'Downton Abbey' Recap: Season 2 Episode 5

Downton Abbey airs Sundays at 9:00 pm and is available to stream by WTTW Passport members. Recap the previous episodes.
Keep up with your favorite dramas and mysteries by signing up for our newsletter, Dramalogue.

A few months later, Matthew has recovered as much as his paralysis will allow. Mary is pushing his wheelchair on the grounds of Downton and they seem to be enjoying each other’s company as Robert and Carlisle observe them through a window. “Ought I to be jealous?” Carlisle asks. Robert, still strongly averse to Carlisle, doesn’t offer an opinion. Carlisle is thinking of buying and extensively renovating a neighboring estate, Haxby Park, for him and Mary to live in after their marriage. Crawley family friends are selling it after their only son was killed in action.

Dr. Clarkson informs the family that a badly burned Canadian major, Patrick Gordon, has requested to convalesce at Downton, due to a “connection to the house.” Intrigued, Robert agrees.

Downstairs, Daisy, wearing a black armband in mourning for William, is grimly serving tea in the servant’s hall. She has not yet applied for her widow’s pension, still believing it would be under false pretenses. Mrs. Patmore and Jane (having recently been through this herself), try to convince her otherwise; it’s what William wanted.

At Crawley House, Cora expresses relief to Violet and Isobel that as the end of the war is imminent, Downton will once again be a private country estate. The relentlessly altruistic Isobel tries to convince them that the house should remain a convalescent home permanently. Violet and Cora, not surprisingly, take firm issue with that. Violet privately resolves to look for another project for Isobel. And she succeeds: to Cora’s relief, Violet manages to divert Isobel’s energies to the plight of war refugees.

Meanwhile, Patrick Gordon has arrived. His face is heavily bandaged, but it’s clear he is hideously disfigured. Edith offers to help him. “Did they tell you we’re related?” Gordon asks her. He thought she would recognize his voice, despite “sounding Canadian” now. And they’ve met before, he tells her. Edith is intrigued but is called away before she can learn more.

Carlisle, currently a houseguest, privately offers Carson the position of butler of Haxby Park after he and Mary are married. Carson protests that he already has a job. Carlisle flatters him, implying that it would mean a lot to Mary and there would be a big raise for him. Carson is uncomfortable with Mary being unaware of the offer, and ever loyal to her, he will wait to find out what she and her father have to say.

The friction between Cora and Robert has worsened as their duties leave them almost no time together, and they argue. Later, Robert is lunching alone when Jane arrives alone to serve him. He takes an interest and asks after her son, who is in line for a scholarship to the local grammar school. Robert offers to put in a word.

The servants discuss their plans for after the war. Mrs. Patmore thinks that due to increasing shortages, they should all be hoarding food. This starts Thomas thinking about getting involved in the black market. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hughes surreptitiously hands more provisions to Ethel out the back kitchen door. Carson catches her, and she is forced to reveal her transgression to Cora. Mrs. Hughes cites the baby, but Carson intones that Ethel got what she deserved; “women are to blame” whereas “men will be men.” (The age-old double standard.) Cora then comes to Ethel’s defense and suggests that perhaps Robert could invite Bryant to Downton and force him to take responsibility. Mrs. Hughes doubts he will and later says as much to Ethel, suggesting she “go to a big city and invent a past.” Ethel is not receptive.

Mary and Carlisle are touring the massive, ornate, and echoingly empty Haxby Park. Carlisle wants to buy it; Mary is indifferent. Later, Matthew urges her to marry Carlisle as he himself is no longer an option. Carlisle (and Cora) are definitely on board with that, and to that end, Carlisle suggests that Cora summon Lavinia back to Downton.

A Long-Lost Cousin?

Gordon encounters Edith again and delivers some shocking news: despite his unrecognizable appearance and Canadian accent, he is her long-lost cousin Patrick who ostensibly went down with the Titanic six years earlier. And if true, that makes him the heir to Downton, not Matthew. Edith is thunderstruck – she had been in love with Patrick. He shares a frankly outlandish survival story complete with a bout of amnesia, sprinkled with just enough facts to make it seem plausible to Edith. If he isn’t Patrick, he has done his research and knows exactly whom to prey upon.

Bates receives bad news from his lawyer: Vera has revealed to the judge that Bates paid her for a divorce. Which he did, and “stupidly” withheld that fact from the court. Which means no divorce. Anna tries to reassure him. Naturally, O’Brien is eavesdropping.

Sybil meets up again with the long-suffering Branson in the garage – the end of the war is definitely coming, and she asks him to wait for her decision about their relationship until it’s settled. (Arrrrgh.)

Mary tries to convince a reluctant Carson to take the butler position at Haxby Park; he tells her he’ll decide once she has gotten Robert on board. It’s clear that, like others, he doesn’t trust Carlisle and is in no hurry to give up everything he’s worked for at Downton.

Edith shares “Patrick’s” revelation with Robert, who visits him in the convalescent ward. Suspicious and very much in Matthew’s corner, Robert wonders why “Patrick” didn’t approach him instead of Edith. “Patrick” admits that he doesn’t have much proof but claims to know things that “only the real Patrick would know.” Robert doesn’t know what to think, but later gathers the entire family, including Matthew and Carlisle, and tells them “Patrick’s” story. Reactions vary: Mary is outraged; Matthew is bitter but resigned about being displaced, citing his disability; Edith naively believes the story; and the others are skeptical to varying degrees. Robert will consult with his London solicitor Murray. Meanwhile, “Patrick” lays it on thick with Edith and stages foolish histrionics in the dining hall.

Cora summons Mrs. Hughes to let her know that Major Bryant has been killed in battle (yay?) and, in front of O’Brien, asks her to let Major Bryant’s “mutual friend” know. Ethel, hope now dashed, proposes to write to Bryant’s wealthy parents about the baby. But she has no proof and angrily compares her own treatment to that of the new maid Jane who, as Mrs. Hughes points out, was “a respectable married woman.”

Bates informs Robert that he has to go to London the following day. Robert hopes it’s not about “the former Mrs. Bates.” Bates grimly replies, “I only wish she were the former…or better yet, the late.” (Bookmark this comment for later.) Robert urges Bates not to lose his temper when dealing with Vera. Did Bates follow that advice? When he returns the next evening, he has an ugly bruise on his face…so probably not.

Robert’s lawyer Murray has researched “Patrick’s” case and discovered that Patrick Crawley had worked with a man named “Peter Gordon” at the foreign office. Violet surmises that when the real Patrick died on the Titanic, “Peter Gordon,” who had learned a lot about his friend, saw a chance for a big payday after his face was mutilated. Edith continues to defend him, and Mary is still adamant she’s being taken in by an imposter. Later, Edith fills in “Patrick” about the meeting and “Patrick’s” apprehensive reaction makes her wonder. The next morning, Edith discovers that he has vanished, leaving her a note that reads, “It was too difficult. I’m sorry. –P. Gordon.”  Was he telling the truth, or a lie? Edith will never know.

That evening, Lavinia suddenly appears at Downton, ushered in by a smug Carlisle. Robert and Mary are furious, Matthew is resentful, and later Carlisle, angered by Mary’s fierce protectiveness of Matthew, privately threatens her with ruin if she tries to break off their engagement. Matthew, for his part, strongly urges Lavinia to forget him, but irritatingly, she sticks to him like glue. And Robert angrily accuses Cora of cruelly meddling in other people’s lives.

In the midst of this turmoil, there is an important development: the war is over. On the morning of what will thereafter be known as Armistice Day, family, servants, nurses, and convalescent soldiers gather in the great hall to commemorate the moment as the clock strikes 11. Afterward, as Bates begins to wheel Matthew out of the hall, Matthew suddenly feels a slight sensation in his legs. He tells nobody…and won’t until it happens again.

As Edith weeps out on the grounds for “Patrick,” downstairs Bates receives a telegram: Vera Bates has been found dead.