Series 1, Episode 6

George (Hugo Speer) meets Tulkinghorn (Charles Dance) to discuss his demands, but is suspicious of the lawyer's motives. Smallweed (Phil Davis) is desperate to squeeze George for all he can, but Tulkinghorn instructs him to bide his time. Back at the gym, George worries what the future may hold for himself and his assistant, Phil Squod (Michael Smiley). Guppy's (Burn Gorman) still pursuing his interest in Esther (Anna Maxwell Martin). He pays another visit to an extremely drunken Krook (Johnny Vegas). At the mention of the name Hawdon, Krook allows him a tantalising glimpse of his love letters, but he won't let Guppy get his hands on them. The Dedlocks receive a visitor to Chesney Wold â€" Mr Rouncewell, the housekeeper’s wealthy son. His son has fallen in love with Lady Dedlock's (Gillian Anderson) maid, Rosa (Emma Williams), and Rouncewell wants to take her away to be educated. While Sir Leicester (Timothy West) takes the offer as an affront to the nobility of his household, Lady Dedlock is acutely concerned at the thought of losing the girl who has become like a daughter to her. Later, Lady Dedlock receives another visit, this time from Guppy. He outlines his recent discoveries â€" including the fact that Esther's real name is Hawdon. She agrees to his offer to retrieve the letters that Krook stole from Nemo (John Lynch). Bleak House also receives a visitor - Allan Woodcourt's mother (Di Botcher), who makes it clear that she doesn't see Esther as a worthy partner for her son. Esther and Charley (Katie Angelou) discover that Jo (Harry Eden) is seriously ill. They find him with Jenny (Charlie Brooks) and take him home to Bleak House so that they can care for him, ignoring Skimpole's (Nathaniel Parker) advice to turf him out. However, in the middle of the night, Jo mysteriously disappears...