'Downton Abbey' Recap: Season 2 Episode 3

Downton Abbey airs Sundays at 9:00 pm and is available to stream by WTTW Passport members. Recap the previous episode.
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A few months later, life at Downton’s convalescent home continues. To boost morale, some of the patients have organized an amateur talent show, and Edith prevails upon a reluctant Mary to team up with her on a duet. Isobel arrives during their discussion and is incensed to learn that Cora has steamrolled her to oversee the household staff. A heated argument ends with Cora icily reminding Isobel that it’s HER house and HER staff. Isobel threatens to leave. Cora serenely calls her bluff. 

Later, Isobel pleads her case to Dr. Clarkson, insisting that Cora has no medical training. Clarkson doesn’t think medical training is necessary at a convalescent home, which is more about “good food, fresh air, and clean sheets.” Accepting defeat, Isobel departs to join a friend in France who is helping to locate missing soldiers. She leaves Molesley and Mrs. Bird in charge of Crawley House.

Meanwhile, in the library, Edith and Mrs. Hughes notice Ethel heavily flirting with Major Bryant and Edith suggests that she return to her duties (that girl is asking for trouble, judging from Mrs. Hughes’s stormy expression).

Violet, still scheming to push Lavinia out of the picture, is surprised to hear from Mary what really happened between Lavinia and Carlisle, and raises further doubts about the man’s integrity and social status. Mary argues that he’s “powerful…rich and getting richer.” Violet is convinced that Carlisle is beneath Mary and still holds out hopes for Matthew. Mary insists it’s hopeless. Violet also worries about Sybil getting involved with an inappropriate suitor. If she is, Sybil is keeping her cards close to the vest.

Speaking of Sybil, out by the garage she confronts Branson (who somehow still works there after his mischief at the General’s dinner) – apparently, he promised Carson he would toe the line and she’s disappointed that he isn’t fighting for freedom back in Ireland. He assures her he’ll be returning there after the war, and that he will stay at Downton until she agrees to run away with him, impudently insisting that she’s in love with him. (So we’re there now.) Mary overhears and later confronts Sybil. Sybil confides that she hasn’t decided how she feels about Branson. Mary makes her promise to share any plans she makes.

To his surprise, Robert has received a letter from Carlisle about his marriage proposal to Mary. Has she decided to accept him? Believing she is damaged goods, Mary tells Robert that she thinks she should. Robert is skeptical. Like Violet, he still hopes something will work out with Matthew. Mary assures him it won’t but will write to Matthew at the front to tell him about her engagement.

In a dugout, Matthew reads Mary’s letter just before he and William embark on one last patrol before they come back to Downton on leave. It’s a routine maneuver until they get lost and stumble upon a group of German soldiers. They hide in a trench and then make a run for it through a field as the Germans open fire on them.

Meanwhile, Thomas and O’Brien have discovered Bates’s whereabouts, and Daisy overhears their discussion. Robert hasn’t taken on a valet since Lang was dismissed, and Thomas speculates that Bates might be coming back. As always, Thomas begins to formulate a plot against him.

Bored with little to do, Mrs. Bird and Moseley are loitering in the kitchen at the now-vacant Crawley House. Suddenly, a wounded young soldier appears in the doorway, respectfully inquiring about food. At first, they resent the intrusion but reconsider when they take in his disability and learn that he was a local farmhand. They usher him inside.

Later, Molesley ventures to Downton to ask Carson, who has been filling in, if he might take over as Robert’s valet. Carson, overworked, is quite agreeable. Molesley hopes that the job will be permanent.

William was due back on leave, but ominously, he never arrived. As Daisy worries, she inadvertently slips Thomas’s news about Bates to Carson and Mrs. Hughes, who quickly tell Robert. Thomas is angry that his plans have been foiled and Robert is furious he wasn’t told. In the servants’ hall, Ethel declares that she’s ready for a new adventure and doesn’t care who knows it.

Daisy shares her anxiety about William with Edith. Edith promises to investigate but is mainly worried because Matthew was supposed to be with him. Robert receives a phone call and only Edith is present when he hangs up. Matthew and William are missing in action. Could they be taken prisoner or killed? Neither of them knows.

Robert is surprised to learn that Anna already knows about Bates. And that he hasn’t come back to Downton because “his Lordship” parted with him on bad terms. Robert, knowing now that he was wrong, is embarrassed. The next day, he goes to the pub and patches things up with Bates. Deeply grateful to have his friend back, Robert confides in him about Matthew being missing and begs him to come back to Downton. Bates happily agrees. Everyone is thrilled by his return, except (predictably) a fuming Thomas and O’Brien…and poor Molesley, whose hopes for the valet position are dashed.

A Soup Kitchen

The next day, Daisy and Mrs. Patmore are walking back from the village when they spot a line of wounded soldiers waiting outside Crawley House. The original wounded soldier has multiplied into many more, and now Mrs. Bird is struggling to run a weekly soup kitchen with her own money. Mrs. Patmore and Daisy vow to help her by contributing food from Downton. They start squirreling food away in a “special storage area,” which arouses O’Brien’s suspicions. She of course tattles to Mrs. Hughes, who dismisses it.

But Mrs. Hughes has bigger fish to fry: As Molesley is leaving for the night, he mentions that he saw one of the officers by the staircase to the maids’ quarters. Finding Ethel’s bed empty, Mrs. Hughes continues down the corridor and, hearing voices and laughter, she flings open the door to a spare room to discover an unclothed Ethel and Major Bryant in bed together. She orders Bryant downstairs, and Ethel – you guessed it – is summarily dismissed without a reference. Disastrously, she must leave Downton before breakfast. Unaware of what Ethel has done, Anna tries to stand up for her, but Mrs. Hughes is adamant that her decision is final.

As Mrs. Patmore and Daisy are ferrying their baskets of food to Mrs. Bird at Crawley House, O’Brien watches from across the street. She assumes they’re stealing and maliciously relays that to Cora. The next time the three of them and Molesley are setting up the buffet line, O’Brien and Cora appear and catch them at it. They explain that they are feeding the local wounded with only food that the army provides for Downton’s convalescent soldiers. Cora, unexpectedly, advises them that in the future, they must use Downton’s own food. O’Brien can’t believe Cora is letting them get away with it. Cora, steely-eyed, replies that more than that, they’re both going to help them. Cora rolls up her sleeves and everyone gets started. O’Brien sulks. And that same day, Dr. Clarkson dresses down Thomas for his arrogance to the servants. Embittered, Thomas and O’Brien assume that Bates ratted him out and plot revenge.

Sybil reveals to Branson that Mary knows about them. And also that she has grave misgivings about leaving her family and lifestyle to be with him. Branson insists that love is all that matters. Sybil knows it isn’t.

Uncomfortable with the secrecy, Edith breaks the news to a devastated Mary that Matthew is missing. And right before the concert downstairs, Robert finally tells Cora, who informs Violet. Nobody knows how to reach Isobel. Despite everything, the concert must go forward, because morale must be boosted, no matter what.

Mary, with Edith accompanying her on the piano, starts to sing, and at the chorus, she encourages everyone to join in. Suddenly at the back of the room, Matthew and William miraculously appear, none the worse for wear. Mesmerized, Mary has stopped singing, but Matthew joins her onstage and smiling, they finish the song together.

At the reception afterward, Matthew minimizes the danger to Mary and Robert. He wishes Mary well with her engagement; she clearly already regrets it. But Anna and Bates, reunited, are blissful. Not so Thomas and O’Brien, jealous of their happiness. O’Brien will ensure it doesn’t last.

Mrs. Hughes is called away from the festivities; she has a visitor downstairs. It’s Ethel, desperate and disheveled – she’s pregnant.