Robert
When the carriage stops in front of the Abbey, he is glad to be home but can't wait to leave again. Because as long as his wife is in there, this can't really be his home. His parents are there to welcome him and he supposes that Philippa is still bed. It is only 11 am after all and who knows what that dreadful woman was up to last night. His parents seem genuinely happy to have him back home; his mother even gives him a hug, something that startles him.
"Lord Downton, Lady Downton is ready to see you now."
"Thank you, Carson. Send her in please."
"Robert, what do you want? I haven't got any time to talk to you. I have to meet someone."
"Well, I'll be quick about this then. I have filed for a divorce." He never considered how his wife might react to this news but certainly not by almost running into him, hugging him and saying "Thank you so much."
He pushes her away from him. "Don't", he says.
"That was not appropriate, I know. But I am just so happy."
"Why?"
"Because you are not the only one who has suffered in this marriage. I am in love with someone else and your setting me free means that I can follow my heart."
"You don't have a heart."
"Yes I do."
"Then what about Mary? You don't love her. Don't tell me that you do because that would be an outright lie."
"I can't love her because she is yours. She stands for everything I hate."
"And that includes me."
"Of course it does. I didn't want this marriage any more than you did, Robert. I didn't want to marry a man I felt nothing for. I begged my father to not force me to say yes, but he did force me. He said that besides the Duke of Suffolk you were the catch of the season, even if you desperately needed money, and as I had no chance of catching the Duke, I would have to catch you. Our wedding was one of the worst days of my life. You should have seen the look on your face during ceremony. You looked as if you were walking into your grave. That did not endear you to me. I knew you cared for me as little as I cared for you."
"I tried to care for you, I tried to love you."
"Maybe. But you tried to find things in me that aren't part of me. You wanted me to be gentle and kind and warm, but that is not me. And the more you tried to find that in me, the less you were able to see me for what I am. I am a strong woman Robert, and I have my own will, two things that I think you could have appreciated, had you not tried so damn hard to find something else in me. I had hoped it would become better if I could present you with a son, but Mary turned out to be a girl and I knew that that was the end of this marriage."
"Our marriage ended a lot earlier than that and you know it. You told me not to come to you anymore right after telling me that you were pregnant. Actually the way you told me was what told me that regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn't love you. By that time I had already given up on finding things in you that weren't there, but I still tried to love you, for exactly the reasons you have just mentioned. But you just came into my room, announced you were pregnant, said that you hoped to God that it would be a boy and that I shouldn't bother you anymore. And then you left again. You didn't give me a chance to tell you that I was happy you were pregnant and that I didn't really mind whether we'd have a boy or a girl. And although I knew I couldn't love you, I still tried to tell you that it didn't really matter to me whether the baby was a boy or a girl so many times. But you always just brushed it off."
"Because I didn't believe you. You need a son. That and my money are the only reasons you married me. Not for us to have girls. And I was afraid the baby would be a girl. And I was right."
"And I love her all the same. It broke my heart when you told me that you were disappointed in Mary because she was a girl. I tried to tell you that there was no reason for that, both right away and a few weeks later when I hoped you had calmed down a little. But you just wouldn't listen to me."
"And why would I listen to your blubbering, gushing sentiments about your daughter?"
"Because my daughter is your daughter too. And she is a wonderful child. She is incredibly bright and curious, she is funny, she can brighten a whole room just by being inside it, even if she hardly ever shows it."
"You have just described your daughter to me, Robert. But you know what my daughter is? The result of a loveless marriage, the results of trying to conceive an heir, night after night in the least passionate way possible. And the moment they told me that I had a daughter, I knew that you would visit me again at night and that I'd have to go through it all again for countless nights on end. I know that you didn't want to do it, I knew you never wanted to sleep with me either, but that didn't make it better, in fact it made it worse. I was so disgusted, maybe not by you, but by the whole situation. And very glad that you had apparently decided that you didn't need an heir as much as everyone else thought you did."
"I never returned to your room because I knew you started to cheat on me a few weeks after Mary's birth. And I couldn't risk you being able to pass off a bastard as a child of mine. But you were honest with me, so I will be honest with you too. I was disgusted by that whole marital duty thing for lack of a better word just as much as you and you are right, I didn't want to do it, not at all. I had to force myself. At the beginning it was a little easier because I thought that it might be a way for us to become closer, at least a little, but it wasn't. So I know what you mean, I even understand that you hate me for doing what I had to do. Although you never said 'no'. Had you done that, I'd have left you in peace and you should know me well enough to know that."
"I do know that. And you never forced me to do anything, you never forced yourself upon me, I can give you that. You are not that kind of man." He is relieved by this, because for a moment he thought that Philippa did not know this and that would have made things so much worse, it would have meant that he had unwittingly done something unspeakable, something he could never be atoned for.
"Good. But your hatred of Mary I will never be able to grasp. Even if she was conceived under very unfortunate circumstances, she is still your daughter."
"But she is your daughter too. She is part of you, part of what I never wanted, part of what made my life hell. I know you tried to not make this marriage hell for me for a longer time than I deserved, but you weren't successful. I am impressed by your ability to love Mary regardless of me being her mother because I didn't even try to not make this a living nightmare for you. Not after I had realized that you were looking for something I could never be."
"Mary is my daughter."
"I am glad for her. She's got one parent who loves her then. Maybe I am just not made to be a mother."
"No, you are not."
"I'll probably remarry soon. And then go to America with my new husband."
"America? Why?" His insides are dancing because if she goes to America he really won't have to see her again. There won't be any awkward moments at parties or balls they both attend.
"Because the person that I am in love with is an American."
"You are in love with an American?" He has to laugh about this.
"Yes Robert. It seems that we have finally found something that we have in common. Don't deny it. I know that you are pining for that American girl."
He doesn't answer this because it is not her business. Instead he says "You have to leave here."
"I know. I'll pack my things. It shouldn't take longer than a day or two. I'll be gone the day after tomorrow."
"I know I shouldn't be asking this, but would you like to see Mary again?"
"No. She is not my daughter. I don't feel anything for her but disappointment."
He nods. It's what he expected and what he thinks might be better for Mary.
"I'll say goodbye then."
"Robert, just one more thing. The man I am going to marry is as rich as Croesus. So I won't ask for my dowry back."
"That is the most sensible and nicest thing you have ever said to me."
"Yes. I think this is the best conversation we have ever had, even if it was rather painful in parts. And isn't it fitting that it is our last?"
"It is an acceptable end to an unacceptable marriage."
"Goodbye Robert."
"Goodbye."
He is glad that it is over. And it was much less complicated than he thought although he supposes that he should thank that unknown American for it. His parents are both in the sitting room, obviously waiting for him.
"She was happy about it. She wants to go to America with someone who is as rich as Croesus. I suppose it is the fellow she let stay at our house."
"So she won't fight you on the divorce?"
"No. This marriage will come to an end."
He watches his mother get up and is surprised beyond words when she hugs him for the second time that day. "I am happy for you my dear boy. And proud of you for having taken that step. I know it can't have been easy."
He wants to tell his mother that all of this is her fault, that had she not interfered he would have gotten married to Cora years ago and they'd all be happy now. But his mother hardly ever shows any feelings and he doesn't want to ruin this by telling her what he really thinks. And after all it was his mother who suggested the divorce in the first place.
"Son", his father says. "If we moved dinner to six you could be on the eight thirty back to London. You'd get there rather late, but you wouldn't have to sleep here. I know you'd prefer to go back to London tonight."
"To catch the train I'd have to travel in my tails."
"Don't put them on for dinner then. Your mother will get over you eating with us in your travelling clothes for once. Won't you Violet?"
His mother doesn't answer his father but Robert can see her lips twitch upwards.
"Thank you, Mama, Papa."
"Well, Patrick, your mother has summoned me for tea, so I better leave now."
"Have fun."
"Patrick, having tea with your mother is never any fun. At least not for me. I'll break the news of her grandson's divorce to her."
"Don't bring her back here."
"Oh, I don't think she'd be able to come here. She will probably faint. Maybe I should open with the divorce. I wouldn't have to stay that long then."
"Violet. If I didn't"
"But you do. And so do I. I'll see you at dinner. Robert"
He nods to his mother. This is the closest he has ever seen his parents coming to saying 'I love you' and it makes him very happy to have heard it.
"Son, there is something I'd like to talk to you about."
He listens to his father and although he doesn't particularly like what he hears, he agrees.
Dinner with his parents is pleasant, even if he feels a little uncomfortable sitting in his parents' dining room in his traveling clothes but he is glad when he is back on the train to London, even if what he has to tell Cora isn't something he is looking forward to telling her.
Patrick
He smiles at his wife and she smiles at him. They have just sent their son back on his way to London and because there are no servants around he puts his arm around Violet's waist.
"I've told him. What we talked about concerning Cora."
"What did he say?"
"That he understands. He'll do what we ask of him. He does not particularly like it. But he will do it."
"Good. Because the scandal would just be too much to ever recover from."
"What did my mother say?"
"That it was all my fault and that she had always known that I was a very unsuitable wife for you and a very unsuitable mother for Robert and Rosamund."
"You are perfect for me, so don't let her get to you."
"I've been trying not to for almost thirty years."