Inspired by @follows-the-bees post.
I love that Mary gets breakfast in bed. In upper class society, it signified the importance of a married woman’s status. Often brought by servants, but at moments of great intimacy, brought by husbands. The times are a-changing, and even if Mary doesn’t technically marry, she is free to be with Doug now. It’s therefore significant he brings the breakfast to Mary as a recognition of a change of status for both of them.
And a traditional idea is also subverted and beautifully reimagined in the show - Ed bringing breakfast to Stede after a passionate night of lovemaking. Because that was one of the reasons posh married women were brought their breakfasts - they were ‘disheveled’ after a night with virile husbands, and needed sustenance before showing themselves to the world again. Technically, Stede probably needed to bring Ed his breakfast. But I’m so happy Stede got his ‘wife’ moment, even if it was more the thought that counted than the execution.
This is peak intimacy. This is honeymoon behaviour.
(And to be clear, Ed and Stede - they’re both the wife as well as the husband).
