SYBIL: Shall we go in after luncheon?
ROBERT: Not today. It seems unfair without giving them warning.
SYBIL: Won’t they think it odd, if they look up and see us all here?
ROBERT: I’ll drop them a line later.
CORA: Downton Place. How lovely.
MARY: Won’t it be a bit cramped?
BRANSON: You do realise that for most people it looks like a fairy palace?
SYBIL: You’ll be able to run it with a much smaller staff.
ROBERT: This is it. I doubt we’ll need more than eight servants tops. So it’ll be very economical. Er…
He makes a slight ‘shhh!’ gesture as Alfred comes within earshot. He carries something to the table, but then he is gone again.
VIOLET: What about me? Where am I to go?
ROBERT: We still own most of the village.
VIOLET: Oh. Perhaps I could open a shop.
EDITH: Good idea, Granny. What do you think Eryholme needs?
VIOLET: Well, if it’s like everywhere else, good manners and some decent conversation.
ISOBEL: Well, there you are, then. You should have a roaring trade in minutes.23
Isobel turns to Edith.
ISOBEL (CONT’D): How’s everything going?
EDITH: Very well, I think.
ISOBEL: I think it’s rather unfair that Mary should have an Archbishop to marry her, and you’ve got poor old Mr Travis.
VIOLET: Shall I get you a spoon?
EDITH: No, it’s all right. Oh, I don’t mind. It was such short notice and he was all booked up, and I prefer it, really. To have the man who christened us.
Mary is with Matthew, a little way away from the rest.
MARY: What had Charkham come for?
Matthew looks at her. He makes the decision to tell.
MATTHEW: He gave me a letter from Swire. It seems he left one for each of the three potential heirs, when and if they inherited. Mine is the only one to have been delivered.24
MARY: What did it say?
MATTHEW: I haven’t opened it. I can’t decide whether I will.
MARY: Why wouldn’t you?
MATTHEW: Because I know it will be a paean of praise. How Lavinia could not have found a better man, etcetera.
MARY: And you don’t want to read that?
MATTHEW: Since she could not have found a worse one, no, I don’t. I already feel bad enough, and if I read his words they will stay with me forever.
CORA: It’s ready, everyone!
As they start to assemble, she turns to Alfred.
CORA (CONT’D): Alfred, do you know why your aunt is keeping her plans so secret?
ALFRED: What plans, m’lady?
They sit down. Robert, Isobel, Edith, Strallan and Violet are together. The remaining five are on the other table.
EDITH: Can I give you some beef?
STRALLAN: Thank you.
Edith serves it and then starts to cut it up for him.
STRALLAN (CONT’D): I’ll do it.
EDITH: Don’t be silly. How could you?
Violet catches Robert’s eye, which Strallan sees.
25 INT. KITCHEN PASSAGE. DAY.
Isobel descends the servants’ staircase. She sees Mrs Hughes.
MRS HUGHES: Mrs Crawley?
ISOBEL: We’re back from our delicious luncheon, and I was on my way home.
She hesitates. Mrs Hughes waits.
ISOBEL (CONT’D): You had a maid at Downton. Ethel Parks. I was here when she brought her son into the dining room.
MRS HUGHES: Who could forget that?
ISOBEL: Do you have an address for her?
MRS HUGHES: I do. If she’s still there.
ISOBEL: You see… You see, I saw her this morning. And I’m afraid she’s fallen into a bad way. A very bad way.
MRS HUGHES: Oh, dear. I am sorry to hear that. If you’d like to come with me, I’ll fetch it for you.
ISOBEL: Thank you.
They go together.25
26 INT. YORK PRISON. BATES’S CELL. DAY.
Craig lies on his bed, while Bates searches his.
26A INT. YORK PRISON. CORRIDOR. DAY.
Three prison guards are on the march towards Bates’s cell.
26B INT. YORK PRISON. BATES’S CELL. DAY.
As Bates pulls up the blanket, he spies something pushed into a crack between the distempered bricks. It would have been concealed behind the mattress but he’s lifted it.
26C INT. YORK PRISON. CORRIDOR. DAY.
The guards are getting closer…
26D INT. YORK PRISON. BATES’S CELL. DAY.
Covertly, Bates prises out a substance that has been wrapped tightly inside a piece of cloth. Bates sniffs it, without letting the other man see.
26E INT. YORK PRISON. CORRIDOR. DAY.
The guards are here, the keys are jangling…
27 INT. BATES’S CELL. YORK PRISON. DAY.
Bates is reading a letter. He seems saddened by its content.
CRAIG: Bad news? I am sorry.
BATES: Why don’t you just —
The door flies open. The warder, Durrant, rushes in, followed by two others, including the warder Turner.
DURRANT: Get up, both of you… Against the wall!
They are pushed against the wall. The others get started.
DURRANT (CONT’D): Mr Turner, search the bunk, please.
Turner turns over Bates’s mattress and bedclothes, and conducts a search. Bates slides the object he has found towards a gap in the brickwork.
TURNER: Nothing here.
DURRANT: What?
He grabs the mattress to reveal the hole in the wall, but it is empty. He stares at Craig, who’s as surprised as he is.
DURRANT (CONT’D): Clear this mess up!
He walks out, followed by the others. The door clangs shut.
CRAIG: Bastards.
Unseen by Craig, tucked into the brickwork, is the tiny package Bates found earlier.26
BATES: There’s a lot of bastards in here.
28 INT. SERVANTS’ HALL. DOWNTON. DAY.
Servants’ tea. Anna is rather silent.
MOLESLEY: I expect you’re tired. It’s a long day, up to London and back again.
MRS HUGHES: Was it worth the journey?
ANNA: Not really.
CARSON: Miss O’Brien, might I ask what you’ve confided in Mr Molesley, but have kept from the rest of us?
O’BRIEN: I don’t know what you mean.
CARSON: Mr Molesley appears to have given her ladyship the impression that you’re planning a change of some sort.
O’BRIEN: What’s this?
MOLESLEY: I’m sorry. I thought her ladyship would know.
O’BRIEN: Know what?
MOLESLEY: That you’re leaving.
O’BRIEN: I beg your pardon! How dare you make such an assumption?
THOMAS: Isn’t it time for the dressing gong, Mr Carson?
CARSON: Oh. It certainly is. Thank you.
MOLESLEY: But —
Carson has left. Now Thomas stands and heads for the door.
THOMAS: Excuse me, Mr Molesley. I’ve got work to do, even if you haven’t.
O’BRIEN: I’ll deal with you later.
She gives Molesley a basilisk stare, then goes, leaving Molesley reeling at his evil luck.
DAISY: You’re in the soup. I wouldn’t be in her bad books for a gold clock.27
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
29 INT. SYBIL’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Anna leaves. Sybil is dressed and Branson’s in black tie.
BRANSON: Why not just tell her you can dress yourself?
SYBIL: For the same reason that you’re wearing a dinner jacket.
BRANSON: I can’t have a conversation about my clothes at every meal.
SYBIL: Exactly.
She stands to look at herself.
BRANSON: You know, I think it’s a good thing they’re leaving Downton.
SYBIL: If you do, keep it
to yourself.
BRANSON: Because it’s as far away from real life as it’s possible to get.28
There is a knock at the door and Alfred appears.
ALFRED: Is there anything I can do for you, sir, before you go down?
BRANSON: I’m perfectly all right, thank you.
Alfred nods and retreats. Branson turns to Sybil.
BRANSON (CONT’D): See what I mean?
30 INT. CORA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Cora is with O’Brien.
CORA: You must have said something that Molesley misinterpreted.
O’BRIEN: But I don’t say anything to him, m’lady, beyond ‘pass the salt’, and ‘get out of the way’.
CORA: There must have been something. I’m afraid I do feel let down, O’Brien. I really do. And right on top of the wedding…
There is a knock and Mrs Hughes enters.
MRS HUGHES: You sent for me, m’lady?
CORA: Yes. Thank you, O’Brien.
The maid leaves, frustrated by the previous conversation.
CORA (CONT’D): Mrs Hughes, I understand that you’re not well —
MRS HUGHES: Whom do you ‘understand’ that from? Because if the doctor —
CORA: It wasn’t Doctor Clarkson.
MRS HUGHES: It is not confirmed that I am ill, your ladyship. I’ve had a test and I’m waiting for the results. But I am perfectly capable —
CORA: Mrs Hughes, I only want to say one thing. That if you are ill, you are welcome here for as long as you want to stay. Lady Sybil will help us to find a suitable nurse.
MRS HUGHES: I see.
CORA: I don’t want you to have any concerns about where you’ll go, or who’ll look after you, because the answer is here, and we will.
Mrs Hughes was not expecting this. Her eyes fill.
MRS HUGHES: I don’t know what to say, m’lady.
CORA: There isn’t anything more to say until we know where we stand, one way or the other.
MRS HUGHES: Thank you.29
CORA: Now, what about tomorrow?
MRS HUGHES: I think everything’s in hand. The rooms are ready. And Mrs Patmore’s been in a fury all day.
CORA: I can imagine.
MRS HUGHES: I very much doubt you can.
31 INT. KITCHENS. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Daisy is loading Alfred’s tray with a cheese course.
DAISY: If they complain it’s dull, tell them it’s a miracle there’s cheese at all, the day before a wedding.
ALFRED: I’ll send for you and you can tell them. You said you wanted to be more outspoken.
DAISY: That’s not quite what I meant —
MRS PATMORE: Get that cheese up, and if his lordship asks, tell ’em they must do without a savoury. Her ladyship’ll stick up for you.
Daisy’s moment has passed.
32 INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
It is after dinner. They are all there, except for Strallan.
EDITH: He thinks I don’t know, but of course I do. We’ll spend two weeks in Rome, then Florence, then Venice, so I couldn’t be happier.
SYBIL: And what about Loxley? Is there masses to be done?
EDITH: It’s not too bad.
MARY: It’s not too bad downstairs. The bedrooms are killers.
ISOBEL: Well, don’t do anything too fast. It takes time to know how a house works.
Edith glows.30 Mary is with Matthew, to one side.
MARY: I think you have to read it.
MATTHEW: I don’t agree. It’s like when someone you love dies. Don’t look at them dead if you don’t want that image in your brain for ever, because it’ll never leave you.31
MARY: What about if I read it?
But he shakes his head.
MATTHEW: I think I’ll burn the damn thing.
Violet is with the girls.
VIOLET: I really think you should go to bed. No bride wants to look tired at her wedding. It either means she’s anxious or been up to no good.
EDITH: I won’t sleep a wink.
SYBIL: Tonight or tomorrow?
VIOLET: Sybil, vulgarity is no substitute for wit.
SYBIL: Well, you started it.
Robert and Cora are with Branson.
ROBERT: Sybil seems to think your politics are hardening, which worries me.
BRANSON: Really? I wouldn’t say I was any more political. Merely more active.
CORA: Promise you won’t be foolish.
BRANSON: First, we’d have to define foolish.
33 INT. KITCHEN PASSAGE/SERVANTS’ HALL. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The servants are coming in for dinner. Molesley catches O’Brien as she walks down the passage.
MOLESLEY: Miss O’Brien. Please, understand that I didn’t mean any harm —
O’BRIEN: Well, why make it up in the first place?
MOLESLEY: I didn’t make it up; I was told…
O’BRIEN: Who told you?
MOLESLEY: Well, Mr Barrow mentioned it, but I think it was an honest mistake…
This has clarified everything for the maid.
O’BRIEN: No, it wasn’t honest, and it wasn’t a mistake. But don’t worry about it. I can tell it wasn’t your fault, Mr Molesley. So we’ll forget about it, shall we? And when you see Mr Barrow, you can tell him that I may make some honest mistakes myself in the future.
With this cryptic remark, they walk in and take their places. Daisy and Mrs Patmore are putting dishes on the table.
ALFRED: Why not sit down and eat with us?
DAISY: Oh, I couldn’t do that.
CARSON: Daisy will not sit down because the invitation is not in your gift, Alfred. She eats with Mrs Patmore. In the kitchen.32
Even so, Daisy is thrilled. Alfred has another try.
ALFRED: Fancy a game of something later?
MRS PATMORE: Daisy’s busy.
ALFRED: Anna?
ANNA: I want to write a letter. Sorry.
MOLESLEY: I’ll play.
ALFRED: Let’s see how we feel.
34 INT. MARY’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Mary is in bed and Matthew, in his dressing gown, faces her.
MATTHEW: What do you mean you’ve read it?
MARY: I didn’t think it was right to destroy a man’s last words without reading them. I felt it was wrong.
MATTHEW: It wasn’t your decision.
MARY: Well, I made it my decision. Do you want to hear what he says?
MATTHEW: No.
MARY: To start with, Lavinia must have written to him on her last day, only hours before she died.
MATTHEW: Well, that’s nonsense. There was no letter found in her room.
MARY: Be that as it may, she wrote to him after she tried to persuade you to call off the wedding and you wouldn’t.
MATTHEW: This is quite impossible.
As an answer she takes the letter from beneath her pillow. He does not want to listen, but he no longer tries to stop her.
MARY: ‘She loved and admired you for this sacrifice of your own happiness, and she commended you to my care.’
MATTHEW: I can’t listen to any more of this.
MARY: You must. ‘I have few intimates and so I’ve decided, in her name, to add you to my list of heirs. I think it unlikely that I’ll outlive both the first two, so there is little chance of your reading this letter, but if you do, and if the money has come to you, know it is with my full knowledge of what transpired. Please do not allow any grief, guilt or regret to hold you back in its employment. God bless you, my boy. Reggie.’
They stare at each other.
MATTHEW: Are you sure you didn’t write it?
MARY: I assume you know his hand.
MATTHEW: Not well enough to test a forgery.
He has taken off his gown and now he climbs into bed.
MATTHEW (CONT’D): Besides, she couldn’t have written to him without our knowing. I’m not accusing you of faking it, but I suspect someone has.
MARY: So it won’t change your mind?
> MATTHEW: Not yet, it won’t.33
35 INT. MRS HUGHES’S SITTING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Carson finds Mrs Hughes working.
CARSON: Time you were in bed. Big day tomorrow.
MRS HUGHES: I’ll just finish this.
CARSON: Is it something I could do for you?
MRS HUGHES: No… Did you say anything about me to her ladyship?
CARSON: I don’t know what you mean. Why?
MRS HUGHES: Don’t worry. She was very kind, and I was touched. As you know, I don’t worship them all like you do —
CARSON: I wouldn’t put it like that —
MRS HUGHES: But this time, I freely admit it, I was quite touched.
She goes back to her work and he retreats.
36 INT. SERVANTS’ HALL. DOWNTON. DAY.
The servants are at breakfast.
MARY: Am I interrupting?34
Led by Carson, they scramble to their feet.
MARY (CONT’D): No, please. I just want to ask you all something.
ANNA: M’lady, I’m sorry I’ve not been up.
MARY: Don’t worry. I’ll change properly after luncheon. But I had to catch you when you were all together.
CARSON: How can we help, m’lady?
MARY: It’s a funny thing. Mr Crawley has heard that Miss Swire sent a letter on the day she died. If so, someone must have posted it for her, and we wondered if it were any of you?
Nobody speaks. Carson surveys the table and turns back.
CARSON: I’m afraid not. Given that the poor lady passed away that same day, an incident of this sort would have been reported to me or to Mrs Hughes.
MRS HUGHES: That’s right, m’lady.
MARY: I see. Well, thank you very much.
She turns to go as Daisy brings in some toast. She whispers.
DAISY: What were that about?
ANNA: Lady Mary wanted to know if anyone had posted a letter for Miss Swire.
DAISY: Oh, I did that.
The words shock the room, including Carson.
CARSON: Daisy? What did you say?
Mary has stopped by the stairs. She comes back in.
DAISY: Poor Miss Swire’s letter. She’d written it and she asked me to put it into the box in the hall. Why?
MRS HUGHES: What were you doing in her room?
Downton Abbey, Series 3 Scripts (Official) Page 17