‘A Woman of Substance’: Emma Chooses Riches & Revenge
"I made a vow to spend the rest of my life punishing them – all of the Fairleys. Sometimes I wonder whether in doing that I’m also punishing myself."
We’ve passed the halfway point of A Woman of Substance’s first season, and reached the point where Emma’s relationships with her three potential partners take center stage: dashing businessman David Kallinski (Jeremy Neumark Jones); entrepreneur, business partner and employer Joe Lowther, and faithful working-class Mac, who has proposed to her so many times he might as well get a tattoo on his forehead.
Episode 5 once again opens in 1977 New York City, where Emma Harte is fighting to protect her reputation and her business, both of which are under attack from her children. With her assistant and granddaughter, Paula Amory, she plans activities for the next few days to confirm that her status and business acumen are still intact. A meeting with Vogue is confirmed, and she has reluctantly agreed to an interview on The Tonight Show.
Paula suggests she should try a calmer, more diplomatic approach with her children – talking to them, for instance, advice which Emma ignores. After instructing Paula to liquidate £7m of her assets, Emma assigns Paula a final task – end her relationship with journalist Jim Fairley now or lose her job. Paula, unaware that Emma knew about Jim, at first denies the relationship, then claims she loves him. Emma is unimpressed.
