Spoiler alert: This piece contains spoilers for Episode 5 of The Gilded Age Season 3.

Just as Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) starts to settle into her new home abroad after her arranged marriage to the Duke of Buckingham, her brother Larry (Harry Richardson) begins to take the steps of leaving the nest in the fifth episode of HBO’s The Gilded Age.

Keen to spend the rest of his life with Ms. Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), Larry informs his father George (Morgan Spector) of his plans, and Mr. Russell supports the proposal, though the entire discussion that takes place between father and son does not include Larry’s mother Bertha (Carrie Coon) as she is out at social activities.

“I think at that point, George is just hopped up on bitterness and rage, and so he’s ready to stick the needle in wherever he possibly can,” Spector told Deadline of the role reversal after George felt he didn’t have control of his daughter’s marital fate. “It’s not really fair. I think it’s a little bit ersatz. He’s sort of throwing together this little revenge plot, but I do think he’s also determined not to repeat the same mistake and try to fight for his son’s autonomy and freedom.”

Bertha only learns of the news after Marian has accepted Larry’s proposal, and she is not thrilled about it.

“I wasn’t sure how the writers would deal with Bertha’s relationship with Marian, because I think she does respect Marian. I think she admires her,” Coon told Deadline. “I think she sees herself in Marian more than she sees herself in Gladys. And so I always wondered if she, when push came to shove, she would embrace Marian as a potential partner for Larry, but she’s not quite ready to give into that fight for status. I mean, she really expects a better marriage for him, because that’s what society dictates. It has nothing to do with her feelings for Marian.”

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Though Bertha asked Marian to be a substitute bridesmaid in Gladys’ wedding, it was mostly last minute because one of the other women fell ill. Larry did push for his love to be included because she was the same size dress as the previous woman.

Only time — and three more episodes — will tell if Bertha comes to accept Larry’s decision.