Larry Grey is the son of Lord Merton and a former suitor of Lady Sybil, though Sybil says she does not think she was as keen on him as he was to her. He and his family are invited for a dinner at Downton Abbey. Larry is very jealous over her marriage to Tom Branson, and is rude when talking to him. He drugs Tom's drink just before dinner which makes Tom appear intoxicated, voicing his views and making everyone, including Sybil, upset. Larry Grey alone is amused; when Mary notices this, he tells her that he is enjoying a vivid display of "Irish character".
Fortunately, Sir Anthony Strallan saw what Larry had done. Larry at first denied knowing what Strallan meant when he accused him of causing Tom's behavior, but, after Strallan openly accused him of drugging Tom's drink and Edith said it was "a beastly thing to do", Grey as good as confessed by telling her that she "could always take a joke" which she took as an insult. Mary called his words "a bully's defense" and revealed the truth to everyone at the table.
Larry felt no remorse for what he had done, and could not understand why everyone else was getting "hot under the collar" because Tom, in his opinion, was "only a grubbly little chauffeur chap" - not one of society's uppercrust like the rest of them. At this, his father, Matthew, and Lord Grantham stood in anger, his father shouting, "Be silent this instant sir!" Lord Merton then apologizes to Tom for Larry's actions.
Tom is forgiven by the Crawleys, who know that it was not his fault.
Behind the scenes
- The part of Larry Grey was played by Charlie Anson.