This is a more "Larry-centric" chapter, but I wanted to explore Larry's feelings at learning about the presence of Patrick/Peter Gordon, claiming to be Patrick Crawley, and how he would react to this news.
The title for this chapter comes from the biblical book of Exodus, in reference to the third commandment from the ten commandments, which states "thou shalt not take the LORD thy God's name in vain"...
This chapter is set mere days before the Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918.
The Third Commandment
November, 1918
There's a monster staying at Downton Abbey. A Canadian officer who has the gall to call himself "Patrick Crawley".
Larry learns about this from Lord Grantham, or rather, from his father who has overheard it from Lord Grantham. Some disfigured officer, staying at Downton to convalesce, whose face is disfigured beyond recognition, who speaks with a Canadian accent, and yet he insists that he is none other than Patrick Crawley.
But that's impossible, of course. Because Patrick is dead. Patrick died on the Titanic! HOW DARE THIS MAN SPEAK HIS NAME, let alone claim to "be him".
He is filled with such rage at the news, that nearly breaks a vase over the mantelpiece in his family's London townhouse. His father is calling out his name as he storms out, demanding to know where he is going, but it's a stupid question, because the answer is quite obvious.
In a few hours, he arrives at Downton, paying some farmhand to give him a car to drive up to the big house (he doesn't want to deal with that grubby little chauffeur, not today).
Sybil is outside on the grounds, wheeling a patient across the yard when the car pulls up. But such is his anger that not even her pretty face can distract him from his intended goal.
"Where is he?" he snarls at her.
"W-w-who?"
"THE IMPOSTER!"
She jumps at his bark, and looks confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh don't be daft, Sybil!" he groans, his anger only growing. "I know all about this freak who is claiming to be Patrick!"
"Maj. Gordon?"
Maj. Gordon. So the imposter has a surname.
"How do you know—?"
But he's finished talking with her. Sybil is clearly not going to be any help, and why would she? So enrapt in her role as nurse, too selfish to think about anyone else, or how this imposter could ruin the Crawley family. No, she's not the Crawley he can depend on for answers in this regard…but he knows exactly who to go to.
Just like his father, Sybil is left behind, calling out after him, as he begins scouring the house, looking for Edith, who is no doubt fawning over the freak, lapping up his answers as a thirsty dog laps up water.
He doesn't find Edith…but he does find Maj. Gordon, or a man who looks like the mummy described to him, sitting by himself in the Downton library, running his bandaged-covered fingers over several framed photographs.
His fingers are trailing across the image of Larry and Patrick as boys, when Larry barks his "name".
"Patrick!"
The man is startled, and turns so quickly that the picture he was grazing falls from the shelf, the glass breaking the second it hits the ground.
The rage he had felt earlier kindles into a wildfire at the disgusting sight of the mummified soldier. "How dare you…" he hisses. "How dare you claim to be HIM!"
He advances on the cowering imposter, and has him by the collar, hoisting him up into the air, his feet dangling. "You have twenty-four hours," he snarls, his tone cold, but deadly serious. "If you're not gone by then, I promise you right now, I will kill you with my bare hands."
"But Larry—!"
"SHUT UP!"
Just because the imposter said his name doesn't mean that it's Patrick!
"I don't care WHAT excuses you make to Lady Edith or Lord Grantham or ANYONE, but you WILL go, or so help me—"
"What's going on?"
Larry drops the sniveling man at the sound of another's voice. He recognizes the intruder; he once served as a footman at Downton, but now works for the hospital. Either way, he doesn't owe the man an explanation. So he offers none; he simply turns and walks away, letting his threat linger long after he's gone.
And clearly it worked; Maj. Gordon, if even that is his real name, disappeared like a thief in the night, never to be seen again (God willing).
Larry should be happy; Patrick's good name will no longer be taken in vain, and certainly not by some disgusting, disfigured freak of nature.
...But why do his eyes haunt him? And his voice?
"But Larry—!"
No, no, it's not possible, it's NOT! HE WOULD KNOW!
He would know…
…Wouldn't he?