So is “spending the day in York” a euphemism for “pushing a guy in front of a bus”? Only time will tell. Yes, Bates decides to go to York for “this and that” while Anna accompanies Mary to London. Mary goes to fix some things including making sure Mr. Green never returns to Downton Abbey. Too late! It seems Mr. Green has met with an unfortunate accident. Anna asks Bates that he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize their lives and he replies with an enigmatic, “You know me. When I do a thing, I like to have a very good reason for doing it.” So basically, you did do it, huh Bates? Or at least you know a guy who knows a guy that’s good at tripping rapists into traffic.
It seems Lady Mary is the Mrs. Hughes Of Upstairs because not only is she demanding Lord Gillingham sack Mr. Green, she is also visiting Jack Ross to tell him that marrying Rose is a bad idea all around. Jack is way ahead of her and has already decided to end it with Rose because he loves her and doesn’t want to expose her to shame and ridicule. Mary actually wants him to end it because Rose had said to her, “I want to see [mother’s] face crumble when I tell her” about her engagement. Yeah, shock value is not a good way to start a marriage.
Mary is also trying to fix her love life by turning down Lord Gillingham (again) when he tells her he broke off his engagement as well as Charles Blake who took the rejection with a smile and said he would fight for her. A way to a man’s heart is through pigs apparently. All of her pursuers have not gone unnoticed in the house. The ladies of Downton Abbey decide that a group of Mary’s wooers would be called a Desire of Suitors.
Edith needs some fixing of her own and Aunt Rosamund is up to the task. Edith at first considers trusting Mr. Drewe, who is now the pig tender, to raising the baby. But Rosamund nixes this and tells the family that she wants to perfect her French so she’s taking Edith with her to Switzerland for a few months. The Dowager Countess is so on to them. Over tea, she asks for the truth. “If I tell you the truth, then you would never speak to me again,” says Edith. Violet replies, “Then you have told me the truth.” Later, Violet tells Edith she agrees with Rosamund and offers to pay for the trip to Switzerland. “Start again” is her advice.
Alfred writes a letter to Ivy saying that his father passed away and when he’s home for the funeral he wants to see her. He even proposes! “Blimey, he puts a lot in a letter, that Alfred.” Too right, Mrs. Patmore. He’s coming back the day of the Church Bazaar even though Ivy turned him down. Mrs. Patmore gives Daisy the day off so that she doesn’t have to see him. She goes to hang out with Mr. Mason, her father-in-law. (Add Mr. Mason and Daisy to the list of Downton Abbey friendships I love.) He advises her to say goodbye to Alfred and part as friends and take a basket of food because why not? She does which leads to a scene that made me tear up, I swear. Mrs. Patmore tells Daisy, “If you were my own daughter, I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now.” I know!
Also add to the list of DA friendships: Moseley and Baxter! They have a few lovely scenes this episode. At one point, she tells him that he is lucky. And he bursts out laughing. Loving Moseley this episode. Especially when he tells Thomas to stop bullying Baxter and then leads her by the arm to enjoy the Bazaar. No more Sad Sack. Happy Sack!
What else did I learn from Part 7? Violet recruits Isobel to lunch with Mary’s godfather Lord Merton since everyone else is busy. Isobel says she’s a poor substitute for the Crawley family and Violet replies, “Yes, well you’re better than nothing.” God love her. Branson and the lady from the political talk, Sarah Bunting, have a few flirtatious run-ins. (Oh, add Isobel and Branson’s friendship to the list. She comes to his defense when Ms. Bunting questions his socialism again.) Lord Grantham and Thomas are back from America. Turns out (thanks to some Violet and Isobel exposition earlier) Cora’s brother was involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal. Which was a real thing! It involved bribery in order for companies to drill for oil on government land. Between that and the Prohibition reference, Downton Abbey wants to remind you that it’s the Twenties. I’m assuming F. Scott Fitzgerald will be stopping by soon to court Lady Mary.
