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Bits and pieces first: Isobel confesses to the Dowager Countess that she was upset by Mary enjoying Lord Gillingham's company, and the Dowager Countess assures her she has nothing to apologize for; later, Isobel makes a brave show of telling Lord Gillingham that she hopes to see him at Downton again soon. In London, Sir John gets slurry and wasted on the dance floor of a jazz club, embarrassing even Rose, and when he runs off to hurl, the African-American singer "Jack Ross" valiantly swoops in to save her honor; even though the rest of her party clutches their pearls, Rose is charmed. Finally, Gregson is leaving to go to Germany to try to make the move work, so he has Edith sign something that sounds like power of attorney. Also, they have sex for what seems like the first time, and Edith gets caught sneaking back into Rosamund's. Rosamund, the keeper of secrets, scolds Edith that she's gambling with her future.
Now: It's the morning after last week's awful event and as the guests depart, Anna is being distant to Bates, while Mrs. Hughes is keeping mum. Later, before Anna heads off to London with Mary, she confesses to Mrs. Hughes that she wants to move back to the house because she feels like damaged goods and responsible for what happened. Mrs. Hughes wants to go to the police, but Anna won't hear of it; when she returns, Bates confronts her, but she gives away nothing and goes through with moving back into the main house. Bates tells Lord Grantham how Anna is distant and he doesn't know what he did, but Lord Grantham urges him to stick it out.
Mary and Branson head to London to meet with the tax people, and they stay with Rosamund as Rose tags along. Cora gets on the phone with Rosamund and schemes to have her invite Lord Gillingham and Sir John for dinner, and Mary's surprised but rolls with it. Sir John gets the idea to take them all out to a jazz club, and even Rosamund wants to go, forcing Branson to join as well. In reference to them getting into a relationship, Mary tells Lord Gillingham that even if he were unattached she wouldn't be ready, but Lord Gillingham soon shows up at Downton and -- with no fanfare -- passionately asks her to marry him. Mary is flustered, so Lord Gillingham assures her he'll break up with Mabel for her, but if she says no he'll have to go through with it. Eventually, Mary turns him down, saying she's not over Matthew, but Lord Gillingham begs her for a kiss before they part and she consents; later, she confesses to Branson that she may regret her decision. Duh!
Branson tries to distance himself from Edna, and Thomas overhears. Edna then comes in to see Branson and starts channeling Glenn Close as she wonders if Branson will marry her if she's pregnant, but Branson won't give her any such assurances. Sensing something's wrong, Mary speaks from personal experience as she tells Branson he needs to unburden himself -- if not to her then to someone. He goes to Mrs. Hughes, who's really holding the entire house together at this point, and Mrs. Hughes proves she's been about eighteen steps ahead of Edna the whole time as she produces a book of Edna's that shows, essentially, how she'd been planning to trap Branson and how she's lying about the possibility of being pregnant, ending with the threat of having Dr. Clarkson give her a pregnancy test if she doesn't desist. Edna weakly points out that she could spill to Cora, but Mrs. Hughes is like, do that and you'll never work in this country again. Edna leaves posthaste, but of course Thomas is in possession of the information, and he soon tells Lord Grantham he's got a candidate to replace Edna; I can only imagine what devil in a black dress he has in mind.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!As we'll soon learn, it's the morning after the terrible event of last week's episode, and as mournful woodwind music plays, Anna makes her way toward the Abbey -- alone. Later, in one of the downstairs room, Bates finds her polishing a pair of shoes and asks why she didn't wait for him. Without meeting his eyes, she tells him she wanted to finish the job before breakfast. Obviously unconvinced, he asks if he's done something, but she tells him no. "Nobody's done anything." She leaves the room, but in a moment she wishes she hadn't, as when she gets in view of the breakfast table, she sees her attacker munching away on a piece of toast without a care in the world. As if she hasn't been through enough, there's only one empty chair so she has to sit to him (I suppose it would look odd if she balked, and as she's said and will say again, she doesn't want anyone to figure it out) as Thomas asks what happened. She curtly replies that she fell and cut her lip, and soon she can't take sitting there anymore and says she's going up, brushing aside Bates pointing out that Mary hasn't rung yet. Bates then asks Mrs. Hughes how Anna was when she lent her the dress the evening prior adding that Anna has a tendency to minimize her bad experiences, but Mrs. Hughes gives nothing away as Green watches with hooded eyes. After the bell rings and Edna heads off, Thomas asks why there's such a pall over the table, to which Carson replies, "There's something rather foreign about high spirits at breakfast." I don't follow his math there, but it still sounds funny. He goes to oversee the guests' departure and then Green, looking dark, heads out as well. I'm not a good enough writer to express what I think he deserves in words, but it's pretty bad.
Outside, Green smugly tells Carson he'll remember the visit for a long time as Mrs. Hughes privately stares daggers. Back in the foyer, Lord Grantham gives Gregson some more words of gratitude, after which the Duchess brightly remarks to Branson that it looks like he'll be glad to see the back of them. He replies that that's not true, but he suspects he wasn't much fun to be with, so the Duchess tells him she was clumsy and stupid in the period following her own spouse's death. "It was because it felt disloyal to manage anything properly without him." She's being wonderfully kind, but I'd expect the concept of being disloyal to Sybil is probably a bit painful for him to hear after the events of the night before. Branson doesn't seem to mind, though, as he somewhat hopefully notes that she could manage eventually and she tells him yes: "And so can you." The old bat was worth talking to after all!
Outside, Rose and Sir John make general plans to meet in London sometime, while Green tells Lord Gillingham the luggage is loaded and Lord Gillingham then remarks to Mary that he doesn't really like Green. I'm glad to hear it, but I only wish his distaste had been stronger. Lord Gillingham adds, however, that he's lucky to have anyone nowadays, and responding to the allusion to the financial troubles his family endured when his father died, Mary smiles: "You said it." Heh. Cora, feeling some anticipation, tells Lord Grantham to give them a moment longer before he goes over to say goodbye to Lord Gillingham, but she wouldn't be thrilled to hear Mary gently but firmly turn down his request to meet in London once again. Neither am I! The cars leave for the station.
Isobel, however, is on foot in an old graveyard when she crosses paths with Dr. Clarkson, whom she notes looks very earnest. I like him well enough, Isobel, but still: How can you tell? Isobel seems to be correct, though, as Dr. Clarkson says he's on his way to meet with the board and try to sell them on an "out clinic" for the hospital. He then goes on that he knows she always thinks he's trying to get her "back in harness" (back to work), but he really could do with some extra help, as it would free up a nurse for other duties. Isobel promises that she'll think about it, and if she's even half done with mourning you know she'll get to yes.
Mary -- wearing what I think is purple velour from head to toe -- strides into the library and says the tax people can see them that Wednesday at noon, but she'd like to go the night before to avoid any travel pitfalls on the day. Lord Grantham asks if she doesn't want him to come because she's afraid of him pushing the case for selling, but Branson cuts in that the people in question are not going to care how they get their money so long as they're made whole eventually. Mary assures Lord Grantham she'll get the information and report back, but adds that she's going to try to persuade him and when he points out she'd be "dragging a debt" behind her for twenty years, she replies that she doesn't care as long as Downton becomes self-sufficient. "You're always saying that we're not the owners of Downton but the caretakers. Very well -- let's take care of it." Point to the impeccably dressed widow! Mary announces that Rosamund is letting them stay, and when Rose -- who's just popped in -- asks if she can tag along, Mary says she doesn't see why not. I mean, yes, Rose is part of the family now, but anyone who knows of her wanton behavior in London when we were first introduced to the character would, I think, be uncertain about Rosamund jumping at the chance to put Rose up again, right? Mary even witnessed Rosamund giving Rose a tongue-lashing, and Rosamund losing her temper isn't an occurrence I'd think anyone would be likely to forget. Cora then is like, sooooo, while you're in London might you meet Lord Gillingham? Mary tells her no and that she'll thank her not to be so transparent, and I can understand where she's coming from given that she surely figured a bonus of finally marrying Matthew was that she wouldn't have to endure any more of her family's matchmaking.
Branson is heading for the stairs when Edna's voice cuts in to say that she thought he might have come down to see her. Branson, agitated, tells her that he blushes to admit it, but he was ass-wasted. Already going all counsel for the prosecution, she asks if that means he's not going to deny what happened, and he tells her of course he won't and he's sorry if he behaved badly. "We'll just have to have to put it down to my low spirits and self-indulgence." Let me just write that down. Speaking of making notes, Thomas, who I can't believe at this point in the series is permitted to walk around without wearing a bell, listens carefully as Edna faux-bleakly supposes Branson's ashamed of what happened between them, but while he denies that, he reiterates that he made a mistake and he's sorry. "I daresay we both are." You can daresay it all you want, my strapping Irish lad, but that doesn't make it true.
Ivy is making a puff pastry/asparagus concoction, and when Jimmy James turns up his nose at it, Alfred acidly replies that they don't all have to live off battered fish and meat pies. Not that those are so bad, but his point is taken. Ivy tells the group that this is the first big thing Mrs. Patmore's trusted her with and that she's quite nervous, and Mrs. Patmore, appearing at the sound of her name as you might expect she would, is like, good… you should be. "Mess it up and it's back to kindergarten." I think Ivy looks terrified, but it's hard to tell with the giggles.
Edna steals into an aghast Branson's room and tells him he can't treat "a poor girl" like this; in other surprises, she seems to be referring to herself. She lays it on thiiiiick as she talks about Branson casting her aside -- and what if she's pregnant? "What will you do then?" If it were I, Edna, I'd hope against hope that the baby doesn't inherit the Crazy Eyes you're currently sporting. Branson replies that her getting pregnant isn't "as easy as that" (?), and wonders what the point of talking about it now is, but Edna intensely replies that she has to be sure that if she's carrying his child, he'll do the right thing. If I were Branson, I'd be awfully suspicious of her having her thoughts on the subject already so ordered, but he's too flustered to think straight, especially after Edna mentions Sybil and he snaps at her not to say her name. Edna, after a pause, gets back on the subject of babies and marriage and assurances and how he'll have no regrets, but on the verge of tears, he tells her there's nothing but regret in him. All right, Edna, the way you're crushing Branson's spirit is officially bumming me out.
In a more-fun scene, over by the church, the Dowager Countess asks Isobel if she enjoyed the concert and "the evening generally," and Isobel cuts to the chase: "You mean did I find it hard to see Mary come alive again." Well, if she's speaking so plainly, it's a good indicator that she's continuing to get back to herself. She admits that it was difficult, and when she adds that those feelings aren't defensible, the Dowager Countess demurs: "They're defensible to me." These two! Isobel thinks it's immoral to act in such a jealous and selfish way, but the Dowager Countess is determined not to fail to make her feel better: "If we only had moral thoughts, what would the poor churchmen find to do?" Isobel says she doesn't want Mary to be unhappy, and the Dowager Countess gently replies that she doesn't criticize either Isobel or Mary. "But I hope you find a way to make friends with the world again." Well, you're a good start, my lady!
Mary asks Anna -- who's working on her hair -- if she'll attend to Rose when they get to London, but Anna is uncharacteristically silent, so Mary asks if she's all right. Anna robotically answers that she is, and even when Mary presses the point by noting she's been very quiet, Anna refuses to engage as she asks if that will be all. Mary reluctantly tells her yes, but she looks worried enough as Anna heads out.
Edna is attending to Cora as the latter conspiratorially tells Lord Grantham that she called Rosamund on the sly and got her to agree to give "a little dinner," the point of which will be to get Lord Gillingham there, and she'll ask Sir John for Rose so it won't be that obvious. Lord Grantham snorts that it'll be pretty obvious, and nothing could drive his point home harder than the fact that he himself sees it. Lord Grantham asks Cora if she thinks anything will come of it, so she replies that while she thinks it's unlikely, it'd be great if it did since having a family means welcoming new members. She then asks Edna if she doesn't agree, and when Edna's like, anyone would be lucky to be part of this family, Cora turns to Lord Grantham and says that's nice rather than stabbing her with a letter opener.
At dinner, Branson is looking a million miles away, and after Edith worries they're taking advantage of Rosamund's hospitality (and Mary snarks that it gives her a "surrogate real life") Edith asks for Branson's opinion, and it takes nearly ten seconds for him to take any notice of anything besides the words "BABY MARRIAGE EDNA" swirling about in his head.
Downstairs, Jimmy James chats to Ivy about cooking; she wants to have a real skill and he disparagingly tells her she sounds like Alfred before twirling her about and telling her he wants a fun life. He then kisses her, and I'd imagine he's just bored, but just then Alfred and Daisy walk in and Alfred's like I'M TELLING! He doesn't, though, when Mrs. Patmore comes in, but Daisy gets in on the act when Mrs. Patmore says Ivy did well with her dish and Daisy pipes up that it wasn't very difficult. Mrs. Patmore counters that Daisy had a hard enough time with it when she was green, to which Daisy replies, "Yes, but Ivy moves so fast for a beginner, doesn't she?" I mean, I'm no fan of slut-shaming generally, but I have said in the past that Daisy is much more enjoyable as a screen presence when she's being a pill.
Anna, in that same pinched voice she's had ever since the atrocity, is telling Bates she'll only be gone overnight, but when he tries to put a hand on her shoulder and tell her he'll miss her, she pulls away like she's been stung. Being yanked in every direction -- she obviously regrets hurting him, but she can't do otherwise at the moment -- she apologizes and says she's just tired, "and before you ask, you've done nothing wrong." He doesn't believe her, so she feeds him a line about how they live and work together and sometimes it's just too much, and it's not that I disbelieve that that could happen, but even if I didn't know the real story it'd be obvious that that's not the situation here.
I guess last episode was too busy with guests for this moment of downtime, but over a glass of sherry (or brandy -- something out of a crystal decanter), Carson is telling Mrs. Hughes the story of how his old love Alice had a singing act with her sister, which is how they met, and she was "a gentle soul." Mrs. Hughes asks if she and Carson were courting, and Carson asks her to recall that in those days "you were lucky if you got to walk them to the corner," but he rather desperately wanted to marry her. Mrs. Hughes raises her eyebrows, and he's like, I know I know, I don't seem to have a passionate bone in my body these days, but anyway she chose Grigg and that was that. Mrs. Hughes asks what's changed now, so Carson relays what Grigg told him about Alice wishing she'd chosen Carson. He guesses it doesn't matter, given that she's dead, but Mrs. Hughes disagrees, pointing out that the woman he loved felt the same way about him. "It changes you, from where I'm looking." Oh my. If I didn't know better, I'd think Mrs. Hughes might let Carson walk her to the corner.
We'll never know, though, because at this moment Anna enters; she hesitates when she sees Carson, but Carson takes the opportunity to say good night, after which Anna tells Mrs. Hughes that she wants to move back upstairs when she returns from London. Mrs. Hughes can't believe it and points out that "whatever happened" wasn't Bates's fault, but Anna, starting to cry, basically says she's damaged goods now, and as such she can't have Bates touch her. "Because I think that somehow, I must have made it happen." It seems like a classic response, especially in this time period, but it's hard to watch, made all the more so by the fact that Joanne Froggatt is just killing it here. The idea that she's beating herself up for playing cards and generally being her sunny hospitable self is painful. Mrs. Hughes deems all this "stuff and nonsense" and firmly tells her she was attacked by "an evil, violent man," but Anna says she feels soiled now. Mrs. Hughes takes her by the hands and tries to make her see that they should go to the police, but Anna won't hear of it, and when Mrs. Hughes points out that she could be pregnant (some people have actual problems here, Edna), Anna says she'll kill herself in that eventuality. Mrs. Hughes tries again, saying Green shouldn't be able to get away with it, but Anna goes back to the idea that she won't set in motion a chain of events that could cost Bates his life. When Mrs. Hughes points out that Bates's heart is breaking, Anna replies, "Better a broken heart than a broken neck." Good line, but I doubt he'd see it that way. Anna reiterates her request for a room, and Mrs. Hughes reluctantly grants it but says she'll have to wait until she can give Bates a reason, "but I wish you would decide that honesty is the best policy." She asks Anna to try to take a break from it while she's in London, but Anna tells her there will be no break from it. Mrs. Hughes, I'm on your side, but that was a bit of a silly thing to say.
Jimmy James gets Ivy to join him while he's cleaning boots, and Daisy sees them disappear, after which she uncertainly heads into the kitchen and gets some directions from Mrs. Patmore. Alfred then comes in with the paper and tells them a training school for chefs is being set up at the Ritz; it's limited to a few candidates, but anyone who passes the test will get free training with wages and the chance of a job after. Mrs. Patmore tells Daisy she could do it, but Alfred is more interested in showing it to Ivy, so Daisy tells him she's in the boot room, although she looks mildly like she's going to vomit from the words. Alfred heads off, and Daisy can't even stick this play without running after them, but she's too late to stop Alfred from opening the door and seeing Ivy and Jimmy James in a lip lock. Alfred takes it in for a moment and then marches off as fast as his legs will carry him, and given that they resemble stilts that's pretty fast.
We're at Rosamund's, and Mary's the last down for dinner and as such is the last one to learn that Branson isn't the only gentleman in attendance. Lord Gillingham hopes he's a "surprise and not a shock," and Mary stammers that he's unexpected, but Rosamund (love seeing her) takes command in that crisp voice of hers and says she thought she'd just get up a small and informal party, and Rose pipes up that it was just so clever of them to be free on short notice. Sir John smiles that the invitation came to his club, and he thought he was in for cards and whiskey for the evening, "so it was a very welcome change of plan." Mary, having recovered her usual slightly sardonic smile, tells Lord Gillingham she hopes his fiancée didn't mind him canceling on her, so he asks her not to punish him for wanting to see her again, and her amused nod suggests she thinks the request is fair. Sir John then suggests that after dinner he take them all to hear the new band at the Lotus Club, and Rose, perhaps as a nod to her checkered history in the house, tells Rosamund that she and Mary can be her chaperones, "so what could be more proper?" Despite what I said earlier, Rosamund seems to have a kindly enough attitude (you know, for her) toward Rose, so Rose turns to Mary and begs her to go, but Mary defers making a decision for a moment longer by asking Branson if he's up for it. Branson thinks he'll stay with Rosamund, but Rosamund does me proud by saying that actually, she wants to go, so both Branson and Mary really have no choice. Which is fine! You're in London; live a little!
Cut to the club, which seems fun enough, but when the party arrives at an upstairs table, Sir John wants to get some more champagne and Mary replies in a "you're red-flagged" voice that she doesn't need any more. Sir John, however, pays her no mind, so Lord Gillingham takes Mary onto the floor to dance and tells her that the evening of cards and whiskey Sir John referenced earlier had already begun when he got the invitation. Heh. We then get a look at the singer, an African-American gentleman who I must say has this weirdly shrill and effeminate voice; maybe this was the style at the time but I find it frankly kind of dreadful, although the choice of song, Al Jolson's "April Showers," was mentioned last week by Rose and Sir John as a favorite. The actor, Gary Carr, appears to have been trained in music so I assume it's actually him singing, but it's not for me. Lord Gillingham hopes Mary doesn't mind his "ambush," but Mary correctly has inferred Cora's and Rosamund's influence, and besides, she's glad -- he's gotten her to indulge in a night away from the worries and cares of Downton, and she's thankful for it. However, when Lord Gillingham asks if he can see her again before she leaves, she tells him there's really no time open. Besides, nothing's changed on the subject of his almost-fiancée, nor is she likely to be ready for another relationship for some time. Lord Gillingham is skeptical of whether she really means that, but she does, and the song thankfully ending gives Mary a reprieve from having to discuss it further.
Alfred apparently is set on boning up on his cooking knowledge ahead of trying out for the Ritz program. Mrs. Patmore says she'll help and asks Daisy if she won't too, and Daisy, sounding despondent, says she will but that it'd be a shame if Alfred were to leave. After some nonsense with Jimmy James and Ivy, those two and Alfred head off to bed, whereupon Mrs. Patmore sympathetically tells Daisy although it'll be hard, it'll be better for them to part on good terms. Daisy regrets the "one moment of nastiness" that got her to this point, and I suppose I can't begrudge her a moment of self-pity but it's not like Ivy and Jimmy James were going to great lengths to hide what they were up to. Also, Mrs. Patmore thinks Daisy might be better served to be shut of Alfred: "Sometimes you can spend too long on a one-sided love." Is there a story, Mrs. Patmore? If Carson can talk about old flames, surely you can too!
Oh no, the guy's singing again; at least it's in a lower register this time. As they dance, Rosamund asks Branson how he likes being part of the Crawley family, and he replies that they've been kinder to him than he deserves, which she pish-poshes. Just then, she notices that Sir John has gone around the bend to ripshit -- and if he makes a habit of playing cards in this state, I hope they're for small stakes -- and the way he's jerking Rose around on the dance floor makes it look like she's on one of your less safe carnival rides. This is one adventure even Rose is not up for, and she asks that they go back to the table as Rosamund suggested, but he's slurry and confrontational until, probably thankfully for everyone including him, he realizes he's going to be sick and rushes out of the room. With Rose stranded on the dance floor, the singer, having witnessed some of the spectacle, steps down to dance with her and ask if she's all right, and Rose is charmed, unlike Rosamund, who sends Branson over to put a stop to "Jack Ross" fraternizing with Rose any further. Branson is at least polite as he smiles to Rose that he's been sent to fetch her, and Rose is taken aback but introduces Branson to Ross, who she says "rescued [her] from deep humiliation." Not as deep as if Sir John hadn't made it to the loo, but her point is taken.
Branson once again is like, let's go, young lady, so Rose steps away from Ross and whispers that there was no need to be rude, a charge Branson denies. She then asks about Sir John, but Lord Gillingham is quite sure he's peaced out, and Rose, a bit warm, hopes he at least paid the bill. She starts to say what would have happened if not for Mr. Ross, but Rosamund sharply cuts in that it was quite the little adventure she had with her gallant bandleader. Oh, Rosamund. I know you're old, but still. Rose protests that he was terribly nice and that Sir John had made her look such a fool, but Rosamund is already leaving on a wave of indignant anger. She probably doesn't note that Ross is now singing a song that starts "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," which just as probably is for the best. Rose, however, looks back with a smile, so I'm guessing we might not have seen the last of Mr. Ross. Which is fine, as long as he sticks to speaking his words from here on out.
The party arrives home, and Rosamund hopes Rose will not be taking any further calls from Sir John, as she doesn't want to have to see her rescued by a "black bandleader" again. As they head up, Rose counters that she was happy anyone wanted to rescue her, and she suspects Rosamund would have been the same in her shoes. We don't hear how strong Rosamund's denial is; instead, we stay with Mary so she can ask Branson about his ill mood all day, to which he replies that if he told her the cause, she'd despise him. She tries to tell him she had such a secret once too, and if he actually knew what it was he might take a chance and tell her, but given how he himself thinks what he did is a grave insult to Sybil's memory, I can see why he's being cautious. Mary wisely counsels him to tell someone if not her. "It will help more than you know." I hope he remembers to thank her for this advice, given how grandly following it works out for him.
In the boot room, Edna is humming in that "My plan's coming together; ask me how" way TV villains sometimes do, and a passing Thomas takes the bait as he comments that while he's glad someone's cheerful, he's surprised it's she given how poorly her little chat with Branson seemed to go. Edna, looking like she might have eaten a canary and a sparrow for good measure, tells him he'll soon be glad to have allied with her and again: overplaying her hand. Thomas's somewhat dubious look suggests he might agree with me.
Outside, the party arrives, and Mary's once again struck by the way Anna hightails it out of there without any of her usual cheeriness -- and she's not the only one, as when Anna runs into Bates inside, he begs her either to kiss him or tell him what's happened. She snaps at him not to bully her, which if misplaced is still something, but while he doesn't take offense, he points out that she's unhappy and he doesn't know why. "I won't press you now if it makes things worse, but in the end I will find out." Anna, you've been on the show since the beginning. You know he's right. Anna looks a bit irresolute, but she almost gives it away involuntarily when Carson comes up with the news that Lord Gillingham is there and she almost jumps out of her skin as she asks if Green is with him. She immediately covers, though, by adding that Mary will want to know if he's staying, and Carson, not seeming to note anything wrong, tells her Green doesn't appear to be with him before sending her on to give Mary the message.
Speaking of people who have just heard unwelcome news, Mrs. Hughes, just having had the whole Edna story from Branson, remarks that "this is a sorry tale." Branson takes the blame, but Mrs. Hughes thinks it's only partly his fault. He tells her he couldn't think of anyone else to turn to, and she remarks that it's "not the most flattering invitation I've ever known" (hee) before wondering what's to be done. Branson desperately wonders if he should beg Edna to leave him alone, but Mrs. Hughes replies that they're not quite there yet. Poor Branson, always getting roofied or whiskeyed or what have you.
Mary, reflexively fixing her hair as she goes, enters the library to find Lord Gillingham, who confesses he took the same train as she, but rode in third class so as not to be noticed. If ever there was a declaration of love! And indeed, he goes on that he didn't want to speak to her with all the others around, and without much further preamble, he asks her to marry him. The only initial response is the loudly ticking clock -- Thomas would be so proud that it doesn't flinch despite the surprise of the moment -- but Mary quickly recovers to tell "Tony" that he doesn't even know her. He demurs, pointing out they've known each other since they were kids, but she basically tells him that doesn't count and now he wants to spend the rest of his life with her? He stands firm, though, telling her he loves her, and then Jimmy James enters in answer to the ring Mary gave moments ago and Mary asks him if he might bring them some tea.
After Jimmy James goes off on his errand, Lord Gillingham resumes his pitch by saying he never met Matthew, but while he's sure he was "a splendid chap" ("He was," replies Mary), the fact is Matthew's dead while he's alive, and I am sure literally no one has seen this but that line reminds me of Crispin Glover in River's Edge. He tells her they could be "so very happy" together and Mary, starting to look confused, asks about "Miss Lane Fox," whereupon Lord Gillingham replies that he might come to love her, but he's certainly not in love with her. "You fill my brain. I see you when I close my eyes. I can't… I can't stop thinking about you." Do go on! Honestly, it sounds like infatuation, but on the other hand people have gotten married for far less around here, and the fact that they're an excellent paper match makes the thing not so easy to dismiss, so it's not hard to see why Mary would reply that he's very persuasive. He tells her that they could put off the actual wedding (probably for the sake of appearances as much as emotions), even for two or three years, if only she'll give him her promise that they'll do it eventually, and this is way more romantic than when Edna said kind of the same thing. Lord Grantham then enters and affably asks Lord Gillingham if he left something behind, and Lord Gillingham has the good grace not to answer in the affirmative and gaze soulfully at Mary; instead, he claims he had some business nearby. Lord Grantham asks if he'll stay, and Lord Gillingham is only too happy to -- he brought a bag just in case, although he'll only impose on them for the one night. Mary smiles in the background, probably happy for the chance to get her head together before she has to make any big decisions.
Branson is waiting expectantly in Mrs. Hughes' office when Mrs. Hughes enters and says she's coming; Edna then enters and, in that innocent-victim voice she does so moderately well, supposes they're going to gang up on her and try to bribe her. Mrs. Hughes is like, what now, so Edna explains she meant they'd pay her off in the case of her being pregnant, but she wants to keep the baby. Mrs. Hughes, however, firmly says there will be no offer because there's no child. Edna asks how she could know that, but Mrs. Hughes disdainfully asks Branson, "Do you think she would have let herself get pregnant before she was sure of you?" Branson looks at Edna in a new light as Mrs. Hughes goes on that she knew how to prevent it; opening her desk drawer, she removes a volume she describes as a "book of instructions" that basically sounds like a how-and-how-not-to book on getting pregnant. Branson, playing the audience surrogate, asks what would have happened if he'd agreed to marry Edna, and Mrs. Hughes breezes that she's sure she had a candidate in mind for the side action that would ensure a child. And if not, there's always PORK BLOOD!
Edna, sounding exposed, asks what proof Mrs. Hughes has, but Mrs. Hughes is like, oh, none -- but if you persist in this fabrication, I'll summon Dr. Clarkson and have him examine you. Edna's appalled and says she can't do that, to which Mrs. Hughes replies, "Oh yes I can. First I'll lock you in this room; then when he's arrived I'll tear the clothes from your body and hold you down if that's what it takes!" I mean, yes, that's probably too far, but with everything Mrs. Hughes has learned about in the last day or so, I can see her not having a lot of patience left for diplomacy. Anna might be carrying her rapist's child; in context, it makes Edna's antics even more deplorable. Edna whispers that they can't stop her from speaking to Cora, but Mrs. Hughes also has one more card to play -- if she does, whatever Mrs. Hughes tells any prospective employer of hers will stop her from getting a job in "your natural lifetime." She returns the book and Edna leaves, thoroughly beaten. Branson is like, even with the book you couldn't have known, and Mrs. Hughes is like, right you are but we sure do now! After all the shitty poker played here recently, it's nice to see a pro in action.
Edna races upstairs in a tizzy, and when she passes Thomas brusquely, he notes her agitation and recalls that they were all supposed to be dancing to her tune. She rounds on him and asks if she ever wonders why people dislike him so much? "It's because you are sly and oily and smug, and I'm really pleased I got the chance to tell you before I go." Rich as it may be coming from her it's all true enough, but as we all know you need to be on O'Brien's level even to have a chance of getting the last word with Thomas, as he once again proves: "If we're playing the truth game, then you're a manipulative little witch, and if your schemes have come to nothing I'm delighted!" Having lost yet another battle, Edna rushes off, but Thomas calls after to ask if she really is leaving Downton, and when she asks what it is to him, he murmurs to himself that it's plenty. I thought at first he was only thinking of how he could use/the Edna/Branson news to his benefit, but as we'll soon learn he's got another iron in the fire.
After an exterior shot of Edna marching away from Downton at twilight, Cora, already being attended to by Anna, tells Lord Grantham that Edna resigned due to family troubles, "or so she says." Hmm, maybe even Cora woke up to the fact that Edna's a liar. I'm guessing Rose won't be asked to participate in finding a replacement. Lord Grantham wonders if they're living under a curse that dooms them to lose their lady's maids at regular intervals, which would be hilarious if I weren't really worried about Anna here. Speaking of, Lord Grantham asks her if she knew about this, but she only shakes her head in response, so Lord Grantham asks if anything's the matter and when LORD GRANTHAM notices that you're out of sorts, the situation has gotten dire indeed. Anna does manage to fake a smile about Bates before hightailing it out of there, whereupon Lord Grantham asks if Cora heard about Lord Gillingham and she replies in the affirmative with a playful smile, although she does add that they mustn't read too much into it. The fact that she says it out loud is a good cover for the fact that she's speaking like ninety percent to herself.
Downstairs, the Dowager Countess asks why the tuxedo-clad Lord Grantham is in his "rompers," and Lord Grantham explains that Lord Gillingham only brought black tie, thinking they wouldn't be changing if there were no one staying. After bemoaning the slow unraveling of yet another tradition, the Dowager Countess suspiciously asks why Lord Gillingham is back so soon, and when she gets the hint that he's after Mary, she supposes not everyone is happy about it. The object of her concern, Isobel, then asks if she's ready to go, as the car's ready, so Lord Grantham gets up and tells Lord Gillingham it's too bad Edith went off on a mysterious trip to London. Mary, however, announces that mystery didn't enter into it -- she went to see Gregson, and after Lord Grantham announces that he doesn't dislike him, the Dowager Countess snarks that that's quite the recommendation. I take my life in my hands in disagreeing with the Dowager Countess, I know, but when it comes to Edith's suitors that's actually not bad. The Dowager Countess and Isobel take off, but not before Isobel makes a point of telling Lord Gillingham that she hopes they'll see him again soon. Well, Mary if Isobel can give her public blessing, you've got less social reason to worry than I thought. Lord Grantham remarks to his mother that that was "nobly done," which means more than it might coming from him, and the Dowager Countess replies that Isobel's a good woman, "and while the phrase is enough to set one's teeth on edge, there are moments when her virtue demands admiration." It's a lovely sentiment, even if it's followed by them both then having a good laugh about what a surprise it is to hear it come out of the Dowager Countess's mouth.
Oh, here are Edith and Gregson at the end of their evening… OR ARE THEY? Well, they're not, but first Edith has to tell a boring story about the sleeping arrangements at an estate her parents used to visit, after which she asks if there's anything she can do "to keep things running" while he's in Munich. He tells her he's got a paper for her to sign that will give her "some authority" with respect to his affairs, and I don't know if he's actually going to die on German soil, but on a show with so much soap in its DNA there's no way that paper isn't going to be front and center at some point. Also, after she signs the paper and he talks about possibly writing a novel, they get with the sex, and two things about that: One, she starts to say "Michael, I…" in a way that suggests a feeble protest; this says to me that this is their first time doing it together. Two, with most of the rest of the episode focused on maybe-pregnancies, you have to wonder if maybe we should throw this one into the mix. It'd be SO Edith to get knocked up on her first "try," wouldn't it?
In Mrs. Hughes's office, Anna is using Edna's departure as the awaited reason to move back into the house as A) Edna's room will be empty now and B) Anna's going to be on double duty with Mary and Cora. Unfortunately, Carson is present so Mrs. Hughes can't speak freely, so she simply sighs that if that's what Anna really wants, she can have it. Anna wordlessly departs, whereupon Carson shuts the door and says he's sorry about the disruption Edna's departure is causing. Mrs. Hughes promises to tell him the whole story one of these days -- on camera, if you please, Mrs. Hughes -- and after adding that they were "mad as hatters" to let Edna back in the house, she produces a present for him, wrapped in tissue paper, that she says is for his desk. He opens it to reveal a picture frame that presumably has a photo of Alice in it, and when he asks what possessed her, she tells him it'll be nice for him to be reminded of when he had a heart, "and it'll reassure the staff to know that you belong to the human race." She hasn't minced words all day; no reason to start now. Carson grandly accepts the gift while intoning that "the business of life is the acquisition of memories; in the end, that's all there is." He thanks her, and then we get a look at Alice, who… well, I'll just say in an Elaine Benes tone that she was quite a handsome woman.
Upstairs, Lord Grantham asks Bates if he knows anything about the circumstances of Edna's departure, but he of course does not; Lord Grantham then remarks that he hopes the extra work won't be too much for Anna, and Bates's back is to him but there's no missing the way his posture stiffens at the mention of his wife. Lord Grantham asks what's up, so Bates confesses that Anna wants to move back into the house, claiming she needs to in order to perform her duties properly. Lord Grantham asks if something's wrong between them, and Bates continues to be frank as he says there is -- but he doesn't know what. "It must be my fault, because she is incapable of fault." These two certainly have found the dark side of idolizing one another. Lord Grantham offers that there is no such thing as "a marriage between two intelligent people" -- I guess he's read about this -- "that does not sometimes have to negotiate thin ice." He goes on that it'll be okay since Bates and Anna love each other so much, and then is like, whoops, where'd that come from, I forgot I'm British for a second!
Oh dear, here's Edith, who worried that her family was treating Rosamund's place like a hotel, stealing back inside in the morning light. Points for taking the precaution of walking up the wooden stairs in stocking feet, but unfortunately for her, Rosamund's trusty maid is already up, and doubly unfortunately, she's not paid to keep her mouth shut like I'd guess the staff at your finer London hotels are.
Out on the Downton grounds, in the bright sunlight you'd think from this show is par for the course for England, Lord Gillingham tells Mary he doesn't really want to go back to London, but he guesses he has to -- but after he gets her answer. She wonders what will happen if she refuses, so he tells her he must marry. "I don't need to explain to you how the system we're trapped in works." Well, it'll be too long for the show, but I'd love to hear the explanation in his own words. She asks him not to rush into anything, but he tells her that while he'll dump Mabel for her and he thinks she'll understand (do tell), if Mary doesn't want him he thinks he's "honor-bound" to go through with it. I don't really see where honor enters into it, given what they're discussing, but Mary seems to understand, and after some tortured moments she tells him it's no good: "I'm not free of him. Yesterday you said I fill your brain. Well, Matthew fills mine, still. And I don't want to be without him. Not yet." Somewhere nearby, Isobel wonders what she went through that whole rigmarole last night for. Lord Gillingham takes a moment to let his defeat sink in before asking one favor -- to kiss her. "I will never love again as I love you in this moment, and I must have something to remember." No fair! Who could resist? Not Mary, who goes for it, and although I don't believe there's any tongue, it goes on for a while and is appropriately romantic/hot. With a sincere smile, he wishes her all the best before heading off toward the house, and Mary's left to her memories of Matthew, which even now we may suspect might not be enough.
Thomas catches Lord Grantham and tells him he has a candidate for lady's maid whom he knows quite well and is more than capable. This, I think, is what he was talking about when he said Edna's departure was very much of interest, although since he didn't say anything when O'Brien left I can only guess it's either a recent acquaintance or one who was unavailable before for some reason. Lord Grantham tells him to discuss it with Cora, and when Thomas mentions his candidate is a bit older, Branson, who's just walked in, says that won't be a problem. Heh. Lord Grantham idly wonders what he means, but Mary enters at that moment and explains that Lord Gillingham had a train to catch. She then asks Branson if he's ready, and when Lord Grantham asks where they're going, Mary tells him they're heading for York to get estimates to re-equip the sawmill. Lord Grantham starts to roll his eyes, but Branson brightly asks if they'll be seeing Lord Gillingham again. Unfortunately, Mary's like sure probably at some point I guess and Lord Grantham looks stricken as Mary blithely goes on that he's getting engaged to Mabel Lane Fox. Everyone's very British about it (even the Irishman), but when Mary walks off to get her hat, her irresolute pause seems to indicate she's having regrets. CAN'T IMAGINE WHY.
Edith comes in to Rosamund's sitting room, and Rosamund makes some pointed comments about how she though Edith would be the worse for wear, like LITTLE DOES SHE KNOW. On that note, though, Rosamund asks if she might hear what kept Edith out until six in the morning, and when Edith starts to giggle about having Done Sex, Rosamund bursts her bubble by saying that apart from the morality of it, she's taken a great risk. "You're trusting this man with your name and your reputation." Edith, shaken by the bucket of cold water Rosamund is throwing over her post-coital bliss, says that Gregson wants to marry her, so she trusts him, and Rosamund's like, oh, just as you trusted Sir Anthony Strallan! That is cold! Edith tells her so, but when she asks if Rosamund is going to tell Cora, she says no. "You're a grown woman, and I'm not a spy. But you're gambling with your future, my dear. Be under no illusions -- a lot may be changing, but some things will stay the same." Unfortunately, she's all too right. If even a libertine like Rose is worried about how it looks to be left on the dance floor, Edith, you may have to admit your aunt has a point. Edith tries to say she's not sorry, and Rosamund admits she doesn't look it. "But you may find yourself feeling rather sorry later." God, Edith's so pregnant, isn't she?
Branson and Mary are getting into the car, and when she remarks that he's in much better spirits than he was in London, he admits he took her advice. Hearing that his problem is over (or so he thinks), she tells him she envies him -- she's just done something "I have a sneaking fear I may regret, for a long time to come." No argument here; I regretted it as soon as it had happened! I can only hope that Anna deciding to report Green's actions will lead to us seeing Lord Gillingham again. Until time!
John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. His new film, a documentary on online privacy and the exploitation of personal data called Terms And Conditions May Apply, a New York Times Critics' Pick, is now on iTunes here. You can get news on it from the film's Twitter accountor website, or check out trackoff.us to learn how to protect your privacy. Also, you can email John at couchbaron@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/couchbaron, or check out his blog, "Pull Up A Chair," which he'd just love for you to stop by.