Ah, the church bazaar: The perfect place to bring together Downton’s upstairs and downstairs in pretty pastels.
Alfred proposes to Ivy via letter and when he returns to the area for his father’s funeral, accepts Ivy’s kind refusal. Daisy, of course, finds herself just as devastated by Alfred’s proposal as Ivy’s refusal, but a long picnic with her father-in-law puts her in a better mood. She returns to Downton to give Alfred a goodie-basket and to part as “friends forever.”
But Daisy and Alfred aren’t the only divided lovers. Rose, partially out of passion, but mostly out of hatred for her mother, declares that she plans to marry Jack Ross. When Mary hears of the plan, she takes a trip to London to talk Ross out of it—not because she doesn’t wish they lived in a different world, but because they don’t (that and she questions Rose’s motives and sincerity). Ross declares that because he loves Rose, he already decided to end the engagement and seems strangely okay with accepting defeat.
Of course, there are some people we are more pleased to part with. The witch—Mr. Green—is dead! Everything hints that Bates did it, but Mr. Gillingham tells Mary witnesses saw him fall into a busy London street and get hit. Even still, Gillingham finds the entire situation odd, given that Mary had just asked him to fire Green. (When Anna tells Mary that Green did raped her, Mary promises to ask Gillingham to fire the wretch.) Mary thinks Bates did it, but that right was on his side.
For Edith, life must go on. Rosamund plans to take Edith to Switzerland to wait out her pregnancy under the guise of learning French. This gets Cora’s praise but raises the Dowager’s suspicions. The Countess forces the truth out of Edith and offers to pay for the entire trip—because, obviously, the family’s reputation is far more valuable than any sum of money. Still, their choice to forgo the abortion despite the consequences is commendable and refreshing.
Romantic tension builds between Branson and Miss Bunting, the political schoolteacher he may end up liking. He helps her when her car breaks down and reveals his former chauffer life. Bunting appears captivated by his tale and curious about his future plans.
Mary can’t shake the suitors. Gillingham announces he broke off his engagement, telling Mary “I won’t give up…not until you walk down the aisle with another man. And maybe not even then.” Blake has similar intentions but Mary keeps her distance, still reverently claiming her heart still belongs to Matthew.
Lord Gillingham returns from America and sweetly embraces his lovely wife, while wondering what has transpired between Mary and her courters since he left.
Did Bates do it? Will Branson fall in love again? Who, oh who will Mary choose? The season finale airs on the 23rd and perhaps we will find out.
