As Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Tom Gillingham (Tom Cullen) wake up to breakfast together, she seems very keen on him and having spent the night, well the entire week with him in Liverpool. Later as she leaves for home, they're spied by Sprat of all people! So it's not long before he breaks the news of seeing her to the Dowager (Maggie Smith) since he was attending his niece's wedding in Liverpool of all places. Small world. He inquires as to what Mary was doing there and the Dowager has to make an excuse that she was at a Northern property conference, realizing that wasn't it at all.
She telephones to see Mary the next day, as Rose (Lily James) discusses inviting the Russians over to Downton. Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) has planned a trip to London to stay with Rosamund and Bricker (Richard E Grant) has invited her to see paintings at the gallery. The sergeant is still making enquiries and apparently the witness, a young woman has come forward claiming she heard Green talking and asking, "what are you doing here?" to someone. Green told the staff at Gillingham's house that he wasn't treated badly at Downton and Carson (Jim Carr) says if anyone had anything against him, it would be him since he was rambunctious and in very high spirits which he didn't approve of, Also that Green told the staff he and Bates (Brendan Coyle) didn't get on. This worries Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) as she tells Anna (Joanne Froggatt).
Anna wonders if Bates will be implicated and how he would have found out that it was Green. She seems to be looking to Mrs Hughes for reassurances but she can't help her as she doesn't know where Bates was. Bates having told the sergeant that he had tea at a hotel and visited a shoe shop when it opened in York. Also that he had a drink and walked around, having lunch at some pub. Mrs Hughes worries that someone higher than the sergeant may work out the shop and the hotel were near the station, so he'd still have time to get to London. Which is what she also discusses with Mary. But only the three of them know it was Green who attacked Anna (aside from Gillingham too.)
Well it's obvious this was leading to Bates being discovered and it's still surprising that Anna doesn't know Bates is aware it was Green. Thomas (Rob James-Collier) also makes a phonecall which we don't really know who it was to, as at dinner he only says his father is unwell and he needs some time off work. Baxter saying she's sorry to hear it since he was good to her, But Thomas doesn't share the same feelings towards him.
Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) is saddened since her sister's son has not been placed on their town memorial and she thinks they night be able to get his name onto the Downtown memorial as a friend of a family member or some such connection. She'd like her to talk with Carson but he doesn't think it right since he didn't fight with the rest of the men who were willing to give up everything for King and country. He's deemed unworthy even though he was found to be suffering from shellshock. This still doesn't move Carson (well nothing does!) Mrs Patmore isn't happy with his decision, he can sympathize all he likes. He doesn't even want Robert (Hugh Bonneville) getting involved since, "it's beneath him."
Cora has a memorable time with Bricker at the gallery and even gives her opinions on the paintings which he finds very enlightening. This is music to Cora's ears cos Robert really just treats her like a chattel, well he does, it's like she's not allowed to have an opinion just cos she's a woman and she's finally waking up to that. Bricker invites her to dinner with him and she accepts, little knowing that Robert is on his way to surprise her in London. So when she arrives home after practically being propositioned by Bricker, she finds Robert waiting and angry. He arranged dinner at Claridge's but cancelled and takes that out on her too as if she knew he was coming down. Once again putting her down by wondering what possible insight she could have given an artist on art and paintings.
Mrs Drew gives Edith (Laura Carmichael) more grief over Marigold and she refuses to part with her and takes her back from Edith after she's been looking after her for the day. Drew tells Edith she can't come round anymore for a while, at which she's disheartened and is seen in tears by Anna and Mrs Hughes. Mary meanwhile gives Anna the book and paper bag for her to keep at her house and Anna thinks it's some sin that she's committing which will come back on her, well probably it will as far as Bates is concerned and he'll get the wrong idea if ever he found that at their house. He does notices the package and thinks it's a present for him, but she replies it belongs to Mary.
The Dowager works out what Mary has been up to and Spratt asks her if she found Liverpool interesting. She lectures Mary on how thins were in her day and how woman had to be told what to do when in the bedroom and didn't act upon their physical attractions at all, their mothers told them when to do so. Which is all so old fashioned to Mary. But she also displays her doubts to Branson (Allen Leech) about her feelings for Gillingham, which have changed overnight. Which is what I said in most of the eps I've reviewed. He's not really what she wants and seems too stuffy even for Mary! Ha. Branson of course knew she didn't go away to sketch. He wants her support cos he's thinking of moving to America and also with Bunting (Daisy Lewis) but she doesn't like her either. Branson believes Edith has something else on her mind but Mary hasn't noticed. She never does as far as her sister goes.
Speaking of Bunting (let's not) she's there to give Daisy (Sophie McShera) a lesson, but she's too busy preparing for the Russian tea. Rose inviting her to join them. Rose needs to stop being so blinkered and doing the wrong thing. Robert once again is not amused at her being there, especially as she makes a remarks about the Russian aristocracy, which the guest takes offence to. He wants to leave but Cora saves the day by telling them to look at the Russian memorabilia they have which the Dowager and her husband brought back from St Petersburg and the wedding of Queen Victoria's son. Robert wants Branson to keep Bunting under control.
The Dowager finds a fan that she was given by a Prince and she says that belongs to her, not to Robert's father. The Prince is actually there and she tells how hot it was in the Palace and he gave it to her. Obviously he was much enamoured with her and the same it seems for the Dowager, even though she tells Mary she was married and she didn't feel the same way about him, Mary thinks she does understand her "predicament." Isabel (Penelope Wilton) also remarking on her "secret admirer" and whether she'll be seeing him again. It seems the Dowager may have a secret after all and may have been too eager to judge Mary, which is what Mary thinks.
Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) is worried about Cora dismissing her and Molesley (Kevin Doyle) tells her to give her a condition too, tell the story but add she also wants it forgotten afterwards. It seems she was smitten by some handsome footman who was a horrible man after all, called Coyle and he made her steal the jewels. He was to meet her but didn't show up and she took the blame for him cos she hated who she'd become and how he had changed her, causing Cora to let her stay. Cora understanding the effect a man can have on a woman and how she couldn't be in control anymore. Especially considering Robert's treatment of her in comparison to Bricker. As well as Cora telling him about her past and how she had a full dance card. But she doesn't like to talk about herself.
It appears this entire episode revolved around men, what women have done for them, how they're treated by them and how they don't really have much say in their lives for fear of public scrutiny still at that time. Having very little or no free will, unless you exercise it and then are condemned for it, explaining why it must be kept secret if they do.
That Bates story should reach ahead soon since it has been going on since the last series. Guess people thought Bates might go to London with Robert and be seen or something. Think it would have been dangerous for him to volunteer to accompany Robert now.
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