Episode 2

The second of 5 episodes in Cranford.

Plot
August 1852

 This episode starts with the Browns entertaining an old friend, and they ask the Misses Jenkyns and Mary to help entertain him. His name is Major Gordon, and he is an old friend of the Browns and of Jessie.

 The town is getting ready for a renowned garden party Lady Ludlow hosts annually. While visiting Mr. Johnson’s store, Caroline Tomkinson, on seeing Dr. Harrison out the window, suddenly feels faint. Dr. Harrison observes her and detects nothing wrong.

 Jessie receives anemones, meaning “Love ever steadfast“ from Major Gordon. It is revealed that Major Gordon had paid her a marked degree of attention in Yorkshire three years before, and proposed to her after her mother died, but she was forced to decline as her sister suddenly became ill. Her father never guessed.

 Harry and his brother, trying to get milk for their mother's newborn baby, accidentally leave the gate to the field open, letting out Mrs. Forrester's treasured cow, Bessie. The cow wanders out, and is found trapped in a pit of lime, Later the cow is able to be rescued, but loses all its fur.

 Major Gordon proposes to Jessie Brown a second time before leaving for India, and she is on the verge of accepting, but then realizes she cannot accept him because she must care for her father.

 Harry, on wandering into Lady Ludlow’s greenhouse, is discovered by Mr. Carter. He takes him into his office and offers him work preparing for Lady Ludlow’s party. He then tells him to come back to his office the next day. Then Mr. Carter offers to teach Harry.

 The garden party is a very fancy and elegant affair. At the party, a gentleman approaches Matty, and they seem to be old acquaintances. They converse for only a moment and he then goes.

 Dr. Harrison, on trying to spend time with Sophy, is called over to assist Caroline. She tries to distract him and keep him by her side, but he is called over by Mary’s meddling stepmother, Clara, to go on the lake with him. Mary tells him that she tries as much as possible to marry her off. He, on answering a question, admits that he is in love with Sophy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Miss Pole and Mrs. Forrester overhear Sir Charles Maulver say that the railway might be coming to Cranford. They, of course not confirming the facts, rush and tell the Misses Jenkyns, and Deborah approaches Captain Brown. He approves of the enterprise, and says he is to enter the railway company’s employ and will be away a great deal. The ladies are shocked, especially Jessie, who did not even know. Deborah says their acquaintance is at an end, and goes off in a huff. Jessie, angry at him for not telling her, also realizes she could have accepted Major Gordon, but lost her chance due to him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Deborah, still very angry on returning home, complains of a headache. On going upstairs to her room, the ladies downstairs hear her fall, and run upstairs. Dr. Morgan, on coming there, sadly tells Matty that she has died.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Dr. Harrison is urgently sent for to the Hutton’s house, where he finds that Walter is extremely ill with the croup. Sophy blames herself for letting Walter go to the garden party. Dr. Harrison, Sophy, and Dr. Morgan do all that they can, but Walter does not survive. Sophy and her family are devastated