This week’s episode of Downton Abbey brought plenty of surprises and changes for the Crawleys and their staff. Check out our recap right here!
The episode opens and OMG guys! Edith is getting married! And she seems to be the only one who is really happy about it, as everyone else hides their disapproval behind tight smiles and fractionally lifted eyebrows. (Robert drinks.) The familiar objections are quietly rehashed behind Edith’s back – Strallan is 25 years her senior and has a dead arm – but Edith glows with happiness and the wedding goes on…
Until it doesn’t. Strallan gets cold feet at the ceremony and after unceremoniously jilting poor Edith at the alter, cuts a hasty and tearful retreat. Edith is devastated, but grimly decides that “spinsters get up for breakfast” and painfully rejoins the household.
Thomas uses Molesley to start a rumor about O’Brien planning to leave Cora’s service. Cora is disappointed, Carson is angry, and O’Brien – being none the wiser – is bemused. When O’Brien finds out that Thomas is behind the rumor, she promises him that somewhere down the line, he will have hell to pay.
The Crawleys prepare to move out of Downton Abbey into “Downton Place,” a large house further north at which they all gaze gloomily as their servants set them a picnic in the sunshine. Meanwhile, Matthew receives Lavinia’s father’s huge fortune which he still plans to give away. He also refuses to read the letter Swire wrote to him in case of his inheritance, due to his very loud guilt.
But of course, Mary reads the letter instead and it turns out that Lavinia had sent her father a letter explaining last season’s love triangle, and that Swire still wanted Matthew to be Heir #3. Matthew doesn’t believe it, but it turns out that Daisy sent the letter, Mary gets her way, and it turns out that Matthew can save Downton after all. Robert accepts the proposal, on the condition that he and Matthew share ownership of the estate as partners.
Ethel shows up again at Isobel’s Prostitue Rehabilitation Center, but once again runs away. Isobel tracks her down through Mrs. Hughes, but Ethel rejects her help again.
Anna goes to see Vera Bates’ friend Mrs. Bartlett, who is kind of nasty, and utterly convinced of Bates’ guilt. Meanwhile, Bates’ roommate sets him up to get caught with contraband, which he finds beforehand.
And at the same time, Carson tricks Mrs. Patmore into confirming his suspicions that Mrs. Hughes might have cancer. Mrs. Hughes, being about as sharp as they come, picks up on this the first moment Carson suggests she take a rest. Carson then tells Cora about her might-be illness, and Cora tells Mrs. Hughes that she has nothing to worry about – she will be taken care of by the Crawleys for as long as she wants to be. In spite of her frustration, Mrs. Hughes is touched. Mrs. Hughes learns that she does not have cancer, and has Mrs. Patmore tip off Carson, who is overwhelmed with relief. Smiling, Mrs. Hughes listens to him sing as he polishes the silver.
Hypable Episode Title: “Marry Me A Little”
Note: In spite of season 3 already having aired in the U.K., please refrain from posting or alluding to spoilers in the comments. Some Downton fans have resisted the lure of watching the episodes beforehand, and we don’t think anyone wants to ruin the unspoiled experience for them. Comments that directly reference spoilers will be deleted for the sake of these viewers.