Sarah Phelps

While getting manicures, Maureen delivers a thinly veiled insult to Margaret by comparing her sexual reputation to the behavior of Bonobo apes. Margaret maintains her composure and delivers a sharp, cutting rebuttal that highlights Maureen's own insecurities and lack of prowess.

Margaret visits her mother, Helen, who uses her physical frailty and sharp tongue to undermine Margaret's confidence and judge her affair with the Duke of Argyll. The scene highlights a toxic mother-daughter dynamic where affection is withheld and replaced by critiques of appearance and moral standing. Margaret attempts to assert her happiness but is ultimately silenced by her mother's manipulative vulnerability.