It is in the middle of the night when Emma and the others are awoken by Mr Molesley's hurried arrival with a clutched telegram in his hand. Miss O'Brien goes to wake Her Ladyship and subsequently His Lordship while Emma helps Anna get the girls up, which feels like old times except for the fact that it's the middle of the night and everyone is still wearing their pyjamas.
The family gathers in the Library talking to Mr Molesley as the rest of them wait anxiously outside the door.
Mr Carson steps into the room. "Ahem. Beg pardon, my lord. But we're all very anxious to know the news."
"Yes, of course." Lord Grantham and the family appear at the door. "It appears that a few days ago, Captain Crawley was wounded. It's serious, I'm afraid, but he's alive and on his way home to the Hospital in the Village."
"Where there's life, there's hope." Mrs Hughes says.
"What about William? Is he all right?" Daisy asks.
"I'll find out what I can tomorrow. I'm not sure there's much more we can do tonight." His Lordship answers.
"William's father would have had a telegram if anything had happened." Mr Bates suggests.
"I'll drive over in the morning." Lady Edith says.
Lord Grantham nods to Mr Carson and everyone leaves.
—
Lady Edith returns the next day and informs everyone that William was caught in it and he's gone to some Hospital in Leeds.
Emma walks into the Servants' Hall, past George the Hall boy, and slumps in a chair. Thomas and Miss O'Brien are in there with cups of tea and the former is smoking.
"I'm sorry for him. I am. I don't mind Captain Crawley. He's a better man than most of them." Thomas says. Emma is not surprised by the conversation. Like what is everyone else talking about?
"And William, too," Emma says. "He's good un." Gemma and Jean walk in and sit at the other end of the table. O'Brien nods in agreement. Weird but then again weirder things have happened.
Miss O'Brien sighs. "I wish I'd not written that letter to Bates's wife telling her he's back here."
Emma sits up straight. "You what?! What did he do to get that?" She looks at Thomas.
Thomas shrugs. "Don't look at me, I wasn't involved. Anyway, what's that got to do with it?"
"With everything else going on, I know she'll come up here and make trouble." Miss O'Brien replies. Emma scoffs. O'Brien sends her a look.
"Don't blame me, it wasn't my idea," Thomas says.
Daisy comes in with some food and places it.
"Any news?" Miss O'Brien asks.
"Only that the doctor won't let William come to the Village," Daisy tells them.
"Seriously?!" Emma exclaims.
"It's for officers only, he says."
Mrs Patmore comes in and sits next to Miss O'Brien. "His poor father's staying there with him, spending money he's not got, and travelling miles to do it."
"It's not right," Daisy says.
"No, it bloody well isn't." Everyone stares at Thomas. "Well, I'm a working-class lad and so is he, and I get fed up seeing how our lot always gets shafted."
Emma smiles at him. It's one of these moments that Emma sees the more positive side of Thomas.
—
The Dowager Countess, after failing to get William treated at Downton Hospital, pulls a few strings with her nephew-in-law the Marquess of Flintshire a minister with the Foreign Office. This is to have him arrange for William to be moved from the infirmary in Leeds to Downton Abbey. With that sorted, Emma quickly makes sure she's at the Hospital for Captain Crawley's arrival.
Emma is preparing the bed with Lady Mary assisting her when Major Clarkson walks into the room. "Right. They're here."
"Can I stay to settle him in?" Emma asks.
"Very well." Clarkson turns to leave.
"I want to help, too." Lady Mary calls.
Clarkson walks over to them. "Lady Mary, I appreciate your good intentions, but I'm concerned that Captain Crawley's condition may be very distressing for you. Might I suggest that you hang back until the nurses have tidied him up a little?"
"I'm not much good at hanging back, I'm afraid. I won't get in your way, I promise. But I will stay. You have volunteers, don't you? Well, that's what I am. A volunteer." Emma smiles to herself at Lady Mary's dedication.
"All right." Stretcher bearers walk in with the wounded. "Everyone to their posts!" Clarkson calls.
Emma says to Lady Mary. "You stand there." She points to the side. Clarkson orders the stretcher bearers and nurses on what to do with the wounded.
"Number two, Nurse Byrne, here." Clarkson indicates to Captain Crawley who had just been carried in. Emma moves into position. "Yes, just here. Gently, gently, gently."
"Yes, sir. Take him under his feet." Emma says. Lady Mary, Emma, and a stretcher bearer lift Captain Crawley onto the Hospital bed. "Captain Crawley, can you hear me?" He doesn't respond.
"He's breathing, but he's not been conscious since we've had him. They filled him full of morphine." The Stretcher bearer explains.
Emma nods. "Thanks." The man walks away and Emma sees Lady Mary look at the card attached to Captain Crawley's shirt. "What's wrong then?"
"Probable spinal damage." They exchange a worried look.
Emma shakes her head and tries to appear calm. "Literally could mean anything. We'll know more in the morning." She picks up his uniform and a stuffed dog falls out. "What's this?"
"I gave it to him for luck. He was probably carrying it when he fell." Lady Mary explains. Emma softens at that. She places the uniform next to the bed with the dog.
"If only it had worked."
"He's alive, isn't he?" Lady Mary replies.
Emma smiles and nods. "I should wash him. This bit can be a bit nasty. Sometimes we have to cut off the clothes they've travelled in, and there's bound to be a lot of blood."
Instead, Lady Mary nods. "How hot should the water be?"
"Warm more than hot. And bring some towels."
The less positive news is Vera Bates turning up again. Mr Bates had given pretty much all the money to agree to a divorce but now Vera is going back on her word. Now she knows that her estranged husband is back with Anna, she going to sell her story about Lady Mary, about the Turk and also implicating Anna. Anna tells Emma about it and goes to Lady Mary, who has made the decision to tell Sir Richard what happened in order to get him to silence Vera Bates. Emma worries that Lady Mary is giving him too much power over her. Emma wishes Miss O'Brien hadn't sent that letter.
William is not doing well and will not get better. Lady Edith is looking after him and the only thing she can do is make him comfortable until he passes.
—
The next day, Major Clarkson is doing an examination of Captain Crawley's spine. Emma had met Lord Grantham and Miss Swire at the entrance and guided them to the Ward. Lord Grantham peeks in on Clarkson's examination. He opens the screen and Lady Mary, who's there, looks up and sees Miss Swire and Emma across the room. Father and daughter go to Miss Swire and Lady Mary smiles comfortingly at her as she takes her hands and kisses her cheek.
"Do they know any more yet?" Miss Swire asks.
"They're examining him now." Lady Mary tells her.
"So, he's conscious?"
"Just about."
"Have they found out what happened?" Lord Grantham asks.
"A shell landed near them. The explosion threw Captain Crawley against something. William had attempted to protect him it seems and got the full force of the explosion." Emma tells them.
"Go on."
"Dr Clarkson thinks... there may be trouble with his legs." Lady Mary adds.
Clarkson joins them. "Not good news, I'm afraid. I'd say the spinal cord has been transected. That it is permanently damaged."
"You mean he won't walk again?" His Lordship asks. Emma's eyes widen and she stares at the screen sadly.
"If I'm right, then no, he won't." Miss Swire starts crying and Lord Grantham puts a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It's a shock, of course, and you must be allowed to grieve, but I would only say that he will, in all likelihood, regain his health. This is not the end of his life."
"Just the start of a different life." Lady Mary says looking shocked and saddened.
"Exactly. Lord Grantham, I wonder if I might have a word." The man steps into the corridor with Clarkson and Lady Mary steps forward to comfort Miss Swire.
"Have you got a handkerchief? I never seem to have one in moments of crisis." Emma tries not to laugh at Miss Shire's comment but it just sounded so odd to her even after all these years. Lady Mary hands her one.
"Thank you." Miss Swire recovers. "Right." She walks bravely toward the screens around Captain Crawley and Lord Grantham returns as Lady Mary makes a step toward them.
"Give them a moment together."
She nods. "What was Clarkson saying?"
"Nothing to worry you about." Emma frowns. That clearly means the opposite. She hopes Mrs Crawley arrives soon.
—
Mr Branson's reading the newspaper as he sits on the steps of the car when Emma walks up.
"Lady Mary telephoned. She'll be on the late train. It gets in at eleven." She tells him. Lady Mary had gone to Sir Richard to get him to figuratively put a gag on Vera. Emma had been passing and had been the one to offer to deliver the message, she was just looking for an excuse to come down.
"All right." He folds the newspaper. "How's William?"
Emma sighs. "It's awful. Lady Edith is taking care of him, but there's nothing to be done. It's a waiting game, really." She walks past him and stands on his other side.
She sees Mr Branson staring off into space with a serious expression. "What's happened?"
"You were right. They shot the tsar, and all of his family." Mr Branson tells her.
"God." She knew it was coming but hearing it still felt shocking. "People think time travel is amazing and everything but once you are faced with terrible events, it becomes something else."
He stands. "I'm sorry. I'll not deny it. I never thought they'd do it. But sometimes a future needs terrible sacrifices. You thought that once."
"Don't see how murdering a family is a necessary sacrifice and you know we've agreed to put politics to one side until the war is won." Emma reminds him.
"Those lot did, you don't have to. Sylvia Pankhurst was all for fighting on."
Emma rolls her eyes. "Oh my god leave me alone will you!" She begins to march off, but Me Branson grabs her waist and she stops in surprise. She meets his gaze and he lets go of her waist and puts his hands in his pockets.
"Sometimes a hard sacrifice must be made for a future that's worth having. That's all I'm saying. That's up to you."
They are quite close as they stare at each other and Emma feels herself lean toward him and she looks down at his lips. She's surprised her reserve is fading. Mr Branson waits for her to give in, but she stops herself and pulls back. She hears him sigh disappointedly as she walks back to the house.
—
A new maid called Jane Moorsum arrives, she has a son and is a widow and needs to find work to support her family. Emma met her the first morning and she seems to be nice and hard working, they'll probably have an easier time with her than they did with Ethel.
Captain Crawley has broken things off with Miss Swire and has sent her away. Major Clarkson had confided in Emma that it is not just the Captain's walking that is gone but also the ability to have children. It is likely why he broke things with Miss Swire, who left quickly.
William wants Daisy to marry him before he passes so she has the support of a war widow. The next day it is arranged for the afternoon as there isn't much time. Emma had made sure she has the time off to attend. The Dowager had to tangle the Reverend a bit but he eventually agreed to do the ceremony.
Speaking of marriage, Sir Richard had splashed the announcement of his and Lady Mary's engagement across the newspaper. Guess it's official then.
—
Mr Bates, Anna and Gemma stand next to Emma as she watches as Daisy stares into space, dressed for her wedding in the Servants' Hall. Emma thinks she looks lovely. Mr Carson enters with a bouquet of flowers. "His Lordship asked Mr Bassett to bring these in for you."
"Ah, how lovely," Anna says walking over. "Here. Daisy, sit down."
Daisy is guided to her seat. "I shouldn't be doing this. It's just a lie, you know it is." She mutters bitterly.
"You're doing it out of the goodness of your heart." Mrs Patmore says to once she enters. Anna tucks a couple of flowers in Daisy's hair.
"The falseness of my heart, more like." Daisy remarks in self-disgust. Emma knew that Daisy looked reluctant to be engaged with William but this just confirms that she's been pushed into it by Mrs Patmore.
"You look lovely, dear." Mrs Hughes says walking in. Daisy doesn't look at her. "Just to say, the vicar is ready for us."
"Let's go up, then." Mr Carson offers Daisy his arm. Anna hands her the bouquet. Daisy slowly stands up, takes the bouquet and Carson's arm and allows herself to be led to her wedding.
—
The bed is woven with vines of flowers. Daisy and William hold hands with Mr Mason next to Daisy and Reverend Travis on the other side of the bed. Lady Edith and the Dowager attend along with Mr Mason, Anna, Mr Bates, Mrs Hughes, Mr Carson, Mrs Patmore, Thomas, Miss O'Brien, Emma, Gemma and Anne.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union of Christ and—" Reverend Travis begins.
His voice seems to fade away for Emma as she gazes at the heartbreaking scene in front of her and the emotions on the others' faces.
"If any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace." After a pause, the Reverend continues. "Hand me the ring." Mr Mason pulls the ring out of his vest pocket. Emma feels she's on the verge of tears. William puts the ring on Daisy's finger.
"You may now kiss the bride." Daisy leans over the bed and kisses William. It won't be long now.
—
Emma is walking up the stairs to check on some of the patients who are able to get up the stairs after having collected some things from downstairs when she hears Mr Bates and Lady Mary talking on the landing.
She pauses on the steps out of sight as she hears Lady Mary say, "Sir Richard Carlisle telephoned me earlier. He says he's paid Mrs Bates for her story. She cannot speak of it now without risking prison." Emma smiles to hear that.
"She won't do that."
"So, I hope we can all forget it."
"It's forgotten already, milady." Mr Bates replies.
"Thank you. I'm afraid she was very angry when she knew she had been silenced." Lady Mary tells him.
"I can imagine."
"He says she made threats against you. "If I go down, I'll take him with me," that sort of thing. I'm sure she didn't mean it."
"Are you, milady?" Mr Bates asks almost disbelievingly. Emma wasn't so sure herself.
"Well, you'd know better than I." Lady Mary admits.
Emma walks further up the stairs to see them go their separate ways. Anna comes round the corner on the left and meets Mr Bates in the Hall with a tray.
"Lady Mary's back," Anna says as Emma reaches the top. Anna gives her a smile.
"I've just seen her. She says it's worked. Sir Richard has put a gag on Vera." Mr Bates replies.
"Thank God." Anna sighs with relief. "So everything in our garden is rosy again?"
"I hope so. I certainly hope so."
"Good news then," Emma says walking over to them. They smile at her and then at each other. Emma watches them with a warm smile.
"It seems so." Anna continues down the Hall with the tray. Emma and Mr Bates go their own ways as well.
William sadly passes away that evening. A few tears escape Emma's eyes when she hears the news.