Downton Abbey Season 1 Episode 6

Set in May 1914…

 

Lady Sybil attends a lively Liberal rally with Isobel and Branson but leaves when things get rowdy. Bates spills the beans to Lord Grantham about Lady Sybil’s attendance. Lord Grantham flips out at family dinner and dresses down Sybil in front of everyone, saying there won’t be a next time. Countess Violet amusingly adds in her two cents. Sybil tricks Branson and sneaks off again to the counting of the votes and things get rough. Sybil is knocked unconscious and rescued by Matthew.

Carson gets a letter from a valet contact. The letter references the scandal between Lady Mary and Mr. Pamuk. Countess Violet also receives a letter from her niece Rosamund and shows it to Lady Cora, who confirms it’s all true, much to the horror of Countess Violet. They part on bad terms, but later come to an agreement about Mary’s future.

Thomas tells Carson he saw Mr. Bates stealing wine. Carson confronts Bates, looking for a more simple explanation. Nasty O’Brien and Thomas get Daisy onboard with the false accusations and they pay Carson a visit. Carson doesn’t quite believe them all. However Daisy does the decent thing and admits she was put up to it. Even though he didn’t steal the wine, Bates confesses to being a former alcoholic and a thief, offering his resignation.

Matthew and Mary flirt all episode, which culminates in a kiss and a proposal of marriage. Mary tells Cora and mother is most pleased, but Mary insists she must tell Matthew about Mr. Pamuk or it would be unfair to catch him in a lie.

Anna and Mr. Bates almost kiss, but are interrupted.

Mrs. Patmore has cataracts.

William’s mother is dying, but she doesn’t want William to know. Mary tells William to take a few days off to go see him mother.

Sir Anthony Strallan pops by in his Rolls Royce to take Mary for a spin, but she declines. Lady Edith is only too willing to take her place. The two get on famously talking about the Kaiser.  He drops by again later to invite one of the ladies to a concert. Mary declines before he even asks, but Sir Anthony interrupts and says it’s Edith he’s looking for.

 

Quotes from Downton Abbey Season 1 Episode 6

Lord Grantham: “I confess I was amused at the idea of an Irish radical for a chauffeur but I can see now that I’ve been naive.”

Countess Violet: “What? Are you canvassing too or would you rather take in washing?”

Lady Mary: “I was only going to say Sybil that is entitled to her opinions.”

Countess Violet: “No, she isn’t, until she is married. And then her husband will tell her what her opinions are.”

Countess Violet: “Well I doubt I’d expect to curtsey to their majesties in June when I’d been arrested in May. But then I’m old, things may be different now.”

Lord Grantham: “Poor old Edith, we never seem to talk about her.”

Lady Cora: “I’m afraid Edith will be the one to care for us in her old age.”

Lord Grantham: “What a ghastly prospect.”

Countess Violet: “My poor niece never uses one word when twenty will do.”

Countess Violet: “I always thought this family might be approaching dissolution. I didn’t know dissolution was already upon us.”

Lady Cora: “If you expect me to disown my daughter, I’m afraid you will be disappointed.”

Gwen: “You’re brought up to think it’s all within your grasp, that if you want something enough it will come to you.  But we’re not like that. We don’t think our dreams are bound to come true because they almost never do.”

Lady Sybil: “Then that’s why we must stick together. Your dream is my dream now. And I’ll make it come true.”

Lady Mary: “I don’t care a fig about rules.”

Mrs. Patmore: “You’re always dozy but tonight you’d make Sleeping Beauty look alert.”

Mrs. Hughes: “If there’s one thing I hate it’s an atmosphere. And we’ve got a real atmosphere going now.”

Branson: “I never would have taken her there. I may be a socialist but I’m not a lunatic.”

Lady Mary: “I’m not sure Papa knows the difference.”

Lady Mary: “Papa prefers the servants to read the bible and letters from home.”

Bates: “Until a couple of years ago I was a drunk. And I was imprisoned as a thief.”

Countess Violet: “One way or another everyone goes down the aisle with half the story hidden.”

Countess Violet: “We’ll have to take her abroad. In these moments you can normally find an Italian who isn’t too picky.”