of steamships for our son to inherit, eh?”

     In Foochow the doctor visits Anne in bed aboard ship.  “You still suffer from the pain, Mrs. Onedin?”  When she answers, “A little,” he says, “More than a little, I fancy.”  “The child, will it be all right?” she asks.  “Why, you’ll have a bonny bairn, no doubt about that, but it’s not the babb we’re concerned about now, is it?” he looks at her in stern concern.  “Well, that is my sole concern,” she replies.  “Then it shouldna been.  All life is precious, including your own,” he warns.  “Is the risk then that grave?” she doesn’t want to believe.

     “What can I say that your own medical man didna tell you back in Liverpool?” he says in his Scots accent.  She has obviously told him more than she has admitted to her husband.  In trying to save his feelings, she has put them more at jeopardy. 

     “Your husband’s a heartless fool,” the doctor pronounces.  “He doesn’t know,” she defends him.  “You didna tell him?” the doctor turns with surprise.  “He longs for a son,” she excuses herself.  “Did you think to give him a choice?  You’re a strong spirit, and you’ve a fair chance.  Once you’re back in Liverpool, you have the benefit of the best medical attention.  I hear they’ve got chloroform and antiseptics.  Medicine’s made great strides since my young day,  Out here on the coast, a man loses touch.  In the meantime, here’s a Chinese concoction.  I highly recommend it whenever you feel the pain . . . oh, no, it won’t harm the baby one little bit,” he answers her concern.  “Take it as required . . . and remember, from this day forward, it’s your health that matters.  Your health, nothing else.  Tell your husband that,” he says as he leaves.  But we know she won’t.  Again, what a contrast between her and Emma, who has complained constantly the entire trip, and imagines a malady that the doctor has just attended.  What a contrast between the marriage/partnership of Anne & James, and that of Daniel & Emma!

     Fogarty has arranged for his quick ship the “Viper” to meet them in Foochow from Yokohama, Japan, in his continuing strategy (he had had his ship “Pandora” reoutfitted as the fastest ship in Liverpool).  James has the experienced seaman Capt. Baines’ to draw upon for strategies.  Though Fogarty left Foochow with a 2 day start on James & Baines, Capt. Baines knows the challenges of the river (such as shifting sandbars), and the advantages of the yearly monsoon for catching up with Fogarty.  He also learns of the mistake in rigging that the “Viper” captain makes.

     On the return Anne writes in her journal:  We are now 21 days sail from Foochow, and as yet no sight of Mr. Fogarty’s ‘Viper’.  The air is somewhat oppressive, and the wind light and fitful.  As these light winds suit us the better, James has great hopes of overhauling the ‘Viper’. 

     Above deck “Sail ho” is heard, and James rushes to see.  Baines says, “It’s the ‘Viper’, she’s becalmed.”  The crew shouts hooray.  A camera shot of Fogarty doesn’t show him cheering.  When a storm arises, he decries, “Cotton sails!”, which he had been misguided to use.

      Baines advises James, “We best shorten sail and walk past her easy, sir.”  But James is too focused on winning to take his advice.  Amidst the storm, Baines notes to James, “’Viper’’s piling on more canvas, sir.”  James responds, “Aye, set the Royals, Mr. Baines.  Give him a run for his money.”  “The ‘Viper’s a a heavy weather ship, sir.  We’re not!” Baines warns.  The storm tosses the helmsman from his place, and a man aloft into the sea.  The wheel is crashed and broken by a falling timber. 

      Below deck, in her cabin, Anne is knocked about by the storm and in pain.  For some reason she doesn’t stay on her bunk (looking for her medicine?), and not only ends up knocked on the floor when the steering is lost, but with her trunk toppled on her.  James comes down just then to check on her, moves the trunk, and helps her back on the bed.  She’s concerned about some blood on his face from being knocked about himself, but his concern is for her.  “You lie still, now . . . [I’ll] send a couple hands down, [to] stow the dunnage.”  He is grieved to tell her, “I must go on deck.  I’m required.”  “Yes, James, I understand.”  “Child?” he asks.  “It’ll be all right, I’m sure,” she seeks to allay any care he has.  They embrace, and he leaves with a look back.  When he’s gone, she sees her bottle of medicine on the floor broken.

     Later, when all is calm, Baines knocks at the captain’s cabin where James is shaving and Anne again sits knitting.  “Sighted the Cape Verde ahead, sir.”  “Well now, by my reckoning, the ‘Viper’’s about two days ahead of us [again or still].  Now if I know Fogarty, he’ll give himself plenty of sea room.  He’ll be mid-Atlantic now, to catch the westerlies.  So we’ll keep to the east, straight for the Azores, eh?” James lays out his current strategy.  “The airs will be light and fitful, sir,” Baines points out.  “Aye, well, if we’re to catch the ‘Viper’, we must cut a few corners . . . Lay off the course, Mr. Baines.”  James gives Anne a kiss, even with Baines in the room, then leaves.

     “Keeping in good health, ma’am?” Baines asks Anne.  “Oh, under the circumstances, exceedingly well.  Thank you, Mr. Baines.  How long before we arrive?”  “Oh, about 3 weeks, given fair weather,” he tells her.  “That is cutting it fine,” she admits.  “Well, many a lusty lad has been born aboard ship, ma’am,” he offers.  “My son will be born in Liverpool, Mr. Baines, I’ve set my mind on it.”  He chuckles.  “In that case, I have no doubt, ma’am.”  Just as some have suggested that James could command the sea and winds by his will, Anne’s will is accepted as no less strong. No doubt she is well aware that she’s got to have expert medical attention for the birth of the baby, and that’s not available aboard ship.

     As Baines is leaving, Anne catches his hand.  “You will stand by Mr. Onedin, whatever happens, won’t you, Mr. Baines.”  “Well of course, ma’am,” he answers, not knowing the full portent of her plea.  “Mr. Onedin can outsail Mr. Fogarty and a dozen of his like, any day of the week.”  “I’m sure, but there may come a time when he stands in need of staunch friends.”  “Mr. Onedin can always rely on me, ma’am.”  “Thank you, Mr. Baines.”

     James tells the carpenter and seaman, “All right, that will do,” as they have put together a makeshift wheel to replace the makeshift tiller they’ve been steering the ship with.  “Not taking part in a joinery competition,” James tells them.  “Sail ho!” is announced.  James looks through his scope.

     “It’s her.  It’s the ‘Viper’!  We’ve caught her, Mr. Baines, we’ve caught her!”  James speaks with excitement.  Fogarty on the ‘Viper’ looks melancholic.  Strategically, he was winning.  But Emma has put his profession of love to the test by telling him he must give up the race to prove he loves her more than all else.  The ships are shown neck and neck.

     Anne is in excruciating pain.  James come into the cabin and speaks before he sees her agony.  “We’re entering the Mersey [River] on the flood [tide].  A few more minutes and we’ll hoist the pilot’s flag.  Then the race will be ours.”  When she cries out, he comes immediately to her bedside.  She begs him to hurry.  “You need the doctor now,” he recognizes.  Mr. Baines!” he calls, then gently he tells Anne, “At least there’s something I can do about that.” 

     “Mr. Baines, don’t hoist the pilot flag.  Don’t take the sail out . . . We’ll not wait to pick up the pilot,” he tells him, despite both Anne’s and Baine’s protest.  “Sail her in yourself,” James orders.  “We must pick up the pilot, sir.  Harbor regulations,” Baines says, though he knows James knows that.  “Fogarty will claim the race.”  James sternly repeats his command.  Baines looks at Anne, then James, and realizes the situation.  “Aye, aye, sir.”

     “James, the race was yours,” Anne says.  “I’ll not lose you or the child,” he plainly states his priorities.  He has come a long way in these years of marriage.

     The Fogartys are on deck watching.  “He’s not stopping to pick up the pilot.  Onedin’s outsmarted himself this time.  I shall win the race by default,” Fogarty exults.  The pilot boat is announced aside his ship.  “We’ve won, Emma, We’ve won!”  He laughs and they embrace happily.

     At the dock a horse-drawn ambulance comes to meet James’ ship.  James carries Anne to the stretcher they pull out for her.  Anne & James share a loving look, and she tells him to go see Mr. Mitchell.  “I’m coming with you,” he tells her soberly.  “No, James, there’s nothing you can do.”  She’s trying to shield him from what’s ahead. She grasps his hand in pain.  “Please, James.”  He gives a slight nod.  At such a tender moment, a typical dock fight is going on in the background.

     James goes to the meeting with Mitchell with no expectations other than defeat for himself.  As promised, Fogarty claims the prize by default.  Mr. Mitchell, however, seems actually to have hoped for James to win his company back.  He appreciates the kind of man James is.  He stands on the technicality that the contract does not mention anything about having a pilot or harbor regulations.  That’s for James to deal with.  He awards the win to James, and congratulates him on getting control of his company back.  Fogarty is furious, of course.

     Anne knows what she faces in childbirth.  The doctor tells her at least she will feel no pain, due to chloroform.  Anne’s worry is for the child’s sake, but he assures her it is safe for the baby.  Her last word before succumbing is “James”. 

     James and all the family, as well as Capt. Baines, await the highly anticipated birth below.  At last they hear the baby’s cry, and James starts for the stairs.  He is caused to pause by the rest of the group, who know that it takes some time to tidy up from the birth.  At last the somber doctor tells him he can go up.  He bounds up the stairs.  Life is so full of promise for him.

     James bursts into the room and leans over Anne’s bedside in high expectation.  No doubt he would have excitedly told her that he had won control of his company back, assuming all was all right.  But all is not all right, as he sees.  He begins to shake at the realization that she is dead.  As he stands, the doctor tells him, “I’m sorry.  I did warn her.  As God is my witness, less than a 12 month ago in this very room, I told her . . . no children.”

     “You have a daughter,” the nurse brings to him, thinking it will ease some of the pain.  “It’s a lovely little girl.”  James doesn’t even look at their baby.  He only sees Anne lying there ashen faced and motionless.

     Capt. Webster comes in, looks between Anne and James, hardly able to grasp the death of his devoted daughter, even though he had seen some foreshadowing in the previous episode.  He touches her gently, and slowly turns to James, “You kept your bargain.”  James walks out stiffly.  Capt. Webster’s well-meaning consolation is no consolation. 

     The nurse brings the baby to her grandfather, who takes her gently, lovingly.  All he has of his daughter, Anne.  Indeed, all that he has of his own posterity.

     James walks past the wondering Capt. Baines, who perhaps now understands the promise asked of him, to stick by her husband through difficult times ahead.  Baines must also feel the loss of Anne, who so befriended him, defended him, gave him the means to rise above his illiterate low-born beginnings.

     James leaves the house without saying a word to anyone, slowly walks the uncharacteristically empty pier.  We can imagine the flood of mixed thoughts and feelings that he will not be able to share with anyone, at least some of them, ever.  Perhaps he doesn’t even yet realize them all.  Does he realize that she gave her life for him, and does he blame himself or her for it?  No doubt after such great anticipations for what life, the future, had to offer:  having his company back, a loving and happy marriage, a son and heir, the disappointment is crushing.  As he had shown, he was willing to risk all else for Anne’s sake, and that would have included his heir, in his mind and heart.  At this point, it seems he is filled with sadness, emptiness, but other feelings will come, as he struggles with his greatest loss.

What is a successful, happy marriage?

     Perhaps this question would be expected to be asked in the beginning of this discussion.  But I wanted rather to build up to it, as the story has done.  What began as a mere financial arrangement became a most powerful story of what marriage is, can, and ought to be.

     The traditional vow, which Anne & James quoted from, in their initial bargain, is pretty comprehensive.  “I, take thee, to be my [lawfully] wedded husband/wife/spouse, to have and to hold, [forsaking all others], from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith [or] pledge myself to you.” https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/traditional-wedding-vows

1. A successful marriage is undertaken, and kept, as a lifetime commitment/promise/vow.
2. A successful marriage isn’t just for the good times, but through all the challenges and vicissitudes of life.  There will be frustrations, differences of perspectives at times, even downright disagreements.  But eventually those must be worked through.  That’s not always going to be easy.  Ultimately, there must be the recognition that the relationship is worth the cost of saving it.  Choosing the right lifetime partner is fundamental to being able to do that.  When basic values/ethics/conscience are at issue, one is left to choose between the marriage and one’s self-respect. 
3. Respect and kindness to one another are key to making it a happy, successful marriage.  And can any unhappy marriage be considered successful?  When the marriage is at a breaking point, humility, asking and giving forgiveness is the only way, and that involves some willingness to learn, willingness to change, a willingness to make allowances for imperfections, and some willing sacrifices of self.  These can’t be done by force; each partner must allow for the other’s self-determination/freedom.
4. It was only when Anne & James realized how precious they were to each other, how much they loved each other and needed each other (not merely physically or financially) that they had the powerful motivation to make their marriage lasting, successful, happy.
5. A happy successful marriage requires fidelity–physically, mentally, socially (even against criticisms of the extended family and friends, and society):  Loyalty.

Reiterating the previous list:

1. Honesty
2. A partnership relationship, having/sharing a vision and working together toward goals
3. A lifetime commitment
4. Loyalty (including not exposing one another to ridicule, defending one another’s reputation before others)
5. Avoiding recriminations
6. Clear and realistic expectations
7. Knowledge of one another’s character, personality, strengths, even faults (with a willingness to make allowance for imperfections)
8. Lack of major vices
9. Appreciation of one another’s strengths and abilities
10. Shared humor
11. Shared interests
12. Delight in one another, considering one another precious
13. Willingness to work hard, learn and to do hard things, and even mundane things
14. Facing life’s difficulties/adversities/setbacks and hazards together as bonding experiences
15. Encouraging one another, seeking to bring out the best in one another
16. Patience, not only for one another, but in Life’s vissicitudes and goals
17. Trust
18. Recognizing/valuing the importance of each other’s friends/family/colleagues (no nagging complaints about them)
19. Remaining ethical/moral
20. Humility (even while being confident)

     Although in fiction Anne’s ultimate self-sacrifice is so powerfully moving and noble, in reality, her lack of honesty with her husband was the end of their successful (and so happy at the last) marriage.  In real life, how fair is it not to tell one’s spouse of one’s own mortality?  For instance, if one has cancer or any other fatal disease or injury, how unfair not to let one’s loved ones know, so that one’s death is not such a shock that leaves them so suddenly/utterly bereft, no chance for preparation.  Hopefully the loved ones will allow the dying the chance to live their remaining time fully and without having to face futile faces.  In real life, a couple ought to counsel together about situations/decisions where death, disability, or the like, may occur. 

     No doubt if Anne had been honest with James, he would have chosen her, even rather than having an heir.  Now he will spend much of the rest of his life dealing, or not dealing, with her loss.  And so will her daughter.  No doubt other challenges and issues would have come up, as they always do in life, and we can only hope (not know for sure, I suppose) that their marriage would make it through.  One has to hope the writers would allow that to happen. There are worse tragedies than death.

     Despite, or maybe because of, my own challenging marriage, I wish all a happy, successful life together.  I hope that the insights from this series will help in that.