[INT. MRS HUGHES'S SITTING ROOM - EVENING]

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Is everything under control?

　　ANNA

　　Mr Lang seems a bit nervous.

　　[Mrs Hughes dismisses it with a wave.]

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Stage fright. But what about you?

　　ANNA

　　Oh. I'm a trooper. And we can't complain, can we? Not when you think what's going on in France.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Still. A broken heart can be as painful as a broken limb.

　　ANNA

　　Don't feel sorry for me, Mrs Hughes. I'm not. I know what real love is and there aren't many who can say that. I'm one of the lucky ones.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　If you say so.

　　[INT. PARLOUR - EVENING]

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　So the fashion for cocktails before dinner hasn't reached Yorkshire?

　　LADY MARY

　　I could get Carson to make you one, but I won't guarantee the result.

　　MR CARSON

　　Mrs Crawley, Captain Crawley, and Miss Swire.

　　[Mr Carson steps aside for them to enter.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Ah. Isobel.

　　[Matthew steps forward.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Well, now. Still in one piece. Thank God.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Touch wood.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I never stop touching it.

　　LADY MARY

　　Do you know Sir Richard Carlisle? My cousin, Captain Crawley.

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　How do you do?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　And his fiancé, Miss Swire.

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　I know Miss Swire. Her uncle and I are old friends.

　　LAVINIA

　　Well, old acquaintances, anyway.

　　[Across the room, Sybil speaks with her aunt.]

　　LADY SYBIL

　　What do you think Mary sees in him?

　　LADY ROSAMUND

　　Besides the money, you mean?

　　LADY SYBIL

　　It must be more than that.

　　LADY ROSAMUND

　　For you. Not necessarily for her.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　What is General Strutt like?

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Well, you know. Rather important. And brave. He got the [?] in Africa.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Is there any chance it might be permanent? That we can count you out of danger? It would be such a relief.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　I wouldn't want that, I'm afraid. He's promised to get me back to France when he's done with me. How's your new appointment with the North Ridings working out?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh, that. It seems I won't be going to the front after all. I made a mistake. They only wanted a mascot.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Mary tells me you're in newspapers?

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　Well, I own a few.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Ah. That must be quite a responsibility at a time like this, you know, in a war. When it's so important to keep people's spirits up.

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　Lady Grantham, my responsibility is to investors. I need to keep my readership up. I leave the public spirits to government propaganda.

　　[Mary approaches.]

　　LADY MARY

　　So now you've met Granny. I warn you, she has very strong opinions.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Oh, you need have no fear where that's concerned, my dear. We're more than evenly matched.

　　[INT. KITCHENS - EVENING]

　　MR CARSON

　　Where are the spoons for this?

　　DAISY

　　Just here.

　　[Daisy hands them to Carson.]

　　MR CARSON

　　Oh my God, I've forgotten the sauce.

　　ANNA

　　Mr Lang's bringing the sauce, and the Melba toast.

　　MR CARSON

　　Right. Right. Good.

　　ANNA

　　Now, Mr Lang, are you ready?

　　MR LANG

　　I think so. Now, it's always the left, and not ladies first?

　　ANNA

　　No. Just follow Mr Carson. Start with Old Lady Grantham, then His Lordship, then just go on round. You must have done this before.

　　MR LANG

　　Not since the war started.

　　DAISY

　　I don't think I ever knew that. Why i'n't it just ladies first? Wouldn't it be more polite?

　　ANNA

　　That's the way it's done on the continent, and we don't like foreign ways here.