RedHawk

I giggled as well, especially because of the setup where Elizabeth glanced around first to be sure none of the other mommies were looking before she did the deed!

I think withholding a cancer diagnosis was also common in the U.S. 50 years ago and more, especially if it was an advanced/terminal cancer, which so many were then. Usually the doctor told the family so they could prepare, which is the opposite of today today when HIPAA laws are in effect and the doctor cannot tell the family without the patient's permission. Back then, yes, it was thought the more kind thing to do and was probably common in many cultures.

I definitely read it as Mary letting Blake know the game wasn't over yet and she was a free agent. The way she smiled at him across the room and chatted with him, as well as accepting the dinner invitation -- she want him.

OMG, that would be so terrible for Elizabeth to hear! No wonder she was deeply affected. She may have felt it was as if her mother had already died, because of course she can't go to a funeral. All she can do is wait to be told her mother is gone. Maybe she will be able to send her mother one last set of photos and a note or something. Haven't we learned that the communication goes both ways, and that her mother has seen photos of the children? Because Elizabeth is a valued spy, are we to assume that her mother is given extra rations, has a better home than most, and might even be given somewhat better care in a hospital?

I've re-watched the scenes in the Liverpool hotel, the discussion Mary had with Anna about wanting to be sure, and Mary and Tom's discussion where she admits she doesn't want to marry Tony. My conclusion is that she had sexual desire for Tony but once it was more or less satisfied and she spent time with him, she discovered that she didn't feel a deep bond or wish to actually live with him as his wife. She said to Tom that she had found they had little in common. That's a relationship killer for sure. I went from thinking she had little sexual feeling for him (or any feeling at all, for that matter) to understanding that she thought the sexual desire might be clouding her overall judgement of whether she and Tony were truly suited for one another. It becomes much clearer if you listen to her discussion with Tom. So to bring it to this episode, when Tony and Mary go their separate ways in Liverpool he actually says "Now we're certain, we just have to make arrangements." He clearly thinks they will marry, especially considering what she said at breakfast that morning about announcements and doing the wedding properly and all. Mary doesn't contradict him there, and perhaps she should have made it clear that morning, but she did realize it was going to hurt him terribly when she did tell him she'd sampled the goods and decided not to purchase. She then goes home and Tony surprises her there during the Russians' visit. Yes, she let him continue to think they were engaged and would be planning the wedding, but I think she was just getting up her courage to tell him, and deciding what to say. He was the one pushing so I don't blame her and yet I can't blame him for his anger either, even though he takes it a bit too far. As long as we learn that he has stepped aside and taken her "no" like a gentleman, then I'll forgive him. I've noticed that education is the common denominator among those of the "lower orders" who are openly questioning the system and their place in it. Even going as far back as Gwen secretly learning how to type so she could get a better job and leave service. Sarah and Tom are educated middle class people, and Daisy wanted to learn maths because she saw she would need to know more than cooking (a fine trade in itself) if she decided to manage the farm.

I just want Phillip to finish the story about getting jumped in the street when he was a child! You know he kicked several asses that day, and probably did worse. Yes, please! Did anyone notice the hideous jeans Sandra was wearing? Yikes, I think I had a pair like that.

Chocolatine, can you please summarize for us what Elizabeth's mother said to her?

Do you understand Russian or were you seeing subtitles that somehow I didn't get? I was surprised not to have subtitles as Elizabeth listened to the tape and though I understand a little Russian couldn't follow what her mom was saying. I thought it was Alan Arkin, too! And wondered if he was ill.

As did many women of her age and station in that era.

I don't mind the Millers though I do wish that Dawn will use her powers for good and drag her layabout stepfather to a barber. Her mother could use a makeover as well. Honestly, why doesn't she do something nice like that rather than carping on Keith, who really ain't so bad and it's admirable that he's learning to read. That family can pull together when they need to. It would be wonderful to see Dawn help Keith get a job.

Actually, when he went into the room and offered to help Anna with her chores (polishing shoes?), he was limping slightly and he had his cane, which he put aside. I'd also noticed in previous episodes that he rarely limped and I didn't remember seeing a cane often. Eh, it comes and goes with the weather I guess. Now that I think of it, was he at Piccadilly Circus with his cane? That would have been something memorable about a suspect. Perhaps he was smart enough not to carry one and to try to hide his limp. Also, we never see any sign of Thomas' hand injury do we? And wasn't he disfigured enough to need to use a glove to hide the ugly from the delicate upper classes? I try now and then to spot a glove and never do, although I think he wears them while serving but all the footmen do.

I picked up on the first part, that Violet was not at all happy in her marriage, that it was probably a loveless one and he may even have been cruel or gay or just cold and unaffectionate. Yet I didn't quite realize the deeper implications of the framed photo. Violet's Lord Grantham would certainly not have packed the kids up and sent them to Russia every summer and alternate Christmases. He was reminding her 1) that she had children she no doubt loved and 2) that she would likely be giving up all contact with them if she ran away with the prince.

When Tony appeared on the scene he was seriously dating Mabel Lane Fox (I LOVE that name) and was expected to marry her. But he fell for Mary, who turned him down so he and Mabel got engaged. (I believe he admitted to Mary that he had to marry a woman with money, so if not her, then he'd go on with Mabel.) But after the engagement was announced in the papers Tony realized he was still in love with Mary and so broke it off with Mabel. He reappeared at Downton asking Mary to give their relationship a chance. That was something I didn't get. It wouldn't have been gentle if Mary had gone to Tony and said, "Oh, sorry, after our week of passion between the sheets I ran into Blake -- who was with the woman you dumped for me by the way -- and I've decided he's the one for me." Yeah, sure, Tony would take that much better than Mary just telling him she didn't feel it after all.

You said it! I totally believed him when he declared his love, and I wanted him to come propose to ME. Richard E. Grant is looking aged but his adoration for and delight in Cora makes him quite attractive as well. It's time for Robert to stop it with the submerged jealous over-reactions and take Cora in his arms, then afterward ask her a few damn questions about her day.

She was on the verge of running off with the Prince! That's why she seems to feel she "owes" his wife something. Her husband's gift of a framed photo of their children (young Robert and Rosamund!) brought her back to reality and her duties and she chose to stay in her marriage. Love this, Popples! I would really like to see the "Bus of Justice" make a stop for Miss Bunting. I hope the Bus of Justice runs her over, then goes round the Circus and runs her over again -- just to be sure.

ROFL! Loved that they staged a walk-though by the grandkids just so we got the pleasure of hearing Sybbie call Robert "Donk" again, and seeing his resigned reaction to it. I hope Cora gets one passionate kiss in a discrete corner. Just a little thing to reignite her spark, and then I'm sure she'll use it for her husband's benefit, not that he deserves it. Everyone can benefit from a little fantasy... Yes, Shrimpie's wife's name is Susan. I don't quite get it -- are they acting like Shrimpie will be nearly destitute if he divorces? He had a title but no money, right? Well, how does Susan get to keep "her" money in a divorce in 1924? Or did I misunderstand?

Some fine hotels still have salons onsite, and a combo butler/valet you can call to unpack your bags, iron your clothes, clean your shoes, etc. I imagine the hotel where Mary stayed had female staff members who could repair tears in dresses, fix damage to hats, and help ladies dress or arrange their hair.

I've started imagining that the naughty lads in their gentlemen's clubs must by now have named a drink "Lady Mary's Poison Pussy". Also, considering all the deaths (or missing presumed possibly dead) by extension, they warn each other, "Sex with the Crawley sisters? Someone always dies!" Perhaps that explains Tony's refusal to give up until he got Mary into bed with him -- he did it on a dare or a bet. And speaking of, I loved how Maggie Smith delivered the lines (paraphrased) "Do you have any hope he will marry you?" to Mary. She's a treasure and sure keeps this show a notch above.

I did the same thing! And no, it wasn't even in the top 200 girl's names! I wonder if someday Edith will explain... or if it's some inside joke of Fellowes'. This show.

I think you've got it. She may be desperate to not admit that she's dealing with menopause (as well as Lyme disease) because that would make her an "old lady" and not the hot young thing David married.

I think Cora is also onto Edith, which means about half the women connected with the house now have that situation sussed out, plus probably Tom. Cora gave some knowing looks as she observed Edith, and she's not really as stupid as she seems. She knows her daughter and she also has a mother's instincts. It's all a big soap opera now, but I still enjoy it. Can't believe how much I like Rose now because I detested her when she first came on the scene. She's a bit of fun, and yet, where are all her male admirers? Wasn't she the belle of her debutante season? Did she turn down several proposals in hope that her jazz man would change his mind? If cold-fish Mary can keep a couple of eligible men on the boil for a year, why not vivacious young Rose?

I do wish Edith would just tell her family, plop Marigold down in the nursery with her cousins, and get on with her life. Quite a scandal but they'd all live through it somehow. Don't even care if Gregson returns at this point. Maybe old Anthony Strallan would step in and marry poor Edith and adopt her child. Robert and Violet would be glad enough to see him then. He might even claim he fathered Marigold during a bout of makeup sex with Edith or something. Whyever not?

Ha ha! Well, Tony helped.

I thought the problem was that Mary didn't feel any itch around Tony. That's the way I read it at least. It seemed to be the most passionless courtship, and while she apparently got a good many hours sleep after their, um, endless nights of love, she clearly hadn't fallen in love with him. What's all this "I do love you" from her -- what did she actually mean? She loved Matthew and apparently felt real physical attraction for him. I don't think it took her a full week to realize Tony wasn't going to awaken her cold heart. And having written that, I sympathize with her predicament of having to tell Tony that she cares deeply for him but he's a dud in the drawing room AND in the sack. He's ready to call the vicar and she just wants out.

I really enjoyed Cora's storyline with Bricker. As some have said, we finally get to see Elizabeth McGovern act! And they have lovely chemistry together. I like that Fellowes is giving Cora this "woman of a certain age" story because it's more true to life than several of the plots we're suffering through. She's been married -- what was it -- 32 years? Her husband loves her but doesn't think that she might have actual opinions and interests worth hearing about. She has raised her children, helped run a military hospital, suffered great loss, and now feels the restlessness of wanting more. We've seen glimpses before and now it's time for Cora to emerge from her shell!