I never associated The Gilded Age with so much energy and drama in a single episode — even knowing the spoilers! It’s going to be hard to talk about everything with my heart still racing.

Let’s go in order. The spy in the Russell household? Yes, there’s no doubt: it’s Andre, Bertha’s maid. The gossip about Marian and Larry’s engagement has made it to the papers — with the detail that Bertha disapproves, but apparently no one else reads that column. Maybe the papers didn’t reach England or Arizona quickly, and George simply ignored them, but Agnes and Ada, who live in the same city? Saying nothing? Strange.

Speaking of distances, Bertha’s visit to Gladys happened at lightning speed — even by 21st-century standards. She arrives almost instantly to find her daughter being dominated by her insufferable sister-in-law. Gladys seems submissive, maybe feeling like she was sold for a title. But Bertha, in just the right tone and timing, gives her the advice she needs to take control of the household. And while she’s still there, Bertha learns from Andre what the staff have been saying — and instead of realizing how alarmingly good Andre is at gathering and relaying information, she just thanks her. Bertha is so out of it this season!

George’s storyline is even more dense and technical. He’s still negotiating the railroad and, with much effort, appears to get what he wants — but Clay, who knows too much and likes him too little, joins forces with the enemy and sabotages everything. I’d love to dive into the technical details of the negotiations, but when you want drama, who cares about the specifics? The biggest red flag is when George laments not having Clay killed. That’s not a figure of speech. It’s important to remember that energy.

At the Van Rhijn house, a lot is happening too. Marian is suspicious about what Larry said to Oscar before leaving — and where Jack went with her fiancé on the night she and Larry made their engagement official. She digs and digs until she finds the truth — and is devastated by the lie. Her reaction, impulsive and dramatic, is to break off the engagement immediately. Oscar and Ada ask her to calm down, while Agnes celebrates. For Marian, the fact that he lied and went to a brothel on the night of their engagement shows that Larry is insensitive — or worse. Either way, she no longer trusts him. She leaves a letter ending the relationship for him to read when he returns from Arizona.

Armstrong tells Agnes that Jack is now a millionaire (richer than she is!), making it unsustainable for him to continue working as a footman. Ada speaks with him — he feels like he’s being fired — but she explains that as a successful man, he should move forward and not remain in his previous job. He agrees and says goodbye to everyone, returning their investments — with profit. He even gives something to Armstrong, who hadn’t invested a penny. And since he’s already working on his next invention, that dream of being invited to a Russell ball seems closer to reality than ever.

Ada also goes back for another spiritual reading, but Madame Dashkova slips up badly, and Ada realizes she’s being scammed. Her heart breaks even more than it already had, but when she gets home, Agnes comforts her gently. At least Ada didn’t hand over her fortune to a con artist.

Meanwhile, Oscar visits the brothel and finds Maud Beaton, who shares an even sadder story than expected. She’s “trapped” in debt but says that if she could, she’d leave New York. Even though the Van Rhijn fortune is gone, Oscar is moved by her story. He gives her $100 and a ticket to Ohio, bidding her farewell like a true gentleman.

In Arizona, Larry is doing exactly the opposite of what George told him to do: he investigates the mines and finds that there’s a lot of money there. Meanwhile, George is in the worst financial position ever — Clay is leaking damaging information and blocking the investments needed for the railroad.

Before leaving Gladys, Bertha manages to show her daughter that she has the means (and money) to put Lady Sarah in her place. Gladys steps up, takes the lead, and embraces her role as duchess — making both Bertha and Hector proud. He, like her, is a man guided by a stronger woman. A sign that once this marriage finds its footing, it might actually work.

Peggy also has her share of drama. She tells Dr. Kirkland part of her past — that she fell in love with her married boss — and he doesn’t mind. To be fair, she makes a weak attempt to tell the more painful truth — her annulled marriage and deceased child — but when he says he doesn’t need to know “everything” (not realizing what “everything” means), she stays quiet. At his request, she invites her future mother-in-law for tea, but since the topic is women’s suffrage, it only gives Mrs. Kirkland more reason to dislike Peggy. Later, speaking with her own mother, Peggy admits she’s in love with the doctor, even though his family disapproves. Her mother warns her: a marriage includes everyone, and that’s why she’s not thrilled about Dr. Kirkland as a son-in-law. For now, everyone is postponing decisions.

Oscar, who had tried to tell Marian she was overreacting, runs into John Adams, who admires what he did for Maud Beaton. Thanks to John, Oscar is making money again. The two — still hiding their feelings — part ways emotionally, planning another meeting. But out of nowhere, a carriage barrels down the street and runs over John, who falls dead on the sidewalk. That’s right: dead. Now what?

Let’s stop here, breathless and with our hearts in our throats. The trailer for the next episode shows Larry receiving Marian’s ring, devastated, and accusing Bertha of interfering. Oscar is shattered by John Adams’ death. And for those who’ve read the spoilers: there’s even more drama coming!