Isobel suggests to Branson that he run for local council. He then takes her into Thirsk – where he sees Rose dining in a restaurant with Ross, and also runs into the woman from last time, and when I tell you her name is "Sarah Bunting" I wonder how many of you will find that hilarious. Branson later finds Ms. Bunting on the road with car trouble, and as he fixes the problem they get to know each other a little better.
Branson tells Mary about Rose and Ross, hilariously running out of the room before he even finishes the sentence, so Mary has a private word with Rose, who declares that she intends to marry Ross and rub the news in her mother's face. When Rose later tells Mary she's actually engaged, Mary drops everything to head to London to see Ross – but he tells her he has no plans to go through with the wedding, as he doesn't want to spoil Rose's life. Rose is bitter at Mary when she gets the letter breaking it off, and Mary's basically like, you'll get over it but if you don't who cares.
Mary's godfather "Lord Merton" is coming round to the Dowager Countess's, and with no one else to throw at him for entertainment purposes she asks Isobel and Edith to join. He takes a shine to Isobel, and as he's a widow, they have something of a bond – although his was an unhappy marriage. thing you know the Dowager Countess is calling Isobel over to give her a floral arrangement sent from Merton to her, and if the Dowager Countess was down on Isobel last episode she certainly is now enjoying her role as a potential matchmaker to some degree.
Alfred's father has passed on, and he's coming to Yorkshire for the funeral – and he also proposes marriage to Ivy like I CAN'T EVEN. Ivy tells Mrs. Patmore that he even wants her to come to London and can find her a job, but she doesn't want to marry him, thank God. Even though she's turning him down, Alfred plans to drop by the Abbey, so on Mrs. Patmore's advice Daisy avoids him by going to see Mr. Mason, her kindly old father-in-law who wanted her to take over his farm like everyone hoped she would. Alfred and Ivy meet and agree to part as friends, while Mason advises Daisy to see Alfred despite Mrs. Patmore's suggestion she stay away. Daisy returns in time to catch him and give him a warm goodbye – but just as he tells her he may have been blind, she informs him she's over him, although they too agree to be friends. Mrs. Patmore then tells her she couldn't be prouder of her than if she were her own daughter, and this subplot has been like pulling teeth but I can't say I didn't love that moment.
Edith plans to tell Cora her situation, and true to her word, Rosamund comes to Downton to support her. When Rosamund shows up, though, Edith floats the idea to keep the baby by leaving it with Drewe (now the pig-man as well as a tenant farmer), whom she thinks can be trusted, but Rosamund finds that plan far too reckless and suggests the two of them go away on an extended trip out of the country, at the end of which they'll give the baby up for adoption. Rosamund gets Cora to agree to the journey, and Edith is at least relieved this means she won't have to tell Cora. The Dowager Countess, however, smells a rat and calls her daughter and granddaughter over and asks for the truth, and as she seems to have made up her mind in the right direction Edith comes clean. The Dowager Countess comes down on Rosamund's side as far as the plan goes, even offering to foot the bill for the trip, which is pretty good of her considering I'm not at all sure Rosamund could really afford it.
There's a village/church bazaar coming up, and with Lord Grantham still in America, Cora's fairly frantic, but with help from Rose, Rosamund, Edith, and Branson, she pulls it together. Everyone's bright spirits are made more so by the sudden return of Lord Grantham, who reports Harold got a reprimand and nothing more. Well, at least Hugh Bonneville got a light schedule out of it.
Lord Gillingham once again stays at Downton, this time on his way home from Scotland, and sick with worry that Bates is going to figure Green out for sure, Anna finally reveals the entire truth to Mary. Mary tries to call Lord Gillingham to tell him not to come, but she misses him, and soon he's at Downton spewing jealousy in Blake's direction. Bates pointedly determines where Lord Gillingham's residence is before Lord Gillingham ends up giving Napier and Blake a ride back to London – but not before he tells Mary he's calling off his engagement to Mabel. She cautions him that she won't be on the market even if he goes through with it, but he's undeterred. Later, Mary tells Anna she's going to meet with Lord Gillingham and ask him to dismiss Green, and although she won't give him any more than vague hints as to why, he agrees. He also tells her he's gone through with breaking his engagement and that he won't give up, which for entirely selfish reasons I hope is true.
At the bazaar, a shaken Lord Gillingham shows up with the news that Green is dead of an apparent accident; it seems he slipped on a crowded pavement and was hit by a vehicle. Mary is just as freaked, relays the news to Anna, and they both obviously wonder if Bates could have been involved but don't verbalize as much. Anna then asks Bates where he was, and he puts her off; I can only hope she personally kills him rather than let him go to prison again because WE'VE DONE THAT AND IT'S DEATH.
Baxter and Molesley strike up an uncertain friendship; Baxter thinks he's lucky to have grown up in a village where people like and respect him and his family, and Molesley's like, boy did I never think of it that way. When Thomas returns from America, he asks for a report from Baxter, but Molesley intervenes on her behalf, and Thomas looks less put out and more intrigued by the realization that Baxter herself is news.
Blake returns for the bazaar on his way home from some other made-up work and officially throws his hat into the suitor ring, ignoring Mary's warnings that his chances are slim to none, and the episode ends with literally everyone who matters raising an eyebrow in Mary, Blake, and Lord Gillingham's general direction. See, kitchen staff, the show still can do a love triangle worth caring about!
Oh, and finally, Martha wants to bring Harold over summer for Rose's coming out, so I'm pretty sure we can look forward to Shirley MacLaine returning for the Christmas special. Can anyone think about anything else?
With Edith tagging along, Mary and Branson are coming to see Drewe. After last episode's near-fiasco with the pigs -- who are currently running around them every which way -- he's taken on the role of Acting Pig-Man. After they greet Drewe and hear a bit about his qualifications for Edith's benefit, Branson and Mary exchange a look before the former offers to make the position permanent. Drewe's like, "Well, managing my own farm in addition to the pigs will be a lot of work, but not too much for someone of my hearty stock." Mary suggests they at least check it out, and Drewe's grateful for yet another bit of consideration he's getting from the Crawley family before saying he hopes to pay the favor back one day, and Edith's like, "OH YOU DON'T SAY." Edith, what if the pigs steal your child and raise him or her as their own? It has happened!
The Dowager Countess is reading in her sitting room when Isobel knocks and enters with an "It's only me," to which the Dowager Countess replies, "I always feel that greeting betrays such a lack of self-worth." Perhaps a bit much for an opening line, but: (a) she has a point, and (b) although she's on the mend, she's still not recovered. Hearing about the Dowager Countess's stir-craziness, Isobel suggests they walk to the Abbey that afternoon so they can hear all about Lord Grantham's adventures in America. When she goes on about the Teapot Dome Scandal, the Dowager Countess proves herself more up on current events in America than I would have guessed by stating, "What is it always about? Bribery and corruption. Taking money to allow private companies to drill for oil on government land." Isobel asks if Harold has one of the companies in question, to which the answer is "probably," and when Isobel asks if the Dowager Countess has ever met him, she tells her she did once, at her son's wedding to Cora. "And once was quite enough," she says. But given that none of us actually witnessed that, milady, surely you wouldn't begrudge us an encore?
Rose is on the phone making plans for "such a lovely day" in the future. She then gets off when Cora appears and tells her she's going to have to help out with "the bazaar," which she adds just sneaked up on her. Rose, looking a bit terrified, asks if Lord Grantham doesn't usually do it, and Cora's like, well exactly. "Half the village hates the other half and he's the only one who can stop them tearing each other's throats out." Well, Rose, welcome to the dark side of being "in charge of fun."
Baxter's on yet another date with her sewing machine when Molesley joins her and admires her skill. She, in turns, haltingly asks if it's true he used to be a valet to Matthew, and he acknowledges that while adding he was butler to Isobel before that. "I've come down in the world." She assures him he can climb back up again, and when he replies that he's gotten a few unlucky knocks, she tells him she has, too, and at times even wondered whether there was any point to struggling on. Yet, here she is -- lady's maid to a Countess. He smiles that she's made him curious, but she turns the curiosity around to ask if Bates and Anna had a falling out? Molesley thinks it's unlikely, and I guess it goes to show how tough a time Baxter's having cracking the Bates/Anna nut if she's reduced to turning to Molesley for help. Mrs. Patmore calls for Baxter to please clear the sewing so they can set up for tea before giving Ivy a letter and, oh God, we all know where this is going. But we don't hear about it officially yet, for Ivy gasps and rushes off, getting this from Daisy: "Don't rise to it. She just wants us to think her life's interesting." Wounded Daisy is boring; sardonic Daisy can stay.
At tea upstairs, Branson takes a seat to Isobel, who tells him candidates for the local council are being sought and suggests he throw his hat in the ring. Branson wonders what his politics even are these days, so Isobel suggests, since he's offered to drive her to Thirsk the day, he take the opportunity to do some research on the pressing issues of the day. He seems to take that under advisement, while Edith sits with the Dowager Countess and asks if she's better. The Dowager Countess: "If you'd been to see me, you'd know!" Her tone is jesting, but Edith sighs that she's not up to jokes, and the Dowager Countess replies that she knows. Rosamund told her she needed "a little cherishing." Aww. I don't blame the Dowager Countess for being suspicious because that doesn't sound like Rosamund at all, but I love the fierce protection she's throwing around Edith. Within earshot, Mary tells Blake she's very pleased the thing with Drewe is working out given how long his family has been at Downton, whereupon the Dowager Countess sharply adds, "I suppose you think that's sentimental bosh, Mr. Blake." In Blake's defense, Mary's statement is a complete180 from her original position (it was Lord Grantham who initially made that argument to her, not the other way around) but the Dowager Countess hasn't had this free a run at people in a while, so it's hard to begrudge her. And, indeed, Mary pipes up in Blake's defense, saying he has a softer side than "we" first gave him credit for, and Blake is glad to hear he's "redeemed" before he and Napier head back to London. Mary also hopes he has a higher opinion of her now than when they first met, and before poor Napier is subject to any more of the British version of "No, you're schmoopy!" the nanny comes in with George and Sybil. Branson collects his daughter but Mary has to put down her cup, so Blake delightedly takes temporary possession of George. Mary and Napier are varying degrees of pleased to see what a natural Blake is with the kid, while the presence of children at all before tea is over sends the Dowager Countess practically flying back to her own house. You know I love her, but people might want to take note of this technique for when she's really being a pain.
As Anna's getting her ready for dinner, Mary asks Anna to give a message to Mrs. Hughes -- Lord Gillingham called and asked if he could stay the night in an effort to break up his journey back from Inverness. Anna's face falls, of course, which Mary initially misinterprets as concern that she's encouraging Lord Gillingham. "Do you think me very feeble?" Anna takes a moment before telling her that's not what it is, and even this little bit is opening a door she's not going to be able to close. Mary presses her until Anna asks her to promise that if she tells her, Mary won't do anything about it. Mary doesn't, though, so much, instead asking what this has to do with Lord Gillingham, so Anna tells her it doesn't, not directly. "It's his man." With that, it's only moments before realization hits Mary in a freezing wave and sends her recoiling into a chair as Anna's face breaks. Her first impulse is to tell the police or at least Lord Gillingham, but Anna desperately clings to her argument that it would set in motion a chain of events that would see her husband imprisoned or hanged. Mary resolves to call Lord Gillingham and tell him not to come. Send a courier across the moors if you have to!
In the kitchen, after Mrs. Patmore has dispatched everyone else with their dinner tasks, Mrs. Patmore asks Ivy to explain why she's "been under hypnosis" since dinner began. Ivy sighs and tells her the letter was from Alfred; his father has passed on and he's coming to Yorkshire for the funeral. And, oh, by the way, he wants Ivy to marry him. Mrs. Patmore supposes Ivy was fairly "friendly" when she last saw him, and Ivy goes on that Alfred wants her to move to London and he'll get her a job. Daisy then comes in, and Mrs. Patmore is like, "Oh we'll discuss this later." Mrs. Patmore, what did I ever do to you?
With her coat and hat on, Anna comes to the boot room to collect Bates, who asks her a bit more pointedly than might be warranted what she was discussing with Mrs. Hughes. Anna replies that she was passing on the news of Lord Gillingham's visit, so Bates wonders if the two of them are sweet on each other and they chat about the complicating factor of Blake. But, of course, all this is merely marking time before Bates brings up the subject that's never off his mind for long: Green. When Anna doesn't say anything, he asks if she's gone off him. "You liked him so much when he first came." Wow, Bates. If you really think Green did it -- and we know you do -- it's pretty heartless for you to drive that particular point home. I mean, I think he's probably still just trying to get her to admit it rather than push any blame on the victim, but still.
At breakfast, Blake jauntily asks Branson if he's pleased with Drewe, and Branson, with equal enthusiasm, says he's working out great, and so are the pigs. After Blake suggests they move on to dairy once the pigs are running smoothly, Edith pipes up her own affinity for Drewe before Carson comes in to tell Edith that Rosamund is on the phone for her. After she steps out, Napier asks Rose if she has any plans for the day, and Rose "Uh…er…ah"s a bit before telling him she's going shopping. I thought you were a better liar than this, Rose, not that it's going to be relevant for too much longer.
Ivy asks Mrs. Patmore if she should write to Alfred, and when Mrs. Patmore says she should if she's sure, Ivy says she doesn't want to marry Alfred, and even if she did she wouldn't do it so young. More sensible than I'd give her credit for, but you have to allow she hasn't given me much reason. Daisy then comes by and is like look, why don't you just spill it because the fact that you two have a secret is as plain as the nose on Carson's face, but our immediate departure of the scene suggests they don't see it her way.
Edith and Rosamund are agreeing that they have to tell Cora before Lord Grantham returns, and then Edith pipes up that she's also had an idea about a course of action. Rosamund (for once, you can actually hear the voice on the other end) tells Edith that she's going to come up to Downton, and after they disconnect and Mary asks who it was, Edith tells her Rosamund is coming up to check on the Dowager Countess. Edith then asks why Mary's down so early, so she replies that she's got to go over some figures with Branson before his excursion to Thirsk. Edith answers, "Quite the businesswoman" in that particular tone she has that sounds sarcastic even when she's being at least half-sincere. Mary breezes that they must rise to life's challenges, and Edith is like, "Yes, Mary, of course your offhand remark would just so happen to cut me to the quick."
In Thirsk, Isobel and Branson make plans to meet back up in ten, but on his way to do whatever errand is on his plate, his eye catches something in a restaurant. Going in furtively for a closer look, he sees Rose and Ross laughing together before being seated, and she even reaches out to touch his cheek, although he rebukes the advance for discretion's sake. Back outside, Branson wonders how he wandered into the middle of this, while Ross questions whether he and Rose are brave enough to pull their relationship off and is assured that they are. I admire her on this point, but "flighty" doesn't necessary add up to the same kind of strength as "brave."
On their way back, Branson is doing what diligence he can by posing a hypothetical scenario to Isobel. Isobel asks if anyone will be hurt by what the two fictional people of his example are doing, but the problem is he's not sure. "It'll make some people unhappy." I realize you're trying not to give information away, my boy, but you still might answer this: Will it make the Dowager Countess unhappy?
Molesley offers Baxter a cup of coffee, and when she declines, he points out it's just coffee. "You won't have to surrender any of your independence." Molesley with some wit that's not all sad-sack! Maybe his star has stopped falling. Baxter's like, "Got me there," but before he goes to fetch it he tells her he knows what it's like to be fragile. He's felt so his whole life, and while the bunch of them may not like Thomas, that doesn't mean they don't like her. God, with all the idiocy this season with the love square that wouldn't die, could we actually get a real below-stairs romance out of this?
When Branson and Isobel return to Downton, they run into the woman he met at the rally last week, who introduces herself as "Bunting. Sarah Bunting." I'm just never going to tire of hearing that. They chat about their first meeting, and Ms. Bunting informs Isobel that Branson "wasn't exactly enthralled with the cause of the Liberals." She also announces that she's not so convinced of his Socialism now that she knows his familial and occupational position at the Abbey. But Isobel smoothly replies that Branson is a keen political thinker who is willing to question his own beliefs, and Ms. Bunting smiles at the eloquence before saying she's due at in town. She starts to walk off, but he calls after to ask if she lives nearby, to which she replies she works at the school. When she's gone, Isobel appreciatively says she knows her own mind, and it'll be interesting to see Isobel have a protégé without even bringing the Dowager Countess's feelings into it…yet.
Unfortunately, as it happens, Mary's attempt to reach Lord Gillingham has failed, and neither she nor Anna is happy but they're saved from dwelling on it by the appearance of Branson, whose tail-less attire gets a tsk from Mary with a warning about the Dowager Countess coming. Branson practically runs out of the room to change, but Mary stops him and says it's time she learned about the real world. Good luck! After Anna steps out, Branson haltingly gathers his nerve and tells Mary that while he doesn't necessarily judge it as wrong, he's seen something he feels uncomfortable keeping to himself. Mary's like, "Yes, yes, your preambles and disclaimers are noted," so he tells her about having seen Rose with Ross and then hilariously backs out of the room like he's afraid if he turns away she'll reach out a hand and throttle him. Of course, Mary already knew something about Rose's involvement with Ross, but that doesn't make her look any surer of her course of action.
Anna's having a cry when Mrs. Hughes happens upon her and realizes she's heard the news, and Anna asks her not to give her away, promising that she can get through another visit. Meanwhile, upstairs in the library, Rosamund pops in to see Edith, who wanted a quiet word with her while everyone else is in the drawing room. Edith floats the idea of having the baby and giving it to Drewe to take care of (that way she'd be able to keep the child near and be minimally involved in his or her life) but Rosamund thinks the idea is far too reckless. Her own plan is for the two of them to go abroad on an extended trip, and after Edith has the baby to give it up for adoption in whatever country they happen to be. Edith obviously doesn't want to face the idea of not being a part of her child's life and wonders why her idea is so unworkable, but Rosamund checks off the points in succession: What if Drewe talks? What if Edith is seen at his home? What if the baby looks like her? What if Edith herself blabs? All this is said with sympathy, but they cover up when Cora comes in looking for some list or other and mentions that Lord Gillingham is there. She also brings up the bazaar, so Rosamund takes the opportunity to offer to stick around and help….and also to bring up her plan. Her cover story is that she wants to go to Switzerland to learn better French. Cora's like, "You don't want to go to France to learn French then," and Rosamund's response is basically, "Not with all the French people there, no." She goes on that she'd love for Edith to come to keep her company, adding that she'll foot the bill, and when Cora asks Edith if she's into it, Edith tells her yes. Cora's pretty surprised at the whole thing, as well she might be, but she rolls with it, as is her wont. When she's gone, Edith sighs that at least this way they won't have to tell her, but she also wonders if Rosamund can really afford such an extended trip for the two of them. Rosamund essentially replies that what's done is done, which sounds like a "no" to me but it's not going to matter for long.
At dinner, the Dowager Countess asks Lord Gillingham if he's been "wandering around Scotland" since they last saw him, and he confirms that, adding that it gave him time to think about his life, which the Dowager Countess warns against. "No life appears rewarding if you think too much about it." Heh. Rosamund asks about the pigs, giving Branson an opening to praise Blake and Mary for their quick action and getting Lord Gillingham's jealousy juices flowing. Cora then prompts Rosamund to announce her and Edith's news, and when she talks about improving her French, the Dowager Countess looks around like she's anticipating a very early version of Candid Camera. After Rosamund and the Dowager Countess share some wonderfully hilarious memories about how depressed Rosamund's French governess was, Mary asks Edith why she's going since she doesn't care merde about French. "Or is this an incognito search for the missing Mr. Gregson?" Both too soon and too far, Mary, and Branson admonishes her for same. Edith thanks him and then tells Mary she wants to get away for a bit, and the Dowager Countess gives her an inscrutable smile. "Like Lord Gillingham, thinking his way around the Highlands." I get that she smells a rat, but as far as I know Lord Gillingham isn't pregnant, so the parallel seems a little strained.
Downstairs, as Green complains about Scotland (he doesn't seem to find much joy in activities not involving sexual assault, does he?), the usual people exchange furtive looks. When Green goes on that he'll be ecstatic to return to London, Bates is like, "Oh, no reason, but where do you stay when you're there?" Green practically draws Bates a map of Lord Gillingham's London residence before Molesley asks Baxter if she enjoys London, but she says no. That she lived there for a time, but it didn't suit her. I don't mind being kept in the dark to a degree (it's unusual on this show) but I hope we get something more than cryptic snippets about Baxter before the season's out. Jimmy James then asks Anna if she'd like a taste of Green's jet-setting life, and she's like no I wouldn't thank you very much indeed, which is perhaps not the least noticeable thing she could have done here.
Cora tells Mary that Rose is on her jock about going to London yet again, but she thinks it's too much, and Mary, of course, is willing to co-sign that in the presence of witnesses. Cora decides to put Rose to work at the bazaar preparations but sighs that parenting an adult is an uphill climb: "There's a limit to how much one can simply forbid." Maybe you should pull Lord Grantham in on that; it's one of his favorite things to do. As they reach the top of the stairs, they hear Rose approaching, and when she comes into view Mary asks if she might have a word with her in Mary's room. Cut to the two of them entering and Mary asking Anna for a moment. When she's gone, Mary has a seat and lets it be known that she knows, but when she assures Rose that all she wants is to make sure she doesn't lose control of her life. Rose replies that she loves Ross and "won't listen to any imperialist nonsense about racial purity." Have to agree with her there, but even though Mary wasn't going to say anything of the sort, Rose gathers a head of steam as she says she's going to marry him, and she doesn't care about the social repercussions, nor will she keep Ross a secret once she's told her mother. "I want to see her face crumble when she finds out." Since she brought it up the concept, I have to say this seems like a less pure reason for marriage. Mary tries to call Rose back, but she's gone, and I can only imagine Mary's giving thanks at this moment that she gave birth to a boy.
With everyone gathered in the foyer, Cora fears they're driving Blake and Napier away. But they think they've pushed the limits of Cora's hospitality as it is, so they're getting a lift back with Lord Gillingham, who certainly has no ulterior motive there, I'm sure. Speaking of, as Blake charmingly says his goodbyes, Lord Gillingham watches with a jaundiced eye before making sure to get a private word in with Mary. After admitting he's giving the ride to get Blake away from her, he asks if he can see her when she's in London, but she wonders what the point would be, so he tells her he's made up his mind to break off his engagement. Mary asks if Mabel's in on the plan, but Lord Gillingham says not yet. He hasn't been in London since he made the decision, and he owes it to her to tell her to her face. Mary cautions him that he's still not going to find her on the market, and maybe I just want Tom Cullen to be a regular but I wish she'd reconsider. Outside, before he goes, she asks how he feels about Green, and he admits he's still not enamored of him, but the conversation goes no further and the boys leave. Rose gets in a good one by wondering what the group noun for "suitors" is, and Cora and Rosamund get in on the act by coming up with "a desire of suitors," which is hilare. Mary sniffs that they're talking nonsense, but no one here is particularly dimwitted and as such they obviously don't believe her.
Downstairs, Ivy tells Mrs. Patmore she's posted the letter, but Mrs. Patmore points out that Alfred still has the funeral to go to, so he'll probably come by anyway. Daisy comes in on the tail end is and is like look, you two are clearly gossiping and your efforts to hide it from me are hurtful, so out with it now please? Mrs. Patmore tells her about the father, but Ivy fills in the part about the proposal, although Mrs. Patmore quickly adds that she's turned him down. Daisy: "So his heart's broken properly this time. Are you satisfied now?" Mrs. Patmore says she doesn't want them to fall out, but Daisy says they can't: "We've never fallen in." Not likely to happen at this rate, either.
The Dowager Countess, wearing her best I-know-what's-going-on face and that's saying a lot, is having tea with Edith and Rosamund. After some preliminaries about Mary's "desire," the Dowager Countess says that's not why she asked them over. Rosamund and Edith both look busted before the Dowager Countess even goes on that she wants to know why Rosamund is at Downton, but Rosamund tries to dissemble regardless. The Dowager Countess sighs, "I see I'll have to take the slow path." Hee. She lays it all out -- the phone call asking her to be nice to Edith, the appearance at Downton, the trip away for several months to work on her French. Edith tries to back Rosamund up, but the Dowager Countess sternly tells her Rosamund has no interest in French. "If she wants to be understood by a foreigner, she shouts." Ha! Like a master negotiator, she asks if it isn't time one of them told her the truth before letting the ticking clock take hold, and it's Edith who cracks first, saying that if she did, she'd never speak to her again. Of course, if Edith knew that her grandmother was told about Mary and Mr. Pamuk, she might not be quite so terrified, but the Dowager Countess gives nothing away as she notes that now Edith has told her the truth. "But I would like to hear it enunciated more clearly." We, on the other hand, have heard quite enough of the gory details, so the end of the scene is welcome.
The servants' tea comes to a close as Carson gets to his feet and says the set-up for the bazaar starts today, so they'll need all hands on deck. Mrs. Hughes runs to ask Mrs. Patmore to prepare some refreshments for the villagers who will be helping out, but Mrs. Patmore is more concerned with the letter she's gotten from Alfred saying he'll be looking in on Bazaar Day. Mrs. Hughes, with a note of exasperation I'm surprised isn't a hundred times stronger, asks if he doesn't know there's no hope with Ivy. Although Mrs. Patmore says he does (that's why he wrote to her instead) he still wants to see her. She asks if she can give Daisy the day off to spare her feelings, and Mrs. Hughes is like sure, whatever you need to put this never-ending subplot out of its misery.
In the drawing room, Cora's flipping out about everything she has to do, so Mary takes something off her plate. Cora then jets, but before she does Rose asks when Lord Grantham's coming back and Cora tells her they haven't had word from him in days, so she doesn't know. When they're alone, Rose tells Mary she's engaged, and Mary's expression looks something like this: "…"
Isobel pops into the Dowager Countess's and asks what was so pressing, and the Dowager Countess asks with some desperation in her voice if Isobel can join her for lunch. Isobel supposes so, and the Dowager Countess explains that "Lord Merton," Mary's godfather (he's the one whose horrible son roofied Branson, remember) is coming, and she arranged the date ages ago but now everyone's canceled. Lord Grantham is still away, Cora's running around like a decapitated chicken (we'll probably see those at Downton soon enough), and Mary has run off to London for some unknown reason. Isobel suggests Rosamund, but the Dowager Countess replies that she can't stand him, which as much as I love her probably isn't the most damning statement out there. Isobel hopes Edith is free, as she's a poor substitute for the entirety of the Crawley family, and the Dowager Countess sighs her agreement. "But you're better than nothing." Isobel: "How warming you make that sound." Sucks to be everyone who's bailed on witnessing this.
Anna comes into the boot room and asks for Bates's help with some of Mary's shoes, as she's suddenly off to London, although she doesn't know why. You can practically see the wheels spinning in Bates's head as he asks when she'll be back, and his plans are coming together so neatly he barely can hear her lamenting yet again how she cost him a trip to New York. Bates wastes no time in going in to Carson and asking if he can have the day off to go into York, because that's totally where I'm going, yes siree. Carson remember that I said "York," and Carson's like, "You're useless around here without Lord Grantham, so go murder all the rapists you want!" Actually, Carson does have a good one when he tells Bates that he still doesn't understand why he's not in New York, so he can hardly object to York, and Bates looks all, that's great, I also should make up a clever rhyme to tell Green before I totally kill him.
As Carson mentioned, it's already bazaar prep time! After a quick montage, we see a guy setting up one of those carnival strongman games where you swing the mallet and try to ring the bell on the top, and Jimmy James asks the man if he can have a go. The somewhat grizzled older man is unimpressed as he says it's not ready and, besides, Jimmy James is "a bit of a shrimp." But, Jimmy James is all, "I'll show you" before sniffing to Molesley that the game isn't his thing. We follow them into the kitchen, and after Molesley spares some kind words Baxter's way and Jimmy James makes fun of him for same, the two of them head back out with more sandwiches and beer for the villagers. Daisy then haltingly brings up the fact that Alfred's coming (she overheard Mrs. Hughes and Patmore) and Mrs. Patmore, just as uncertainly, says she was going to bring it up so as to offer Daisy the option of taking the day off. Daisy wonders if she could go see Mr. Mason, he of the dead son who loved Daisy and the farm on which I still cannot understand why she's not working, and Mrs. Patmore is like, wonderful idea. And it is!
Outside, Mary's ready to go as Cora wonders what the urgency of the trip to London is, and Mary recycles her line to her father from last time by replying that she can't say. "But if you knew, you'd approve." Rose, who's working setup with Rosamund, hears the call of London and once again asks if she can go, but Mary smoothly shuts her down by telling her Cora needs her there. Rosamund offers to phone her place so Mary can stay, and Mary's grateful for that detail being sorted as she's got plenty else on her mind.
Branson is driving when who should he come across with apparent car trouble: Ms. Bunting. He pulls over, and she greets him with a smile as she tells him her friend (is this the same imaginary friend that was supposed to be at the rally?) went for help. She adds that she doesn't want to hold him up, but he shrugs that off and explains as he removes his jacket that he's on his way to meet with some suppliers for the purpose of price comparison, and she's impressed as she says he figured with his position within the family he'd be one to coast by and not do any actual work as agent. He wryly quotes the Dowager Countess by telling her she's been reading "those Socialist newspapers" again, and she laughs but wonders if he really should be trying to fix her car. However, he lets her in on his chauffeur beginnings before laying down a mat and sliding his head under the car, and not to be too clichéd but I don't think this is going to hurt her attraction to him any.
Lord Merton is just complimenting the lunch they just finished, adding that he rarely eats so well these days since his wife passed on; he never knows what to order. Isobel offers that her husband wouldn't have managed any better had he been the one left alone, and this affords Lord Merton the opportunity to say that he always wanted to study medicine, but his father didn't think it was a suitable endeavor for a peer. Sensing something might be happening here, the Dowager Countess's eyes start flitting back and forth like she's in last week's concluding scene, and soon Isobel is saying she has to go and Lord Merton is insisting on driving her. Now that I see it again, the Dowager Countess doesn't seem altogether pleased that this might be turning in a matchmaking direction, although in which direction her jealously might be pointed I couldn't tell you. The Dowager Countess rings for them to be shown out, and Edith says she should go, too. But the Dowager Countess hoarsely tells her to stay, as she wants to speak to her, and you can practically feel Edith clench.
As Branson gets up from under the car, Ms. Bunting asks if he was still the chauffeur when he married, and I don't mind her at this point but what rock has she been living under that she hasn't gotten his entire history via village gossip? She does, however, know that he's a widower, and at the mention of Sybil he looks stricken. But when she goes on that Sybil must have been "a very unusual and independent person," Branson can't help but smile in agreement. Ms. Bunting adds that it was nice of the Crawleys to ask him to stay and make his life at the Abbey, and although he points out that he has a Crawley daughter, she still says it makes her take a kinder view of them, since "as a rule I don't really warm to their type." So should this turn into a courtship, she'll be Branson II: The Bransoning. I'm sure the Dowager Countess can hardly wait. Branson replies that he believes not in types but people before asking her to give the car a try, and sure enough, the engine turns over, to Ms. Bunting's delight. She sincerely thanks him before driving off to pick up her imaginary friend, while Branson watches her go with a thoughtful expression on his face.
Walking in the garden, the Dowager Countess tells Edith that it's not a sentiment she often expresses, but Rosamund is right in this case. Even if Drewe is everything Edith makes him out to be, keeping the kid so close would be "like a permanent sword of Damocles, inches from your head." Edith wonders if it's really right to give the kid away to grow up Swiss, but the Dowager Countess replies that Switzerland has a lot to offer! "Except perhaps conversation, and one can learn to live without that." Hee. Edith wonders what happens if Gregson turns up (alive, I guess she means) but the Dowager Countess tells her she can start again in that eventuality, adding that she'll pay for everything. When Edith tells her Rosamund already volunteered, the Dowager Countess replies that Edith will already be deep in her debt. "Take any more, she'll start exacting annual tribute!" I know the Dowager Countess's relationship with Rosamund is fractious, but in her defense I can kind of see it.
In town, Isobel asks Lord Merton what his sons do; the awful one works in banking, while "Tim" is in the diplomatic corps. Lord Merton then puts his foot in it by asking about her children, so Isobel has to tell him that Matthew was a lawyer, but he's dead. She adds that she assumed he'd know that, and he admits that he lost track of who she was there (not sure how, but okay) before asking after Mary. Isobel brightens and says she's doing well, and she's glad of it. Her loss of a happy love was tragic, "but gives you strength in the end, as we know." However, Lord Merton, tells Isobel he can't count himself in her category, as his marriage was an unhappy one. They kept on as everyone did at that time, "but I'm not sure now how sensible it was." Having reached Crawley House, he finishes by saying he envies her wonderful memories and can't pretend to match them, and it's an honest sentiment but I've heard better exit lines from a first date.
In London, Mary turns up to the stage door of The Lotus Club and asks for Ross; cut to the man in question warming up his voice when Mary steps inside. Ross isn't surprised that an emissary from Downton has been sent given that Rose told him she blabbed about setting the date. He offers her tea, and after she sits, he guesses that Lord Flintshire wouldn't exactly welcome "a black son-in-law," and that her father would agree. Mary: "To be fair to Papa, he'd find your being a band singer even harder to swallow than your color." Truth. Ross is amused, but Mary asks him if he's sure about what he's doing, as "marriage is a challenge even when everyone wants it." He notes that she means that everyone will be trying to pull him and Rose apart, and she confirms that before asking if he thinks Rose loves Ross. He inquires as to whether Mary believes in them, but Mary -- not surprisingly, to be honest -- says she believes in him, but she's not sure about Rose. "She may love you a bit, but mostly I'd say she wants to shock her mother, whom incidentally, she hates." Ross admits that his own mother speculated that Rose is trying to prove a point. Mary asks if he's sure he can survive what "they" will do to them, "because I don't believe Rose could." Ross surprises her, though, by admitting he's not going to marry Rose. He's enjoyed her, and he thinks "she's more than you allow," but he doesn't want to be responsible for spoiling her life. "I love her. I want her to be happy." Mary -- with perhaps a tiny bit of wistfulness creeping into her voice -- asks if he'll end it then, and he says he'll write. With her mission accomplished, Mary rises to go, but Ross tells her that he still doesn't think it's right. "I wouldn't give in if we lived in even a slightly better world." Mary: "It may surprise you, Mr. Ross, but if we lived in a better world, I wouldn't want you to." With as much trouble as the show went to introducing this storyline, I kind of wish they'd seen it through. If nothing else it would have taken some social pressure off poor Edith.
Back at Rosamund's, Mary's reading by the fire when Anna comes in and tells her dinner's being prepared. After asking how she is, Mary tentatively tells Anna she's decided to see Lord Gillingham and ask him to dismiss his valet so Anna won't have to see him again, although she won't give the reason why. Anna's terrified of the potential ramifications, but Mary takes her hand and says that as long as Bates won't challenge Lord Gillingham directly about his replacement of Green, they have nothing to fear. A servant then knocks and enters to inform Mary that her dinner is on the table, and she takes a bit of his head off thanks to the unwelcome interruption, but heads out and leaves Anna to well up again. Well, I guess the good news is that all this is going to be irrelevant, but I doubt Anna's fears would be at all assuaged if she could see her husband resolutely marching away from Downton at this very moment.
Carson gives the troops some marching orders about the bazaar setup, after which Molesley encourages Baxter to check it out, as "the whole area gets behind the church bazaar!" He starts to head out, but she tells him she's very lucky. He tries to laugh that off, but she goes on that he's grown up in a village where people know and like him. "There's plenty who'd give an eye for that." Molesley admits he's not used to thinking of himself as lucky, but Baxter smiles with some real warmth that he should be. My word, can Baxter actually make me care about Molesley? Baxter for queen of downstairs!
Rosamund comes down to find everyone already working away. When she sees Edith helping with some reasonably heavy lifting, she pulls her aside and asks if she should really be doing that. So Edith asks what she's afraid of -- that she'll lose the baby? I get your point, Edith, but still, yes?
Outside, Ms. Sarah Bunting is setting up a stall, and when she sees Branson carrying some chairs, she thinks he's been made a "beast of burden" and wonders if he is in fact being taken advantage of. However, Cora is nearby carrying a floral arrangement, and seeing an opportunity, Branson introduces her to Ms. Bunting. After Cora says she's very interested in the school, she moves on to attend to her work as Branson wryly notes that Cora's just "another beast of burden." Got you there, Ms. Bunting!
In a posh restaurant with a high domed ceiling made mostly of glass, Lord Gillingham tells Mary he'll sack Green if she insists but he could really use a reason. Mary will only tell him that Green has done something Lord Gillingham would find "abhorrent," so he sighs that he'll do it. After all, he loves her. Not wanting to address that head-on, she asks if he spoke to Mabel, and he tells her he did. In fact, he wasn't going to bring it up so as not to put undue pressure on her, but she took the news "with real style." Mary seems pleased even though she won't give him any further indication, and she asks if he'll get the bill, since she needs to make the last train with the church bazaar the day. After signaling for the check, he tells her he won't give up until she's walked down the aisle with another man, and perhaps not even then. Mary finds that "irritating and beguiling in equal measure." Given that that pretty much describes her relationship with Matthew at the best of times I'd say Lord Gillingham is doing rather well. Mary rises to go but reminds him to let her know when Green's been canned before walking out.
Isobel comes once again to see the Dowager Countess, who displays a large bouquet of flowers Lord Merton sent -- for Isobel. Unlike earlier, the Dowager Countess seems delighted about the whole thing now, although that's probably partially because she already read the card, which begs Isobel's forgiveness for his faux pas. Isobel seems genuinely moved, and oh, there's the jealousy again as the Dowager Countess, looking at the much smaller bouquet Lord Merton sent her, and says the gesture to Isobel was, "Quite surprising, but very nice." Don't worry, m'lady, even if Isobel gets remarried I'm pretty sure she'll drop everything to run over and play cards with you.
In the boot room, Carson notes that Bates took his time in York (because when you go by way of London it tends to make the trip a bit longer) and when Anna hears about it, she asks her husband what he was up to. He gives a non-answer in reply, and regardless of what fate you may think Green deserved, for someone everyone holds up as this model of righteousness he certainly doesn't show much remorse, does he?
The bazaar is on, and we see sack races and other games and Jimmy James surreptitiously but liberally helping himself to some likely alcoholic punch. After a bit more montage, Mary sits with Rose and sees from her countenance that she got his letter. Rose complains that Mary is "so disappointing" and just like Lady Flintshire, but Mary denies that before advising Rose thusly: "If you're going to complicate your life, do it for the right reasons." I guess a good thing about Rose being such a bubblehead is that she'll get over this disappointment quickly enough. After Carson scolds Jimmy James for whatever, he sees a couple cars pulling up and has a startling realization -- Lord Grantham has returned! Carson calls to everyone relevant, and as Thomas opens the car door for Lord Grantham, Edith delightedly greets him, followed by Mary and Branson, to whom he gives the news that Harold got off with a reprimand, although he doesn't think his own presence had anything to do with it. For their part, Molesley and Jimmy James ask how America was, and Thomas replies that it was very modern and very interesting. Lord Grantham gives his coat to Bates and asks if he missed him, dropping his voice as he adds "because I've certainly missed you," and the camera cut to Thomas makes me wonder what they even talked about and how unbearable their conversations got. Lord Grantham and Cora then have a typically loving reunion, and I don't actually hear anyone say "Awwww" on the soundtrack but surely a bunch of people are thinking it.
Oh, Daisy and Mr. Mason are sitting down to a picnic lunch as she apologizes for having been scarce, but he holds no ill will. I'm not sure he even understands the concept, which certainly explains his son.
Alfred turns up and greets Mrs. Patmore and Hughes. He immediately asks after Ivy, who doesn't resort to hiding as she appears and greets him with a wave. After they've taken a few steps away and exchanged a couple words about the funeral, he brings up her letter and apologizes for misinterpreting her attempt to give him a nice welcome last time before asking if they can part as friends. I don't know, CAN YOU? Ivy tells him it's fine by her, so Alfred asks if Daisy is around but gets the news about where she is and that she won't be back until late. OR WILL SHE? (I mean, no one cares, but I'm trying to stay awake here.) Back at the picnic, Mr. Mason asks if she's there to avoid seeing Alfred, and has she really kept him fully apprised of the details of the love square? Seems like a cruel thing to do to a man of his age. When she confirms that, adding that Mrs. Patmore sanctioned the whole thing, Mason expresses the opinion that Mrs. Patmore is wrong. There won't be many people in this life she loves, and as such she needs to say goodbye to him with no bad feelings. He pours her a drink and tells her they'll get her back to Downton in time, and this scene is at least a pleasant nap.
Under a tent, Edith speculates to the Dowager Countess that she's never going to see Gregson again, but the Dowager Countess counsels her to be patient. Edith wonders if God doesn't want her to be happy. The Dowager Countess assures her that life is a series of problems to be solved, one after the other, "until at last we die." Realizing that that motivational speech needs a few revisions, she suggests Edith get them some ice cream, which is certainly a step up. Cut to Edith pointing out that Lord Gillingham is there to Mary, Rosamund, and the Dowager Countess, and when Mary goes to talk to him, Edith wonders what Miss Lane Fox thinks about all this and the Dowager Countess agrees that Lord Gillingham is "the most unconvincing fiancé" she's ever had occasion to meet. Just as well that description no longer applies, then. Though, Lord Gillingham is on business more urgent than courtship, as Green has met his end thanks to a motorist in Piccadilly, and although the police reported that it was an accident (apparently he slipped and fell into the road) it's such odd timing given Mary's request that he thought he'd better bring the news to her. Mary doesn't know what to say, but she does tell Lord Gillingham she still can't reveal why she wanted him sacked, and then Lord Grantham greets Lord Gillingham, giving Mary a chance to excuse herself to talk to Anna. When Anna ascertains that there were plenty of witnesses who attested to it being an accident, she realizes that Bates is probably in the clear, although he obviously had to have been involved. It's too monstrous a coincidence for him to have gone off on some unusual day off otherwise. She even says it's a relief, but when Mary asks what she means she declines to elaborate, and then Blake appears, although he at least told Cora ahead of time that he'd be coming, as apparently he had a work thing nearby. Unable to shake what she just heard, Mary asks Blake if, hypothetically speaking, he suspected someone of a crime but also felt it was morally justified, what would he do? With all appropriate disclaimers, he supposes he'd say nothing, and Mary nods like that's final, but Mary, while I'm not saying you should or shouldn't do anything, Blake might react differently if you allowed the word "murder" to enter the conversation.
Oh, here's Jimmy James, trying and failing to ring the bell and complaining about it as the operator looks hilariously bored. Baxter then gets Molesley to give it a try despite his protest that if Jimmy James couldn't do it he doesn't have a chance, and he practically cracks the bell, to Jimmy James's impotent chagrin and Baxter's delight. Thomas then slithers up and asks Baxter if she has anything to tell him, but she says no. When he whispers that he'll find out if she's keeping anything from him, Molesley cuts in and tells him to leave her alone, as they don't need any bullying brought over from America. Don't blame us for Thomas, Molesley! He then offers Baxter his arm and asks if there are any remaining stalls she'd still like to see, and she's only too happy to take his arm and leave Thomas there. Well, at least he knows one thing that's happened now.
Lord Grantham sits with his mother and proclaims it a relief to be in a non-Prohibition land where he's able to drink in public, and the Dowager Countess is horrified to hear that he might not have had a drink the entire time he was away. Lord Grantham: "Harold has his uses." Hee. In less inviting news for the Dowager Countess, though, Lord Grantham warns her that both he and his mother will be coming over for Rose's coming-out celebration summer, as Martha wants to see another London season before she dies. The Dowager Countess looks like she seriously might get her affairs in order before then so she can beat Martha to it.
Daisy returns to the Abbey and finds Alfred in the servants' dining area with Carson, Ivy, and Mrs. Hughes. She expresses happiness that she didn't miss him. He's glad to be able to say goodbye, especially since his mother is moving away so he won't have occasion to be back in the area at all. She brightly tells him that Mason prepared him a basket of food to take on the train, and everyone is impressed with the gesture. The two of them then step out of the room, and Alfred starts to wonder whether he was blind not to be interested in her. But Daisy tells him that while it's good to hear, her love for him has passed, and they need to go their separate ways. Alfred looks a bit wounded but agrees to part as friends, and when he's gone, Mrs. Hughes asks Daisy if she's all right, to which Daisy non-answers that she'll get on her apron. In fact, she goes outside to sit and take it all in for a moment, but Mrs. Patmore follows her and emotionally tells her that when Daisy presented the basket to Alfred, she was so proud of Daisy: "If you were my own daughter, I couldn't be prouder than I am now." Aww! I mean, I don't think the moment is entirely earned, but I do like what this relationship has turned into.
Outside, Blake confesses to Mary that she's been on his mind constantly ever since he left, and when he goes on that he's only asking for a chance, she asks if there was really a conference he needed to attend. He's like, "Okay, busted," and she essentially thinks that while he's pretty great, it might be better not to string him along and end up adding him "to the list of men I've disappointed." Blake, however, wants his hat in the ring regardless, and Mary smiles, because he's been warned.
Downstairs, Anna finds her husband and asks him to tell her he wouldn't do anything foolish that would risk their life together. He says he wouldn't, but she's obviously not convinced, and I hope whatever happens with these two the show doesn't drag it out for a change.
Outside, Lord Grantham gets hold of some champagne and publicly toasts Cora's accomplishment with the bazaar. After everyone joins in, Blake tells Cora he's got to go, and Lord Gillingham asks if he can hop in with Blake this time. Mary goes to see her men off, prompting Lord Grantham to ask, "What kind of ménage has that turned into while I've been away?" He hasn't even heard the pig story yet, has he? As said ménage walks off, Rose, Isobel, and Edith all crane their necks in hilarious unison to get a better look, and we're out. Join me week for the Christmas special, with, as mentioned, Martha and Harold and probably everyone else in the Western world.
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.