Downton Abbey series 6, episode 2 just finished airing on ITV, bringing with it a sliver of hope for happiness for the Bates.

Talk about an emotional roller coaster. Downton Abbey can go from quiet character-driven scenes to a frenzy in the blink of an eye, but just what kicked up all the drama this week?

Schoolhouse debates

With the date finally set for Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes’ wedding, the only thing left to do is find somewhere for the reception. After Lord Grantham “generously” offers to do up the servants quarters at Downton for the event, he’s rightly chastised by both Lady Mary and Edith. Mary in particular insists that they have the reception in one of the great halls of the house — something more extravagant than Lord Grantham was expecting, we’re sure.

But the Carson and Hughes ship hit choppy waters once more, as Mrs. Hughes isn’t enthused about having her wedding at Downton. Is it so terrible that she doesn’t want to feel like a servant on her wedding day, and hope to separate her personal life from her working one? We’re on Elsie’s side here, Carson, though we know a Downton wedding would be a grand affair.

As Mrs. Hughes tells her husband-to-be, for the next 30 years he’ll be calling the shots. Can’t she have the one day?

If Lady Mary has her way, the wedding will be happening at Downton. And we all know that Mary is as stubborn as the Dowager Countess when she sets her mind to it.

Baby mine

Another place Lady Mary is dead-set on interfering in is Anna’s personal life, and manages to wrangle the reason behind Anna’s dour mood out of her. Once Anna admits to having two or three miscarriages, Lady Mary reminds her that she needed surgical intervention in order to have George.

Lady Mary insists on taking Anna to London to see the doctor that helped her, and there it’s discovered that Anna has a condition known as cervical incompetence. Though it’s not an uncommon condition, and can potentially be rectified by a stitch around the 12-week mark of a pregnancy, it’s no guarantee that she’ll be able to carry the pregnancy to term.

Still, it’s more hope than the Bates have had for a long time, and now that the Mr. Green drama is behind them, we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Let’s just hope that light isn’t barreling toward them.

Not-quite-stranger danger

After Edith (who is still having difficulties with her editor) and Mary return from London, the Crawley family all head to the Malton Show, Lady Mary’s first show as the agent for Downton — which raised some eyebrows initially when the organizer came to the house to ensure their participation. Times are a’changing, indeed.

What should have been a fun day out for all the family quickly takes a turn for the worst as they realise that Marigold is missing. As everyone disperses to find the girl, Mr. Drewe, who was at the show to enter his pigs into the contest alongside Lady Mary, realizes that his wife has also “mysteriously” disappeared.

Mrs. Drewe, who still hasn’t accepted that Marigold isn’t her child anymore, whisked her away while no one was looking. Which certainly didn’t help Mr. Drewe’s case with Lord Grantham that his wife was perfectly fine with living in near proximity to Marigold. No matter, because a little game of “farm swap” is probably going to happen. Well, after Marigold is safely returned to Edith, of course.

While the Drewes can no longer stay on as tenants for Downton, the Crawley family certainly know an estate that’ll be needing new ones. We can see Mr. Mason coming to Downton, and the Drewes to his old farm, fixing Daisy’s faux-pas from last week and ensuring no one loses their livelihoods. Convenient!

For the patients!

The battle lines are drawn in the war for Downton’s hospital. The Dowager Countess and Doctor Clarkson are looking lonely on their side, and are losing allies rapidly. Cora appears to have sided with Isobel and pretty much everyone else who believe that letting the larger Yorkshire hospital take over is in the best interests of their patients.

We can’t see the Dowager Countess going down without a fight — and Lord Grantham is remaining very Switzerland about the issue. He’ll probably have to choose a side soon, and we’ll find out who can brow-beat him the best — his mother or his wife? Place your bets!

What are your thoughts on the second episode of ‘Downton Abbey’ series 6?

Will the staff continue to shut out and borderline bully Barrow next week? We’re pretty sure we missed whatever he’s done to deserve everyone acting this coldly to him. Other snippets from the preview show Lady Edith potentially encountering a new suitor, Spratt and Denker back at each other’s throats, the Carson-Hughes wedding, and the Dowager Countess accusing Isobel of day-drinking. So, just another normal day at Downton?