‘Turn: Washington’s Spies’ recap: Love and war prove a cruel mix

The agonies of love during wartime take center stage in “Hearts and Minds,” Episode 304 of AMC’s historical drama “Turn: Washington’s Spies.”

Colonists Abraham Woodhull (Jamie Bell) and Anna Strong (Heather Lind) once hoped to tie the knot and raise a family in Setauket, Long Island. All that changed when Abe’s older brother died, leaving behind his grieving fiancée Mary (Meegan Warner).

Abe reluctantly took Mary as his wife, heartbroken Anna married Selah Strong (Robert Beitzel) on the rebound, Selah eluded the Redcoats by fleeing to Connecticut, and British Major Edmund Hewlett (Burn Gorman) proposed to Anna believing she had filed for divorce.

Adding to the complexities, Edmund knows Abe is a spy, Abe intends to murder Edmund and Anna pleads with Abe to show mercy.

“I can control him, Abe, as his wife. Steer him away from you,” Anna insists.

“Well, your charms are considerable, I’ll give you that,” Abe says. “But I doubt you’ll change his coat from red to blue, no matter how hard you work at it!”

Consumed with jealousy, Abe acts to prevent the marriage by presenting proof to his estranged father, Judge Richard Woodhull (Kevin R. McNally), that Anna’s divorce papers are fake.

“I object,” Richard says to halt the wedding ceremony. “If we let this marriage proceed now, the only result will be the sin and the crime of bigamy!”

Anna confesses to forging the divorce papers but falsely claims that Edmund made her do it.

“I have no home, no husband, and he promised to take care of me,” Anna tearfully says to the stunned wedding guests. “He convinced me to lie and said no one would notice!”

At first Edmund is bewildered. Then he sadly plays along with Anna’s charade to protect her reputation. Devastated by the betrayal, Edmund resigns as commander of the Setauket garrison and prepares to sail home.

As for Anna, she departs Long Island after penning a goodbye letter to Abe.

“Maybe one day, love, even if now curdled into bitterness and jealousy, will find you again,” Anna writes.

“And if it does, then perhaps there’s still a hope that this war that has already cost us so much will not have cost us everything.”

Another lovesick soldier is British spymaster John André (JJ Feild), who’s smitten with socialite Peggy Shippen (Ksenia Solo). But John is stationed in New York and Peggy is engaged to marry Patriot General Benedict Arnold (Owain Yeoman) in Philadelphia.

When John encounters an old flame, actress Philomena Cheer (Amy Gumenick), she senses that another woman stole his “well-guarded heart.”

“There is a cure for that melancholy, you know,” Philomena seductively suggests.

Peggy, meanwhile, manipulates her future husband into committing treason. Benedict shamelessly reveals to John that the U.S. currency is seriously devalued, meaning the Continental Army may be unable to fund another campaign.

Finally, Major Ben Tallmadge (Seth Numrich) has a brief affair with widow Sarah Livingston (Elizabeth Blackmore). She provides shelter for Ben and treats the gunshot wound he suffered while escaping from Lieutenant Gamble (Adam J. Harrington) of the British Army.

Ben initially claims he’s a traveling minister. When Ben later admits he’s an American officer, Sarah brands him a traitor.

“I’m loyal to my country, to our country,” Ben protests.

“Your country killed my husband,” Sarah bitterly says, referring to rebel soldiers who shot her spouse.

Despite her anger, Sarah protects Ben by pretending she’s alone when Gamble comes searching for a rebel spy. This enables Ben to sneak out undetected.

As Ben disappears into the woods, Sarah yells out her parting words.

“I never want to see your face again!”