Breakfast involves talk of the Dowager (Maggie Smith) inviting the Minister for Health to Downton, Neville Chamberlain, so he can take her side and ensure the scheme to merge the hospitals doesn't go ahead. The Dowager expects him for dinner on Friday as she's his wife, Anne's, godmother and so he will have to come. Neglecting to mention that she will use some blackmailing tactics on him, which Branson (Allen Leech) manages to fidn out at the end. How his wife's brother, de Vere Cole is a prankster and he and some others dug up a road in London and caused chaos with the traffic, dressed as workmen. Chamberlain was relieved he didn't have to go through with the dinner since he isn't one for fights or arguments. Which shows in his dealings with the Nazis and Hitler back in the late '30's, wanting to appease him. However that is another matter cos he's not even PM yet and if word got out of his antics, the press would put a spanner in the works as far as his career progression goes.
Robert (Hugh Bonneville) thinks the Dowager hasn't got a chance to convince him, let alone getting him here and says it's like a cat in hell without claws. She doesn't want Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) to know about it. But it's not like Robert will keep it a secret and he tells Cora, whilst he's still in pain. Edith (Laura Carmichael) is going to interview to find an editor for the magazine and Mary (Michelle Dockery) asks if they're women. Of course, she said as much last week. She and Branson will attend the racing circuit, as Henry (Matthew Goode) is trying out his car there and she's been invited. Mary never one for racing of course. Before that though, they must deal with the little matter of the pigs and Mason (Paul Copley) moving into the farm. Mary worries he won't be able to handle it physically. Edith has had a note from Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) and she tells Robert about meeting him. Robert calls it a date and says as much, which makes Mary shocked more than anything. Edith denying it's a date.
Denker (Sue Johnston) isn't happy that Dr Clarkson (David Robb) is changing his mind and is siding against the Dowager and tells him as much, including saying he's a traitor and how the Dowager was in running things in the village a hundred years ago when he was just having his porridge as a little boy. He takes offence to that and he sends a note to the Dowager telling her of this outrageous behaviour. This leaves her no choice but to fire Denker. Which Isobel (Penelope Wilton) thinks is a little drastic too. She says if he didn't intend for Clarkson to have her fired, he wouldn't have mentioned it. The Dowager making a reference to unleashing the dogs of war. She takes no prisoners. Cora is happy Clarkson has changed his mind and hoping they will get things their own way.
Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) will be testifying and Sgt Willis (Howard Ward) arrives to take her to court, with Molesley (Kevin Doyle) accompanying her. Anna tries to be supportive and Bates (Brendan Coyle) even sounds like he's going to talk her out of going before Molesley tells him Baxter's considered it very carefully. However when it comes down to the moment, she hears he's changed his plea to one of guilty. She's a bit disappointed after resigning herself to the fact she was going to testify. Molesley asks if he should go back and make him change his plea to not guilty. She later says she doesn't think she can put this behind her.
Mrs Hughes (Phyliss Logan) asks Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) for dinner tips and she says she'll pack a basket for her and Carson (Jim Carter). Mrs Hughes hasn't cooked in a number of years. Daisy (Sophie McShera) adding that Mrs Patmore's just jealous. In the basket she's packed lamb chops and bubble and squeak, which Mrs Hughes likes, but he doesn't think it's a good accompaniment to lamb. As well as complaining the plates are cold. Makes you wonder why he doesn't just eat at the house, instead of finding fault with everything she does. As men do. Mrs Hughes mentions it the next day and Carson also thanks Mrs Patmore for the food. However it does seem Mrs Patmore was jealous and the food that she gave them was probably to cause a bit of friction between the married couple. She also prepares a basket for Mason and she and Daisy will take it over to welcome him, and Andy (Michael Fox) offers to help.
Mary and Bramson drop in on him, after discussing the perks of marriage, or rather Mary saying she won't marry beneath her and have more money and title than her husband. Matthew was to inherit the estate. Branson tells her it doesn't really matter, it's not about money. He and Sybil were equal in their marriage, had strong opinions and it wasn't about money or his position when he married her. She understands that now, as does the family. Mary asks if Mason will be able to handle the physical side of handling the pigs and Andy says he can help out. He wants to learn farming. So Mason gives him some books on pig farming which will allow him to handle the theoretical side of it. Of course Mason would like Daisy to move in with him. She won't do that, as she later says he likes being alone and was just being kind. Maybe they should get Mason and Mrs Patmore together!
Andy looks at the books but he doesn't really know what they're about. Thomas (Rob James-Collier) asks him about the books and he just mentions the red one. Later he hears Andy shouting as he's just thrown a book and it hit the lamp in frustration. He's realized Andy can't read and is willing to teach him. He just messed around in school and it was too late to learn. He also apologizes to Thomas for treating him the way he has. After only telling Bates and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) that he's got nothing against Thomas and they were friendly when he first got here. Thank goodness there was no talk of Thomas having to leave and finding a new job this ep.
Branson and Mary see Henry racing and she's so bored she has to take out the lipstick even when she's got more than enough on. Branson invites him for a drink and says that they should just say he and Mary are interested in seeing each other. Mary remarking on how he's assimilated but knows nothing about rules. Henry telling her that Evelyn asked about her and is still madly in love with her. Not that Mary's interested. Oh just get her and Branson together already! You know keep him in the family!! ha. Edith interviews and finds there's one woman she likes, who was born in 1892 like her. She shows Laura Edmunds (Antonia Bernath) the magazine she brought out and says she'd be good as an editor Edith proving if she can do it at her age, then so can she. She later meets Bertie at her flat for drinks and they kiss. She thought it'd never happen, don't let Mary find out.
Denker blackmails Spratt (Jeremy Swift) into getting her job back by threatening to tell the police and the Dowager, no doubt, about keeping his criminal nephew on the land. He manages to do so by saying she was being loyal to the Dowager and looking out for her, as well as lady's maid being hard to find and then having to train them and she's not very grateful at him talking the Dowager round, insisting she will use that about his nephew again if she has to. So how are the Dowager and Denker different in their modus opernadi? They deserve each other.
Chamberlain arrives for dinner and already is pounced upon by the Dowager and Cora, with Branson rescuing him with a drink. There's heated debate and Robert is clearly in distress as he finally gives way and has some spasms , throwing up blood via projectile vomiting all over the dinner table and Cora too. Not a scene for the fainthearted, be warned! Well that was one way to settle the debate and end the dinner! Clarkson says his ulcer has burst and Robert manages to say if this is the end, then he has loved Cora (for an eternity.) The servants are worried and there's nothing they can do. With comments that Carson's met his mortality and is visibly worried and disturbed by it all. Cora, Edith and Mary all head to the hospital and Mary overhears the Dowager saying she accepted Marigold and she's got other things on her mind to worry about. Cora being adament the new hospital is finally the right thing to do.
Mary telephones and tells them he's had his operation and is stable. Thomas was worried and is shocked that he would be, thinking he wouldn't care either way, calling it getting soft in his old age. Molesley joking he'd better not let the other animals hear him say that. Edith thinks they should take turns being with Robert and give Cora a break. With Mary itching to find out about Marigold, she later asks Anna what the servants are saying about her. Anna just says they think she's lucky, what else was she meant to say. Of course with Mary prying, you know the secret will be out with Mary being the last to know, which will make her even more angry and insufferable.
Let's hope this wretched hospital business is behind us now, that dragged on far too long. But we've still got the dealings with Mary and her not finding the man for herself, with Downton still looking like it's heading for more of a whimper in the closing hurdles!
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