- Things go badly amiss at Downton Abbey. Robert and Cora are not speaking. The servants are shunning Matthew's mother, Isobel. And Matthew and Robert have fallen out. Bates takes a gamble.
- Cora is still cold to Robert following Sybil's funeral and he is not best pleased when Tom announces that he wants his daughter, also to be named Sybil, to be raised as a Catholic, especially as Cora and her daughters back the young Irishman. He also clashes with Matthew over the running of the estate and there is further humiliation for him when Isobel invites the ladies of Downton to a dinner cooked by Ethel and, tipped off by the sanctimonious Carson, he tries to get them to leave because of Ethel's past, all of them defying him. Daisy visits her late husband's father, Mr Mason, who suggests she come to help him on his farm whilst Anna receives a letter saying that John is to be freed after Mrs Bartlett's evidence, though John has had to use threats for the outcome to be reached.—don @ minifie-1
- Lady Sybil's funeral has done little to heal the open wounds at Downton. Cora blames Robert for their daughter's death and their marriage is clearly at risk. The Dowager Countess suggests to Robert that he take a trip and give Cora space. In the end, Violet speaks to Dr. Clarkson and has something else in mind. Lord Grantham is upset when Tom announces that his daughter, who he intends to name Sybil, will be baptized as a Catholic. Isobel meanwhile decides to host a luncheon for the ladies and Ethel seeks Mrs. Patmore's help with the cooking. When Carson learns that the ladies of Downton are lunching at Isobel's he informs Lord Grantham who barges into the lunch and orders the women to leave. As expected, getting the evidence to free John is proving difficult forcing him to take matters into his own hands. Jimmy is growing increasingly with Thomas' attention to him.—garykmcd
- Cross-crushes between Alfred, Daisy, Ivy and James cause all nothing but trouble, even over innocent foxtrot dance introductions. Fearing Robert's marriage won't survive Cora blaming him for Sybil's death, the dowager gets Dr. Clarkson to convince her a Cesarean and gruesome treatment for eclampsia would almost certainly only have meant needless agony. Carson is almost alone condemning cook Patmore for teaching Isobel's Ethel to serve a full dinner to the visiting ladies, who ignore the earl's call to leave that 'cesspit' instantly. Tom plans to start a new life, taking the baby, named Sybil after her mother, to Catholic baptism and seeking a job in the city. Bates counter-bluffs his prison nemesis and solicitor Murray manages to get a testimony sufficient to have his sentence revised.—KGF Vissers
- "Downton Abbey" - Episode 3.6 - Feb. 3, 2013
The Crawleys are in mourning following the funeral of youngest daughter Sybil, who died of eclampsia just a few hours after giving birth to her first child. Cora is still infuriated that Robert supported the advice of Sir Philip Tapsell, the renowned obstetrician hired for Sybil's delivery, over that of Dr. Clarkson, the family physician whose grim suspicions were ultimately justified. While Clarkson had begged to have Sybil taken to the hospital for an emergency C-section to avoid the fatal spasms brought on by eclampsia, Tapsell dismissed Clarkson's views as inaccurate. Robert sided with Tapsell, and Sybil was kept at home until she died from Clarkson's exact prediction. Cora had banished her husband from their marital bed since the night of Sybil's death.
Violet speaks with Dr. Clarkson, requesting that he help mend the rift between Robert and Cora by "revisiting the facts" and telling them that there was virtually no chance of Sybil's survival no matter what course of action was taken. While this is not completely true (she had a chance of survival if Clarkson's advice had been followed), Clarkson agrees to fib for the sake of Sybil's parents' relationship. Robert and Cora reconcile and are finally able to bear their grief together.
Over a solemn breakfast, Robert, Matthew and Edith speak with Sybil's grieving husband Tom Branson about his new daughter. Edith mentions the christening, and asks if Tom has a name in mind. Tom wishes to name the baby Sybil, which Matthew and Edith understand, but which Robert thinks is "ghoulish." Robert is also shocked when Tom insists that the baby be christened Catholic, keeping in line with his Irish roots. Though Robert is angered because no member of the Crawley family had been Catholic for generations, Mary reminds him that baby Sybil is not a Crawley, but a Branson, and that they must respect Tom's wishes. She also conveys to the family (and local Anglican reverend Mr. Travis) at dinner that Sybil was open-minded and would not have had any problem with her daughter being raised Catholic. Tom is relieved, but Robert is still grumpy.
Tom, feeling that he has lost his only connection to Downton Abbey, considers finding work elsewhere and moving away with the baby. Though Robert has not yet warmed up to Tom's revolutionary ways and thinks it would be best if he left, the rest of the family begs him to stay. Violet speaks with Robert, attempting to convince him of the importance of keeping his first grandchild close to the family.
Mary and Matthew, only a few months into marriage, promise to put all the necessary effort into keeping their relationship healthy and strong. As Matthew is now part-owner of Downton, he consults with Robert and Tom about more efficient ways to run the estate. To Robert's surprise, Tom has some smart ideas about their farming problems (due to his country upbringing in Ireland), and demonstrates clear value to Downton's upkeep. Tom begins to consider staying at Downton for a bit longer.
Due in part to grief, Robert is having a difficult time accepting change in his house, his family, and the world in general. Mary gently tells him that he must overcome his fears and embrace what changes may come, as Sybil would have done.
At Crawley House, Isobel is struggling with her new cook Ethel, a former Downton housemaid who was fired after an affair with a recovering solider left her pregnant. After falling to prostitution while trying to support her infant son and eventually tearfully relinquishing him to be raised by his wealthy grandparents, Ethel was given a second chance by kindhearted Isobel. Mrs. Bird, Isobel's former cook, was affronted by Ethel's presence in the house and quit. Additionally, rumors of Ethel's sordid past reached the village, causing Ethel (and Isobel, to an extent) to be generally shunned by the neighborhood. Ethel wishes to please Isobel, but knows she is a wretched cook. With Isobel planning a luncheon for Cora, Mary, Edith and Violet to help combat their grief, Ethel desperately asks Downton cook Mrs. Patmore for some cooking lessons. Though Mr. Carson had forbidden Downton staff from going anywhere near Crawley House because of Ethel, Mrs. Patmore disobeys him and teaches Ethel to make a simple but quality meal.
The luncheon is a success, and Isobel is surprised and delighted by Ethel's monumental improvement. Cora and the Downton women are aware of Ethel's former occupation, but do not judge her for it and treat her respectfully. Robert, who fears the family name will be slandered if the women are seen in the same house as a former prostitute, angrily arrives at the end of the meal and insists his wife, daughters, and mother leave at once. The women calmly stand their ground and Robert is forced to depart alone.
Downton housekeeper Mrs. Hughes finds herself clashing with butler Carson, with whom she is usually good friends. While Carson, like Robert, fears change and is obsessed with Downton's reputation, Mrs. Hughes realizes that it is often pointless to grasp onto the past. She is also unsettled about Ethel's situation, as she had been the one to dismiss her after finding her in bed with the lascivious Major Charles Bryant, who later denied any responsibility for his illegitimate son and was then killed in battle. Hughes feels partly responsible for Ethel's descent into prostitution, and encourages Carson to keep a sympathetic heart.
Assistant cook Daisy still moons over footman Alfred, who pursues Ivy the kitchen maid, who has eyes for handsome new footman Jimmy (who has no romantic interest in anyone at Downton, but uses the tension to annoy Alfred). Promoted ex-footman Thomas is attracted to Jimmy, and has made an enemy of his former ally Miss O'Brien, who now resents him for his poor treatment of Alfred (her nephew). O'Brien sets the ball rolling in a dangerous direction by falsely informing Thomas that Jimmy is attracted to him as well, though Jimmy confided in her that he was uncomfortable with Thomas' attention.
Daisy, who was briefly married to footman William Mason before he succumbed to his war injuries, visits William's kindly father who owns a nearby farm. Mr. Mason sees Daisy as a daughter, and suggests that she take over the farm herself someday, as she is his only heir. Daisy is startled and excited by the idea, as she had never dreamed of a life outside of Downton's kitchens.
Long-suffering Anna Bates gets the happy news that her wrongfully-convicted husband will be returning to Downton after months of incarceration for the false charge of murdering his villainous ex-wife. Mr. Bates finally broke through the barriers erected by his vengeful cellmate by threatening to expose his connection to narcotic dealing and a corrupt prison guard in order to extract the truth from Mrs. Bartlett, a friend of the late Mrs. Bates who refused to give correct testimony. Amid the tragedy and stress enveloping Downton, a ray of light finally emerges.
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