In Episode 5 of Netflix’s My Brilliant Career, Sybylla’s tangled romantic life comes to a head as one engagement rapidly gives way to another. But just as she finally admits what she really wants, Harry’s changing fortunes threaten to take the decision out of her hands.
- Episode Title: ‘Reason’
- Setting: Early 1901, Australia
- Main Locations: Caddagat and Five Bob
- Key Characters: Sybylla Melvyn, Harry Beecham, Frank Hawden, Gertie Melvyn, Blanche Derrick, Augusta Beecham, Nell Kirby, Julius Bossier
Episode 5 begins the morning after the New Year celebrations, and Sybylla is already in trouble. Her grandmother has discovered private diary, complete with her rather passionate account of what happened with Frank Hawden! Granny is horrified by the potential scandal and decides that Frank must make amends.
Meanwhile, Blanche decides to address her own situation. Inspired by Sybylla’s determination to live life on her own terms, she publicly ends her engagement to Harry. She also tells Sybylla something she has perhaps been trying not to see: that Harry was never really in love with Blanche.
Soon after, Sybylla’s sister Gertie arrives at Caddagat bearing disturbing news from home. Their father has arranged for her to work as a governess for the McSwats, with her wages going towards his debts. Sybylla is horrified and becomes even more determined to find a way to help her family.
Sybylla agrees to marry Frank
Under pressure from Granny, Frank proposes. His feelings for Sybylla are genuine, and he offers her the prospect of a new life in England. Marriage would also give Sybylla the means to rescue Gertie and help her parents financially. She accepts, despite admitting to her sister that she likes Frank rather than loves him.
It does not take long for doubts to set in. Frank explains that his traditional English family will expect Sybylla to conform. Worse still, she discovers that he has read her private journal. The new life he is offering suddenly begins to look like another kind of cage.
Elsewhere at Caddagat, Nell asks to become the estate’s foreman, only to discover that the job has been given to Julius instead. Nell decides to leave as she is fed up of being overlooked because she is neither white nor male, . Betty faces a disappointment of her own after telling Jack that she is pregnant. He promises to support her financially but refuses to stand beside her publicly.
At Sybylla and Frank’s engagement party, Harry gives Sybylla a book and asks her to wait until he has gone before opening it. Inside, she finds his farewell message. He tells her that she is his “map” to the places where he can truly be himself.
Sybylla immediately rides to Five Bob.
Harry and Sybylla finally admit their feelings
At Five Bob, all the pretence finally falls away. Harry tells Sybylla that she does not love Frank and admits that he was never in love with Blanche. More importantly, he loves Sybylla for precisely the things she fears marriage will force her to give up: her mind and her voice.
This time, Sybylla stops running from her own feelings. She tells Harry that she loves him too.
Harry proposes, and Sybylla says yes.
She returns to Frank and ends their engagement, while Harry tells Augusta their happy news. But their plans for the future survive for only a matter of hours. Harry learns that the Queensland drought has destroyed the value of Whyambeet and that the bank is repossessing Five Bob. Harry now believes that he now has nothing to offer Sybylla so he breaks off their engagement and decides to go droving with Charlie.
Sybylla refuses to believe this is the end and tells Harry that she will wait for him, however many years it takes.
With Gertie now able to remain at Caddagat, Sybylla turns her attention back to the problem that brought her sister there in the first place. She makes one final decision: instead of allowing Gertie to go to the McSwats, Sybylla will take her place.
For Sybylla, it is time for a new adventure.
