Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) new maid Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) makes an impression on everyone as she worms her way into everyone's good graces both upstairs and below. Impressing Cora with a glass of orange juice for breakfast as that's what Americans like, so she's taken with her. Thomas (Rob James-Collier) is pleased as we find the real reason for him bringing her here is to spy and then report back to him, seeing as there's big changes afoot at Downton he wants to be in on them. Telling her he and O'Brien were pally until they had a falling out. Baxter asks if Anna (Joanne Froggatt) can't help him as she seems to be quiet. But he describes her as "incorruptible" which is what makes them so different.
Baxter needs to use her sewing machine which she places in the servant's dining hall since the socket's too far in the laundry. Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) is once again loathed to accept new inventions and doesn't like the machine, though it impresses Daisy (Sophie McShera) who later has a go on it. Mrs Patmore even going so far as trying to talk Cora out of getting a refrigerator for the kitchen. Alfred (Matt Milne) gets a letter from the Ritz inviting him for a test which is in two days, apparently the letter was lost. Daisy helps him prepare the savouries which are served to the upstairs who are impressed by his fete accomplie. Oh okay I went all french for cooking! ha. However they don't realize he will need more than just cooking skills, that should read culinary to impress them. So his big day arrives and the sous chef asks questions which Alfred isn't about to answer, like the name of potato and leek soup being vichyssoise. He's clearly out of his depth.
Anna is still avoiding Bates (Brendan Coyle) for fear of his losing his head and getting Green back and he's fed up of it. He overhears Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) talking to Anna about how she should tell him but she still refuses. Thus when she's off in Rippon on an errand he persuades Mrs Hughes to tell him what really happened or he'll walk out and hand in his resignation. She stops him cos he's left her with no choice cos it'll kill Anna to find him gone. But when he knows it's Green who was the assailant she lies and tells him it was an intruder who was waiting downstairs. Which sounds pretty far fetched, like he knew Anna would come down there and be waiting for her. When Anna returns Bates tells her Mrs Hughes told him everything and at least we didn't get one of those scenes where Anna blabs about it being Green, which was kind of expected. Instead she asks him what she said and he mentions the outsider.
Later Mrs Hughes tells Anna how he forced her to tell and made her swear on her mother's grave for which she believes she's going to burn. Anna's moving back to the cottage and Mrs Hughes is glad that it's all over but Bates tells her it's far from over. "Nothing's over," he just didn't want Anna to be concerned even more and be in distress that's why he wanted to make her think it's over. As we know, Bates will pursue this matter relentlessly since it's in his nature. I wasn't really convinced that he's convinced it wasn't Green. Being Downton expect him to get to the bottom of it though.
The doctor (David Robb) wants Isobel (Penelope Wilton) to find a job for Pegg who is a reliable young boy and is good at gardening. She convinces the Dowager (Maggie Smith) yes I still call her that! to take him on and they have a conversation about Isobel always wanting to do the right thing helping everyone. Isobel also has a moment with the doctor when she tells him she's not part of the family even if the village sees her as such, as do Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and Cora, but she's not a part of it. Appears she's having a crisis of identity and belonging too just like Branson (Allen Leech) since the first ep of this series 4. As he tells the others since the houseparty he feels like he doesn't belong here. He thinks he should take Sibby to America and make a fresh start for them all, which Mary (Michelle Dockery) doesn't want.
Robert attend Drew's father's funeral and he wants the debt to be repaid and wants a chance to do this. He'll have to discuss it with Mary and Branson but he feels he should carry on farming the land as his ancestors have done in partnership with Downton for centuries. Robert wants him to do the same and offers to pay his debt, the last £50. Drew tells Mary about this cos he thought she knew and she pretends she does. This shows her father in a new light and she's glad he did that cos it shows he cares. Robert later coming up with the line, about 'the past being an investment in their future'. Which I paraphrased. The Dowager hopes there isn't going to be a poet int he family cos the only Lord who was a poet was Byron "and we all know what happened to him." Branson still thinks of himself as a socialist as far as the farmers are concerned but he's been changed too much by the family to go back to Ireland. We actually get to see Mary with baby George this week.
Carson (Jim Carter) thinks they can solve two problems in one go by helping out Molesley (Kevin Doyle) with getting a job and fill the position vacated by Alfred, everyone jumping the gun there. Molesley has to think about it since it's beneath him and Alfred gets news of being rejected but he was amongst the top four. Not surprised with that sous chef he seemed quite snobbish! Especially when he asks why he's not happy working for the Granthams. Jimmy (Ed Speleers) can't see what the big fuss is about but Ivy (Cora Theobold) admires his ambition. Carson encourages Alfred not to give up cos he's a hardworker and he'll do better next time, but he's despondent. Daisy's happy though cos he won't be leaving. Molesley accepts the position after "mature deliberation" as he tells Carson who asks him what position since Alfred won't be leaving.
The Dowager has her expensive letter opener stolen or rather she's misplaced it, it seems and thinks Pegg has stolen it. It was special she explains to Isobel since her late husband was given it by the King of Sweden. Which Isobel adds is why it's important. Isobel and the Dowager could get a comedy double act going here! As she asks Isobel if she ever doubts anyone and she didn't mean if she doubts Pegg's innocence either.
Napier (Brendan Patricks) pays them a visit and Mary is happy to see him, he's here assessing troubled farms and estates but reassures them Downton is fine. Mary asks him to stay with them and he tells him he couldn't since his boss, Charles Blake will be accompanying him too. Someone who will also vie for Mary's affections. Seems like everyone's after her now Matthew is gone and hey no one mentioned his name today! Napier just describes it as a "ghastly business," charming!
Edith (Laura Carmichael) pays a visit to the doctor cos she thinks she's pregnant now that Anna is out of the woods as far as that's concerned for her. Mary still being horrible to Edith, calling her a stick now. Robert shows Mary the news of Anthony's engagement to the Lane Fox woman which brings Mary to tears. Cora plans a party for Robert but doesn't know what to do with Mary suggesting they should throw a party to cheer themselves up. What say you Rose (Lily James) will invite the singer, Jack Ross and get into strife.
Evelyn Napier was first seen in series 1 and he was engaged to someone else but ended this engagement, seems like everyone is engaged until they meet Mary. Napier was the one who warned her about the rumours of her and Pamuk in London and felt responsible since he had brought him to their home. In series 2 he was injured during WWI and Mary insisted he be brought to Downton to recover. Think Charles had better watch out seeing as Napier brought Pamuk there and look how he ended up! Ha.
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