It was not long after Downton had been decided to be turned into a convalescent home, that things were being prepared. In the drawing room, beds were being set up.
"Should we give them some more space between the beds?" Anna asked as she, Ethel, and Eve walked in with parts of the beds.
"Well, we could give them-" Edith began.
"Not much," Isobel answered, "I'm determined to defend the library as a recreation room."
"Where are we to sit?" Cora asked.
"We can screen off the small library," She replied.
"Is that all?"
"I suppose we-" Edith began before Isobel interrupted her again.
"Well, we could leave you the boudoir. I wanted to put the intermediaries in there, but we don't have to."
"How kind," Cora responded with no enthusiasm, and Isobel walked away.
"I know this is a bit strange, but please, Aunt Cora, these men deserve some comfort for what they have sacrificed," Eve said.
"Why will we only have officers?" Sybil asked as she walked in with Major behind her, "Surely all wounded men need to convalesce."
"The hospital is for officers, and the whole idea is to have a complimentary convalescent home," Major Clarkson expelled.
"Of course, but I don't know if we can make that an absolute rule," Eve reasoned.
"If the world were logical, I would rather agree with you," Isobel informed.
"Which comes as no surprise," Violet commented as she entered the room.
"You would not, I imagine," Isobel replied.
"You imagine right. What these men will need is rest and relaxation. Will that be achieved by mixing ranks and putting everyone on edge?" Violet said before leaving the room with Mr. Carson by her side. Sybil and Eve follow her into the hall.
"Granny," Sybil called after as she and Eve rush to her.
"Mm?" Violet stopped in her tracks.
"Different ranks can relax together, it has been known. I have seen it myself at the base hospital I work at," Eve told her.
"Well, don't look at me, I'm very good at mixing. We always danced the first waltz at the servants' ball, didn't we, Carson?" Violet responded.
"It was an honor, my lady," Mr. Carson spoke with pride.
"It's a lot to ask when people aren't at their best," Violet said before turning to Mr. Carson, "I'm searching for Lady Mary, Carson. Will you tell her I'm in the library?"
Mr. Carson bows and goes in search of her. Isobel passes Edith who's standing in a doorway.
"Don't loiter, Edith. There's plenty to be done," Isobel told her.
"Of course, but I'm not quite what to-" Edith began to respond.
"Sybil, I want to have a quick word with you," Isobel walked away which left Edith feeling lost.
Eve saw this and walked over to her, "Edith, could you help me with the beds?"
"Of course," Edith replied. The two walked into the drawing room and helped set the beds up.
A bit later that day, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Huges, and Eve were in the kitchen informing Mrs. Patmore about the changes that were going to happen at Downton with the soldiers staying here.
"But where are they going to eat?" Mrs. Patmore asked.
"I understand from Mrs. Crawley that they'll share the dining room with the officers who are almost well," Mr. Carson informed her.
"So, am I running a cantina?" She questioned.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Patmore I can help you with the cooking," Eve said.
Daisy giggles as she reads her letter and informs everyone, "William says he's got time off between the end of his training and going overseas."
"He'll be with his father, surely?" Mrs. Hughes said.
"He's going home first, but he wants to come here for his last night," Daisy said.
"You wouldn't mind that, would you, Mr. Carson?" Mrs. Hughes asked him.
"Certainly not. I'd be glad to wish him well on his way. Oh, for you Mr. Branson," Mr. Carson said as Branson enters and he hands him a letter.
"Why do you think he's coming here?" Daisy wondered.
"To see us all and say goodbye. What's wrong with that?" Mrs. Patmore questioned.
"Well, suppose it's something more. Suppose he's got plans," Daisy said.
"Well, you have to deal with that when it happens. And mind you deal fair. Now, go and grate that suet before I grow old and die," Mrs. Patmore told her.
In the ward, Sybil and Eve are laying the sheets on the hospital beds with Cora, Mary, and Edith in the room. Cora was discussing who would run Downton.
"Who'll be in charge?" Cora asked.
"Cousin Isobel thinks it'll be her," Edith informed.
"All know is that she'll drive us mad before the end," Mary told.
"I'm going up to change," Cora said, having grown tired of everything.
"We just want to finish this," Sybil told them.
"Aren't you going to the hospital?" Edith questioned.
"No, not yet. We are both on the night shift. we'll walk down after dinner," Eve answered, "And please don't start lecturing us."
"I won't. The truth is, I envy you. Both of you," Edith revealed.
"Do you ever miss helping out on the Drakes' farm?" Sybil asked her.
"That's a funny question. Why?" Edith responded.
"No reason. It's just, you seemed to have such a purpose there. It suited you," Sybil told her.
"It did suit me. I enjoyed it. But now I feel like a spare part."
"Trust me, you have a talent that none of the rest of us have, Edith. Just find out what it is and use it. It's doing nothing that's the enemy," Eve encouraged her.
After everything was ready. The family was greeting and helping the soldiers into Downton. Eve had noticed that some of the officers were patients that she had known or attended at the base hospital. They told her about some things that were happening over there and that they had missed her. A while later, Eve, Sybil, Mary, and Edith were in the ward helping the officers.
"As soon as I've done this, I'll take your orders for books," Edith informed.
"Thank you," The officer said.
Mary distributes the carafes in the room when Matthew walks in and talks to her. Eve and Sybil continued to help the officers until Isobel interrupted them.
"Sybil, come, Edith can do that," Isobel called out to her. Sybil then left the room and followed Isobel.
In the servant's hall, Isobel, Eve, and Thomas were discussing Thomas' duties as being in charge of Downton, along with what the rest of the staff will do.
"But I must supervise the medical staff," Thomas insisted.
"Overseen by me. And Carson, I'm relying on you to make that that is-" Isobel began before Cora enters with Mrs. Hughes behind her.
"What's going on?" Cora questioned.
"I was arranging the household duties where they overlap with the duties of the nursing staff," Isobel answered.
"Shall we continue this upstairs?" Cora asked.
"Well, I've made some charts and-" Isobel said before she noticed Cora gives her a severe look, "Of course."
Isobel and Cora leave the servant's hall and Eve followed to make sure that there wasn't going to be a bloodbath between the two.
In the library, Robert, Eve, and Major Clarkson were present as Cora and Isobel were having their discussion.
"You take over every room in the house, you bark at me like a sergeant major, and you give orders to my servants," Cora told Isobel off.
"Cora, I'm sure Cousin-," Robert began to intervene as Mary enters the library.
"I'm sorry, are you in the middle of something?" Mary asked.
"We're discussing the arrangements," Major Clarkson explained.
"Oh, good, because we've had a letter from Evelyn Napier. He's in a hospital in Middlesbrough and he's heard that we're a convalescent home now, and wonders if he can come here once he's released," Mary informed them.
"Of course, he can come here," Cora told her.
"Well, now, just a minute," Major Clarkson said.
"There's no question of him coming here," Isobel told Cora.
"What?" She questioned.
"The Middlesbrough General will have their own arrangements for where their patients convalesce."
"We can't play favorites, Aunt Cora. We can't pick and chose what officers can be here or not," Eve voiced.
"I'm afraid Mrs. Crawley and Matron De La Cruz are right. Downton must function as part of the official system, or it cannot function at all," Major Clarkson agreed.
"Now, I think, perhaps, I should make one thing clear. Downton is our house and our home, and we will welcome any friends or any relations we choose. And if you do not care to accept that condition, then I suggest you give orders for the nurses, and the patients, and the beds, and the rest of it, to be packed up and shipped out at once!" Robert voiced. Cora holds in a smile.
"Thank you, Lord Grantham, for making your position so clear," Major Clarkson clears his throat and starts to leave.
"Oh, just one more thing. The dogs. What should we do to stop Isis and Cassandra from getting into the patients' rooms?" Isobel asked.
"I can answer that. Absolutely nothing," Robert responded. Eve was somewhat happy with that answer, she found that animals can bring a smile to a person's face when they are feeling low.
In the library that evening, they were discussing the arrival of General Strutt.
"If they arrive at five, we'll walk him around the wards, then show him the recovering men at play, and after that, a fairly grand dinner," Robert explained the plan, "I'll tell him to bring mesquite."
"That is my challenge, my lord. How to make the dinner sufficiently grand with no footmen in the house," Mr. Carson spoke.
"Plenty of people give dinners without footmen," Robert informed him.
"Not people who entertain Sir Herbert Strutt, hero of the Somme," Mr. Carson responded.
"I'm sure he'll have seen worse things at the front than a dinner with no footmen," Isobel said.
"I agree. A general can survive a dinner without a footman serving," Eve said.
"Carson only wants to show the general proper respect," Cora told them, "We will not criticize him for that."
"Indeed, we will not. But I think Lord Grantham's plan is a good one, with or without footmen," Major Clarkson voiced.
"Matthew writes Miss Swire is coming down from London for it," Cora informed everyone.
"Really? He never said so to me," Isobel said confused.
"Does he need your permission?" Cora questioned.
"I think I should go around with him," Isobel said, changing the subject.
"You and Lady Grantham will both come with us along with Matron De La Cruz," Major Clarkson informed her.
"But won't you want to talk about treatments?" Isobel asked.
"The treatments...and the house," Major Clarkson clarified.
The next day, the entire household lines up outside to welcome the general. The car drives by and the soldiers solute. The general's party gets out and salutes the family.
"My cousin, Lord Grantham," Matthew introduced Robert to the General.
"This is very kind of you, Lord Grantham," General Strutt told him.
"Welcome," Robert responded.
"Lady Grantham. Matron De La Cruz. And this is Major Clarkson who runs our hospital here," Matthew introduced Cora, Eve, and Major Clarkson.
"And I am Captain Crawley's mother," Isobel introduced herself, "And will accompany you on your tour and explain the different levels of care we practice here."
Major Clarkson and Matthew's expressions reveal the impropriety of Isobel putting herself forward.
"Lady Grantham, Mrs. Crawley, and Matron De La Cruz will accompany us as we go around, sir," Major Clarkson explained to General Strutt.
"Makes a nice change from the craggy-faced warriors I'm usually surrounded by," General Strutt responded, light-heartedly.
"I'd like to think that were true. Please, come this way," Cora leads the way into Downton.
"There's a large recreation room…" Isobel began before being interrupted by Cora.
"I don't believe you've ever been to Downton before."
They were giving General Strutt the tour and showed him the officers that are resting in the ward downstairs.
"The ground floor rooms are for those men who need the most care, sir," Matthew said.
"Yes, of course," General Strutt responded.
"General Strutt, sir," Captain Smiley called as he stood next to Major Haimes, who is laying in his bed.
"Oh, right, yes. Tell me about this officer," General Strutt walked over and began conversing with Captain Smiley.
"Who is that man?" Isobel questioned, "I hope he's not complaining."
"Oh, no. That's Captain Smiley. He hasn't an unkind bone in his body," Edith informed her.
"How do you know?" Mary asked her sister.
"Matthew, listen to this," General Strutt called him over.
Matthew walked over and asks, "Everything all right, sir?"
"What on earth's that about?" Cora wondered.
"Oh, don't worry. Major Haimes can be a little waspish, but he wouldn't want to get us into trouble," Edith informed her.
"He really is all bark and no bite," Eve added.
"How do you know so much about a pack of strangers?" Cora asked her daughter.
"They're not strangers to me," Edith replied.
"Edit has really gotten to know the officers," Eve agreed, "Sometimes I feel as if I'm following her lead with taking care of them."
"This is all very impressive, Lady Grantham. The nurses and your own staff are to be congratulated," General Strutt said.
"I believe they are," Cora agreed.
A while later, they were in the dining room enjoying luncheon. Not long after, Eve noticed Branson entering the dining room carrying the soup. She also noticed that Branson was glaring at the general. A moment later, Mr. Carson and Anna cross the room to him just as Branson is about to pull the lid off of the soup. Mr. Carson clamps his hand down over Branson's, so he can't open it.
"No!" Branson whispered.
"Yes," Mr. Carson told him in a whisper.
Branson struggles for a minute, then looks at Sybil behind him and eventually lets Mr. Carson escort him out. Mary notices as Anna follows them with the soup tray. Mr. Carson shoves Branson through the door.
"Get downstairs now!" Mr. Carson whispered as he makes Branson go back through the door.
A few minutes later, Mr. Carson returned with the soup and William, dressed in his soldier uniform.
"What was going on with the soup?" Robert questioned, "It came, it went."
"Nothing to worry about, my lord. Branson was taken ill so William volunteered to be footman one last time," Mr. Carson explained, but Eve knew he was lying, "You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh, not a bit. It was very kind of him. Our footman, William, is leaving us tomorrow to join his regiment, that's why he's not in livery," Robert informed the General.
"Well, you're a credit to this house and this country, young man. There is no livery so becoming as a uniform," General Strutt commented.
William nods, "Sir."
"Lady Rosamund, Mary, all of you, have been so kind to Lavinia," Matthew congratulated them.
"Well, naturally. We're all curious to know more of Miss Swire if she's to reign over Downton's queen," Violet spoke.
"Dear me, I hope you haven't unearthed anything too fearful," Matthew voiced.
"You must ask Mary," Violet said causing many significant looks to be exchanged.
"One thing I'm still not quite clear about. Who, precisely, is in charge of Downton when you're not here?" General Strutt asked.
"I've given it some thought, sir, and it seems to be only fair that Mrs. Crawley...and Lady Grantham…" Major Clarkson answered. Isobel's smile fades. Cora smiles very happily," ...should share that responsibility."
"Capital. Well said. The fact is, I have been more than gratified by my visit here today, and I thank Captain Crawley for arranging it."
"Here, here," Robert cheered.
"You are all to be praised for your response to our national crisis, but I've been talking and I've been listening, and I feel there is one among you whose generosity is in danger of going unremarked," Both Isobel and Cora wait expectantly," It seems the daily cares and needs of the patients are being dealt with quietly and efficiently by Lady Edith," General Strutt announced. Surprised, everyone stares at Edith, "Or that's what the officers tell me. So, let us raise our glasses and drink her health."
Everyone raised their glasses and say," Lady Edith."
Edith smiles in wonder at the compliment.
In the front of the staff is lined up as the party leaves. Mr. Lang struggles with shell shock.
"Is there any chance you might take our footman, William, for your servant? I can pull some strings, get him transferred to your lot," Robert asked Matthew.
"If you'd like me to, of course. I can't promise to keep him safe," He said.
"I know, but...he'd have someone looking out for him. Oh, my God," Robert sees Lang shaking, "Lang, are you all right, old chap?" Lang grabs onto Robert and buries his head in his chest, "Come, come, man. Things can't be as bad as all that. Carson."
Eve couldn't help but calmly rush over and help the situation as Mr. Carson walked over.
"Mr. Lang, what happened?" Mr. Carson asked.
"The general and all these officers, I don't have to go back with them, do I? Because I can't," Mr. Lang begged.
"No, of course not, Mr. Lang. You don't have to go back," Eve comforted him.
"The general's looking for you, my lord," Mr. Carson informed Robert.
Mr. Carson steps in front of Mr. Lang to hide him from the departing company, O'Brien helps with comforting Mr. Lang.
Later on that day in the Servant's hall, Eve was sitting at the table talking to Anna while Ethel reads the papers and Miss O'Brien sews.
"Where is Mr. Branson?" Ethel asked.
"Mr. Carson sent him back to his cottage to stew in his own juice," Anna answered as William walks into the room and Daisy moved to stand beside him.
"Will we see you in the morning to wish you luck, William?" Eve asked.
"Oh, yes. But I've got something I'd like to say now," William takes Daisy's hand, "If you don't mind."
"Don't, not yet," Daisy told him.
"They must know sooner or later. Daisy and I are going to be married," William announced.
"You never are! When?!" Ethel asked them.
"After the war," Daisy answered.
"I'm not sure I can wait that long," William said. Daisy looks worriedly at Mrs. Patmore.