Dear Miss Lady M,

My, my, my aren’t there a lot of secrets around Downton these days: Edith and her goddaughter (wink, wink, nudge, nudge); Mrs. Patmore wants to sneak the name of her nephew who was shot for cowardice during the war onto the memorial in town; Anna’s rape and Mrs. Hughes’ role in keeping the rape a secret; Mr. Bates’ day trip to wherever he went and the strange circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Green; Lady Mary’s Liverpool tryst; and holy all that’s upper crust, the ever-proper Dowager has a past — a Russian prince, who apparently flirted with the good lady when she traveled to Russia with her husband.

And poor Cora, the only one who’s life is an open book and she is ridiculed by Robert as being a dolt with no worthwhile opinions when he “travels across the country” to surprise his wife for dinner and learns she’s at dinner with the art dealer. Cora puts the kibosh on the art dealer’s advances, and yet she’s the one treated as if she’s doing something on the sly. I like how she’s snubbing Robert. He’s the dolt.

What will happen when all these secrets come out?

Yours,

K 

***

My dearest Kathleen,

I think Cora handled the flirtation beautifully: she allowed herself to enjoy Mr. Bricker’s compliments, but kept it classy and did not indulge in another stroll around the square or a second outing. I actually started to feel for her when she said to Mr. B, “Please forgive me. I never talk about myself.” Poor thing. But, she was a little too classy when Robert could barely contain his bemusement that someone would find her aesthetic input useful. I might’ve said a bit more than she did, but her subsequent cold shoulder was very well done and she ought to keep it up. I’ve counted at least five times this season Robert putting off a question from Cora about whatever with “nothing you need to concern yourself with” or something to that effect. Excuse HER for being interested in your stupid, fussy life Robert! Hate that. She needs to take some lessons from the Dowager in direct feedback.

But there are SO many secrets at Downton to dissect, I’m not even sure where to begin. Remember last week when you posited the question: How do you solve a problem like Lady Mary? How right you were to zero in on her, now that we’ve seen this week’s episode. So now she’s not SURE she’s into Lord Tony? Was it his suave look or attentive kindness that put her off, I wonder … sheesh.

If not a marriage to a very nice man, at least Mary’s little vacay provided us with one of “Downton’s” great scenes in two parts. First, when that pratt Spratt spilled the beans to the Dowager, what does the Dowager do? Covers for Mary with an excellent white lie, lest any gossip make its way into the world. And when the Dowager demands a tea-time explanation from Mary, she most progressively accepts and concludes with the elegant question: “Can we be confident that there will be no unwanted epilogue?” Ha!

And only the Dowager can out-do herself, and she certainly did when, in grappling with Mary’s reticence to marry Tony due to lack of spark, expressed her frustration thus: “In my day, a lady was incapable of feeling physical attraction until she was instructed to do so by her maman.” Even Mary cracked a smile when she heard that one!

And here’s a few more secrets to add to the pile: what’s Barrow up to, really? And how about Baxter’s tale of woe! I knew it! Discuss.

Luv,

M. 

***

Dearest M,

Right you are about how Cora handled the flirtation. It reminded me of the scene in “Moonstruck” when Olympia Dukakis’s character rebuffs the advances of a fellow diner who wants to get some dessert. She says no and explains to him, “I I know who I am,” or something to that effect. I think that’s what Cora did. Yes, she could have had something, it would have been exciting, but she’s not going anywhere. She knows her place is at Downton.

So Lady Mary doesn’t like Lord Gillingham anymore, now that she’s taken the old boy out for a test drive, so to speak. She’s a cold fish, that one. What the heck is she looking for? She annoys me with her I’m-so-much-smarter-than-everyone-around-me attitude and that I-can’t-be-bothered-to listen-to-what-you-are-saying tone. Okay, now I feel better.

So on to the hilarious Mr. Spratt, who I was going say could eat no fat but does like to spill the beans. But you beat me to it. Boy did he think he had the scoop. Well, actually he did have the goods on Lady Mary and Gillingham and couldn’t wait to reveal it all. He also doesn’t like to serve those of the lower classes. Remember he wouldn’t pour the good doctor a spot of tea? He’s such a busybody, maybe he’ll come out with some scandal before the season is done.

I think Barrow is looking for a new job. I don’t believe Baxter’s tale of falling for the wrong guy who made her a person she did not want to be. Maybe she and Barrow are cooking up a scheme to steal Cora’s jewelry? THAT would be interesting.

Just wondering,

K

***

Lady K,

That WOULD be interesting, but I might throw a shoe at the TV if that’s what’s going on. In the “next-on” scenes, methinks I saw Barrow agonizing over something with a strange little medical-looking case nearby. Drug addiction? Will Baxter help him clean up, despite what a crumb he’s been? She did note that they go back a few years; said she knows/likes his father. What’s THAT all about?

I did love Baxter’s summary of secret: “I was ashamed. I let him change me … (she gave up her principles) for a worthless man.” Pow!

Regarding your feelings about Mary, you must’ve enjoyed Edith’s little jab in the parlor; to paraphrase: so, Mary, how was your holiday? Where are your sketches? You could practically hear the air quotes around “sketches” and “holiday.” (Were I Lady Mary, I might've returned with, "Probably somewhere in Switzerland, where you spent, what was it, 9 months?") Of course, Edith, for whatever karmic reason, is allowed no more mirth than that and gets quickly socked by the request from the Drewes to shove off for a bit. And really, I can’t entirely blame the Mrs. for being a little peeved at ever-present Edith. However, Lord G has now said, twice, that he hopes Edith doesn’t annoy the Drewes to death with her visits, and that sort of snipe is uncalled for. Can the poor thing get a little love and support?

Lovies,

M.

PS. I love “Moonstruck.” Such a great movie.

***

Dearest M,

So Baxter and Barrow are childhood friends. Remember Baxter said she was good friends with Barrow’s sister. And then she told Barrow that his father was always nice to her. And then, just this last episode, she seemed surprised that Barrow’s father hadn’t died, yet. What was that? I think they’re cooking up something, I just don’t know what. Do you think James will make a return appearance somehow?

And Edith, poor Edith. I think she’s going to tell her father about the baby. I really am getting a little annoyed with her. For the love of Pete, Mary had a guy die in her bed and no one seems to care about that. Lady Sybil married a commoner and the marriage (eventually) was accepted by the family. Cousin Rose was cutting the rug at a speakeasy and hanging with, gasp, a jazz musician. Scandalous but survivable.

I think she should buck up, admit her indiscretions and raise her own kid.

Another favorite moment: Anna having to take home Lady Mary’s (used, I presume) birth control device and a book on sex. Has Lady Mary no boundaries?

Off for a cuppa … ’til next week.

K

***

Mdme. K,

Good points all. I shall be the first to celebrate your sharp eye if Baxter and Barrow get up to something “nasty,” as she put it, because Barrow can be quite “nasty,” ay? And no, I don’t we’ve heard the last of James the Cute Footman. Maybe he’ll officially become that Lady Anstruther’s boy-toy and reappear at Downton ON HER ARM! How fab would it be to see Barrow wait on James?

I think Edith might confess her baby-secret, too. You’re absolutely right that her secret almost pales in comparison to some of the others flying around the family. I mean, who knows the real nature of the Dowager’s connection to Mr. Kuragin, the Russian ex-pat? She nearly swooned when she saw him. I think there’s a little more than a shared antique fan between them, and I loved how Mary couldn’t stop giving her granny “knowing looks” after she witnessed the chemistry between Violet and her prince. But still, I think both Mary and Violet find each other just a bit more relatable now, and if that household needs anything it’s more strong women who won’t be put aside just to appease the patriarch, who’s repeatedly proven himself a giant man-child.

And Mary’s disposal of the “thing,” as Anna put it, was just gross. Now THAT is nasty. And rude. I mean for godssakes she couldn’t just toss it in the bin at the hotel?

A few more favorite bits from last episode and I’ll take my leave: Mrs. Patmore notes that Mr. Carson’s sympathy for her family “butters no parsnips”; Mrs. Hughes tells Daisy to “go as far in life as God and luck will allow”; the Dowager calls Lord Merton Isobel’s “aging Romeo”; Rose’s pink gown and Edith’s plum number at dinner; and the spectacular tea that the family put out for the Russians. All fabulous elements in quite the intriguing episode.

TTFN,

M. 

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