'Downton Abbey' Season 2, Episode 4
Another year has gone and preparations are being made at Downton for another concert, this time being held by the convalescing soldiers; Mary and Violet discuss Sybil's lack of interest in men; Cora and Isobel come to blows over the new nursing and lunch scheduling with Isobel giving Cora an ultimatum that she will leave Downton and go elsewhere; Robert confronts Mary over her engagement with Richard Carlisle, and thinks she should tell Matthew that she will accept Carlisle; Isobel departs for France.
-Branson: "The truth is, I'll stay in Downton until you want to run away with me."
Sybil: "Don't be ridiculous..."
Branson: "You're too scared to admit it: you're in love with me."
Across the channel in France, Matthew and William prepare to go on patrol, later finding themselves surrounded by the Germans; O'Brien and Thomas (somehow) hear about Bates working at the pub; Mrs Bird and Moseley struggle to keep themselves busy with both Matthew and Isobel not at home; Robert hears about Bates working at the pub in a nearby village and alongside Carson, question Thomas as to why he didn't think to mention it; Daisy and Mrs Patmore discover Mrs Bird running a soup kitchen literally out of the Crawley's own kitchen; William has not arrived back at Downton and nor has Matthew and Edith promises Daisy she will try to find out why.
- (In the courtyard)
O'Brien: (about Bates) "Next thing you know we'll have Anna running across the county dragging him back by his stick."
Thomas: "I'm surprised he isn't here of his own accord, his lordship having no valet since the loony went."
O'Brien: "Don't speak ill of Mr Lang."
Thomas: "You're a funny one. Talk about sweet and sour. Better get back"
(He leaves)
- Violet: (on Downton's change) "It's like living in a second-rate hotel where the guests keep arriving and no one seems to leave!"
Robert discovers about Matthew and William but warns Edith not to tell anyone; Mrs Hughes discovers Major Bryant and Ethel in bed together after being tipped off by Moseley and informs Ethel that she will leave in the morning without pay and without a reference but Anna tries to speak up for her; Robert pays Bates a visit, confiding to him that he is worried about Matthew and asks Bates to come back to Downton and work as his valet again, Bates agrees; Mary confronts Sybil over her relationship with Branson; Bates returns to Downton and while most are pleased to see him back, unsurprisingly Moseley, O'Brien and Thomas aren't...
- Mrs Hughes: "Anna, do you think that Mr Bates will come back?"
Anna: "That's for him to say."
Daisy: (passing them both in the kitchen corridor) "I hope he does; he always seems a romantic figure to me."
- (at the pub)
Robert: "I hate the word missing; it seems to leave so little room for optimism. I tell myself it's too early to despair, but to be honest Bates I don't think I can bear it, losing Patrick was bad enough but now the thought of Matthew gone and a future once again destroyed. More than all that I loved him like a son. No I love him, let's stay in the present tense while we still can. So, will you come back with me and help me through the vale of shadow?"
Bates: "It's not what I expected my lord but I will, if you want me to."
Robert: (nodding) "I misjudged you Bates and I abused you when we parted and I should have had more faith. I'm sorry."
Bates: "God knows you've shown more faith in me than I'd any right to."
- Bates: (as Thomas saunters into the kitchen) "So, we've both returned you and I, a couple of bad pennies."
Thomas: "I haven't."
O'Brien: "Thomas means he's not here as a servant. He manages the house. He's a sargent now."
Thomas: (settling himself into a chair) "I take orders from Major Clarkson. He runs this place, on behalf of the army medical corps."
Bates: "Yet another reason to pray for peace..."
(Carson looks satisfied with this response and Mrs Hughes smirks)
- O'Brien: "Watch yourself Mr Bates, Thomas is in charge now and it won't do to get on the wrong side of him."
Bates: (looking back at Thomas) "Is there a right side?"
Sybil admits to Branson that she has told Mary about them but says she cannot leave her life as it is; Bates tells Anna he has written to Vera ; Edith tells Mary that Matthew is missing, Mary wishing she'd told her in the morning; O'Brien informs Cora about Mrs Bird's soup kitchen idea but rather than being annoyed by the idea, Cora welcomes it, getting O'Brien to help (hahah!); Dr Clarkson has a word with Thomas about his abrupt manners with the rest of the staff but O'Brien seems to think it was Bates who made him aware of this rather than Mrs Hughes; the soldiers' concert goes ahead with both Mary and Edith participating and Matthew and William make a welcome return.
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- Matthew: "I got your letter about Carlisle."
Mary: "I hope you'll approve. I know you don't like him much-"
Matthew: "I hardly know him but I'm sure I'll like him when I do. That's if he's good to you. If he's not he'll have me to answer to."
♥ :3
Thomas and O'Brien further plot against Bates on seeing him talking with Anna after the concert and Ethel returns to Downton with bad news for Mrs Hughes: she's pregnant (dun dun duuuuuuuuun!).
I really don't like the look of this, are they planning to break these two up for good or what? :|