Episode 2.02

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As William prepares to head off to war, Thomas returns to Downton. Meanwhile Lavinia is reunited with an unwelcome face from her past.

Plot

Set in April 1917 and with many of the male staff serving in the war, Mr. Carson finds himself under pressure to make sure that duties are carried out to his exacting standard. He ends up finding himself forced to accept female staff serving in the dining room.

With John Bates still absent Isobel's butler Molesley makes a play for Anna but is rejected. Robert needs to hire a new valet and ends up employing Mr. Lang, who has just returned from the war, shell-shocked. William is happy after he receives an important letter that will whisk him off to the glory of war. Mrs. Patmore finds out some devastating news about her soldier nephew, he was shot for deserting.

Lady Sybil from episode 2.02

Lady Edith Crawley learns to drive a tractor, extremely well, and nearly succumbs to a kiss from the married farmer Mr. Drake, but is seen by his wife and shortly replaced. Thomas returns from the war and begins work alongside Lady Sybil Crawley in the local hospital. After a patient, Edward Courtney, is brought in suffering with gas blindness, Thomas finds himself becoming attached to him but is left devastated when he commits suicide. At Isobel Crawley's suggestion - and to Violet's dismay - Downton Abbey is turned into a convalescent ward to ease the hospital's bed shortage.

Matthew Crawley learns of his temporary transfer back to England for a recruitment drive in the north whilst fighting in the trenches. Mary invites middle-aged newspaper tycoon and prospective beau, Sir Richard Carlisle, to a dinner party, also attended Matthew and Lavinia. Suspicious of Lavinia, Violet invites her cousin Lady Rosamund, who is intrigued by the fact that Carlisle and Lavinia already seem well acquainted, but it turns out to be nothing scandalous. Due to stress Carson has a problem with his heart, but advises Mary that if she still loves Matthew she needs to tell him before it is too late, but decides not to, when Lavinia expresses how much she loves him.