This was an episode of setting up the love stories to come, and ending some of the romantic trysts of the season.
Take Care of Our Pigs…and Maybe an Illegitimate Child, Too?
Mr. Drew from YewTree Farm is helping the Crawleys with their pigs, which seem to be recovered from their rough start. Branson offers Mr. Drew a permanent place as their pig man before they hire someone else. Drew says he wants to pay back all the favors the family has given him–and Edith might take him up on it.
Later on in the episode, Edith tells her plans to Rosamund for keeping her baby. She wants to give it to the Drews. That way, she would be able to see her child, but they would raise it, claiming that it’s parents died and that they are taking in the orphaned child. Rosmaund thinks this is a reckless plan, as people might see Edith visiting the farm and put the pieces together–especially if the child happens to look like her.
Rosamund wants to take Edith abroad, have her give the baby up for adoption to a childless couple in that country (this was done all the time back then, by the way), and remain free, if not perfectly happy. Edith is pressured into agreeing when Rosamund announces their travel plans, but seems to commit to the plan more because she won’t have to tell her mother anything about it than because it’s what she wants to do.
Lady Violet invites Rosamund and Edith for tea, then ambushes them and demands to know what’s going on. She isn’t buying the travel story. Edith doesn’t think Violet will ever speak to her again if she confesses, which is all the confirmation she needs. Violet also encourages Edith to give her child up–even if Michael turns up–and start again.
Which leaves us to wonder–will season 5 finally be the time that something good happens for poor Edith?
Miss Baxter Might Hook Up with Whom?!?!?
Moseley admires Miss Baxter’s skill with the sewing machine, and talks her into a cup of coffee later that evening. He promises her that just because she was suggested for her job by Thomas, who the other servants don’t care for, doesn’t mean that they’ve already made up their minds about her. Miss Baxter encourages him to believe in himself, that he can climb back up to his former position.
The next day, Miss Baxter tells him that he should feel lucky–he lives in a village where everyone knows and likes him and respects his family–some people *cough, cough* her *cough, cough* would give an eye for that. (And, OMW, is Moseley going to get a love interest?! I never thought I’d see the day. But these two could be cute together!)
Toward the end of the episode, Moseley beats Jimmy at a baazar game, and Miss Baxter cheers him on. Thomas walks up, interrupting them, and Moseley tells Thomas to stop bullying Miss Baxter, then walks off with her on his arm. And for the first time in the entire four seasons of this show I thought GO MOSELEY!
James-and-Ivy/Alfred-and-Ivy/Alfred-and-Daisy is Finally Over
Ivy gets a letter from Alfred proposing marriage. She and Mrs. Patmore discuss it several times over the next few days, stopping their conversations whenever Daisy enters the room. When Daisy finally demands to know what is going on–and Ivy confesses–she accuses Ivy of breaking his heart properly this time. Mrs. Patmore encourages her to leave the subject there as they don’t want a falling out.
“We can’t fall out, we’ve never fallen in!” Daisy retorts.
When Alfred decides to come to Downton to try to persuade Ivy anyway, Mrs. Patmore decides to give Daisy the day off. She visits her FIL for the day, who encourages her to go back and see Alfred. He says that there won’t be too many people she’ll love in her life, and that they should say good-bye, so there won’t be anything harsh left between them.
Daisy takes his advice and brings Alfred a basket of things from Mr. Mason’s farm. Alfred tells her that he’s been a fool, blind where both Ivy and Daisy were concerned. She agrees, but says they both need to go their own way, friends forever.
After Alfred leaves, Mrs. Patmore finds Daisy, telling her that she’s so proud of her, and she couldn’t be prouder if Daisy were her own daughter.
Rose’s Love Story Implodes
Rose is on the phone, something is thrilling is happening, but she doesn’t want Cora to know about it, just asks that she be allowed to go to London. Cora refuses, and Mary decides to take Rose in hand.
Mary tells her that she doesn’t want Rose to lose control of her life. Mary doesn’t shriek objections about Jack, and stays calm throughout the conversation–up until Rose admits that she’s going to marry Jack–and can’t wait to watch her mother’s face crumble when she finds out about her daughter’s choice.
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Mary decides to go down to London to try the other half of the equation. Jack Ross doesn’t seem surprised to see Mary, and they sit down to tea together. Mary jokes with him that Lord Grantham would object to his occupation as a band singer over his color. Then, turning serious, she asks him if he’s sure about this marriage. Everyone will be trying to pull them apart, every hour of every day.
Mary wants to know if Jack believe that Rose loves him–and tells him that she believes in him, but she isn’t sure about Rose.She tells him that Rose wants to shock her mother, whom she hates, and she doesn’t think that Rose will be able to survive what society would do to an interracial couple, because she doesn’t believe that her primary motivation for marrying Jack is love.
Ross then confesses to Mary that he doesn’t intend to marry Rose. He thinks that she’s more than Mary gives her credit for, he has enjoyed her dreams, but he doesn’t want to ruin her life. He doesn’t want to watch the ridicule she’d face. Mary offers to tell Rose for him, but Ross tells her that he’ll write her tomorrow. As they part, Jack Ross tells Mary that if they lived in even a slightly better world, he wouldn’t give Rose up. And Mary counters that although it may surprise him, if they lived in a better world, she wouldn’t want him to.
(I don’t know what you think, but I agree with Mary’s assessment of the situation. Jack Ross was WAY too good for Rose.)
Branson and Miss Bunting Might Debate Their Way Into a Relationship
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Isobel wants Branson to run for office…or at least find some socialist books in Thursk when he drives her there. They run into Sarah Bunting, and although Branson doesn’t want to engage in political sparring, Isobel does it for him. Although Branson is a little hesitant, he lets her know he’s interested in seeing her again. Sarah is much more straightforward that she would like to.
Later, Branson finds Sarah broken down on the side of the road. After he fixes her car, the subject of Sybil comes up, and Branson talks to Sarah about her. I think this is the first time he’s willingly discussed her with someone who didn’t bear the Crawley name.
The conversation turns back to politics, and as they banter, Branson tells her he doesn’t believe in types, just in people. It’s clear that they may be debating their way into each other’s arm in a matter of time.
Yet Another Love Story?
Violet asks Isobel to have lunch with Mary’s godfather. And within moments, it’s obvious that Lord Merton is intrigued by Isobel. They discuss Matthew and Mary, and Isobel asks him about his marriage, which he admits wasn’t happy like hers. The next day, Violet summons Isobel to her house to present her with flowers from Lord Merton, and to prod as to what’s going on between them. Isobel isn’t giving away anything, but it might be because she doesn’t know yet herself.
Lady Mary, Her Desire of Suitors, and the Fate of Mr. Green
After bonding over the pig incident, Mary comes to Charles Blake’s defense when Violet attacks him. Charles immediately afterward takes baby George, realizing that one way to a woman’s heart is through her child?
They get news that Anthony Gillingham is coming to visit again, and Mary tells Anna, wanting to know Anna’s thoughts about whether she should put him off. Anna is so thrown, that Mary asks her to tell her what’s wrong. Anna confesses to Mary–finally–the Mr. Green was her rapist. Mary wants to tell the police, but Anna repeats her fears about what her husband would do if the truth were known. Mary agrees to keep the secret, planning to call Tony and ask him not to come, or at least not to bring his manservant if he does. Unfortunately, Mary can’t get a hold of Tony before he leaves.
At dinner upstairs, Anthony Gillingham announces that while in Scotland, he had time to think abotu his life. Violet warns that this is a dangerous occupation, as no life is rewarding if you think too much about it! Downstairs, at the servants’ dinner, Bates glares at Green for a while until he is able to get Green talking about where he lives in London. Did anyone else start to worry that his queries were pointed?
Back upstairs, Tony offers to drive Charles and Evelyn home. He admits to Mary the next morning that he’s doing it in pure self interest as he doesn’t want to leave Charles there alone with her. Tony asks her to see him when she’s next down south, and Mary tells him that there’s no point as she’s never going to be his mistress! That’s when he confesses the product of all his thinking in Scotland: he’s calling off his engagement. Mary tells him that she’s still not free, and that he should think seriously before he ends his engagement. She gives Charles a very warm good-bye, belying her former statement that she’s really not on the market. As the men drive off, Rose, Cora, Edith, and Rosamund try to come up with a group noun for suitors. They settle on a desire of suitor leaving Downton, and Mary accuses them of talking nonsense, although they aren’t. Rosmaund, Violet, and Edith think that all three of the men will propose to Mary before long.
When Mary rushes up to London to speak with Jack Ross, she decides to see Tony Gillingham to settle what’s to be done about Mr. Green. Unfortunately, as soon as Bates knows Anna is going to be gone, he asks Mr. Carson if he can go to York for the day–which begs the question, is he going to York? Or to London as well?
After settling the question of whether Rose is going to marry Jack Ross, Mary meets Tony for lunch and convinces him to sack his valet, telling him that Green has done something abhorrent. Tony tells her that he loves her and believes her, and will do what she wishes. Which leads Mary to ask if he’s spoken to Mabel. He has, but he wasn’t going to say anything, because he knows Mary won’t make up her mind until she’s good and ready. But he’s not giving up–not until she walks down the aisle with another man–and possibly not even then. Mary finds that both irritating and beguiling in equal measure–and please, fire Green and tell her once he has.
Mary returns to Downton in time for the church baazar the next day. Robert arrives home from his time in America to surprise everyone. His arrival is followed soon afterward by Tony Gillingham’s, who comes to the baazar to tell Mary that Green is dead. Green “fell” into the road in Piccadilly, and Tony feels he should tell Mary in person after their conversation the previous day. Mary runs off to tell Anna. She tells Anna that lots of people saw the “accident”, and Anna looks over at Bates, as unconvinced of the “accident” as I am.
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Mary asks Charles (who also arrived to the bazaar), in the vaguest terms possible, what he would do if he thought someone was involved in a crime, but right was on his side. Charles, telling her that he cannot give her full counsel when he doesn’t know the particulars, tells her that he would keep quiet. Their conversation turns to more personal subjects, and Charles tells Mary he wants a chance with her. She tells him that she should refuse him now, but he gives her the same answer Tony did–he won’t allow it. He’s going to put up a fight.
As Robert catches up on the news from his absence, he wants to know what sort of mess the Mary-Tony-Chalres triangle has become while he was away. The women just smile as the credits roll.
