I have two major predictions for the last two eps of s2 of The Gilded Age.

highly likely but I desperately don’t want it to happen: Bertha and George separate after Bertha finds out that George put his own money into the Met (nbd) and that he lied to her face about doing so (v big deal especially because iirc he lied about it in the SAME SCENE where she said please never conceal anything from me again)

unlikely but I would be delighted: Mrs. Astor, in a desperate bid to win the opera war, promises Bertha that if Bertha lets the Duke go to the opening at the Academy instead of the Met, then Mrs. Astor will marry her daughter off to Larry. but Larry, who has proven headstrong and reckless about love, does not want this. meanwhile Marian, who has already once before attempted to elope, desperately does not want to marry the guy who pressured her via public proposal. Marian and Larry elope.

now, if both these things happen, it could lead to the least likely yet most desired (by me) twist: Bertha and Agnes, united by outrage and loneliness and mutual contempt, have a torrid affair that goes from hatefucking to grudging co-conspirators who respect each other but pretend not to.