As Reign is finally set to return for the second half of season three, I thought this was a perfect time to re-cap the last two episodes. “Wedlock” was written by the team of Wendy Riss and Drew Lindo and directed by Norma Bailey. “Bruises That Lie” was written by PK Simonds and saw Megan Follows step behind the camera as director – as well as playing Catherine in the episode. This is Follows first foray into directing, and I think I see a promising career for her behind the camera.
Matrimony is definitely the theme running through “Wedlock.” Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) discovers she’s pregnant and tells Dudley (Charlie Carrick). He is resistant to divorcing Amy (Clara Pasieka) at first, suggesting that Elizabeth simply marry another, but ultimately buckles to Elizabeth’s will. Dudley tells her that he will pray for their souls and is sure that the people will see the baby and their marriage as evidence of his ambition and Elizabeth’s wickedness.
William (Tom Everett Scott) is adamantly opposed and tells Elizabeth that it is a rash decision. He wonders why she doesn’t just wait for Amy to die and cautions Elizabeth that she is making a terrible mess. Of course, Elizabeth tells William to clean it up – that’s his job after all!
William’s reaction pales in comparison to Amy’s, who completely loses it. Amy, of course, guesses the truth and threatens to expose them, so Dudley locks her up. Unfortunately, he also dismisses the servants. Dudley thinks that Amy is truly insane – and I’m pretty sure he’s right! After he leaves, she breaks free and commits suicide, making it look like Dudley has killed her.
William comes to Elizabeth to tell her about Amy’s death. It looks bad and Elizabeth herself could be hung as a murderer is she is implicated. Amy seems to have stopped that wedding at least! Elizabeth and Dudley each suspect the other, but it’s clear that they can’t marry. Elizabeth worries about what to do about the baby. Dudley gives her a meaningful look that essentially tells her to get rid of it.
Meanwhile, Mary (Adelaide Kane) continues preparations to marry Don Carlos (Mark Ghanime). She gets him to send grain to Scotland, and Narcisse (Craig Parker) horns in to get money out of him to pay the soldiers. Mary doesn’t want to take advantage of Don Carlos’ compromised faculties, but Narcisse insists.
Gideon (Ben Geurens) tries to dissuade Mary from marrying Don Carlos. He warns her that she won’t be able to settle for less after a great love – and shares that his own great love, his wife, died in childbirth. Mary insists that she’s cared for an ill King before, and she is sure he is just trying to manipulate her. He tells her it is possible to get good advice even from a bad man.
The next day, Gideon interrupts Mary making wedding plans with Duke Alba (Richard de Klerk) and Don Carlos to tell them that Elizabeth has reconsidered Don Carlos’s proposal. He may now be a more suitable husband, a gentle husband. Alba insists that they will postpone the wedding with Mary to consider Elizabeth’s offer – which is on its way. Of course, it is all a stalling tactic by Gideon.
Mary asks Greer (Celina Sinden) to intercept Gideon’s correspondence to prove that Elizabeth’s offer is a fabrication. I loved the gigantic Irish Wolfhound we see in this scene – and a later one – as the two take the air in the courtyard. I hope he can become a regular! Mary confides in Greer that she wonder if she can live without the real love that she shared with Francis.
Don Carlos is also in the courtyard and as he watches a man whip a top, he begins to remember the night of his accident. When Alba comes to check on Don Carlos, he discovers that Don Carlos’ speech is better. Don Carlos admits that he’s been feeling better the last few days and had kept it hidden because he didn’t feel safe in the French court – and now he remembers why. He tells Alba that Mary has been using him, but now he intends to use her. He needs a country of his own where he’ll be free to do as he likes… and Scotland looks perfect!
Alba tells Mary that Don Carlos will reject Elizabeth’s offer if Mary grants Don Carlos the Crown Matrimonial. Mary balks. This is a very large request because Don Carlos would remain King of Scotland should Mary die childless. Alba says that the request is coming from King Philip – not Don Carlos of course! Catherine urges Mary to accept to edge out Elizabeth based on the fact that it is unlikely that Don Carlos would want anything. Mary agrees but insists that the wedding take place the next day. Alba agrees, but not before Mary happens to see Don Carlos move his supposedly paralyzed arm!
Mary tells Greer, but she thinks that Mary is just getting cold feet. After all, why would Don Carlos hide his recovery? Greer tells her that as a Scot, it’s hard for her to give Mary a reason to say no when saying yes could save Lola (Anna Popplewell) and Scotland.
Mary turns to Gideon with her suspicions. She knows he’s the only other person who doesn’t want the wedding to happen, so she tells him to get proof. After all, if it’s true, it would make Don Carlos a poor match for Elizabeth too. Gideon finds the proof. Mary realizes that Don Carlos could kill her and still rule, but she can’t just back out, so she’ll use a trick her mother taught her.
The next day, as they are signing the wedding contract, Don Carlos notices the Crown Matrimonial is missing. Suddenly, he’s turning the pages with his bad arm and has no trouble speaking. Mary exposes his lie and reveals that he was planning to have her killed on the way to Spain!
Catherine wants Narcisse to say something, but he has no idea what’s going on! Catherine steps in and banishes Don Carlos from France and she promises to expose his secret to King Philip if he doesn’t comply! Don Carlos leaves…
In a nice parallel to the opening scene between them, Gideon and Mary meet once again on the balcony. She admits that he was right. She does want love in her life, but she realizes that as a Queen, she was lucky to have had it once. Mary also realizes that Gideon is being blackmailed by Elizabeth who is holding his daughter – something she has learned by intercepting his correspondence. Elizabeth is using his daughter to ensure that he sabotage her alliances. Gideon warns Mary that the Protestants are in control and she may not be welcomed back to Scotland. Mary has no idea what she is going to do.
Catherine’s affair with Christophe (Nathaniel Middleton) mostly runs its course. He has managed to salvage Don Carlos’ sex chair, but miscalculates badly when he suggests that he could tie Catherine to it. Catherine is actually pretty disturbed to see it at all. When she later catches him with a younger serving woman, trying to put her in the chair, Catherine is surprisingly not as angry as I’d expect. She does want to know what Christophe actually wants. He tells her he wants money, but he wants to earn it. He wants to be a King’s Guard. Catherine agrees because if she takes the Regency, it will be helpful to have someone loyal to her in the King’s Guard – or at least someone who owes her.
Claude (Rose Williams) and Leith’s (Jonathan Keltz) romance hits a snag. Claude is entertaining suitors – who are ridiculous! – and Leith uses Latin lessons as a way of rescuing her. In fact, he’s teaching her to defend herself. But they are also moving towards a sexual relationship. He’s bought condoms, but she’s still clearly nervous. She lies and says it’s because he’s beneath her. He is offended and breaks it off.
Claude turns to drink, and Greer catches her staring at her. Claude tells her that men just seem to fall at Greer’s feet. Greer realizes that there is something going on about Leith and assures Claude that there is nothing left between her and Leith. Claude admits that she’s fallen in love with Leith and is afraid it will end. Greer assures her that if you love someone, it’s worth it.
Leith once again arrives as Claude entertains a suitor. They have an hilarious conversation in which “Latin” is clearly a substitute for “love” and “Leith.” The two retire to her bedchamber after the suitor leaves in a huff. Leith asks her if she is sure when it’s clear she is ready to take their relationship to the next level. She tells him that nothing is sure but her feeling for him – and they make love after telling each other that they love each other.
Their happiness is short lived when Narcisse calls Claude before him to inform her that she is to be married off. Now that France can’t rely on Don Carlos’ gold to pay the troops, Claude’s marriage will have to foot the bill.
Bash (Torrance Coombs) and Delphine (Alexandra Ordolis) also experience the end of their relationship. Delphine hasn’t left their rooms in days. Bash receives an unsigned letter from the murderer stating that he’s lost the urge to murder ever since touching the healer. Delphine admits that it is possible that she did heal him because his desires have transferred to her. Bash urges her not to be afraid and to come to the village with him.
In the village, however, Delphine feels the murderer’s rage. Bash realizes that this is why she was afraid and takes her the back way back to the castle in order to avoid the crowds which are spurring the murderous urges. Delphine tells Bash once they are back that she is leaving. She feels that if she starts healing others, she may heal herself. Bash tells her that he won’t stop her but that she’ll always have him to come back to.
The final scene is Delphine getting ready to leave. She tells Bash that even though it is cold outside, she feel warm as if she’s before a raging fire. We then flash to a man before a fire with cold breath – the cold breath of Delphine? – and he then kills a woman who comes to check on him!
“Bruises That Lie” begins with Elizabeth using pig’s blood – that we see Dudley bring her later in the episode – to stain her sheets so that the servants think she is still menstruating. When Dudley brings her the blood, he tells her that he is to appear before a tribunal and will hang if he is found guilty. He muses that while he didn’t do it, he wished to, so maybe he deserves to hang. While it’s nice that Dudley has a conscience, he tips over into whiney for me a little too often.
We see that Lola is at English court and she petitions Elizabeth to release her parents now that she is there to act as hostage. Lola is forced to stand in front of Elizabeth like a naughty child while Elizabeth explains that this is simply a chance for the two of them to get to know each other so that Lola can report back to Mary that her cousin isn’t a monster.
At French court, Mary appeals to Charles (Spencer MacPherson) to allow her to continue receiving suitors at French court. Narcisse interrupts them and takes Charles off. He tells Charles that the Scottish war debt needs to be settled. Charles suggests raising taxes, but Narcisse assures him this isn’t possible. Charles will have to marry off Claude. Narcisse has a suitor Narcisse says that the suitors first wife said that he treated her with kindness and respect – it will be a good match for Claude according to Narcisse.
Greer, meanwhile, has broken the cipher on the English correspondence. She tells Mary that she won’t like what she reads but used properly, it could change the course of the war! Mary goes to Gideon – who is working out his frustrations. Mary tells him that they’ve found the letters ordering him to seduce her, but they’ve also found letters ordering Jeffrey (Morgan David Jones) to watch Gideon’s every move. Mary suggests that she will let him seduce her. Jeffrey will report that the lonely, broken-hearted Queen has succumbed, and Gideon will have bargaining power.
Narcisse calls Catherine, Mary and Charles into the Great Hall. He informs them that the Duke Boinel’s (Morgan David Jones) gold has disappeared. Narcisse accuses Catherine and warns Mary, and it’s Charles who promises Catherine that she will be punished if it was her! Catherine worries that she is losing Charles to Narcisse. This scene in particular is nicely blocked by Follows with Narcisse’s superior position reinforced by his physical position looming over the others.
Greer is surprised when her pirate, Martin (Saamer Usmani), returns. Unlike the other idiots around her, he notices immediately that she is pregnant and concludes that it is his. He offers to help but she tells him she’s already arranged for a good family to take the baby. He tells her that he would visit twice a year and sent gold for the baby. In the end, he leaves it completely up to her but urges her to choose what she wants not do something because of what others will say.
Claude says goodbye to Leith the night before her wedding, telling him she wished he could be the one she was marrying. She does her duty, but walks through the entire thing as if she is in shock. It was nice to see her actually do her duty for once rather than acting as a spoiled child – though for once, I almost wished she would try harder not to go through with it! There is one final longing look between her and Leith as she drives off in her new husband’s carriage.
Leith drowns his sorrows with Greer at her tavern. He tells her that he needs to let go of his childish idea that he could love someone and they could love him back and nothing else would matter. Greer tells him not to let go of that idea and tells him to look at how far he’s already come! Greer tells him that she’s come to believe that people can be more than their station, but Leith now takes the position that you are who you are born.
Mary and Gideon set up a “secret” rendezvous on the balcony that Jeffrey will be able to see. And of course it starts to rain, forcing them back indoors. When they find a window to kiss in, they also find the stolen gold, and Mary knows that Catherine has hidden it there. However, the kiss between the two is almost more interesting! Mary kisses him and then wonders if it was enough…. She says they can over talk it and they kiss again – and Mary seems to enjoy it! But then she hustles him out – after all, she’s got to get rid of that gold!
Mary confronts Catherine and she admits to it – Mary is understandably furious. Catherine tells her that Narcisse won’t give up power even when Charles comes of age and then he will kill her and all her children.
Mary is also vulnerable and returns to find Narcisse waiting in her now wrecked apartments. He is holding Timothy’s severed hand. Timothy, a servant, was found with one of the stolen coins and a magistrate punished him by cutting off his hand. Unfortunately, before Narcisse could torture him to get to the bottom of the plot, Timothy threw himself off the castle wall. Narcisse maintains he did it rather than risk Catherine having his whole family killed when he broke under torture. Even with no proof, Narcisse banishes Mary from the castle! She’s to be gone by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, we find out that Boinel is not as good as his gold when he strikes Claude for humiliating him at the ceremony! Hitting her is a big mistake as it snaps her out of her shock and she comes up swinging, putting her fight training to good use. Claude storms out and heads for Paris.
Bash brings Claude back to the castle and brings Charles to her, warning him that he won’t like what he’s about to see – his sister’s bruised face. Charles apologizes to Claude and finally the penny seems to drop for him. He tells Claude that Catherine warned him about Narcisse putting his own interests ahead of the family’s.
The family taking Greer’s baby turns out to be her sister Ellen – played by Megan Follows daughter Lyla Porter-Fellows! Ellen and her noble – but poor – husband Lord Thomas Campbell (Stephen Tracey) have agreed to take the baby in return for Greer financing them. Thomas is a complete dick! Greer has rented them an estate and arranged for them to appear at French court, but Thomas is completely ungrateful. Ellen seems pretty petulant too, even as she apologizes for Thomas, she explains that after Greer’s disgrace their father married them off to anyone with a title, and titled men have ridiculous prides even when they haven’t got a penny.
Greer insists that she wants them to raise the baby nearby so that she can see it – and no doubt so that she can see that the child is raised correctly – or in a way she agrees with! Ellen tells her that is seems like they are all still paying for Greer’s mistakes. It seems that Ellen is a bit of a petulant ingrate too!
Charles has had enough of Narcisse and bursts into a Council meeting with Catherine in tow. He wants to know why he wasn’t informed of the meeting. He goes on to say that he might not be old enough to rule, but he is old enough to know who to trust and that isn’t Narcisse!. He tells the council that Narcisse put his sister at risk and he just can’t have that. He asks the council to put a Regent in place who will put the interests of his family first – and he wants Catherine because she is a part of his family.
I loved the look of shock on Catherine’s face! As if she didn’t engineer the whole thing! The Lords put up a bit of a resistance – Charles can’t choose the Regent! However, Charles reminds them that in a few short years, he will come into his power and he will remember who showed him friendship and who didn’t. He’s clearly learning diplomacy and already seems as if he will be more ruthless than Francis ever was. Catherine concedes that she will even allow Narcisse to stay on the Council.
Catherine immediately goes to Mary to crow over having been appointed Regent She wants to celebrate! They are all safe now – including Mary.
And of course, we see later that night that Catherine was behind all of it. She meets with Boinel in the woods. She paid him to hit Claude because she knew that that would enrage Charles and turn him away from Narcisse. I did like that Boinel may have underestimated Claude, but he doesn’t underestimate Catherine and we get the archers turning up behind each other. Boinel also demands that he receive vineyards in addition to his promised gold. He seems like he could pose a problem down the line for Catherine…
Things are looking up for Gideon and it seems he may be able to return home. In the end, Elizabeth does relent and agrees to send Agatha to him at French Court. When Mary tells him, Elizabeth is keeping her word, he’s so happy that he kisses her. She tells him that it’s one thing to pretend, but… no.
Leith and Claude are happily reunited. Leith laments that he should have been there to protect her, and she assures him that he was because she was able to defend herself. Leith declares that he will rise in station until he’s fit to marry a princess! It’s a nice sentiment, but I’m not sure that is possible…
And finally, back in England, William tells Elizabeth that her potential suitors are balking and suspicious of her sudden interest in getting married. Someone poisons Elizabeth’s tea – we don’t see who. William wants to place Mary and Lola at the top of the list, but Elizabeth is sure that the English are the ones who poisoned her.
Elizabeth meets again with Lola. This time the two sit opposite each other. Lola hopes that personal diplomacy can bring understanding. Elizabeth asks about family, and Lola says that her son is the joy of her life – even with the difficulties of his being Francis’s illegitimate son. Elizabeth asks if Lola has ever regretted her decision to keep the baby, and we know the answer is no. It is during this meeting that Elizabeth begins to miscarry.
Dudley comes to Elizabeth. She tells him that someone did this to her. Dudley tells her that the Tribunal ended in a deadlock. He was released but not exonerated. He may be free but he is not free to be with her. He vows that he will always love her. It is Elizabeth’s wish to let someone be with the one they love that spurs her to send Agatha to Gideon.
And that’s where things stand! Has Catherine really bested Narcisse? Will Mary truly fall for Gideon when she needs a powerful husband to help her regain control of Scotland? Will Greer give up her baby? Will this gentler side of Elizabeth prevail? Personally, I can’t wait for John Barrowman to join the cast in upcoming episodes!!!! What are you most looking forward to? I’m hoping we get more Follows directing – it can’t have been an easy episode for her to do either as Catherine also played a large role in the plot! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
