This is a recap. There are major spoilers here.
It’s been a few days, and Thomas is returning from his mystery trip. He arrives at luncheon and tells Carson that his father has turned a corner and is doing much better. Carson does not question the story, just says he’s glad to hear it.
At luncheon, Robert, Tom and Mary discuss that they’re having a meeting later with the developer who wants to build houses on Pip’s corner, to which Robert remains opposed. Also, Rose’s father, Shrimpy, is coming for a visit and has hinted that he has news.
Later that afternoon, Violet and Isobel go to York to visit the Russian refugees. They meet with Violet’s old friend Prince Kuragin and find out that he and his wife were arrested together, but by the time he got out of prison she had already been exiled. He has no idea where she is. Violet promises to do her best to help find her.
While Violet and Isobel are having tea, they discuss Prince Kuragin. Violet confesses that Kuragin asked her to run away with him and suggests that she was thinking about it until her husband gave her pictures of their children and that changed her mind.
Later that afternoon, Lord Merton, who has been pursuing Isobel for some time, comes to visit. He asks her to marry him and tells her it’s not because he’s seeking a companion but because he’s madly in love with her. He asks Isobel not to refuse him right away, but to think about it, which she agrees to do.
At Downton, Baxter hears a noise of distress in the hallway. She investigates to find Thomas in a locked room, gasping and calling out in pain. When she is able to get the door open she sees a vial and a syringe, but Thomas kicks her out, saying it’s none of her business.
Robert has seen Mrs. Patmore moping around, and asks Carson about it. Carson tells him the story, that she’s upset that her nephew, who was shot for cowardice, is being left off the war memorial. Later, Robert brings Patmore up to the study to tell her that he is very sorry, but there are laws about such things. Patmore protests that Archie should be considered a casualty of war since there was something wrong with his brain that made him run away. Robert says he agrees with her, but there’s nothing he can do.
At tea, Isobel tells Violet about Merton’s proposal and confesses that she’s thinking about it. Violet protests that it’s ridiculous.
That afternoon, Edith tells Robert that there’s been news about the investigation into Gregson’s disappearance. Some of the brown shirt thugs are being put on trial and they might be close to knowing what happened to him. Robert tells her that it will be better to know, but Edith isn’t so sure. As long as she doesn’t know, she can still think of him as alive. Robert prevails upon her to be strong.
In London, Mary gives Anna a note to deliver to Lord Gillingham, telling him where to meet her the next day. Anna goes off to deliver it.
Mary has come to London to attend a dress show with Rosamund. At the dress show, they see Charles Blake. Blake introduces Mary to Mabel Lane Fox, who is the woman Gillingham dumped to be able to pursue Mary. Blake also asks Mary out to dinner that night, to which she agrees.
Back at Downton, Edith watches the Drewes and little Marigold as they leave school. Later, she goes to their house, but Mrs. Drewe says Marigold is down for a nap and won’t let Edith see her. As she walks sadly away, Mr. Drewe catches her and tells her that it’s because his wife thinks she’s “unsettling the child.”
Anna goes to Gillingham’s residence and delivers the letter, unaware that she’s being watched by a mysterious stranger. Later, she’s walking through Piccadilly, where Green died, followed by the same man.
Blake and Mary have dinner, during which Mary tells him that she means to break up with Gillingham the next day. Blake doesn’t seem very surprised by this.
Violet and Edith are talking before dinner and Violet tells Edith she must leave the past behind. Edith is not sure she wants to do this even if she’s capable of it.
Shrimpy has arrived and Violet asks him if he can do something to find Princess Kuragin. He says he’s not sure he has the resources, but will do what he can.
Robert pulls Shrimpy aside for a moment and Shrimpy tells his that he’s getting a divorce from his wife, Susan. Robert asks if there’s anything to be done to prevent it, but there’s not. Later, Shrimpy breaks the news to Rose. She wants to go with her father but he tells her she should stay at Downton. She says the whole experience is making her realize that she can never be with someone she doesn’t love completely, and asks for her father’s support in this. He agrees.
Baxter confronts Thomas as asks if he’s ill. Thomas tells her it’s none of her business. When one of his magazines is found and given to her to give to him, she thumbs through it, at which time he finds her and yells at her angrily.
Bricker has come to study the paintings again, and is flirting pretty hard with Cora when Robert walks in. They play it off, but Robert is having none of it. Cora, for her part, is amused by the flirting and even encourages it a little, all the while she protests.
Mary meets with Gillingham in London and breaks the news. Gillingham is angry and refuses to accept it, saying he cannot believe she went to bed with him if she wasn’t already sure. He says this is “something we’ll have to get through together,” and the two walk off.
Sarah Bunting has been invited to dinner. At dinner, they discuss the fact that Bunting has been tutoring Daisy. Robert does not know if it’s a good idea, that maybe it’s been causing problems, so Daisy and Mrs. Patmore are sent for. They sing the praises of Miss Bunting and Daisy says she feels like she has options now that she never had before. Robert says this is a good thing, and they are dismissed. But Bunting can’t leave it alone, prompting Robert to yell at her to get out of his house, then he storms off angrily.
Mrs. Patmore is still upset about her nephew, and Daisy offers to help her write a letter to the war office. Mrs. Patmore seems excited about this idea.
Shrimpy finds Violet and tells her he’s found Princess Kuragin. She’s in Hong Kong with other refugees and they are in poor circumstances.
The next day, Tom, Mary, and Robert are walking through Pip’s corner. Robert says he’s open to building houses on the property, but not here. He’ll develop the land, but will do it in a way that doesn’t spoil it.
Sgt. Willis returns to say that Anna has been spotted in London, and it’s clear that she’s now a suspect in Green’s death.
We are left with questions: Did Anna kill Green? If not, will she go to jail for it anyway? What is going on with Thomas? Will Sarah Bunting ever learn how to pick her moment? Will Mrs. Drewe take out a restraining order against Edith?
Downton Abbey airs as part of Masterpiece Classic every Sunday night at 9:00 on KIXE Channel 9.
Chad Grayson has been a gas station attendant, sold video games over the phone, and even was the person who cuts the mold off the cheese in the cheese factory, but spent most of his career as a middle school Language Arts and History teacher. He is now a full-time stay at home dad and writer. You can find him on twitter at @chadgrayson and on his blog at cegrayson.wordpress.com.
