Six months later and Mary is still mourning Matthew, leaving the care of baby George to Nanny West. Tom tries to interest her in estate management, to little avail, but Violet eventually persuades her to look to the future. Miss O'Brien leaves without any explanation to take work with Lady Flintshire, Rose's mother. Mrs Hughes is less than happy with Cora's replacement for her, Edna, a former maid who tried to seduce Tom. Edith goes to London, where Michael tells her he is prepared to go to Germany for a divorce so that they can be together. She brings electric kitchen gadgets back, which the maids like but which confuse Mrs Patmore. Jimmy takes Ivy out, and she gets drunk, annoying jealous Daisy and Alfred. Violet's efforts to get Molesley, redundant after Matthew's death, work with her friend Lady Shackleton are sabotaged by the lady's current butler whilst Isobel agrees to rescue Carson's old friend Grigg from the workhouse. Thomas seems unnaturally unpleasant towards Nanny West ... Written by don @ minifie-1

Mary receives a letter from Matthew's effects, naming her as his sole heir and therefore the owner of half the estate. Encouraged by Violet, she agrees to shadow Tom and learn more about the running of Downton and its surrounding properties. Edna makes an inauspicious start as Cora's maid but soon forms an alliance with Thomas to discredit Anna. Anna herself accompanies Rose to a tea-dance in York for servants, where Rose, pretending to be a maid, attracts gardener Sam Thawley but also provokes a fight so that a hurried exit is required as the police arrive. Later, Sam turns up at Downton Abbey. Isobel learns that Carson fell out with Charlie Grigg many years earlier over a love triangle. Written by don @ minifie-1

The Crawleys throw a weekend house party with guests including Terence Sampson and Anthony, Lord Gillingham. Tom is out of his depth making small talk but Edith is happy to welcome Michael into the group. Mary confides in Gillingham - although he is engaged to another woman - but John is irritated by Gillingham's valet Green's flirtatious attentions to Anna. Isobel, still mourning her son, is persuaded by Violet to join the party for a recital by opera singer Nellie Melba, while Molesley, now working as a delivery driver, stands in for the injured Jimmy as footman and Alfred saves the culinary day when stressed-out Mrs Patmore has an anxiety attack. During the recital Michael impresses Robert whilst Green forces himself on Anna, who asks Mrs Hughes not to tell John. Written by don @ minifie-1

As the guests leave, Anna keeps her rape by Green from John but is distant towards him and considering separate sleeping arrangements. Tom feels guilty after succumbing to Edna's advances again and seeks help from Mrs Hughes. Mary and Tom go to London on business, taking Rose, who is charmed by black American vocalist Jack Ross. On her return home, Mary is followed by Anthony who, despite being betrothed to another woman, proposes marriage. Edith stays in London and has sex with Michael, though her aunt, Lady Rosamund, warns her that the relationship could be doomed and her reputation lost. Alfred announces that he is hoping to become a chef whilst Isobel agrees to help Dr. Clarkson run an out-patient clinic. Written by don @ minifie-1

Under pressure Mrs Hughes tells John what happened to Anna. Robert is sympathetic to Tim Drewe, whose father, an estate tenant, died owing huge debts, whilst Isobel persuades Violet to employ young villager John Pegg as a gardener, defending the boy when an ornament belonging to the dowager goes missing. Edith is upset that Michael is not returning her calls and there is a disappointment too for Alfred, who fails his trial as a chef at the Ritz and Molesley, who had hoped to replace him on the staff. Mary meanwhile reencounters Evelyn Napier, now involved in a survey of estates which would benefit from downsizing. Written by don @ minifie-1

Robert is perturbed when Mary and Tom suggest intensive pig-farming on his land and Evelyn returns with his superior Charles Blake, to assess the viability of estates such as Downton. Blake does not impress Mary but both men are invited to stay for Robert's birthday party, for which Rose has engaged Jack Ross and his band. Rose's involvement with Ross would seem to go beyond the professional. At the party Isobel dissuades Tom from emigrating to America with his daughter and later she proves to Violet that young Pegg was not a thief, being surprised by the dowager's open-mindedness in reinstating him. Alfred receives good news - he has been accepted at the Ritz after all and Molesley is quick to step into his role but Edith is still concerned as Michael seems to have gone missing in Germany. Written by don @ minifie-1

Robert is summoned to America to bail out his reprobate brother-in-law Harold but, after Mrs Hughes has given her the 'official' version of Anna's rape, Mary steps in to let John stay with his wife with his place being taken by Barrow. Barrow is curious as to the change of plan, asking Baxter to find out more, which Molesley overhears. Isobel plans to go with Tom to a meeting addressed by a Liberal MP but stays behind to nurse flu-stricken Violet, and he goes alone, sitting next to Sarah Bunting, an attractive young woman. In London Edith decides she wants an abortion whilst Rose continues to see Jack Ross. Back at Downton, the pigs arrive and Mary takes Charles Blake to view them. He proves invaluable when the animals seem to be in trouble and he and Mary combine to save them, getting covered in mud in the process. Meanwhile Anthony Gillingham returns with Green, who faces Mrs Hughes' anger. Written by don @ minifie-1

Charles leaves, Mary having appointed Tim Drewe as pig-man, but when Anthony Gillingham's projected visit to Downton is announced Mary detects from Anna's reaction that something is wrong and learns the rapist's identity. The visit passes without incident, though Mary turns down a proposal from Anthony, who has broken off his engagement. Mary is alarmed when Rose tells her she is marrying Jack Ross and goes to see the singer. Lady Rosamund plans to take Edith to Switzerland to have her baby and put it up for adoption, but Violet is suspicious. Robert returns for the annual fete and Alfred comes back for a funeral, proposing to Ivy, who declines. Meanwhile, Isobel attracts the admiration of Lord Merton and Molesley forms a friendship with Baxter, though he is curious as to her relationship with Barrow. Written by don @ minifie-1

1923. A year has passed and Edith returned from Switzerland having secretly had her baby and given her up for adoption. The family and staff journey to London for debutante Lady Rose to be presented to the king. Martha Levinson and her son Harold also turn up and Mary meets both Anthony and Charles, who openly vie for her attention. Rose goes to a club with married friend Freda Dudley-Ward, from whom the cardsharp Sampson steals a love letter from the Prince of Wales. Mary and Charles endeavour to retrieve it in vain, though the escapade brings them closer. John is called upon to help obtain it. Mary is annoyed to learn from Anthony that the supposedly-republican Charles is himself an aristocrat's heir. Mrs Hughes and Mary discover that John was indeed in London on the day of Green's death. Martha attracts gold-digging admirer Lord Aysgarth but sees through him and turns down his proposal, though Harold, to his surprise, charms Aysgarth's daughter Madeleine and the Levinson valet ... Written by don @ minifie-1