ONE
Gwen, Anna, and Daisy prepare Mary’s bedroom. Daisy, fumbling the andirons at the fireplace, says she hates this room. Flashback to her memory of Kemal being carried out. She says nothing, though, and Gwen shrugs.
Exterior shot of the Abbey, wildflowers in the foreground. I assume we are to feel a sense of summer.
In the dining room the family eats breakfast. Letters and sniping.
TWO
Sybil’s letter gets her up and down the hall. She’s applied for a secretarial job in Gwen’s name. When she’s told, Gwen is excited. Very straightforward Two: the traditions of Downton are changing.
Crawley House. Isabelle will write to Edith about this church tour offer. Matthew makes it clear he has no interest in her. This is a stealth Two. We won’t see how this Trouble develops until later.
Molesley would like to help the village flower show and is given permission. This, which seems kind of a throwaway moment, is the most resonant plotline in this episode. Fascinating structural choices.
THREE
Thomas, returning keys, hides a bottle of wine behind his back as Bates walks in. It’s Carson’s office, and we’ve heard him mention in a previous episode that wine has been missing. Let the sneaking, and its repercussions, commence.
FOUR
Robert approaches Cora, who sits outside on the bench. The letter he was reading at breakfast from his sister Rosamund worries him. It says that Evelyn won’t marry Mary and that his refusal reflects badly on her. Cora discounts Rosamund, but she does insist that Mary must marry someone and soon.
William polishes silver in the kitchen prep area. Everyone else is in here, making it less lonely. As the staff chat, Anna asks Daisy if she feels better now. She covers for herself by going on about the Titanic, and then that Turkish gentlemen, and all the deaths. William asks, “What’s that got to do with Lady Mary’s bedroom?” O’Brien and Thomas perk up like pointers.
Molesley helps with set-up for the flower show. Isabelle comes in, asking about the prizes, especially that large trophy from last year. It’s the Grantham Cup, Molesley says, for best bloom. Who won it? Cut to Violet, standing at the back of the room: “I did.” Haha. Let the rivalry begin. “And the year before that?” Her Ladyship. And before? Molesley changes the subject.
O’Brien on the servant’s stairs runs into Thomas. She accuses him (with delight) of spreading gossip about Lady Mary. When he mentions that Bates saw him with the wine she advises him to find something on Bates. Turn the tables.
Dressed for dinner, Sybil mentions to Robert that she’ll be going to town tomorrow. I assume this is the Gwen interview. She doesn’t need Branson to drive her, she’ll just take the carriage. Oh, it’s definitely the interview.
Morning preparation. Daisy rushes in late as Anna and Gwen make Sybil’s bed. Anna gives her one of the biscuits on the nightstand, and Gwen suddenly sits, overcome (probably because of the secretarial interview). In walks Carson. When she says she’s had a turn, Carson sends her to lie down. Then he notices Daisy with the cut crystal cookie jar in her hand. “I was just polishing it.” It works. He leaves.
Hughes walks into the kitchen to find Her Ladyship in some kind of discussion with Mrs. Patmore. Oh, no, haha! She’s brought a recipe for Patmore, trying to get her to make some special dish. The dinner is already planned. Hughes says, It’s not that complicated. Daisy says, I can read it to you, if that’s a problem. Rut-roh. Patmore explodes. Cora backs down. As she walks away with Hughes she worries about Daisy. In the background, Patmore chews her a new one.
A barouche on the road. It’s Sybil driving. Coming out of the trees, dressed professionally, is Gwen.
Anna makes the last bed by herself (as Gwen was “sick”). In walks Bates, offering to help. Anna accepts, and they talk about Edith (it’s her room). Oh, Edith was in love with Patrick, the drowned heir that was engaged to Mary. Yikes. Oh, ho. Anna with all the subtext in the world says it’s sad to love someone who doesn’t love back. Bates, getting it, says sometimes the other person isn’t at liberty to express his feelings.
Isabelle is at Violet’s to discuss the flower show. Oh, hahaha! She thinks (and says aloud) that the committee gives the cup to the Dowager when Molesley’s father, with his beautiful roses, deserves to win. Haha! You’ve got to love her crust.
Back at the house, Bates goes into His Lordship’s room, not realizing Robert was already in there. He’s looking at his case of little boxes and says one’s missing. Well, that’s the start of a mystery. Bates, new to this valet job, knows nothing about the number and color of the display tins.
Sybil and Gwen, now that they’re returning from the interview, walk the barouche down the road. The horse has thrown a shoe.
Anna asks O’Brien if she’s seen Sybil. Nope. William, coming down the servant’s stairs, says the family will fetch the police if she’s not back soon.
Back to the women seeking a smithy. They’ve had no luck, and they’re still on foot. Good god, now they’re stuck in the muck while the horse grazes, refusing to move. He suddenly takes off and both women, who’d been pushing at the carriage, fall in the mud.
Evening, and O’Brien dresses Cora, who’s worried about Sybil.
SWITCH
Anna goes into her own room and there’s Gwen in bed. She pretty much knows everything. I covered for you, and did you get the job? We’ll have to wait and see. So they’re both home safe. Okay, we kinda missed that resolution moment. Were they covered in mud? How were they received when they walked in? Nothing? The family, apparently, doesn’t need an explanation, and we who do are not going to get one. That’s a weird beat.
FIVE
As Edith writes a letter, O’Brien lets her know that Sybil’s back. Oh, whoa, whoa. Cora has just told O’Brien that her daughters are always at each other’s throats. Now O’Brien has something troubling her that she must mention to Edith. It’s about that Turkish gentleman. The kitchen maid Daisy knows something but won’t say. About Lady Mary and Mr. Pamuk. Aargh! O’Brien is an evil genius. And her face is so gently concerned, so reluctant to speak. I thought someone should know. And . . . Edith bites.
The next morning O’Brien brings Daisy to Edith’s room for questioning. She dismisses O’Brien and speaks so sympathetically to Daisy that she breaks down. Does Edith really have any concern for Daisy? Or is it all about the winkle?
Preparations at the flower show. When Isabelle points out Mr. Molesley’s rose display Violet comes right out and tells Cora and Matthew that she’s been accused of winning due to privilege rather than merit. After the women are done trading barbs — heh — Matthew and Mary speak together. The might like each other, just a little, but they’re very cautious.
As the servants at table chat, Carson comes in. Ah, the missing snuff box is the topic. O’Brien expresses “concern” for Bates. He’s the only one who goes in there.
Mary at her dressing table. Cora enters. Is it a scolding? No, it’s matchmaking. Could you look after Sir Whatshisname tonight? Mary doesn’t take it too seriously until Cora says, “There’s a rumor in London that you are not virtuous.” Oh, dear, how much of this does Edith, who we spot outside the door, overhear? Mary had a lover, she doesn’t want Cora’s help, and go help Edith who needs it. And Cora agrees. Aw, it’s pretty mean. Poor Edith.
The kitchen. Patmore drops the baking and blames Daisy. Lol, the cat is already at the roast chicken that fell on the floor. Anna and Gwen wipe it off and put it on the serving tray. We follow the chicken upstairs to the dinner table where Mary’s bored to death. Ah, it’s Sir Anthony who can’t interest Mary. Across the table, though, Edith chimes in and engages him. The family all exchange looks.
In the kitchen they mention the missing snuff box. O’Brien has a weird grin that Anna notices. Patmore sprinkles a last spoonful of sugar on the desserts.
In the dining room everyone seems to be having a pleasant meal. Mary and Matthew, sitting together, have a relaxed conversation. Sir Anthony shocks the table by choking. He’s had a mouthful of salt. Rut-roh. What’s up with Patmore? Carson must remove the dishes while Cora apologizes. Mary, behind her napkin, laughs with Matthew.
Aw, cut from Mary laughing to Patmore crying. She blames Daisy again, which no one believes. Carson clears the kitchen, sits, and holds Patmore’s hand. “I think you have something to tell me.”
Cut to Anna telling Bates she thinks she knows where the snuff box is. In your room, where Thomas put it. When you find it, put it in Thomas’ room or give it to me to put in O’Brien’s. Yikes. Cutthroat!
The ladies retire to the drawing room and discuss the salt incident. Edith upbraids Mary for laughing. Then Mary and Edith challenge each other over Sir Anthony. Ugh.
Finally, back to Patmore. What’s going on? Ah. She thinks she’s going blind.
The gentlemen join the ladies, Robert and Matthew discussing his friendship with Mary. She steps right past him and grabs Anthony, leaving Edith and Matthew in the dust. Matthew is genuinely hurt and slips away. Mary goes after him but he’s already headed out, walking. It’s sad, and Mary (and Robert, and Edith) knows it.
SIX
The kitchen. Anna asks Carson if the snuff box has turned up yet, and Bates suggests a search. O’Brien and Thomas, sitting across from them, dash for their rooms. Hughes catches O’Brien dismantling her linen. Let the sneaking conclude.
SEVEN
Crawley House as Matthew arrives home. He thought . . . something . . . for a moment, he tells his mother, but he was wrong.
EIGHT
The flower show. The family admires Molesley Sr.’s roses, and Robert gets in a dig on his mother.
The road, with the staff in nice street clothes walking to the village. Anna and Bates stroll at the back, talking of Mrs. Patmore. Finally, Anna says, “I wish you’d just come out with it.” His secret, she means. Ooh! She confesses she loves him. But he’s not free to speak.
At the flower show Sybil finds Gwen. She didn’t get the job, but Sybil will not give up. Mary approaches Matthew, trying to explain. He’s pleasant, but he’s not interested in the details. Edith enjoys watching him walk away from Mary. Robert and Cora discuss the snuff box, which Bates found on another shelf. They think nothing of it.
And then the Dowager at the podium prepares to read off this year’s winner of the Grantham Cup. We see the paper with her name listed. She only hesitates a second, then calls out Mr. Moseley as the winner. Isabelle immediately cheers “Bravo!” and claps. Robert and Cora congratulate Violet. Well done, Mama.
NINE
Evening, and Edith writes a letter. We see it’s addressed to the Turkish Ambassador in London. Oh. That’s the end. Okay.
I quite like that the Seven is given to Matthew. He decides he misunderstood the friendship (or more) he and Mary had been forming. At the flower show he acts accordingly, and will presumably continue with this decision into future episodes. It’s a small but consequential Seven. My favorite aspect is that, socially, Matthew is the one with the most power. He’s the future earl, the future property owner, the future employer of the staff. He’s everything to this story. When he makes a decision, even one that seems like a romcom trope, the repercussions will be huge. It’s nice to remember who he is, especially as he started out wanting none of it.