Lee and Amanda head back to Bromfield Hall.. whooo they’ve entered a time warp!! They’ve used exactly the same footage of Lee’s Jaguar arriving at Bromfield Hall 
Anyway, we find Gwyneth is meeting with Geoffrey in the library, becoming increasingly frustrated and desperate.. She declares to 
Geoffrey that she is filing for divorce! She’s regretting being talked into this ‘bizarre charade’ by Geoffrey.. Geoffrey is scrambling for a way to keep Gwyneth doing what he wants, and married to her husband where she is of use. Ugh Geoffrey makes my skin crawl!
Geoffrey: Ralph can be a generous man, he can also be vindictive.
Gwyneth: let him do his worst.
Geoffrey: you’re being emotional!
Gwyneth: Love is an emotion. [and notice Gwyneth- Geoffrey isn’t emotional!!! ] And it’s one I’m tired of taking on the sly.
Also, a bit more background to complete the baddie’s picture.. Gwyneth: This weekend, which you devised for what reason I don’t know, has been sheer hell! And now they’re back again! I have to entertain them while that loathsome photographer is not yet cold. It’s grotesque!
Well, Geoffrey has no argument for that! He responds gently, begging for a just a few more days.. and Gwyneth relents. It’s very frustrating to watch this unscrupulous man play this foolish woman..
At least now we know, Gwyneth isn’t the err Bad guy.. she is another victim in the bad guy’s schemes. Gwyneth just wants love.. it’s pretty sad!
Anyway, Lee and Amanda are strolling in the garden with Lady Witherspoon… It’s great to watch Lee and Amanda talk with her – working as a team, to get the information they need without giving away why they need to know!
Of course, they’ve come to the right source.. Lady W is a fountain of knowledge.. and gives them all the gossip on Pridemore and Geoffrey..
After Lee asks about Geoffrey, Lady W asks why he wants to know. Lee responds: Curiosity! haa..
Lady W quips: If that’s a reprimand, it’s lost on me! – great line! even if I do find this character more annoying than charming.. although, now she isn’t making Amanda uncomfortable by wanting information on her affair? her annoyingness has diminished!
When Amanda explains that nothing happened with Lord B, Lady W responds: Oh dear, I was afraid it was something like that. Ralph’s always had an eye for the ladies, but no follow through.
[Whoa.. with Ralph being married I find this curious! What do you think she means? I think the picture being painted of Lord Bromfield is: he is neglectful of his relationships.. maybe he hasn’t really followed through with his wife? though no doubt he is a lovely man.. ]
Lady W mentions Lord B’s marriage is arranged.. Meh.. I think that is a bit of a cliche.. hinting at Gwyneth marrying for money.. and Lord B marrying for her good family lineage.. I think she is moving from gossip to conjecture.. (as we later find out)
Lee asks about Pridemore..
Lady W remarks he is usually there when Geoffrey is there and that they are together alot – though they are not necessarily friendly..
They bid farewell to Lady W.. and head back to the Hall..
Amanda is acting like they are a team! She is excited to be involved! ( awh!! ) : Geoffrey Douglas-Wood and Errol Pridemore, do you think there’s anything there?
Lee: that’s what I’m going to find out!
Amanda: how?
Lee: By going through their rooms.
Amanda: we can’t do that.
Lee: We’re not going to, I am!
Amanda: Alone?
Lee: That’s the way I work Amanda.
[ There you go – there’s confirmation this episode can’t go after Brunettes are in.. when watching this show in the original airing order? we was cheated!!]
Amanda: No.
Lee: No?!
Amanda: No. I’m not going to let you do it alone…
[Lee sighs here.. ]… they’ve tried to kill you twice, if they try again I want to be there!
Lee: to do what?
Amanda: errr..
Lee: to do What?
Amanda: Scream?
[ hey and don’t forget she is a blackbelt confuser! ]
Lee: Amanda, I appreciate your, your concern I really do
[ I think he is thinking back to their conversation down by the Thames.. it is clear she cares about him very much!] but I’ve got a far more important job for you.
[ Oh Lee!! there he goes being nice to her.. to manipulate her into doing what he wants again.. just like he has done for most of this episode! because.. he wants her safe, and out of his hair!… Bring on Brunettes Are In already! He knows Amanda can be stubbornly loyal to him.. so he’s got to try a different tactic! – just like he did in Double Agent – remember? when he suggested she stay in the car to ‘ be the lookout’?! ]
Amanda is surprised at his request for her assistance here! and..confused by it.. Poor Amanda!
Amanda: What is it?
Lee: It’s very important [ Lee you rat!! ]
Amanda: okay
Lee: now you remember she mentioned Gwyneth and her impeccable blood line?
Amanda: yes.
Lee: I want you to trace it.
[Amanda screws up her face here for a second.. yes Amanda.. this is very weird!] Now I passed a bunch of books on her genealogy in the small library, Now I bet you’ll find everything you need, right in there. [ too funny.. she really will find everything she needs in there ]
Amanda: Right. [ she still looks a bit puzzled..] I don’t really understand what this-
Lee suddenly just grabs her arms,
blurting out: Just trust me on this!
Amanda is stunned, stares at him.. is well aware he is holding her.. I think given their conversation down by the Thames, the subtext of Lee reaching out to touch Amanda here is him wanting to telling her – he cares about her.. ( probably not he loves her.. I don’t think Amanda thinks that!) Hope you all will share your thoughts on what is happening here!!
Lee: Hmmm???
IMHO this is all about him getting her to do what he wants her to..
Interesting that this moment reminds me of this moment:
[We’ve come a long way! but.. in some ways – this is the same thing! Lee using his charm to get Amanda to do something for him!! ] Haaaa! The moment she saw him, Amanda was wanting to help Lee 🙂
Lee showing he cares is enough to convince Amanda to 
trust him, and do what he asked.. but.. she’d really like it if he let go of her – because they shouldn’t touch too much or anything – they’re not in love!!!!
Lee says quietly: Just do it. [ ohhh boy.. I think he’s pretty provocative here in how he says that!! hoo haaa.. what do you think?] Aaaand he’s still not letting go of her!!!
Amanda glances down at his hands on her arms and then back up at Lee: Okay.
Lee: Gooooood.
[He hasn’t let go of her arms yet! Lee.. err you can let go!! You enjoying that Lee? ] He gives Amanda a megawatt smile.. yes hooray she’s out of your hair now Lee.. and yes.. somewhere deeeeeep in there he is most likely glad he won’t have to worry about her.. grrr.. [Do you think there is an element of Lee wanting to show himself, and Amanda: see! I can touch Amanda and not freak out!! There’s nothing going on in my heart! It’s fine!! just maybe??]
Amanda: be careful. [ There’s that theme again – Care!]
Lee: Ohh hoo, Always!
Amanda shrugs out of his arms (Licking her lips??!! I think??) and smiles and walks off to the Library..
Lee watches Amanda leave with a very big smile.. ARGH!! Lee!!! That’s not fair!!!!
I’m a little torn!! There’s a part of me that thinks – awh he wants to protect Amanda! And well.. what is she going to do?! And.. she wasn’t going to take no for an answer so he did what he had to.. and kinda swoony!
But there’s another part of me which thinks – well she’s helped you before!! and.. I think he is just happy to have her out of his hair maybe more than protecting her? And.. sure, Amanda wasn’t going to take no for an answer.. but Lee plays dirty here! He lies to her.. and sends her off on a meaningless little project like you would do with a 3 year old to keep them out of trouble! ugh.. That Really Bugs Me!! Bring on Brunettes please!!!(it’s already been? LOL! well it doesn’t feel like it!! so no it hasn’t been yet! tee hee. ) Because I can’t stand this for much longer! tee hee.. I think this is pretty disrespectful of Lee and made worse by how he uses his charm, and her caring for him (using the ‘touching’ conversation down by the Thames), to get her to do what he wants – this is a precious thing- and he is treating it like it is nothing, by manipulating it to get her out of his hair.. 😦 I Love Lee.. but man.. sometimes he bugs me! and.. at this stage, he has a lot to learn!! I don’t like to see him treat Amanda this way!! [I’ll stick up for Amanda!! ] What do you guys think?
Whooo I wonder if this was intentional.. Lee walks off to search the baddie’s rooms – and we see that during this whole conversation with Amanda, there was a chair behind Lee against the wall which was hidden from view – and.. it is shaped like a love heart!!! Ta Da!! Lee reveals his heart! Ha! and.. right now it is made of STEEL!! tee hee.. joking joking!! I know he is a softie deeeeeeeep deeeeeep down! 
oh wait! I know I know! Right now, Lee’s heart is against the wall!! as he struggles to accept Amanda and grow into a man tee hee..
Could this be intentional?? it’s very random to have a chair there!
Ok – so what do you all think of Lee’s behaviour here? And Amanda?? do tell!! byee for now! back with more soon!
"Just walk with me.." 
I actually think he’s manipulating Amanda so he can better do his job. I think he’s past the point where he’s afraid she’ll screw it up (he says that in TFT I think), but he doesn’t want any distractions. I’m not sure I agree here that the only distraction would be her personal safety. They’ve just had a conversation about how dangerous his job can be, and he has long since realized that one moment where he loses focus could easily be the difference between life and death. I’m not sure she really grasps that concept in some ways, that her involvement does cause him to lose focus (here I’m thinking of in SD when they are so busy arguing about something in or near a car that the baddies get the drop on them). Later on he does come to trust her to watch his back, but at this point I’m sure he thinks anytime she’s managed to save his life has just been beginner’s luck.
Anyway, I think he’s really just being expedient at this point… In some ways Lee is much better at not losing sight of the big picture than Amanda is. Amanda notices the incongruities but it’s often Lee who puts the meaning of that into its context to move the case forward.
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Lee has something very square in his right back pocket…it isn’t a wallet, it’s too square and …ummm…rigid….is it a battery pack for their microphones maybe????? I don’t know what they used back in the 80’s so it could be possible …Any thoughts anyone??….hopefully someone hasn’t already covered this, if so, pardon my repetitive subject.
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I’m usually making excuses for Lee, but his duplicity irks me just a bit here. Still, I understand that it was born of desperation. I can see him thinking, “Ugh! I don’t have time to argue with her about this, and she’s never going to give in unless I distract her with something … hmmm… give her an ‘important’ job to do. Yeah! That’s it!” In this case, I see him grabbing her arms as an unconscious reflection of his desire to exert control over her: Dammit, woman! Just do what I want!
I guess I don’t really see him being aware of the implications of his touching her because of their recent conversation; he grabs her to get her attention, and keeps holding her because, well, he’s just used to being in physical contact with her by now – it’s force of habit and feels good.
Similarly, I just can’t believe Lee is deliberately using Amanda’s attraction to him as a weapon (Here I go making excuses for the boy again; I’m as besotted as Amanda!). I think the manipulative tool he was using was her desire to be part of the action, to DO something; he wasn’t trying to charm her into obedience. Cause that would just make him such a jerk! (Not my Lee! Noooooo!)
Incidentally, I don’t find Lee’s trousers provocative, just ill-fitting. (And for a guy who claims not to like plaid, he sure has a closet full of it.)
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Now I didn’t notice Lee’s snug trousers so in the interests of fairness I went back and had a good look 😉 i dont find them too tight but boy those trousers crease easily 😉
I am afraid I don’t have much sympathy for Gwyn, I think Lord B is a rather charming if slightly stuffy bloke. She doesn’t exactly scream a woman who wants danger, intrigue and excitement, well not if her wardrobe is anything to go by!
I find it hard to condemn Lee for his manipulation. Probably due to that smile 😀 By her own admittance Amanda didn’t have a clue what she could do to help Lee and yet was refusing to back down and leave Lee to do it. What’s the phrase turnabout is fair play…….seems to me if you leave someone no choice but to resort to slightly underhand measures all’s fair in love and war 😉
Do enjoy his satisfied smile after he’s convinced her what to do. And the arm holding…..not afraid of touching her woo hoo!!! Sure some of it is exercising that Scarecrow charm but I love how Amanda still has that conversation by the Thames fresh in her mind ith her glances down 🙂
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:re dumbing down of Amanda. Unfortunately “class act” is next in the queue. Unless IWSOD decides to skip it. Your analogy of the kidlets helping out is hilarious.
~
I am impressed with BB’s acting. He plays Lee being charming to get his way very differently than Lee showing genuine pleasure being around Amanda. And both very believably.
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I don’t know, Cindy. Iwsod was such a trooper putting herself through Lost and Found and then The Artful Dodger, and especially that Francine and Rollo business…I think she’ll rally and present us A Class Act in all its, er, splendor. 😉
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Hi Paula and Cindy! you guys are very kind! I would not have gotten through Lost and Found without Cindy! ( I don’t think you had found your way here at that point Paula?!) yes.. together hopefully we can get through A class Act! Thanks for the encouragement! yes I shall rally! Because I know you are all along with me for the journey 🙂
I don’t remember alot about a class act.. only that Lee is in the great outdoors alot – which I love! and.. that they dumbed down Amanda! LOL. I have been looking forward to hearing what Cindy thinks of it tee heee!
well. I guess I should save that discussion for when I get an actual post up about it! Hopefully tomorrow!
Agreed Cindy – BB is very Nuanced in how he portrays Lee.. my goodness when you slow him down to watch him frame by frame [ my excuse for doing this is I am choosing pictures for my post 😉 you can see tiny nuances – it’s wonderful! Even when I am cranky with Lee- I am still impressed with the layers BB gives Lee!
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I forgive Lee for this manipulation of Amanda because, like several of you, I think he’s doing it out of concern for her safety. And to his credit, he admits what he did later in the episode. Plus, the last laugh is on him, as it so often is, because she finds out who the villains are and what they’re planning while she’s in the library! (That part always reminds me of the board game “Clue.”)
Spoiler for “The Triumvirate”:
Another point in Lee’s favor: by the end of S3, he’s holding her by the arms and bending down to look into her eyes in order to convince her to let him take her to a class reunion! What a show of devotion! And by then, they are, as he says, the perfect couple.
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Actually, I thought Lee’s behavior was progress for him. Instead of arguing with Amanda or being cold or rude, he played into her feelings and persuaded her to get on board with him. Granted, he wasn’t being quite truthful, but at least he was showing some respect for her sentiments. Grabbing her arms was just plain not playing fair! How could anyone resist the hold, the smile, and the ‘don’t you trust me?’ I do believe her safety was his primary concern. He truely believes she’s well-meaning, but if anything did happen to her on his account, I think it would kill him. I can’t blame the guy for not wanting to risk it.
In some ways (and I think this is the fault of the script-writing), Amanda’s participation in Lee’s work feels like my kids’ participation in my work. I have some earnestly helpful kids who want to be my buddy and please me and contribute, and sometimes they actually do make the work easier…but…in all honesty, usually it would be whole a lot easier on my mind to just do it myself and not have to worry about what the little guys are doing in their own special way. So, if Amanda still comes across as a bit naive and maybe childish, well, let’s blame the script. She gets more respectable late in season 2, and definitely moreso in season 3, IMO. Right now, I like Amanda’s character, but these writers sure liked to dumb her down as far as KJ would let them get away with it.
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Yes, Lee’s definitely manipulating Amanda! But I do believe it’s because at this stage he still considers her presence in real agent activities (not window dressing stuff) a liability. And he’s probably right. I’ve always gotten a giggle over Lee’s obvious delight in what he’s done. (I’m not giggling over what he did, but rather his reaction to his success!) Just like I laugh when Amanda out-argues Lee when she wants to go with him or refuses to stay in the car. Or when she flirts with him to get more money in Trafalgar Square or to get a peak at the manuscripts in Double Agent 🙂 Or when Lee appeals to Amanda’s sense of patriotism in Charity. I love this little competition between them as they push each others’ buttons and I love seeing that the winner varies!
OK, I will take you at your word that discussions here can be as deep or as shallow as we’d like. I will be discrete, but must say I have always found Lee’s pants to be extremely distracting in the scene with Lee, Amanda, and Lady Witherspoon. In your second screencap of this scene, as Lee stands there with his hands in his pockets, you can see the outline of all Lee’s fingers. Ahem. Yep, those pants are just a wee bit on the snug side.
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Raffie and Paula – thanks for reminding me of Lee’s good side! I feel better about him having read your posts!! seriously!!
I actually am less grumpy than I have been in the past about this episode – if you can believe it!! 😉
I’ll cut Lee a little slack.. but only a little 😉
Raffie your vids are my reward for finishing all my packing I had planned to do today! looking forward to them!!! 🙂 yes please share anymore in future! 🙂 byeeee!!
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Snug pants, hu? I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one distracted by that… X-D
I always felt that he grabbed her arms just to emphasize his “Trust me, I know what I’m doing” but the longer he holds her the more I think he also starts using it to provocate a reaction… then also “using his charm”… I thought “Oh come on, Lee, that’s not a fair way to convince her to do what you want her to do!” But I also had to laugh about his satisfied smile in the end like “Ha, she can’t resist me when I do this…”.
But anyhow I join your opinion, he surely thinks that this is nothing for Amanda to be involved with so he wants her out of the way because he doesn’t want her to be harmed at all…
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Since I am doing this on my phone with a small screen, I didn’t notice any issues with snug pants. I’ll just go back to the screen caps and che-… Oh. Ummmm. Alrighty, then.
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