3/12 Season Two, Episode Eight: Affair at Bromfield Hall-Scarecrow and Mrs King

We join Lee and Amanda at the restaurant: HMS Bounty ( which looks to me like the same interior where they filmed the casino scenes in To Catch a mongoose!) – they are meeting with Lord Bromfield to discuss the supposed scandal..

The exterior shot of the HMS bounty is hilarious! It looks like it was put up in less than a minute- AND!!! we see cars drive past it and they are driving on the right hand side of the road! [the UK drives on the left- just like in Australia ] ROFL!!! London is scary!!

It looks like these three are doing tea, and cucumber sandwiches (Is anyone keep track of how many English cliches we can fit into this episode?! Is there any James Bond references in this episode? I can’t recall.. but it is ripe for a few! ) .. Wait a minute.. is this the same day? because Lee is wearing the same outfit as the last scene.. and now Amanda is wearing a different outfit!  I don’t get it! Actually, Lord Bromfield is wearing a different outfit also.. so I guess this is the next day? [3 days to plug the leak!]

Lord Bromfield explains he can’t publicly deny the affair.. because it will be printed to sound like it is a lie.. and the british press, where no scandal exists, will simply invent one..
Amanda: why don’t you just tell them the truth. [Ohh Amanda, she is very naive sometimes.. there she goes again thinking the world is fair!]
Lord Bromfield: They wouldn’t believe me. [Hmm they might believe you Lord B, if you wore a wedding ring! LOL!! ]

Lee: I’m afraid he’s right Amanda. They’d print the denial like it is an out and out lie and they’d rehash the affair.

Amanda: there isn’t any affair! [ Amanda raises her voice.. Here Lee seems to realise how upset Amanda is.. and he speaks slowly and calmly trying to calm her down.. glad he isn’t laughing at her anymore!]
Lee: I know that.
She lets out a huge sigh and shields her face again. Poor Amanda!

Lord B: Look, I spent a great deal of last year in and around the washington area, which is where you live.
Amanda: but we never met!

Lord B: regrettably no. [ Oh bless him! he is so lovely!]

Unfortunately, I took those trips unaccompanied by my wife and the press feels that it is possible that we could have met, that an alliance could have been formed.
[We see the same photographer arrive at the restaurant. Also, we see Lee drinks some of his tea here! Oh dear.. with the spotty tie, handkerchief and tea drinking? he is looking like an SMK baddie!!   I guess it’s ok in the UK! ]

Lord B continues: I am terribly sorry Mrs. King, I realise that a woman’s reputation is as dear to her as it is to a politician.
[On saying this… we hear click click!!! photographs being taken.. and the photographer runs off with his photos..

Lord Bromfield is a lovely man isn’t he, he shows empathy towards Amanda here, acknowledging her distress: and this is not a situation where he himself is an uninvolved bystander-  he is also damaged by this situation [he is a politician – he values his reputation also!], and yet he is still able to show care and concern for Amanda, her feelings and her reputation – Take Note Lee!!!!

Lord B: Oh NO!!!

Amanda: oh nooooo it’s the same man that took the picture before.
Lord B: well..that should make tomorrow’s newspapers with a suitable caption. [not this afternoon’s edition? the time/wardrobe in this ep is confusing me! ]
Amanda: Oh.. Maybe Lee’s right. Maybe I should just go home. But that would look like I was running away and that would really look bad.

Lord B: I may have a possible solution. My wife and I have invited some guests for the weekend. If you were to join the party, come to Bromfield Hall…
Lee: yes, but what would Lady Bromfield say about that?
Lord B: Well, actually it was her idea. She’s an eminently practical woman.. [ Noooo I think she’s looking for less practicality and more romance Lord B.. I don’t think he knows his wife as well as he should! Seems all his travels unaccompanied may have damaged his marriage.. but he will know her much better by the end of this episode.. poor Lord B! Ohhh the irony, we learn later, this is actually Lady B’s Lover’s idea! ] If you were to come, it might appear that you were an old friend of the family. [IMO if they wanted to avoid more scandal, Lady Bromfield should be here at this meeting! ugh.. but what do I know??!! Lord B should never have been near Amanda again without his wife next to him!  but.. this way is more fun 😉 ]
Amanda immediately turns to Lee: Lee?  [She’s no longer calling him Mr Stetson?]
she nods at him, asking if this is okay..
Lee: Ahhh yeah, it could work. It’s not a bad idea..
and then to Amanda: Yeah. Go for the weekend. [Lee’s thinking it’s his lucky day! My problems are solved.. and Amanda is out of my perfect hair! whoo hoo!!]

Lord B: err the invitation includes you Mr Stetson. [I am sure Gwyneth was very clear – on her boyfriend’s orders- that Lee be there!!]

Lee: well thank you, but I do have some business to attend to.
Lord B: I know, no I.. I think it’s important. You see, because if the two of you are seen together, it may appear that you are more than employer and secretary.
Lee’s seems stunned by this!

Amanda reacts reflexively with a ‘ Hooooo!!’ and a nervous laugh.. [I think Amanda struggles with the idea that it isn’t the truth that will get her out of this situation!] 
Amanda and Lee –share a look: isn’t this funny! Us a couple? tee hee..
They both start to deny it at the same time.. It’s telling that they forget this isn’t about their relationship in reality – this is about turning this into a cover to downplay rumours of the affair that wasn’t! – Put on the spot and unprepared, they both seem to be affected!! squeeee!! It seems to me for a moment, they are Lee and Amanda – not president of Anacord Electronics and his secretary! Very unprofessional of them both.. and I love it haaaaa!!! 🙂

Amanda: Well we aren’t.
Lee: well.. I no..

Amanda: I mean, we’re not..

I love the smile Lee gives here..

…he seems to realise he is smiling away and he stops himself! (I can hear him telling himself: Ugh! get a grip man!! )  😆

Lord B: and neither are we, Mrs King.
[Oh yeah! ] However, I’m sure that you’re as anxious to recitfy this situation as I am.
Lee gives Amanda a pointed,  silent look – get me out of this! I have work to do and don’t have time to go rescue your reputation!

Amanda’s smile at saving her reputation fades.. as she realises what Lee wants her to do.. get him out of it Her reputation doesn’t seem to be his problem.. Ohh Lee!!! Amanda ( sounding very subdued here suddenly):
 Mr Stetson is a very busy man.

Suddenly calling him ‘Mr Stetson’ again – a moment ago she called him Lee! she’s not happy with Lee here!!

Lord B: How much business can you do on a weekend?
[I love this guy!!!   ]

Lord B continues: I presume Sir, that you errr ( he pauses a second)  have some concern for the reputation of Mrs. King.

Lee: ah…

…yes. It is of… some concern. [ not as concerning as his job though.. poor Amanda! I do think Lord B shames Lee a little here for his attitude about all this.. hooray!]
Amanda to Lee: Thank you. [Ahh Amanda always sees the good in Lee! she genuinely thanks him for the ‘some concern’ that he has..giving him a big smile- and lots of encouragement to go with them to Bromfield Hall for the weekend! ]

Lord B seems to silently give Lee and Amanda a look between the two of them here.. (is it my imagination or could he be wondering just what is going on between these two??): Splendid!.. Well, I shall see you tomorrow then.
[ That would make it 2 days before the talks..??? ] A nice quiet weekend in the country should put everything to rights.
LOL! we just know it isn’t going to be a nice quiet weekend but.. at least we know by the end of the episode? Everything shall be put to rights

Amanda smiles: Yes.
Lee, is looking very worried, and not about Amanda’s reputation I am sure!

I love how Lord Bromfield challenges Lee’s care for Amanda’s reputation.. he knows they are not in reality romantically involved, and that they only work together and he makes the point that Lee should still care! Ohhh bless him!!!

It is lovely to see Lord Bromfield teach Lee a lesson..(or at least give him an opportunity to learn a lesson! ) While Lee has kept it out of the papers- I wasn’t convinced it was for Amanda’s sake.. I didn’t think Lee gave much of a hoot for Amanda’s reputation, he doesn’t understand it’s importance to her…. but the classy Lord Bromfield does! He shows Lee how to be a gentleman!
Lord Bromfield’s line: I am sorry Mrs King, I realise that a woman’s reputation is as dear to her as it is to a politician. was lovely.. awhhh… and said with such kindness and empathy. I thought this shamed Lee and his previous anger and jokes at Amanda’s expense- good stuff!!
Lee wouldn’t have been shamed by this- if he didn’t actually care about Amanda, which he does! 🙂 though, I can’t find anyway to watch this episode, without putting this behaviour of Lee’s before Brunettes are in!!!

Also, Lee and Amanda’s little moment of nervous smiles at just the suggestion that there is something more between them? rofl!!! A great moment isn’t it!!! They are both taken by surprise here- they both seem to forget that it is about appearances.. not reality!! tee heee..

Lastly, I just wanted to mention again, as I did in the To Catch a mongoose episode, that I think Lee is wearing the same outfit in both episodes! He wears this double breasted blazer with the blue shirt to see Amanda off as she catches the bus to the airport ( very weirdly, he wears it only for that scene in TCAM) – I think in this episode, he just changed the tie and handkerchief so it was not 100% the same, but the rest is the same.. including the slacks.. Also, in TCAM when Lee is explaining good guy/bad guy to Amanda? you can see clearly that  Lee doesn’t have on the double breasted jacket, but he appears to have on the same shirt, tie and handkerchief!!! as in this scene of AABH!  check it out if you’re interested! 🙂

Anyway, this scene ends there.. [I didn’t want to split it, and I love this dialogue so wanted to transcribe it! sorry for the long post!! Raffie will get an extra long workout today as she reads it LOL!!]
I shall finish there, before they are off  to the country the next morning for a nice quiet weekend!   What do you all think? do tell!! back with more soon!!