[INT. LADY GRANTHAM'S BEDROOM - MORNING]

　　[Cora sits in bed reading

　　Woman's Weekly

　　. O'Brien brings in her breakfast tray.]

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Thank you, O'Brien. How is everything downstairs?

　　MISS O'BRIEN

　　All right, I think, milady. Though, Mr Carson's a bit cast down.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh? Why? What's the matter with him?

　　MISS O'BRIEN

　　He's found out something about...well, a person he admires, and it isn't very nice.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Has he said who this person is...who's proved a disappointment?

　　MISS O'BRIEN

　　I don't like to say, milady.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Please do, if you know.

　　MISS O'BRIEN

　　Oh, I know. It's Mr Bates.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh. Bates? Why? What's he done?

　　MISS O'BRIEN

　　You should ask Mr Carson, milady. It's not my place to tell.

　　[INT. LIBRARY - DAY]

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Papa... Can Branson drive me into Ripon on Friday evening?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I don't think so, no. Not after the last time.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Oh, please. There's a meeting of my borstal charity. I've missed two, and I simply must be there.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　You'd have to take Mary or Edith with you.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Don't make me. Those meetings are deadly at the best of times, and you know what they're like when they're bored.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Why are all your causes so steeped in gloom?

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Because it's the gloomy things that need our help. If everything in the garden's sunny, why

　　meddle?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Well, I agree with that. Talking of sunny, are you looking forward to your coming Season?

　　LADY SYBIL

　　I am, rather.

　　[EXT. DOWNTON ABBEY GROUNDS - DAY]

　　[Mary sits on a bench, reading. Matthew walks by and she sits up with a smile and closes the book.]

　　LADY MARY

　　Hello.

　　[Matthew smiles and tips his hat.]

　　LADY MARY

　　What are you doing here?

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　I'm in search of your father. Carson thought he was outside.

　　LADY MARY

　　He's in the library.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Oh.

　　[Matthew hesitates and Mary looks at him expectantly.]

　　LADY MARY

　　What is it?

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Nothing much. I've had an inquiry about one of the farms.

　　LADY MARY

　　Ah.

　　[Matthew takes off his hat and sits on the bench with her.]

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　So...what's new at the big house?

　　LADY MARY

　　Sybil, mainly. She's discovered politics, which of course makes Papa see red.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　I admire Sybil's passion, though.

　　LADY MARY

　　Of course. But then, I like a good argument. Papa does not.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　If you really like an argument...

　　LADY MARY

　　Yes?

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　We should see more of each other.

　　[INT. LIBRARY - DAY]

　　LADY SYBIL

　　So, it's all right? I can go?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Will you be late?

　　LADY SYBIL

　　I think I'll miss dinner.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Well, remember to tell Branson to take a sandwich for himself.

　　[Sybil nods and leaves with a smile.]

　　[INT. THE DOWER HOUSE - DAY]

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　But who's it from?

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Susan Flintshire.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　What does she say?

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Well, prepare yourself for the worst. Not the first page. My poor niece never uses one word when twenty will do. Start there. \"I'm sorry...\"

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　\"I am sorry to have to tell you that Hugh has heard a vile story about your granddaughter Mary...\"

　　[Violet continues to read the vile story.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　\"Sorry\"? She's thrilled. Now, first I must ask - and I want you to think carefully before you  answer - is any of this true?

　　[Cora looks up at Violet, and Violet is surprised to find affirmation in Cora's gaze.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I see. Some of it is true.

　　[Cora continues to stare at Violet.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　How much?

　　[Cora continues to stare and the horrible truth sinks in.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh, dear.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　She didn't drag him.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I wondered about that. I mean, obviously Susan's forgotten the distance between the girls' rooms and the bachelors' corridor.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　She couldn't manage it alone.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　So how did she do it?

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I helped her. She woke me up and I helped her.

　　[Violet stares slack jawed at Cora.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Well...I always thought this family might be approaching dissolution. I didn't know dissolution  was already upon us. Does Robert know?

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　No. And he isn't going to.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM (nods)

　　Oh...

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Of course it was terribly wrong. It was all terribly wrong, but I didn't see what else--

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Please.

　　[Violet holds up a hand.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I can't listen to your attempts to try and justify yourself.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I know this is hard for you to hear. God knows it was hard for me to live through. But if you expect me to disown my daughter, I'm afraid you will be disappointed. Good day.