A mortifying thing happens at the opera in this Dickinson exclusive clip

The first half of Dickinson season two has been a fête-filled affair, thanks in part to Sue Gilbert Dickinson’s (Ella Hunt) emergence as the new leader in Amherst’s social life. As her sister-in-law Lavinia Dickinson (the always hilarious Anna Baryshnikov) rightly observes: “Sue’s an influencer.” Emily’s best friend and one-time romantic interest has brought salon culture to their hometown, and with it, public figures ranging from intriguing to influential. That includes Sam Bowles (Finn Jones), the editor of The Springfield Republican and would-be literary talent scout.

Early on in the season, Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) resisted the lure of the Evergreens—Sue and Austin’s (Adrian Blake Enscoe) new home and the place to be on a Friday night in Amherst—and the invitation to be published by Sam. But the enticement eventually proves too much for Emily, who begins to share her poems with Sam instead of having them all hand-delivered to Sue. As we head into “Split The Lark,” the sixth episode of season two, the line between professional advancement and romantic advances has blurred. Or has it? As we see in this exclusive clip provided to The A.V. Club, things between Emily and her new patron are about to take a decidedly frostier turn.

Directed by Silas Howard, “Split The Lark” offers spirited discourse against the backdrop of the opera (a production of La Traviata, specifically), as Emily finds herself in the role of both fan and idol. There’s also a gorgeous musical performance by a cast member that we won’t spoil here. “Split The Lark” will hit Apple TV Plus on Friday, January 29 at 12:01 a.m. ET.