This season of Downton Abbey should be called “Mrs. Hughes: The Confidante”.
Are you lamenting about a now-dead love? Mrs. Hughes will give you framed photo of her.
Have you recently been sexually assaulted and now won’t let your husband touch you? Mrs. Hughes will give you a room but not before advising you to tell your spouse what has happened.
In a drunken state, did you let a lady’s maid into your bed and now are being trapped into promising marriage by a potential pregnancy? Mrs. Hughes will call the lady’s maid out on her bull and then send her on her way with no recommendation.
Perhaps it should be called: “Mrs. Hughes: The Fixer!”
Yes, Mrs. Hughes was busy this week with helping Carson honor his missed love to counseling Anna to helping Branson out of a Braithwaite-sized bind. Seems Edna slipped into Drunk Tom’s bed the night before and is now saying, “In case I’m pregnant I want to be assured that you’ll marry me.” On Mary’s advice, Branson goes to Mrs. Hughes who then does the baller move of calling Edna out on her scheme. “You’re not pregnant and I went through your stuff and found marriage books and stuff.” I’m paraphrasing. So Edna leaves Downton Abbey citing some “family issues”. I’m glad she’s gone but it seems weird for this all to end so soon. Please Mr. Fellowes, let’s be done with her. Don’t bring her back later with a child in tow. I beg of you. Even Thomas is with me on this: “You’re a manipulative witch and if your schemes have come to nothing, then I’m delighted.
Not everyone is taking Mrs. Hughes’ advice: Anna insists on moving back to Downton Abbey. She jumps when Bates touches her and claims nothing is wrong. Anna, everyone including Isis can tell something is wrong. She tells Mrs. Hughes that she feels dirty and can’t let her husband touch her because now “I’m not good enough for him”. (Later, Lord Grantham asks Bates what is wrong. He then gives Bates marriage advice that prompts him to say, “My goodness. That was strong talk for an Englishman.”) Still Anna begs for Edna’s vacated room and Mrs. Hughes relents but tells her it will break Bates’ heart. “Better a broken heart than a broken neck.”
I found it interesting that the writers made a point of Lord Gillingham saying that he didn’t like his valet. Which was smart because it certainly would taint your opinion of Lord Gillingham himself if he thought the valet was a good man. Especially if they want you to be on board with Mary’s attraction to him. Oh yeah, Lord Gillingham asks Mary to marry him. Already. Downton Abbey likes to move things along, don’t they? Gilly tells her he would wait for her to grieve over Matthew if she said yes to his proposal. But if she says no then he’ll turn right around and marry some gal named Mabel. Mabel is his Lavinia, I guess. (Speaking of Lavinia, do you think she’s in heaven with Matthew screaming “I AM VICTORIOUS!” or do you think they sit around and talk about Mary? I fear it is the latter. Come on, girl. This is your opportunity.) Mary turns him down but does indulge him with a kiss.
While in London at a club, Rose scandalizes the room by dancing with the black band leader, Jack Ross. The drunken friend of Gilly’s leaves her on the dance floor so Ross comes in to rescue her. Aunt Rosamund berates her but Rose doesn’t see what the problem is. I’m beginning to warm up to Rose. Between Ross and Sam Thawley from Part One, she doesn’t care where the man is from as long as he is nice to her. Rose is open to all walks of flattery.
What else did I learn from Part Three? Aunt Rosamund likes to chew out other members of her family as well, like Edith. Her affair with a married man will ruin her reputation, she says. Rosamund is a killjoy. Lord Gratham, on the other hand, has this to say about Gregson: “I don’t dislike him.” To which his mother, the Dowager Countess says, “Oh, what a recommendation.” Meanwhile, Alfred catches Ivy and Jimmy canoodling so he responds by studying for a chef apprenticeship. That’ll teach ‘em!
Downtown Abbey Friendships I love:
Isobel and (begrudgingly) the Dowager Countess (Violet says, “She is a good woman. And while the phrase is enough to set anyone’s teeth on edge, there are moments when her virtue demands admiration.”)
Mary and Branson
Mrs. Patmore and Daisy
Mrs. Hughes and Everyone
