‘Sanditon’ Episode 5 sees Young Stringer spill beans on Tom Parker at the match while Georgiana is kidnapped
By episode 5, Theo James has got into the groove as the brooding Sidney Parker and the chemistry between him and Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) is crackling, especially in that awkward stand-off in Tom Parker's drawing room after he gets back to Sanditon earlier than expected.
His sudden return, however, puts a slight dampener on the plans Charlotte has helped put in place. She posts a letter for Georgiana, which asks Otis to come to meet her in front of the hotel at 4 p.m. Charlotte hopes that when the annual cricket match between the "Gentlemen" and the "Workers" is underway and everyone is distracted by the match, both of them can slip away for the secret rendezvous.
But at the start of the episode, the chances of a cricket match are bleak. Tom Parker (Kris Marshall) has already postponed paying the men for weeks, constantly promising payment at a later date. Of course, that money is never coming because Sidney has been unable to convince the bankers in London to extend credit for Sanditon's development project.
Young Stringer tired of being strung along threatens a worker's boycott of the cricket match if they don't see some money. Tom begs Stringer to give him another fortnight and also to convince the other workers to not boycott the game.
There are a few tense moments at the beach when it seems the workers are not coming but then they show up and the game is on. The match also becomes an excuse for Lord Babington (Mark Stanley) to find a spot that is too far from the pitch to need active fielding. He instead spends his time and attention chatting up the cold Miss Esther Denham, who after being so cruelly disappointed by her brother, Edward (Jack Fox), starts lightly encouraging Babington.
It makes Edward slightly anxious while Lady Denham (Ann Reid) is delighted since she practically foists Babington on Esther because he is such a good catch, financially. Meanwhile, the cricket match gets a bit heated when Young Stringer and Tom exchange words over a leg before dismissal. This is when Young Stringer blurts out that Tom is a habitual liar who hasn't paid them despite promising them money for weeks now.
It is a public humiliation for Tom. His wife, Mary (Kate Ashfield), finally realizes what a mess Tom is in, financially. She returns home to find the shamed Tom. When he promises to do better, she rages at him for buying an expensive necklace while not paying the men and keeping her in the dark.
The trust has been lost and she storms off leaving Tom more miserable than ever. But his absence means the "Gentlemen" team is short one player. Charlotte excitedly volunteers and is given a chance with Sidney and her running between wickets. As the church bells strike four, Georgiana sees her chance and goes into town alone because Charlotte is playing.
Young Stringer, thanks to the crush he has on Charlotte, goes easy on her, and soon the match is won by the "Gentlemen" team. But with the match concluded, Mrs. Griffiths finally realizes that Georgiana is nowhere to be found. When she goes missing Charlotte has to 'fess up to Sidney. She tells him, she "forgot" she was to accompany Georgiana and Sidney roars, "Forgot? Forgot!!" He then tells her in no uncertain terms that anything that happens to Georgiana is entirely "on her head".
Meanwhile, Lord Babington is so thoroughly smitten by Esther, he goes ahead and proposes to her by the river. Esther is inclined to accept but tells him she will give him an answer soon. But when she goes back home and tells Edward about the developments, it prompts Edward to grab hold of Esther and kiss her to remind her that he provides her with more than just "laughs", unlike Babington. Esther falls back into his thrall and cruelly rejects Babington soon after.
While Esther and Edward are siblings, they are not connected by blood since Esther's mother married Edward's father. But the "ew" factor still remains since they were brought up as brother and sister.
Lady Denham is so upset by Esther's refusal of marriage that she rails at her and then collapses, looking very green and sick. Whether the matriarch will pull through, we will know in the next episode. We will also know the fate of Charlotte, who is so guilt-stricken that, despite Mary forbidding her, sets off on her own to try and find Georgiana in London based on the address she used to post letters to Otis.
‘Sanditon’ Season 1 Episode 5 is all set to release on February 2, 2020, at 9 p.m. ET.