[INT. DRAWING ROOM - DAY]

　　[Robert enters while Cora is embroidering.]

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Mary's settling him in.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Cora, don't let Mary make a fool of herself. By the way, I'll be going up to London next week.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Do you want to open the house?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　No, no, I'll just take Bates and stay at a club. I won't be more than a day or two.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I see. Are things...progressing?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　What \"things\"?

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Oomph.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　It's just a regimental dinner

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　It's a pity Bates spoiled the arrival this afternoon.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　He didn't spoil anything. He fell over.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　So undignified. Carson hates that kind of thing.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I don't care what Carson thinks.

　　[Carson clears his throat.]

　　MR CARSON

　　A message from the Dowager Countess, milady. She says she won't come to tea, but she'll join you for dinner.

　　[Cora gives Robert a slightly exasperated look.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh, Carson, I hope you weren't embarrassed this afternoon. I can assure you the Duke very much appreciated his welcome.

　　MR CARSON

　　I'm glad.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Is Bates all right?

　　MR CARSON

　　I think so, my lord.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Must be so difficult for you all the same.

　　[Carson looks at the floor and raises his eyebrows and leaves without a word.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Don't stare.

　　[INT. SERVANTS' BEDROOM CORRIDOR - DAY]

　　[Mary and the duke sneak through the servants' passages.]

　　LADY MARY

　　Do you realise this is the first time we've ever been alone?

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　Then you've forgotten when I pulled you into the conservatory at the Northbrooks.

　　[Mary smiles.]

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　How sad.

　　LADY MARY

　　No, I haven't. It's not quite the same with twenty chaperones hiding behind every fan.

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　And are you pleased to be alone with me, my lady?

　　LADY MARY

　　Oh dear, if I answer truthfully you'll think me rather forward.

　　[The duke steps forward to open the door behind Mary.]

　　LADY MARY

　　I don't think we should pry. It feels rather...disrespectful.

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　Oh, nonsense. It's your father's house, isn't it? You have a right to know what goes on in it. Where does this lead?

　　LADY MARY

　　To the men's quarters, with a lock on the women's side. Only Mrs Hughes is allowed to turn it.

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　Mrs Hughes...

　　[The duke opens the door.]

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　And you.

　　[Mary and the duke enter the men's corridor.]

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　In here?

　　LADY MARY

　　A footman, I imagine.

　　[Mary seems uncomfortable as the duke opens the door and then enters another room. The duke rifles through the dresser drawers.]

　　LADY MARY

　　Should you do that?

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　Why not? I'm--I'm making a study on the genus footman. I seek to know the creature's ways.

　　[Mary laughs, then turns when she hears something.]

　　LADY MARY (whisper)

　　Someone's coming!

　　[Mary stands awkwardly in the corridor and the duke closes the footman's bedroom door as Bates steps out of his room into the corridor.]

　　MR BATES

　　Can I help you, milady?

　　LADY MARY

　　We were just exploring.

　　[The duke steps out of the footman's room.]

　　MR BATES

　　Were you looking for Thomas, Your Grace?

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　No, as Lady Mary said, we've just been exploring.

　　[Bates nods and opens his door.]

　　MR BATES

　　Would you care to explore my room, milady?

　　[Mary is embarrassed and ashamed.]

　　LADY MARY

　　Of course not, Bates. I'm sorry to have bothered you. We were just going down.

　　[Mary walks stiffly back to the women's corridor and the duke follows calmly behind and she locks the door.]

　　DUKE OF CROWBOROUGH

　　Why did you apologise to that man? It's not his business what we do.

　　LADY MARY

　　I always apologise when I'm in the wrong. It's a habit of mine.

　　[INT. LIBRARY - DAY]

　　MR CARSON

　　The plain fact is Mr Bates, through no fault of his own, is not able to fulfil the  extra duties expected of him. He can't lift, he can't serve at table, he's dropping things all over the place. On a night like tonight, he should act as a third footman. As it is, my lord, we may have to have a maid in the dining room.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Cheer up, Carson. There are worse thing happening in the world.

　　MR CARSON

　　Not worse than a maid serving a duke.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　So you're quite determined?

　　MR CARSON

　　It's a hard decision, Your Lordship, a very hard decision, but the honour of Downton is at stake.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Don't worry, Carson, I know all about hard decisions when it comes to the honour of Downton. Don't I boy?

　　[Robert kneels down to pet his dog.]

　　[INT. LUGGAGE ROOM - EVENING]

　　[William sighs with the effort as he puts down some luggage.]

　　MRS HUGHES

　　William, you mustn't let Thomas take advantage. He's only a footman, same as you.

　　WILLIAM

　　Well, that's all right, Mrs Hughes. I like to keep busy. Takes your mind off things.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　What things have you got to take your mind off? If you're feeling homesick, there's no shame in it.

　　WILLIAM

　　No.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Means you come from a happy home. There's plenty of people here would envy that.

　　WILLIAM

　　Yes, Mrs Hughes.

　　[INT. LORD GRANTHAM'S DRESSING ROOM - EVENING]

　　MR BATES

　　Will that be all, milord?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Yes. That is...not exactly. Have you recovered from your fall this afternoon?

　　MR BATES

　　I'm very sorry about that, milord. I don't know what happened.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　The thing is, Bates, I said I'd give you a trial and I have. If it were only up to me. It's this question of a valet's extra duties.

　　MR BATES

　　You mean waiting a table when there's a large party.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　That and carrying things and...you do see that Carson can't be expected to compromise the efficiency of his staff.

　　MR BATES

　　I do, milord, of course I do. Might I make a suggestion? That when an extra footman is required, the cost could come out of my wages.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Absolutely not. I couldn't possibly allow that.

　　MR BATES

　　Because I am very eager to stay, milord. Very eager, indeed.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I know you are. And I was eager that this should work.

　　MR BATES

　　You see...it is unlikely that I should find another position.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　But surely in a smaller house where less is expected of you...

　　MR BATES

　　It's not likely.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I mean to help until you find something.

　　MR BATES

　　I couldn't take your money, milord. I can take wages for a job done, that's all.

　　[They regard each other for a moment.]

　　MR BATES

　　Very good, milord. I'll go at once.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　There's no need to rush out into the night. Take the London train tomorrow; it leaves at nine. You'll have a month's wages, too.

　　[Bates is about to protest.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　That I insist on.

　　[Bates begins to leave.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　It's a bloody business, Bates, but I can't see any way around it.

　　MR BATES

　　I quite understand, milord.