'Downton Abbey' Season Three, Episode Two Recap

Edith overlooks happily as the house gets scrubbed and cleaned for her wedding. Lady Grantham comes in, though she is less excited. Edith says her dress came in.

Downstairs, Mrs. Hughes tells Mrs. Patmore she hasn’t had news yet from the doctor.

Thomas finds Mr. Molesley, asking him about his niece, who is looking for a job. Thomas tells him he has secret news.

Cora and T discuss where they can move to. Mary comes in to tell them Molesley wishes to speak to Cora. He wishes to put in a word for his niece when O’Brien leaves. Cora is shocked.

Carson finds the doctor in the road and asks him about Mrs. Hughes, but the doctor won’t tell him much.

As Mary prepares for the wedding, Matthew tells her that the lawyer is coming with the death certificate. They argue again about the money.

O’Brien dresses Cora, who hints that she knows O’Brien is leaving, confusing her maid.

Daisy runs into Alfred, asking him about the American maid he liked. She says maybe she should be more outspoken.

Carson tells Mrs. Patmore that he is worried about Mrs. Hughes. He finds out it’s cancer on her mind.

Sir Anthony tells Robert, over wine, that he intends to do his best to make Edith happy. He runs into Edith, and she tells him she wants him to be her life’s work.

Carson tries to lessen Mrs. Hughes’ workload, and she gets suspicious that he knows.

Isobel teaches her prostitutes how to sew. Ethel comes back. She admits she is a prostitute, but she doesn’t want help for herself. She rushes out again before finishing.

Matthew’s lawyer gives him the letter as Mary comes in and gets him. They are going to look at houses. As everyone loads into the car, Carson stops Cora and asks if he can take on some of Mrs. Hughes’ work.

Anna finds a woman, Mrs. Bartlett, hanging laundry. She gives her money.

“Well, that’s your loss; I’ve nothing to say.”

Anna tries to find out if Mrs. Bates was depressed or unhappy—Mrs. Bartlett snaps of course she was. Her husband had left her.

As Bates and the other prisoners are taking exercise, walking in a circle. The man behind him warns him to check his bed.

Mrs. Bartlett tells Anna about the last time she saw Vera Bates. She had posted a letter, and she was very strange and twitchy. She was expecting Bates for tea.

The family goes to see a smaller property called Downton Place. Sybil worries it will be cramped but her husband reminds her that to most people it’s still a fairy palace. Everyone takes tea on the lawn.

Mary and Matthew walk, and she asks her about the letter. It is from Swire—there was one for each heir. He hasn’t opened it yet. He knows it will be full of his praise, which Mary doesn’t see as a problem.

Isobel goes downstairs and encounters Mrs. Hughes. She asks if she has an address for Ethel.

In his cell, Bates goes through his bed. He finds a small rolled note. Guards come in suddenly to search the bunk, but he conceals it. They yell at him to clean it up and leave.

Over dinner downstairs, Carson asks O’Brien what she told Mr. Molesley. Thomas gets the table to leave before Molesley can name him. O’Brien threatens to deal with him later. O’Brien goes to tell Cora that there was a misunderstanding. Mrs. Hughes comes in, and Cora tells her she has heard she is ill.

“If you are ill, you are welcome here for as long as you want to stay.” She promises they will care for her, and that she needn’t worry.

It is the night before Edith’s wedding. Mary is still bugging Matthew about the letter, she says she can read it.

Mr. Molesley apologizes to O’Brien, and confesses that Thomas told him she was leaving, and he meant no harm. She forgives him, understanding.

Mary opened the letter anyway. She forces Matthew to listen to it. Lavinia must have written to him before she died, and Reggie Swire acknowledges what transpired. Matthew accuses her of faking it—no, not her, but someone. He doubts Lavinia wrote to her father right before her death, he would have known.

Carson sees Mrs. Hughes working late. She asks if he said something to Cora… she’s not mad, though. She was touched by Cora’s offer.

Mary goes downstairs and asks if any of the servants had posted a letter from Lavinia before she died. They all deny it. Daisy comes in after she leaves, and says she had done it. Mary comes back in, relieved.

Mary tells Matthew that Lavinia posted the letter. Every word was true. Reggie Swire wanted him to take the money, regardless, guilt free. He finally agrees to take the money, on the condition that they don’t steal Edith’s thunder.

Edith is all dressed in her gown. She wants the photographer to take a photo of her and her sisters when they get to the church. They take the photo, and Mary wishes her all the luck in the world, despite their differences.

The music begins, and Edith enters. Sir Anthony waits, solemn faced, at the altar, until she gets to him, and wishes him a good afternoon.

“Good afternoon, my sweet one,” he replies.

As the minister begins the ceremony, Sir Anthony interrupts. He says he can’t do it. He can’t let her throw away her life. Lady Grantham comes up and tells Edith to let him go, to let him do the only sensible thing he’s done in months.

Sir Anthony blesses her, and rushes out. Edith runs upstairs, ripping off her wedding outfit, and throws herself sobbing on the bed. Robert orders the celebration cleared away. Cora tries to comfort her, telling her she is being tested and it will only make her stronger.

“I don’t think it’s working with me,” Edith sobs.

Matthew tells Robert that he has the money to give them so they can stay at Downton—however Robert tells him he can’t take the money. Matthew will have to invest in it. They will be joint owners.

In the kitchen, as they clean up, Daisy asks Anna if she believes in women speaking their minds. Daisy casts a sideways look at Alfred as he comes in. The servants get some of the wedding food as everyone mourns for poor Edith. Alfred speaks out that she’s better off.

Anna comes in to Edith’s room, and offers to bring her breakfast.

“I’m a useful spinster; good at helping out. That is my role. And spinsters get up for breakfast.”

Edith gets up.

Mrs. Hughes prepares to go to the village to get her test results. She and Mrs. Patmore leave, with Carson’s concerned gaze on them. They wait—Carson checks his watch. Finally a nurse ushers Mrs. Hughes in. Mrs. Patmore waits outside.

O’Brien is walking down the hall. Thomas asks her if everything is all right—she says it is with her, but she’ll make it all wrong with him. He can be sure of it.

Isobel goes to Ethel’s address. A man comes out the door. Isobel tells Ethel she wants to help her, but she tells him she’s past help. She shuts the door in her face.

Mrs. Patmore tells Carson it’s not cancer—it’s a benign something-or-other. He tells Mrs. Patmore not to let her know she told him. He leaves, and Mrs. Hughes asks Mrs. Patmore if she told him—she tells him she put him out of his misery.

Mrs. Hughes smiles as she hears Carson singing happily while he polishes silver.