The third episode of Downton Abbey’s new season opens with Lord Gillingham scrambling to his room as the hotel maid delivers Lady Mary’s breakfast tray.
Have all their dreams come true? Alas, not so. He’s itching to trip down the aisle, but she’s not so enamored with a man that’s governed by routine and ritual. It seems nice guys finish last.
Her bad luck in keeping her indiscretions secret (remember that inconsiderate Turkish diplomat who died in her bed in Season 1?) continues and she is seen departing the hotel by her grannies’ hilariously shifty butler. Spratt tries to throw the Dowager Countess off her game by self-importantly hinting at the salacious news he’s uncovered. The Dowager is having none of his cat-and-mouse, stating, “You’re testing me, Spratt. And I warn you – being tested does not bring out the best in me.”
The Dowager Countess returns his serve by telling him that she knew Lady Mary was in Liverpool with Lord Gillingham—that they were attending a meeting of northern landowners. Game, set, match to the DC.
Lord Grantham once more dismisses an idea that Tom Branson suggests to generate revenue for Downton – this time, a small subdivision of homes on Pibs Corner. While discussing it later with Lady Mary, his possible move to America comes up. When Lady Mary is unenthusiastic, Tom says “Well, if you love me you’ll support me.” And, with words that we’ve all been longing to hear, she replies, “Then I suppose I’ll have to.” Tom + Lady Mary? Yes, please.
Cora handles Miss Baxter’s dilemma with a firm-but-kind hand, and we see that she longs for something productive to do. She blossoms under Simon Bricker’s interest in her intelligence, giving her husband something to think about when he arrives in London, unannounced, to surprise her with an evening on the town.
She’s already enjoying an innocent evening out – with Mr. Bricker. Lord Grantham says things he later regrets, but Cora isn’t letting him off the hook easily, remarking that, “You’re allowed to be cross, but not unjust.”
The other shoe begins to drop for Anna and Mr. Bates. A rather hapless policeman stops at the Abbey to question Mr. Bates about his whereabouts on the fateful day Mr. Green stepped off the curb. Mr. Green suspected that Bates might come after him and spread rumors that he had been ill treated at Downton.
The policeman is satisfied with Mr. Bates’ answers, but Anna is petrified and convinced that the news will leak out that she was raped by Green – making Bates the prime suspect.
Mr. Barrow is clandestinely investigating an advertisement to ‘choose your own path’ and may be walking into a swindle again. Some people never learn. Things don’t go well for Edith, either (will they ever), as Mrs. Drew calls a halt to the godmother charade and Mr. Drew tells her she must stay away from Marigold.
The episode ends with a lighthearted twist when the gaggle of Russian refuges that Lady Rose invites to the Abbey includes Prince Kuragin, an old assignation of the Dowager Countess. No one is more delighted than Isobel, who now tries to turn the tables on the Dowager. Don’t count on it, Isobel.
Aired at 9pm on Sunday 5 October 2014 on ITV.
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