That Bates is handy. Going to prison was the best thing that happened to the family and staff at Downton Abbey. Forging, pick pocketing. Too bad he didn’t pick pocket his own jacket for a York to London train ticket. I guess prison didn’t teach him to cover his tracks. The family and staff are in London for Rose’s introduction to society and while there, Mrs. Hughes found the ticket in Bates’ coat that confirms that he was in London on the day that Mr. Green ate a lorry bumper. She gives it to Mary, who suddenly has a crisis of faith and wonders if she should say something because it was a man’s life we are talking about here. Tell that to Mr. Pamuk, Mary. (Side note: all this time I was accusing Downton Abbey of being obsessed with Pamuk references when it was me all along!)
What changes Mary’s mind about the ticket: Bates’s fancy fingers with the forgin’ and the letter liftin’. Old Sampson is back, much to Lord Grantham’s chagrin, and he lifted a letter from the bag of Rose’s married friend which details her “friendship” with the Prince of Wales. Correctly thinking that he will try to profit from it, Lord Grantham, the strict monarchist, along with Rose, Mary and Cora, come up with a plan to lure Sampson away from his flat to steal back the letter. LG defends the idea by saying that “you can’t steal that has already been stolen.” Being a monarchist will do crazy things to you. The convoluted plan involves the guys having a poker game but they have to invite this person while that one goes to the theatre but why do they have to go, etc., etc. It was a conversation very reminiscent of what my coworkers and I go through everyday trying to decide what to do for lunch.
Well, the plan doesn’t work. Mary, Rose and Charles Blake don’t find the letter. Bates, thinking on his ex-con feet, helps Mr. Sampson on with his coat and alleviates him of the burden of the letter. This leads to a classic moment of the episode. LG enters the sitting room with the letter and Mary and Rose let out a wonderful synchronized gasp. Yay, Bates the [Dirty-Working] Hero! After that, Mary throws the incriminating ticket into the fire.
On the Desire of Suitors front, the Blake v. Gillingham bout is heating up. In order to ensure a fair fight, Gilly tells Mary that Blake is actually set to inherit a baronetcy and be a gentleman. Hmm. A little convenient but whatever. I’m still Team Blake.
While most of the cast is in London, Branson stays behind until the Ball and gets some disrespect from Thomas. All season long Thomas has been delivering variations of “You better get me some gossip, Miss Baxter” so it’s nice he gets to do something else, even if it’s the old “he used to be the chauffeur” routine. Thomas did get some good fun when he caught Branson showing Sarah Bunting the <gasp> second floor of Downton Abbey.
Speaking of Branson, add he and Edith’s friendship to my list. She has been “looking tired” since she came back from Geneva eight months ago. Uh huh. Baby achieved. It’s a “she” and not an “it”, as she tells Rosamund, who insists she forget about the child. Edith even shuts down her granny when Violet makes the joke, “After all, your French must be superb.” “That’s right, Granny. Let’s get back to what really matters.” Ouch. But then Branson tells Edith, “We need to stand up to them, you and I. We may love them but if we don’t fight our corners, they’ll mow us down flat.” Edith is like “word” (or something more proper) so back at Downton Abbey, she asks Mr. Drewe to take in her “friend’s” baby and raise it as his own. He, not being an idiot, catches on and says, “I tell you what. I think it should be our secret, my lady. Ours. And no one else’s.” Cue my tears. “How comforting it is that there are a few good people left in the world,” she says. “God, I hope this is Edith’s lucky break,” I say.
What else did I learn from Part 8? There are a lot of new people! Yes, besides the Prince of Wales and his “pal” Freda of LetterGate, this last episode introduces Madeline whose father throws her at Cora’s brother’s feet because he’s a gold digger. He even tries to woo Cora’s mother to no avail. Yes! Shirley MacLaine is back! And Paul Giamatti is her son, Harold. He knows that Madeline is being pushed on him but they develop a sweet friendship. Harold has brought a valet, Mr. Slade. He takes a liking to Daisy and convinces Harold to hire her as a cook over in America (this after a few “ugh English food” comments). She turns down the job and Mr. Slade. Ivy steps up and takes it (and eventually him, I’m assuming) instead. Mrs. Patmore asks Daisy if she’s upset. Not a bit, she is thrilled to be wanted: “I’m that chuffed. This will take me through next summer!” Miss Baxter thanks Moseley for his strength when she stands up to Thomas. “My what?” says Moseley. Bless him. Finally, Shirley MacLaine breaks it down for the Dowager Countess, “My world is coming nearer and your world is slipping farther and farther away.” Yikes. Let’s see what Series 5 will bring…next January.
