In the dining room, everyone except Cora, sat down to eat their breakfast. While Edith, Mary, and Eve eat their breakfast in silence, Robert was reading a letter and Sybil was getting her breakfast.
Mary broke the silence by asking, "Who's that from, Papa? You seem very absorbed," As she got her breakfast.
"Aunt Rosamund," Robert answered still looking at the letter.
"Anything interesting?" Edith asked.
"Nothing to trouble you with," He replied.
"Poor Aunt Rosamund, all alone in that big house. I feel so sorry for her," Sybil spoke as she sat down.
"She must be so lonely since Uncle Marmaduke passed," Eve added.
"I don't. All alone with plenty of money and a house in Eton Square? I can't imagine anything better," Mary said.
"Really, Mary, I wish you wouldn't talk like that. There will come a day when someone thinks you mean what you say," Robert scolded Mary after he closed the letter angrily.
"It can't come soon enough for me," She told her father.
"Carson, I'll be in the library. Will you let me know when Her Ladyship is down?" Robert asked as he stood from his seat.
"Certainly, my lord," Mr. Carson replied.
"Sybil, darling, this one's for you," Robert hands the letter to Edith who passed it to Sybil.
Sybil quickly reads the letter before showing it to Eve. The two get up from their seats and leave the room.
In Sybil's room, Sybil and Eve inform Gwen of what the letter says.
"We saw another opening for a secretary and we applied," Sybil told Gwen.
"But you never said," She said.
"We didn't want you to be disappointed," Eve explained.
"I thought you'd given up."
"We'll never give up, and nor will you. Things are changing for women, Gwen. Not just the vote, but our lives," Sybil told her.
"Generations of girls will look back at this time and be inspired by us women," Eve added.
"But it's tomorrow at ten o'clock. Last time, we waited for weeks and weeks and—and this one's tomorrow," Gwen said with worry.
"Then we must be ready by tomorrow, mustn't we?" Sybil told her.
A little later on that day, Eve walked down to the servent's hall before her shift at the hospital started. In the room are Daisy, Anna, Miss O'Brien, Thomas, Mr. Bates, and William.
"Have you recovered, Daisy?" Anna asked her.
"What from?" Mr. Bates asked Anna.
"Are you feeling ill, Daisy?" Eve asked with worry.
"She had a bit of a turn when we were in Lady Mary's room, didn't you?" Anna asked Daisy.
"I'm fine, thank you," She replied.
"What sort of a turn? Did you see a ghost?" Thomas asked Daisy with curiosity.
"Will you leave her alone if she doesn't want to talk about it?" William defended Daisy as he questioned Thomas.
"I've often wondered if this place is haunted. It ought to be," Daisy told them.
"Of the spirits of maids and footmen who died in slavery?" Miss. O'Brien questioned.
"But not, in Thomas's case, from overwork," Mr. Bates said.
"Come on, Daisy, what was it?" Thomas asked.
"I don't know. I was thinking, first, we had the Titanic-"
"Don't keep harping back to that," Miss O'Brien interrupted.
"I know it was a while ago, but we knew him. I think of how we laid the fires for Mr. Patrick, but he drowned in them icy waters," Daisy continued.
"For God's sake."
"And then there's the Turkish gentleman. It just seems there's been too much death in the house."
Eve didn't let it show, but her demeanor changed when she heard Daisy mention Mr. Pamuk and her mind started to wonder what she means.
"What's that got to do with Lady Mary's bedroom?" William asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Daisy replied.
Realization dawned on Eve, Daisy must have seen them that night they carried Mr. Pamuk's body away from Mary's room.
"I better leave or else I'm going to be late for my shift. I will see you all later today. Goodbye," Eve then left the servant's hall and prayed that nothing bad will come of this. She went to the car and Tom drove her to the hospital. Eve worried the entire time she was at the hospital about Daisy, but she didn't let it interfere with her duties.
Eve returned home just a few minutes before the dressing gong. Dinner went well as any they had and when it was over Eve went up to her room to feed Cassandra.
Eve placed the bowl of Cassandra's food on the ground, "Here you are, Cassandra. Enjoy," She heard a knock on her door," Who is it?"
"It's me," She heard Sybil's voice.
"Come in."
Sybil entered the room and closed the door behind her, "I have an idea."
"And what idea is it?" Eve asked.
"We should escort Gwen to her interview tomorrow so we can be there for support."
"That does sound marvelous, Sybil. Let's write a note for Lynch so we can use the governess cart." Eve said.
When the note was finished, Eve and Sybil went downstairs and left it for Lynch. On their way back up, they ran into Robert in the great hall.
"I thought you went to bed hours ago," He said.
"We were writing a note for Lynch. we need the governess cart tomorrow," Sybil told him.
"Oh?"
"We're going to Moulton."
"We thought it would be nice to see old Mrs. Steward," Eve added.
"Oh, don't risk the traffic in Moulton, not now every Tom, Dick, and Harry seems to have a motor," Robert told them.
"Hardly," Sybil responded.
"Last time I was there, there were five cars parked in the marketplace and another three drove past while I was waiting," He recalled, "Get Branson to take you in the car. Neither of us are using it."
"That won't be necessary, Uncle Robert," Eve told him, "Goodnight."
Eve and Sybil hurried back upstairs and went to their rooms.
The next morning, Eve and Sybil took the governess cart out of the estate to meet Gween so no one would see them.
"Well, I had to let the skirt down a little, but I can put it back," Gwen said as she ran toward them.
"No, it's yours. What will happen if one of the maids finds your room is empty?" Sybil responded.
"Oh, it would only be Anna, and she wouldn't give me away. She's like a sister. She'd never betray me," She reassured.
"Oh, well, then she's not like my sisters," Sybil quipped.
"On we go," Eve said before she made a clicking sound signaling Dragon to move and on their journey they went.
When they reached their destination, Eve and Sybil could see that Gwen was nervous about going in.
"Don't worry, Gwen. I know that you will do fantastic," Eve assured her.
"Do you think so, Miss?" Gwen asked.
"I know so."
"I agree. Gwen, you can do this," Sybil said.
"Thank you, Milady," Gwen then got off the cart and walked into the building.
When Gwen returned to the cart, the three went on their way, but unfortunately, Dragon had cast a shoe on their way home and they had to walk alongside him. A short while, until they saw a man walking his dog.
"Can you help? I should be so grateful. Our horse has cast his shoe. Is there a smithy nearby?" Sybil asked.
"Ah, you can try old Crump in the next village," He replied.
"Thank you," The three said.
"See? Help is at hand. And at least it happened on the way home," Sybil said with optimism.
"They'll all be worried about you, and if they check on me, I'm finished," Gwen told them with worry.
"Nonsense, Gwen. They will have to get through us," Eve told her.
When they arrived at Old Crump smithy, they were met with bad news.
"Sorry, Miss, but Mr. Crump's staying over at the Skelton estates tonight. He's working there all week," The man informed them.
Sybil sighs and asks, "Is there anyone else?"
"Not that I know of," He replied before tipping his hat.
"Thank you, though, sir," Eve said before the three went on their way.
The three were once again met with bad luck as Dragon decided to stop and eat grass in a muddy spot.
"Come on, Dragon! Come on!" Sybil exclaimed before moving to the car helping Eve and Gwen to push it, "Dragon, if you don't move now, I'll have you boiled for glue!"
Abruptly Dragon began to run, causing the three to fall into the mud. They managed to catch him and walk the rest of the way home. When they arrived, Gwen snuck back to her room while Sybil and Eve had to explain why they were covered in mud. They waited in the great hall while the footman told Cora and Robert they arrived.
"What happened to you two?" Cora asked when she saw them.
"Dragon cast his shoe on our way home and then he decided to eat some grass in a muddy spot. We tried to push the governess cart when Dragon abruptly moved, causing Sybil and I to fall in the mud," Eve explained.
"Well, thank goodness either of you wasn't terribly hurt," Robert said.
"I'll have Carson get Anna to help you two get ready. Now, go up to your rooms," Cora told them.
Sybil and Eve nodded and went up to their rooms. When Eve entered her room, Cassandra greeted her before Eve placed her on the bed while she got clean. After getting herself clean, Eve got dressed and was fixing her hair when she discovered her golden rose hair pin was missing as Anna walked in.
"Good evening, Miss," Anna greeted before seeing the look of terror on Eve's face, "Is something wrong?"
"Anna, did you, Gwen, or Daisy move anything and didn't put it back on my vanity?" She asked.
"No, Miss. Is something wrong?"
"I can't find my mother's golden rose hair pin. I left it next to my hairbrush before me and Sybil left for Moulton," Eve replied.
"That is the second time that something has gone missing today. Mr. Bates said that one of his Lordship's snuff boxes has disappeared. But don't worry, I'm sure it will show up and I understand how important that hairpin is to you, Miss," Anna said, "I'll ask to see if anyone moved it."
"Thank you, Anna."
The missing snuff box and hairpin were discussed at dinner along with why Sybil and Eve were almost late for dinner.
The next day at the village hall, everyone was getting the flowers set up for the summer flower show tomorrow.
"You seem well prepared," Violet said as she approached Cora.
"We'll add a few more flowers before we open in the morning, but I think we're nearly there," She told Violet.
Isobel stood next to William Moelsey's display and said, "Do look at Mr. Molesley's display. He's worked so hard."
"Rather marvelous, aren't they?" Matthew commented.
"These are truly beautiful," Eve commented.
"Lovely. Well done, Mr Molesley," Mary complimented.
"Thank you, miladies."
"I think everyone is to be congratulated. Splendid," Violet said.
"But do look at these roses. Have you ever seen the like?" Isobel emphasised.
"My dear Mrs. Crawley believes I'm profiting from an unfair advantage," Violet explained.
"Oh?" Cora questioned.
Violet continues, "Mm. She feels, in the past, I've been given the cup merely as a matter of routine rather than merit."
"That's rather ungallant, Mother. I'm sure when we see Cousin Violet's roses, it'll be hard to think they could be bettered," Matthew said to Isobel.
"Hard, but not impossible," She said.
"You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming as you."
"I take that as a compliment," Isobel walks over to the next stall.
"I must've said it wrong," Violet chuckles before walking in the opposite direction.
Eve went on and help her Aunt Cora and anyone who needed it before everything was finished and ready for tomorrow.
At dinner that night, Eve was seated next to her aunt Cora who was seated next to Sir Anthony Strallan, and Mary sat on his other side. Eve couldn't help but feel sorry for Mary, who had to talk to the man.
"Mm, there's no doubt about it. The next few years in farming are going to be about mechanization. That's the test, and we're going to have to meet it. Don't you agree, Lady Mary?" Sir Anthony asked.
"Yes, of course, Sir Anthony. I'm sure I do," She replied.
"Sir Anthony, it must be so hard to meet the challenge of the future and yet be fair to your employees," Edith said from across the table.
"That is the point precisely. We can't fight progress, but we must find ways to soften the blow," He responded.
"I should love to see one of the new harvesters, if you would ever let me. We don't have one here," She requested.
"I should be delighted."
Soon enough it was time to turn, Eve addressed the man seated next to her and The two began a conversation. The footmen came in and began serving the dessert, raspberry meringue pudding.
"Oh, good god!" Sir Anthony cried out before quickly spitting out the dessert in his napkin, "I do apologize, Lady Grantham, but I had a mouthful of salt."
"What?" Cora then tastes the dessert, "Everyone, put down your forks. Carson, remove this. Bring fruit. Bring cheese. Bring anything to take this taste away. Sir Anthony, I am so sorry."
"Fains I be Mrs. Patmore's kitchen maid when the news gets out," Robert spoke up.
"Poor girl. We ought to send in a rescue party," Sybil quipped.
"You must think us very disorganized," Edith addressed.
"Not at all. These things happen," Sir Anthony reassured.
Eve took notice of Matthew and Mary giggle behind their napkins, and couldn't help but chuckle a little before she stopped.
Once dinner was finished, the women retired to the drawing room.
"Poor Mrs. Patmore. Do you think you should go down and see her?" Sybil asked.
"Tomorrow. She needs time to recover her nerves. I knew there was something going on," Cora responded.
"I'll see how she is tomorrow when I get Cassandra's breakfast," Eve said.
"It seems hard that poor Sir Anthony had to pay the price," Edith spoke with sympathy.
"Good God!" Mary mocked. Mary, Sybil, and Eve giggle at her impression since it was quite funny.
"As for you giggling like a ridiculous schoolgirl with Cousin Matthew...it was pathetic," Edith scolded.
"Oh, poor Edith. I'm sorry Cousin Matthew's proved a disappointment to you," She responded.
"Who says he has?" Edith questioned.
"Matthew. He told me," Mary told her, "Oh, sorry, wasn't I supposed to know?"
"You were very helpful, Edith, looking after Sir Anthony. You saved the day," Cora praised.
"I enjoyed it. We seem to have a lot to talk about," Edith said before getting up and walking away. Mary gets up and follows Edith. A short while later the two return to their seats and a moment later, the men came into the drawing room.
"Ah, I've been waiting for you. I found a book over here and I think it's just the thing to catch your interest," Mary said as she walked toward the men.
"Oh, really?" Matthew asked before noticing that Mary walked past him and toward Sir Anthony.
"I'm intrigued," He said as Mary led him to the book, "What is it to be?"
Edith walked over to join them as she said, "I was very taken by what you were saying over dinner about-"
"You're right, Lady Mary. How clever you are. This is exactly what we have to be aware of," Sir Anthony praised Mary, completely unaware that Edith was standing next to them
"There's a section just here that I was rather unsure about. I wonder if you could tell me," Mary points to a page.
Edith walks over to Matthew and says, ""It seems we've both been thrown over for a bigger prize.
"Heavens, is that the time?"
"You're not going?" Edith asked.
"The truth is, my head's splitting. I don't want to spoil the party, so I'll slip away," Matthew replied, "Would you make my excuses to your parents?"
"Excuse me, Sir Anthony," Mary said as she notices Matthew leaving before following him out of the drawing room.
"Mary can be such a child," Robert said.
"What do you mean, darling?" Cora asked.
"She thinks, if you put a toy down, it will still be sitting there when you want to play with it again," He explained.
"What are you talking about?"
"Never mind," Robert replied.
It was the day of the flower show and Eve was getting ready when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Eve said.
Anna came into the room and greeted, "Good morning, Miss. Are you excited for the flower show today?"
"I am. I hope that Mr. Molesley wins the Grantham cup. His roses are absolutely beautiful," She replied.
"There's only one way to found out, Miss," Anna said before taking her hand out from behind her back. She opened her hand to Eve revealing a folded cloth.
"What do you have, Anna?"
"Something that means a lot to you, Miss," Anna hands the folded cloth to Eve.
Eve feels something within the folded cloth and when she unfolds the cloth she is overcome with joy. It was her mother's golden rose hairpin.
"Where did you find it?" Eve asked.
"If I tell you have to promise not to tell anyone," Anna said.
"I promise."
"Me and Mr. Bates figured out that Thomas and Miss O'Brien were playing a nasty trick on him when his Lordship's snuff box went missing along with your hairpin, Miss, or maybe me. But we gave them a taste of their own medicine," Anna told her.
"Very clever, Anna," Eve commented.
"Thank you, Miss," Anna said before leaving Eve's room.
Eve smiled as she looked in the mirror and placed the golden rose hairpin in her pun.
At the village hall, the room was filled with beautiful flowers. The Crawleys approached Mr. Molesley's stall.
"My Word, Molesley, splendid roses, as usual. Well done," Robert praised Mr. Molesley.
"Thank you, Your Lordship."
"All stalls are set out very well this year,"
"This is enchanting. Do we grow this?" Cora asked.
"I doubt if you got that one, Your Ladyship. I've only just found it myself," Mr. Molesley replied.
"Is it a secret, or could you tell Mr. Brocket?"
"I'd be glad to, milady."
They continued onto the next stall as Cora said, "He should come and see the rose garden. He could give us some ideas.
"Old Molesley's a champion," Robert looked back at Violet, "Or he would be in a fairer world."
"Don't you start," Violet warned her son.
"I'm afraid I've been annoying Cousin Violet on that score," Isobel told Robert.
"If Molesley deserves first prize for his flowers, the judges will give it to him," Violet told Isobel.
"They wouldn't dare," Robert said.
"Really, Robert, you make me so annoyed. Isn't it possible I should win the thing on merit?"
"I think the appropriate answer to that, Mama, is, "Yes, dear," He responded.
Sybil and Eve walked around viewing the beautiful flowers until the saw Gwen coming in and walked over to her.
"Have you recovered from our ordeal?" Sybil asked.
"Well, I got a letter this morning. They must've written it as soon as I left the office. They are pleased to have met me, but I do not quite fit their requirements. So, it was all for nothing," Gwen informed.
"Well, we don't agree, Gwen," Eve responded.
"Only a fool doesn't know when they've been beaten," Gwen argued.
"Then we're fools for we're a long way from being beaten yet," Sybil told her.
Their conversation was cut short when everyone gathered around the stage as Violet gave her speech before announcing the winners of the cups and then announcing the winner of the Grantham Cup.
"And now the Grantham Cup for the best bloom in the village. And the Grantham Cup is awarded to..., "She reads her own name on the judges' paper, "Mr. William Molesley...for his Comtesse Cabarrus rose."
"Bravo! Well done! Bravo!" Isobel cheered. The whole room applauded and cheered for Mr. Mosley.
"Congratulations, Mr Molesley," Violet handed him the Grantham Cup.
"Thank you, milady. Thank you for letting me have it," Mr. Molesley said, knowing what she did.
"It's the judges who decide these things, not me. But very well done," She told him.
"Congratulations, so well deserved," Isobel said to Mr. Molesley.
"Bravo, Mama. That must've been a real sacrifice," Robert said to Violet.
"And bravely born," Cora added.
"I don't know what everyone's on about," She said to them.
"But I...," Cora began before being interrupted by her mother-in-law
"All is well, my dear. All is well."