Episode 5 of A Gentleman in Moscow picks up precisely where we left off. Rostov finds himself alone with the young Sofia, and he wastes no time embracing the role of doting uncle. Carrying her gently, he leads her to his chamber, all the way to his bed, where she promptly falls asleep, her head nestled against the pillow. Rostov settles for the night on the chairs across the room, keeping a watchful eye over his newfound charge.
The morning dawns, and Sofia awakens, clutching her doll close. A letter, marked with the letter A, slips under the door, and she decides to hide it safely tucked within the folds of his shirt on the dresser. Shortly after, Rostov stirs from his slumber, and the pair enjoy breakfast in his secret room. He points out that this was once Nina's chamber too, and memories of her flood back, her face etched in his mind.
Sofia allows Rostov to brush her hair, a task he performs with less than admirable skill, might I add. In the end, he decides that Marina's assistance is necessary. Like a parent dropping off their child at preschool, he leaves Sofia in her new surroundings and is summoned across the hotel by the Manager shortly after. The Manager is not pleased with the Sofia arrangement, but despite Bishop's incessant chatter in his ear, he reluctantly allows her to stay for a month - on one condition: she mustn't cause any trouble for the hotel.
Amidst this commotion, Anna summons Rostov to her room at precisely 1 pm, instructing him not to be late. Of course, Rostov is delayed by Sofia's earlier antics with the letter, which is now tucked safely within his shirt. As he arrives, he quickly disrobes, hearing splashes from the bath. He rushes inside, only to discover Olga and her companion occupying the space. Rostov slips, stumbling on the floor with his towel wrapped around him, and turns just in time to see Anna appearing in the doorway.
Anna is meticulously dressing herself in all her finery, explaining to Rostov with a gleam in her eye that she has a crucial rehearsal scheduled for this afternoon, preceding a dinner engagement with the renowned director, Boris Milanovich. She is set to take the lead role in his upcoming production, and her excitement is palpable. Rostov, with a wry smile, inquiries whether her leading role extends only to the stage or behind the scenes as well, but Anna remains deliberately ambiguous on the subject.
Rostov endeavors to be present for Sofia, yet his patience is tested by her incessant questioning. When he snaps at her, Sofia's lower lip quivers, and tears well up in her eyes. Rostov quickly regrets his harsh tone and opts to read to her instead. His initial choice of a tome about family seems less than comforting, so he opts instead for a game to amuse her. Sofia eagerly counts to 100 twice in the closet, her voice echoing, allowing Rostov to read in peace.
However, Sofia's curiosity is unquenchable, and she challenges Rostov to her own game of hide and seek. She proves herself a cunning opponent, hiding a trinket so well that Rostov searches in vain. He scours the room, only to give up in defeat. It turns out that Sofia had cleverly concealed the trinket in his jacket pocket, distracting him with a ruse of rearranging the furniture. Rostov is genuinely impressed and later boasts about Sofia's wit to the chefs that evening.
As the evening progresses, Rostov finds himself conversing with Osip, still engrossed in his reading. The two engage in a lively discussion about the book's passages, with Rostov taking on the role of tutor. However, he confesses with a sheepish grin that he hasn't had the chance to finish the book due to Sofia's constant companionship. The evening ends on a note of warmth and camaraderie, with the promise of more adventures and intellectual exchanges in the days ahead.
The conversation drifts towards the young girl, and Rostov is startled when Osip declares that it's acceptable for the Count to depart and visit Sofia. Deep down, he understands the predicament Rostov is facing and holds a surprising tenderness for him. He even extends extra time for the Count to peruse the book, preparing him for the next encounter.
As day 6215 draws near, Sofia too holds a special fondness for Rostov. She joins him in the morning routine, which he has perfected to a tee, and the familiarity between them is as strong as ever. Sofia is a mirror image of Nina, reminding Rostov of the days when she reigned supreme in the hotel, doing as she pleased.
That afternoon, Rostov hurriedly rushes to catch the elevator with Olga, Sofia tagging along. This whole arrangement is a clever ruse to enable Sofia to enjoy a proper hair wash, as Rostov's room is only equipped with a humble washbasin. However, downstairs, Anna strides confidently into the bar, bracing herself for the news that she has been usurped by a younger actress, Mila, who will now take her place in the lead role. Anna maintains a stoic demeanor, offering Mila her well-wishes before departing.
Upstairs, Anna confronts Rostov, and he confesses that he is wavering in his ability to do right by her. Anna believes that love is the only thing he lacks, fearing that she will "wither on the vine" without it. But when Rostov pleads with her to grant him his wish and let her go out, Anna remains resolute and refuses.
As the month drew to a close, Bishop, now serving as the deputy manager, exercised his authority and arranged for Sofia's transfer to an orphanage. Rostov, helpless in the matter as he was not related to Sofia, struggled to explain the situation to her. Nina's absence only compounded their troubles, as she had not returned.
Anna, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief as she rejected the leading roles in movies and made the decision to part ways with her manager, embracing the theatre instead. Before their paths diverged, she asked him for a favor, a favor that would soon reveal its significance.
The scene shifted to Rostov guiding Sofia down the stairs towards Bishop, who was accompanied by a severe-looking woman. Madam Stravinsky was startled when Rostov suddenly declared Sofia as his niece, effectively declaring them family. The manager, swayed by this revelation, chose to comply and do what was right for the child, all according to Anna's cunning plan.
Bishop cautioned that this was not the end of the matter, but the manager dismissed his concerns with a shrug, declaring that he no longer cared about the outcome.
As Rostov and Sofia returned upstairs, their small victory was overshadowed by the grim reality of Nina's fate. It was revealed that she had never returned for Sofia, and as the camera panned across the frozen tundra in the east, it became apparent that Nina was dead, her lifeless body discarded atop a pile of other corpses.
