She also tells him how if she had been stronger before maybe she'd be much happier right now, since Matthew changed her. "I loved him but he changed me." Later she's upset when Rose (Lily James) brings out Matthew's gramophone and is distraught when she sees it. Rose forgetting it was his and not asking permission like Anna (Joanne Froggatt) said she should. Seems everyone's forgotten about him, except for Mary and Isobel (Penelope Wilton). Isobel doesn't want to be happy cos then she feels she's forgotten him and ends up feeling guilty. The Dowager (Maggie Smith) tries to get her to come and see Dame Nellie Melba (Kiri Te Kanawa) who has been invited to the party. She reluctantly agrees and it seems Nellie is relegated to the confines of her quarters regardless of being honoured by the king. Carson (Jim Carter) even suggests she be served dinner in her room on a tray, cos she's just a singer, as Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) points out she's not happy with that and invites her to dinner. Seating her next to Robert, who is much more at ease after he finds Nellie is knowledgeable in wines.
The men decide on a poker game with the others and Michael (Charles Edwards) is also invited to join. He tells Edith (Laura Carmichael) at least Robert can't ignore him now. Below stairs, the staff are running around in a kerfuffle making ready the dinner and there's more than one crisis. Daisy (Sophie McShera) can't open a jar and neither can Ivy (Cara Theobold) or Alfred (Matt Milne). But Jimmy (Ed Speelers) has to show off and show how a real man can do it. Then he throws the jar in the air and misses the catch, falling flat on his back. Injuring his wrist and can no longer perform his footman duties at dinner, for which Thomas (Rob James-Collier) must take over under protest as he's the under butler and it's beneath him!
Carson comes up with a plan though after Molesley (Kevin Doyle) brings round the groceries as he's working for Bakewell now. Carson thinks he can do them a favour and take over, to which he is also disappointed. The Dowager is pleased to see him though. Robert loses at cards against Samson as do the others cos obviously he is a card sharp. Which Michael recognizes as the next night he wants to play cards again as the others are listening to Nellie. Carson asks if the kitchen staff should be able to attend the singing and Robert says they must as these are new times now. As Carson was just lamenting to Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) about how they haven't got much staff now after the War. Progression really isn't his strong suit.
Branson (Allen Leech) feels out of place when having to spend time with the Duchess of Yeovil (Joanna David). First the Dowager must put him right about not calling her 'your grace' unless they're in society and then the Duchess asks him where he's from and if he knows certain people. Branson may be dressed in white bow tie but he he feels a fraud and lets Edna (Myanna Buring) know this. Edna who is still after him and hopes he doesn't think of her as an a enemy, but a friend. Sneaking into his room later that night. More trouble abounds there. No wonder she gave him more whiskey, getting him drunk and taking advantage of him.
Anna gets friendly with Anthony's valet, Green (Nigel Harman) who Bates (Brendan Coyle) doesn't like cos he "gets my goat" and she would have been wise to heed his words. They all engage in a card game of their own, making lots of noise, whilst there's a tizzy in the kitchen and Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) takes a turn for the worse, thinking she's having a heart attack. So the doctor (David Robb) is called for and Anna invites him to stay for the singing, when it's found that Mrs Patmore suffered a panic attack. Can't think why, it's not the first time she's had to cook for so many, so why was she so out of sorts? Alfred has to take over and prepare the bechamel sauce, which he tells Mrs Patore went down a treat and that this is what he wants to do. Anna needs something for her headache and is attacked by Green who forces himself upon her when she turns down his advances. He doesn't think Bates, "a cripple, can satisfy you." She can't fight him off and cos of the music no one hears her screams for help. Surprised Thomas wanted to listen to an opera singer, ha.
Michael wins at cards cos he's a dab hand at the game from his "misspent youth" and takes back everyone's IOUs otherwise he'll let Robert know Samson's (Patrick Kennedy) a card sharp and then no club will have him in. Returning them back to everyone, he gets into Robert's good books and he surprises Cora by changing his mind about him and how he's quite the gentleman. Andrew is glad he came since he's developing feelings for Mary, eve asking her to dinner and Robert is happy he came too. Branson consoles Isobel at dinner when she sees Mary laughing and it's the first time he's heard her do that. She doesn't want her to stay unhappy but Isobel is sad cos everyone's here except Matthew.
Mrs Hughes finds Anna cowering in a corner in her room, hiding from the others and she asks for clothes and her help, swearing her to secrecy cos if Bates finds out he'll kill the man who did this and he'll be hanged this time round since he's a felon. She lies to Bates and tells him she fell and hit her head on the sink and her dress was ruined. She walks out alone and cries. Would have thought Mrs Hughes would have put two and two together and realize who did that to her since she saw Green come back and Anna wasn't back either. Oh let's hope Anna doesn't get pregnant now, though that would be another plot for the show.
Downton trying to spice proceedings this week as we get poker playing (Mr Selfridge territory) and Anna being attacked, though the actual violence wasn't shown. Seems everyone had their own dilemmas this episode, some more than others. It is understandable why Anna is afraid to tell Bates what happened as he will take it upon himself to get justice for his wife. We had all the court case business last series when he was accused of killing his first wife and how dark his character could go when he had to survive in prison. But this isn't something she should just sweep under the carpet since it's not going to go away and we haven't seen the last of Green. As once again it shows the inequality between the classes when it comes to getting justice. As was also demonstrated with Carson going on about not being able to find help anymore and whether the kitchen staff should be allowed to watch the entertainment. As they're the lowest of the low in this house. Clearly snobbery existed between even the downstairs staff as firstly Thomas objects to having to do Jimmy's job and then Molesley does the same when he's asked to do so, summing it up with "beggars can't be choosers.
Then Green had the audacity to say goodnight to them thinking he's gotten away with it. Which he believes he has but here's hoping he gets his comeuppance. Anna must realize he can't get away with what he's done and obviously it's probably not the first time. Perhaps he needs to be dealt with as in a game of Cluedo (though that that Rev Green, this one is far from reverend/honourable.)
Events should heat up next episode as there's a new jazz singer in town who catches Rose's eye, so expect plenty of problems there as he's black. As well as things hotting up between Edith and Michael, who is still in awe that he's even learning German just for her!
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