Downton Abbey Episode 4 Season 4 Recap: Anna Bates avoids her husband and makes her way to Downton Abbey alone. She endures having to sit beside the man who severely violated her and having to answer her inquiring colleagues about the cuts and bruises on her face. Mr. Bates suspects that Anna is keeping the truth about the previous night’s incident that led to her injuries. Moreover, he suspects that Mrs. Hughes knows the truth.Continue reading...
The guests from the house party make their departure that morning. Tom Branson receives genuine and comforting advice from the Duchess of Yeovil who believes that Tom’s aloofness at the party was due to the loss of his wife, Lady Sybil. The Duchess tells him that he will learn to manage without the love of his life just as she did when her husband died. Soon as the guests have left, Lady Mary wastes no time to talk business with her father. She informs Lord Grantham of seeing the tax people earlier than scheduled due to an unexpected opening in their calendar. She is to meet with them without Lord Grantham to discuss their options. Lady Mary remains adamant about not selling off land to pay their death duties even if it means paying their debt for years to come. She believes that this is the only way to keep Downton self-sufficient.
Tom Branson speaks with Edna Braithwaite and confesses to have been heavily inebriated the previous night. He apologizes for the mistake he is unsure of committing. Edna accuses him of discarding her after using her and threatens him of the possibility of having gotten her pregnant for the one night they spent together. Edna demands that Tom marry her and recognize the child if their night of passion led her to conceive. Tom does not concede to her demand and instead confesses to have nothing in him but regret.
Lord Gillingham surprises Lady Mary when he joins them at dinner at Lady Rosamund’s house in London. The small dinner party was a result of Lady Cora and Lady Rosamund’s scheme to get him and Lady Mary to spend time together. Sir John Bullock invites them to the Lotus Club after dinner where Tom becomes Lady Rosamund’s reluctant dance partner and Lady Mary becomes Lord Gillingham’s date. Lady Mary dances with Lord Gillingham and confesses her appreciation of his presence for it enabled her to play truant. Lord Gillingham asks to see her again before she leaves for Downton, but learns that they will be leaving soon after the meeting with the tax people. Lady Mary senses that the man is courting her. She confesses that it will be years before she gets over the loss of her beloved husband. Meanwhile, a heavily intoxicated Sir John Bullock is causing a scene at the club mortifying his dance partner, Lady Rose. He, however, becomes nauseous on the dance floor causing him to rush out leaving Lady Rose without a partner in the middle of the dance floor. Jack Ross, the black bandleader, leaves the stage and rescues Lady Rose from further humiliation unaware that his dancing with her caused discomfort to the Crawleys including Tom Branson. Tom comes to fetch Lady Rose, who could not understand why her family appears more humiliated with the sight of seeing her dancing with Mr. Ross than the drunkard Sir John Bullock. They return to Lady Rosamund’s house and Lady Mary takes the opportunity to ask Tom about his glum attitude. Tom reveals nothing, but confesses that the truth will make Lady Mary despise him. Lady Mary intimates to have said exactly the same thing to someone before. She reveals that the confession she dreaded to make actually made things a lot better. Tom agrees that she must be right, but he cannot bear tell her the truth. Lady Mary urges him to find a confidant even if it is not her.
Lady Mary, Tom Branson, Lady Rose, and Anna return from London. Anna remains morose and reticent even to her husband. In fact, her uncharacteristic taciturn attitude has become apparent even to the masters. More troubling to her husband is that his touch brings about fear and anger from Anna. The woman would not even look at him. Soon he learns that Anna had decided to sleep in the servants’ quarters instead of their cottage. Unbeknownst to him, Anna feels shamed, dishonored, and underserving of his love. In fact, she has revealed to Mrs. Hughes the guilt of somehow bringing about the violation done to her, one Mrs. Hughes assures her is false. Mrs. Hughes urges Anna to report the crime to the police, but Anna refuses to do so afraid that the truth will lead her husband to commit murder. Mr. Bates tells his wife that he will not press her now of the reason for her change in behavior, but he promises her that he will soon find out. This troubles Anna, but not as much as the news of Lord Gillingham’s sudden arrival. Ostensibly, Lord Gillingham rode the same train as Lady Mary to Downton Abbey managing to avoid being seen that he may elude explaining to Lady Mary’s company of his presence. Lord Gillingham made the impromptu trip to Downton to propose marriage to Lady Mary. The question shocked Lady Mary who does not accept or reject the surprising proposal and confession of love from a man she knew only as a child. Lord Gillingham has fallen so in love with Lady Mary that he offers to wait years for her decision so long that she will eventually accept to be his wife.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Hughes learns of another secret, this time concerning Tom. He has come to her for help with Miss Braithwaite. Mrs. Hughes sets out with a plan immediately. She sends for Miss Braithwaite and the lady’s maid arrives believing that they have decided to bribe her for her silence. On the contrary, Mrs. Hughes has no plans of paying off Miss Braithwaite for she is certain that Miss Braithwaite could not have conceived on the night she slept with Tom. Mrs. Hughes found in her belongings Marie Stopes’ book of Married Love, which showed that Miss Braithwaite made sure she would not conceive until Tom has agreed to marry her. Mrs. Hughes believes that Miss Braithwaite would have gotten herself pregnant by any man if Tom had agreed to marry her. Because Mrs. Hughes does not have any proof of Miss Braithwaite’s scheme, she instead threatens her to have the doctor examine Miss Braithwaite by force if necessary to prove her ploy. Miss Braithwaite threatens to reveal the affair to Lady Cora, but Mrs. Hughes counters with a threat of not providing her a reference leaving her without any chance of getting a decent job. Miss Braithwaite yields to the threats proving Mrs. Hughes’ theory that the woman could not have conceived that night. She leaves Downton Abbey with more enemies and no friends, not even Mr. Barrow whom she insulted on her departure. Mr. Barrow sensed that the woman had set in motion a scheme that did not bear fruit for which he is delighted. Lady Cora receives Miss Braithwaite’s notice of resignation with a claim of family troubles as the reason for her sudden and immediate departure. Miss Braithwaite’s departure relieves Tom Branson. Moreover, it gave Anna a reason to reside in the main house instead of the cottage she shares with her husband. She argues that staying in the Downton house will allow her to attend to both Lady Cora and Lady Mary more competently. Lord Grantham, however, asks Mr. Bates of the reason for Miss Braithwaite’s departure, but the valet is equally unaware of the true cause. Mr. Bates is preoccupied with problems with his wife to discern other servant’s issues. He confides to Lord Grantham of Anna’s decision to move back into the house for reasons kept from him. Mr. Barrow is another person who benefits from Miss Braithwaite’s departure for it gave him a chance to recommend a candidate for her replacement.
Lord Gillingham’s unannounced visit gave hope to Lord Grantham and Lady Cora who both are hopeful that Lady Mary will find another suitable husband. Much to their surprise, Mrs. Crawley nobly receives Lord Gillingham despite his obvious intentions of courting Lady Mary. Mrs. Crawley had confessed to Lady Violet her feelings of jealousy despite her desire for Lady Mary to find happiness once again. She is ashamed to feel such emotions for seeing Lady Mary come alive again, but Lady Violet finds such feelings justifiable. Lady Mary speaks with Lord Gillingham the following day and refuses his proposal after confiding that she has not gotten over Matthew. She feels that she will never get over her beloved late husband. Hearing so, Lord Gillingham informs her of his decision to push through with his engagement with Mabel Lane Fox. He confesses that it is Lady Mary whom he truly loves, but he will marry Mabel Lane Fox to fulfill his obligation to his family. He promises to leave her in peace, but asks for a kiss before doing so. Lady Mary wastes no time to inform her family of Lord Gillingham’s engagement with Mabel Lane Fox in order to eliminate any false hope they might have perceived from her dealings with Lord Gillingham. She, however, confides with Tom about having done something she might regret in the future.
Lady Edith is spending much time in London in order to be with Mr. Gregson. The step he has taken that will allow him to marry Lady Edith legally has taken shape. He is to reside in Munich indefinitely, while he awaits his German citizenship. Mr. Gregson asks Lady Edith to sign a contract that will allow her to have authority over his affairs in his absence. The great lengths Mr. Gregson is willing to take in order to marry her made him even more desirable such that Lady Edith could no longer contain her lust for him. Lady Edith spends the night with Mr. Gregson. Her arrival in the wee hours of the morning did not go unnoticed in Lady Rosamund’s household causing her aunt to admonish her. Lady Rosamund feels that Lady Edith is gambling her future for actions she may soon regret. She, nevertheless, agrees to keep her niece’s indiscretion from Lady Cora.
Jimmy continues to pursue Ivy. Alfred and Daisy catch them in the kitchen about to kiss causing Alfred to threaten to report them to Mrs. Patmore, but it was an empty threat. Preparing the sauces for the house party rekindled Alfred’s passion for cooking. He welcomes the news of the establishment of a training school in honor of Monsieur Escoffier at the Ritz Hotel in London. The school will accept candidates who pass the test and will provide free training with a basic wage. The candidates will also be given an opportunity to work at the Ritz Hotel. Mrs. Patmore suggests that Daisy take the exam, but she has no desire of doing so. Meanwhile, Alfred has Ivy in mind and asks for her. In a fit of jealousy, Daisy maliciously informs Alfred of her whereabouts very much aware that Ivy is in the boot room with Jimmy. Alfred finds Jimmy and Ivy making out in the boot room. The sight broke his heart causing him to apply to the Ritz Escoffier cooking school in London. Mrs. Patmore and Daisy help him prepare for his exam. Daisy, however, is reluctant because she does not want Alfred to leave Downton Abbey. It was a decision she inadvertently pushed him into making due to one moment of nastiness she now heartily regrets. Mrs. Patmore urges the assistant cook to help the footman fulfill his dreams for it will be better if they part as friends. Moreover, the cook is very well aware that Alfred does not share the same feelings Daisy has for him.
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