Downton Abbey Episode 2 Season 4 Recap: A package from the office of the recently deceased Matthew Crawley arrives for Lady Mary. Mrs. Hughes thinks it best that someone inspect its contents first before showing to Lady Mary. She is concerned that some of the contents may upset the grieving widow. Mr. Carson assents to her advice and decides to bring the package to Lord Grantham. Amidst Matthew’s belongings, Lord Grantham finds a will naming Mary as Matthew’s sole heiress.Continue reading...
Lord Grantham is reluctant to show the will to Lady Mary not wanting to dash his daughter’s hopes if it is found that the will has no legal status. He, however, consults with his mother about the matter. Lady Violet believes Lady Mary would want to know that her late husband wanted her to inherit his assets regardless of the validity of his will. She does not share her son’s disapproval of the wife inheriting the husband’s assets instead of the son. Lady Violet insists that Lord Grantham must show Lady Mary the will before he sends it to their lawyer. Moreover, she forthrightly surfaces the real reason for Lord Grantham’s hesitance. Lord Grantham prefers the sole charge of the estate and objects of sharing the crown with his daughter. He denies his mother’s suspicion and claims that Mary would not want to get involved in running the estate.
Nonetheless, Lord Grantham takes his mother’s advice. He shows Lady Mary the letter Matthew wrote before they left for Scotland and concealed in a book. She and Lord Grantham inform Isobel Crawley and the rest of the family of its existence. At Lady Mary’s request, Lord Grantham reads the letter to them. Matthew expresses in the letter his concern at not writing a will, one he meant to do upon their return from Duneagle. The letter will serve as a record of his wish for Mary to be his sole heiress until a formal will is drawn. Matthew plainly and clearly states his desire for Lady Mary to take charge in the event of his death. Matthew affixing his signature and having two of his clients witness its writing makes the letter a legal document. Lord Grantham insists that the letter is not a will despite those facts. He does not welcome its validity claiming that it will only cause the estate to pay death duties twice. Lady Mary, on the other hand, is content with earning the right to have an opinion, which her father wastes no time to test. Lord Grantham asks Lady Mary for her opinion regarding the use of empty farmland as new sources of revenue in order to stress the point of her ineptitude in managing the estate. The whole family, however, could see the malice in Lord Grantham’s question and they show their support for Lady Mary. In support of her, Tom Branson reminds them of Lady Mary’s firsthand knowledge of Matthew’s plans.
Lady Violet schemes to help her granddaughter claim her right to manage the estate and volunteers Tom to train Lady Mary in secret. Tom begins Lady Mary’s tutelage and brings her to a vantage point that exposes the estate. He shows her the area they farm and the Oakwood Farm, land that their good and hardworking tenant, the Olds farm. He also speaks to her about the death duties and Lord Grantham’s plan to sell land in order to pay off the inheritance tax in one lump. Tom refuses to offer his recommendation, but rather urges Lady Mary to decide on her own.
Anna Bates sees Mr. Barrow speaking Miss Edna Braithwaite and finds reason to warn the newly promoted maid about him. Miss Braithwaite, however, chooses to fraternize with Mr. Barrow especially after she ruins Lady Cora’s blouse. The two of them conspire against the Bates as Mr. Barrow insinuates that Anna ruined Lady Cora’s blouse out of jealousy. Meanwhile, Lady Rose, yearning to dance the One-Step, asks Anna to chaperone her to a Thé Dansant in York without informing anyone in her family. Anna refuses to do so, but finds an opportunity to get Lady Mary’s permission. Later, Jimmy, who is in York running an errand for Mrs. Patmore, sees Lady Rose with Anna. He follows the two and sees them entering the Jubilee Dance Hall where a Thé Dansant is being held for servants and farmworkers. Aching to dance, Lady Rose calls attention to herself hoping to get an invitation to dance from a young man. Rose immediately catches the eye of Sam Thawley, an under gardener for Lord Ellis, and she pretends to be a housemaid at Downton Abbey. Her cover was almost blown after she bumps into Jimmy and Anna on the dance floor. Jimmy is unaware of her pretense, but he catches on quickly with Anna’s guidance. Anna learns that Jimmy had come to York not only to run an errand for Mrs. Patmore, but also to buy tickets for him and Ivy to see Phyllis Dare in the hit musical, The Lady of the Rose. Jimmy, who initially had flirted with Ivy only to spite Alfred, had fallen for the kitchen maid. Soon they learn that a fight has ensued after Lady Rose refuses to dance with a young man other than Sam. The men engage in a brawl endangering Lady Rose, who refuses to leave the young man who was protecting her. Fortunately, Jimmy is to usher them out the dance hall before the police arrest them. The three of them safely return to Downton Abbey. Jimmy asks Mr. Carson permission to take Ivy to the theater and gets it with the help of Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. Hughes. Ivy is excited at having been asked and having been allowed to take a half day off to go to the theater. Her excitement upsets Alfred and makes him yearn for her even more. This disappoints Daisy, who hoped that he would begin to dislike the kitchen maid, but Mrs. Patmore believes that there is nothing as unchangeable as a young man’s heart. Later, Sam arrives at Downton Abbey asking for the housemaid, Rose. With Anna’s help, Rose dresses as a housemaid and speaks with the young man who has fallen for her. Rose feigns having given her word to a local farmer. Sam understands and respects Rose’s situation that he bids her goodbye. Rose, aware of having broken the young man’s heart, kisses Sam as a consolation.
Mrs. Hughes pays a visit to the Crawley House where Charles Grigg is recuperating in the care of Mrs. Crawley. The man is anxious to hear from his old friend, Mr. Carson, but soon learns that Mr. Carson has nothing to say to him. Mrs. Hughes explains that Mr. Carson does not remember the times they spent together with nostalgia. Mrs. Crawley, on the other hand, has good news to share with Mrs. Hughes. She has found a job for Mr. Grigg at the Opera House in Belfast as a stage door keeper. Moreover, she personally asks Mr. Carson to speak to Mr. Grigg before the man leaves for Belfast conveying the man’s contrition and his admission to have caused Mr. Carson great unhappiness. Mr. Grigg, however, maintains his innocence in the sorrow he caused Mr. Carson. Mr. Carson refuses to speak with Mr. Grigg despite Mrs. Crawley’s plea. Learning that Mr. Grigg is leaving for Belfast, Mrs. Hughes urges Mr. Carson to see him before he leaves that he may settle the conflict with his old friend, one he let fester for too long. He arrives at the train station to speak with his old friend, Mr. Grigg. Mr. Carson believed that Mr. Grigg set out to steal his beloved Alice Neal from him. Mr. Grigg tells him that he never set out to take Alice from him. It was Alice’s choice to marry him instead of Mr. Carson. The marriage, however, did not last long. In fact, he and Alice had already separated before she died, another fact Mr. Carson did not know. Mr. Grigg imparts a message Alice wanted him to relay to Mr. Carson. Alice confesses to have been a fool for not realizing that she loved Mr. Carson, one she later came to realize as the better man. Alice asked Mr. Grigg to tell Mr. Carson that she loved him. Mr. Grigg and Mr. Carson part as friends.
Mr. Molesley finds work as a laborer tending to the roads and becomes embarrassed when Anna sees him at work. He confides the loss of income and the debts he incurred following the death of his master, Matthew Crawley. Anna commiserates with Mr. Molesley and offers to lend him money, but the man confesses of not being able to pay her back. He also refuses to receive the money as a gift, but expresses his deepest gratitude at the offer. The encounter with Mr. Molesley upset Anna that she apprises her husband of the former valet’s unfortunate state. Mr. Bates wanting his wife to be happy comes up with a plan. He first informs Lady Violet of Mr. Molesley’s predicament then urges the former valet to sign the card Anna suggested they send to their former colleague, Gwen. Moreover, he invites Mr. Molesley to Downton. Later, Mr. Bates forges a note using Mr. Molesley’s signature from the card he had him sign and pretends to have found the note stating his debt. Mr. Bates claims that Mr. Molesley had lent thirty pounds when he first arrived at Downton, one he has yet to pay. Mr. Molesley could not recall lending Mr. Bates money, but the note has his signature on it, one that Mrs. Hughes confirms as his. Not only does Mr. Bates provide Mr. Molesley financial aid, he also provides him with a boost of self-esteem. Anna recognizes her husband’s good deed, one he did for her. Later, Mr. Bates receives a request from Lord Grantham in behalf of Lady Cora to speak to his wife about going easy on Miss Braithwaite. He learns that Lady Cora was made to believe that Anna is unkind towards Miss Braithwaite due to her promotion to senior lady’s maid. Mr. Bates, though certain that his wife is not at fault, foregoes contradicting the claim. He later speaks to his wife about it befuddling both of them for the cause of Miss Braithwaite’s supposed offended feelings. Anna could think of nothing other than her advice to keep watch of Mr. Barrow’s intentions. Soon they learn that Mr. Barrow and Miss Braithwaite have become friends.
Lady Edith is with Michael Gregson in London and he finds his functioning without a servant refreshing. She, however, is concerned with the risk he is taking just so he can marry her. Michael is still pursuing his plan to become a German citizen, which will not only catch the ire of many, but also will require him to go to Germany. Nonetheless, Lady Edith looks forward to becoming his wife and she offers to bring him to Downton Abbey that he may see his childhood home. Michael does not find it a good idea knowing that his divorce, though near, will not happen overnight. She invites him to the house party Lady Cora is throwing that he may have reason to be at Downton without causing alarm to her family. She then decides to stay a little longer with Michael making her late for dinner at Downton. She, at last, arrives at Downton where her family waits in the drawing room for Mr. Carson to announce dinner. Lord Grantham takes the opportunity to inform them that their lawyer, Mr. Murray, had done due diligence in determining the validity of Matthew’s letter. Mr. Murray and various authorities believe that Matthew intended the letter to serve as a will. Therefore, Lady Mary owns half of Downton Abbey.
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