Elizabeth and Lawrence Kirbridge return from their honeymoon and stop at 165 Eaton Place en route to their new home in Greenwich. She's pleased to learn that her mother has decided to lend her Rose for a few months and has also hired a cook for her. Lawrence seems somewhat aloof going off to see his publisher rather than accompany her to their new home. His disinterest continues even after they've moved in and it becomes apparent that they have little in common. He even leaves it to Elizabeth to hire his manservant, a Welshman named Thomas Watkins. The situation is not much better below stairs where Rose finds the cook, Mrs. Fellowes, has only limited abilities in the kitchen and a penchant to do no more than is absolutely required. As for Watkins, he proves to be reliable and perhaps a bit overly ambitious. He also flirts with Rose which has a exaggerated impact on Elizabeth. Written by garykmcd

The Bellamys are concerned when they receive a bill from a jeweler requesting a substantial sum to settle their son James' account. Richard thinks he is in the clutches of a greedy and demanding woman. They meet with James' commanding officer, Col. Winters, who tells them that James is drinking too much and is in considerable financial difficulty. They haven't seen James for several weeks and he has been spending time with Sarah, the Bellamys former house maid. Below stairs, the servants welcome Rose who has come for tea and where a letter from Sarah is awaiting her. Sarah has invited her to visit and tells her what has happened. When James finally meets his parents he reveals not only the extent of his debts but that Sarah is pregnant. The family's solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Dillon, is called in to sort it all out resulting in both Sarah and James being banished in their own way. Written by garykmcd

The Kirbridges marriage, such as it is, is on the decline. Elizabeth is frustrated at not yet having consummated their marriage while Lawrence expresses the view that sexual relations are not necessary for a couple to love one another. Lawrence confides in his publisher Sir Edwin Partridge who offers to seduce Elizabeth and thus deal with the new bride's sexual frustrations on Lawrence's behalf. At a soirée organized by Lawrence for some of his literary friends, the champagne is flowing freely, Partridge is at his best in the role of seducer and soon finds his way into Elizabeth's bed. Below stairs meanwhile, Thomas has been planting the idea that the Kirbridges need a motorcar, though Lawrence quickly realizes that it is Thomas who seems to want one. Elizabeth is firmly in favor of the idea and Lawrence agrees. Written by garykmcd

Elizabeth visits her parents at 165 Eaton Place and announces that she has come to stay for a while as her husband Lawrence will be away over Christmas. The truth comes tumbling out however and Elizabeth admits that she's left her husband permanently. Everyone , including the servants, are upset by the events and Elizabeth's father puts it all into the hands the family solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Dillon. Elizabeth is quite frank with him and he sees little difficulty in having the marriage annulled. Until Elizabeth undergoes a medical examination that is. Thomas has seen the writing on the wall for some time now and does his best to make an impression on the Bellamys and the rest of the staff, especially Mr. Hudson and Mrs. Bridges. He has a ways to go with Hudson however after a misunderstanding. Written by garykmcd

Preparations are under way for a very special dinner at 165 Eaton Place. His Majesty King Edward VII is to be the guest of honor at a dinner and evening of card playing. The staff are as excited at the prospect as the Bellamys are honored by the King's presence. For Mrs. Bridges in particular, the event will no doubt be the pinnacle of her culinary career. Great care is taken with the guest list, the seating arrangements and the after dinner activities. One event that no one has counted on is the sudden appearance of a very pregnant Sarah who is supposed to be at Southwold. She's also gone into labor and while the royal guest is occupied by his hosts, the staff managed to secrete her into an upstairs room and call for the doctor. Written by garykmcd

There is trouble in the Bellamy household when an ex-soldier, an Irishman by the name of Dooley, appears at 165 Eaton Place asking to see Lady Marjorie. Hudson hustles him out the door but he soon shows up in the mews and tells chauffeur Thomas Watkins that he is in possession of letters Lady Marjorie wrote to her one time lover, the deceased Captain Charles Hammond. He's clearly out to extort money from her and his price eventually rises to £200, with a threat to send the love letters to the Daily Mail if his demands aren't met. The wily Tom Watkins decides to play both sides. He has no intention of letting Dooley get the money and with Sarah's help, devises a clever scheme to ensure that Tom Watkins is the only one who will come out on top. The result that both Lady Marjorie and Richard are beholden to him and his stature in their eyes grows considerably - and Sarah ends up in his bed. Written by garykmcd

Both Richard Bellamy and Mr. Hudson have to deal with visits from their respective brothers. Richard's elder brother Arthur visits for a weekend for a meeting of the Royal Society. Lady Marjorie is away along with several members of the staff and the house is full of workmen installing a new system of electrical call bells used to summon the servants. Arthur Bellamy, a medical doctor, is a dour man who is prone to complaining about anything around him. He even accuses the somewhat abstemious Hudson of having liquor in his breath. Hudson meanwhile welcomes his brother Donald who is passing through London with his wife Maudie and daughter Alice. They are close despite not having seen each other for nearly 10 years. Donald is a relatively famous engineer having constructed two major bridges over the Zambezi river. Hudson however has never really admitted that he is in service but rather that he simply works for an MP. He rents a fine suit of clothes for the weekend and pays for a suite ... Written by garykmcd

The staff anxiously await Elizabeth's return to 165 Eaton Place with her new baby Lucy but none more so that Sarah who has been trained as a nursemaid. What none of them expect however is that the elderly Nanny Webster will come out of retirement to take charge of the child. Nanny refuses to let Sarah anywhere near the child, essentially locking her out of the nursery. Sarah is worried however as it soon becomes apparent that Nanny Webster is no longer up to the task. Elizabeth however seems completely disinterested in the child's welfare and refusing to listen to Sarah's complaints. It's left to Lady Marjorie to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, it's also time for Lucy's baptism and everyone is surprised when Lawrence Kirbridge arrives for the ceremony. Written by garykmcd

Lady Marjorie's father Lord Southwold has died and her mother, Lady Southwold, comes to stay at 165 Eaton Place with her companion Miss Hodges. Something of a crisis erupts when Lady Southwold's butterfly brooch is nowhere to be found. Hodges reports that she had seen Miss Roberts just outside Lady Southwold's room and Richard Bellamy orders Hudson to question all of the servants before calling in the police. It's a disagreeable task and Miss Roberts is horrified at the mere suggestion that she is under suspicion. Hudson for his part is suspicious of Watkins when he learns that he recently had a visitor to his quarters in the mews. When Watkins refuses to tell him the identity of the visitor or explain why he was there, he reports it to Mr. Bellamy. When the mystery of the missing brooch turns out to be nothing more than a misunderstanding, ill-feeling lingers. Written by garykmcd

With most everyone away, Elizabeth hosts a meeting of her fellow suffragettes in the servants hall at 165 Eaton Place. They are planning an all-out demonstration against their plight. Their specific target is an MP but Rose overhears what they are up to and she follows them intent on protecting Elizabeth as much as possible. When they are arrested Rose, who did not participate in the protest, is taken with them. Elizabeth catches the eye of a wealthy stranger, Julius Karekin, who arranges for her to only pay a small fine and then be released. Everyone else, Rose included, is sentenced to two months imprisonment. Conditions in the prison are harsh and her cell mates force Rose to join them in a hunger strike. In the past, the women have been released after a few days of refusing food but this time, the warders have something quite odious planned for them. Elizabeth pleads with her new friend Karekin to get Rose freed. Written by garykmcd

Elizabeth and financier Julius Karekin begin an affair and gives her a present of a hat shop. Elizabeth renames the shop Madame Yvonne and it's soon attracting an exclusive clientèle. Her parents are unaware of Karekin's existence and Elizabeth knows that they would never receive him. Richard and Lady Marjorie have their own difficulties when they are advised by the family solicitor Sir Geoffrey Dillon that he will have no choice but to sell the remainder of the lease for 165 Eaton Place in order to settle family debts and succession duties following the death of Marjorie's father. Unable to afford the lease themselves, the Bellamys are looking at the prospect of having to move to a less fashionable neighborhood and employ fewer servants. Elizabeth manages to come to the rescue however. Written by garykmcd

Sarah's voracious appetite and weight gain convinces Mrs. Hudson that the girl is once again pregnant. She admits to it but makes up a story about a chance encounter with a stranger rather than expose Thomas Watkins as the father. Watkins seems uninterested in her situation and is far more concerned about himself, something at which he has been most adept in the past. He would love to buy a garage he knows is on the market but is nowhere near having the £500 purchase price. He approaches Richard Bellamy offering to marry the girl if it will help out the family but in no way admits paternity. Richard is impressed by his offer and accepts to set them up in the mews with a generous financial incentive. When Lady Marjorie returns to 165 Eaton Place she will hear nothing of it - son James will soon be returning from India and it simply isn't allowed to have married servants - and gives both Sarah and Tom 30 days notice. Watkins lets it be known that even though he is being sacked, he will ... Written by garykmcd

Julius Karekin has moved on to another woman and Elizabeth is distraught at yet another failed relationship. She has to admit that Karekin was always frank with her and never promised anything in terms of a permanent relationship, reminding her that she is still a married woman. James has returned from India, to which he was banished after impregnating Sarah the housemaid some years before. James intends to resign his commission in the army in favor of a position in the City and he has with him his fiancée, Phyllis Kingman, the daughter of a middle class Englishman serving in the army. She is uncomfortable and nervous at Eaton Place, trying too hard to fit in and as a result is not fitting in well at all. Phyllis and Elizabeth don't quite hit if off at first but they both eventually come around. A small family gathering is held on the occasion of Lady Marjorie's birthday but they receive unexpected and uninvited guests. Sad news from Buckingham Palace casts a shadow over the ... Written by garykmcd