: The plot involving Peggy’s son reflects the harsh realities of adoption and social standing in the late 19th century.
: Bertha Russell secures a major social win by forcing the legendary Mrs. Astor to attend Gladys’s debutante ball. Bertha accomplishes this by leveraging Carrie Astor's friendship with Gladys; she uninvites Carrie to the ball, knowing it would devastate her, which finally compels Mrs. Astor to personally call on the Russells to negotiate. The Gilded Age 1x9
: Dorothy Scott finds a letter in Arthur’s coat revealing that Peggy’s son is alive. It turns out Arthur had the child adopted out after birth, leading Peggy and her mother to depart for Philadelphia to find him. : The plot involving Peggy’s son reflects the