Downton Abbey: In Sickness and In Health, Part 2

Happy Valentine's Day to all my fellow Downtoholics.

In the second hour of Sunday's episode, two romantic things happened, one of which was ruined, and the rest of the story is mostly concerned with things like inquests and hemorrhages. Happy Valentine's Day indeed.

No one expects the Spanish Flu. During one ill-favored (heh) dinner party, Cora, Lavinia, and Carson are all struck by the post-WWI pandemic. We shall track their progress through the course of the hour. Moseley gave us all a scare, but it turns out he was just drunk.

Next time I'm drunk, I'm going to tell everyone I have the Spanish Flu.

Brybil goes public. Branson and Lady Sybil announce their intentions to marry, and everyone loses it, both upstairs and down. Perhaps declaring your plans to be a journalist isn't the best strategy in a house currently dealing with Vile Sir Richard.

But the suit was a nice touch.

The Earl calling the Lady inappropriate. It's a little hard to be moved by Robert's indignant horror at his daughter's romance with the chauffeur when he's been snogging the housemaid. After an epic cockblock by Batesie,

Dude!

Lord Crawley sends Jane on her way, and, in a move that proves to me that he's read Howards End, understands the connection between his illicit feelings for Jane and his daughter's love for Branson, and gives them his blessing.

I could have danced all night! Romantic moment #1! Lady Mary and Matthew dance downstairs, and blue-eyed Mattie manages to make the line "you are my stick" sound sexy. He also admits that he'd rather marry her than Lavinia. Well, naturally.

And they kiss! Squeal!

Tommy on the spot. With Carson out of commission and his own savings depleted, Thomas does what he does best: take advantage of the situation. He campaigns for footman of the year in an attempt to reinstate himself at the Abbey. I am for this.

Wasn't even an important storyline--it's just an excuse for me to post this picture again.

These are my confessions, part 1. As Cora worsens, O'Brien packs her bags for a guilt trip. She's ruing soaping the floor and causing the Lady's miscarriage, as I would hope she would, and just about tells her so.

Though she probably wouldn't have appreciated the significance of the admission at this particular time.

These are my confessions, part 2. Freaking Lavinia overheard Mary and Matthew's conversation and saw the kiss, and proceeds to climb up on her big wooden cross and offers to give him up if that's what he wants. Then, though she appears to be improving, she dies.

Well played, Lavinia. Well played.

I will never forgive her for this, as Matthew convinces himself that the cause of her demise is not Spanish Flu but a broken heart, and he will therefore never allow himself to love Mary, as they are "cursed." Bah.

He's getting married in the morning! Anna makes like Lady Sybil and strikes a blow for feminism, proposing to Batesie. They get married in Romantic Moment #2! Jane and Mary arrange for them to have a proper honeymoon night upstairs,

Very happy for them.

Which should give them both many lovely memories to cherish while Bates rots in jail. You see, he gets arrested for his wife's murder the next morning. Bummer.

Dowager Countess Quote of the Night: If you're a singleton like me this Valentine's Day, and feeling, like Lady Edith, a little lonely and unlovable, Vi has some words of wisdom:
"Don't be defeatist dear, it's very middle-class."

Lady's got a point.

So if you're not lucky enough to be in love today, may next year's Valentine's Day find you as as hopeful as Branson and Sybil, as passionate as Matthew and Mary, and as committed as Batesie and Anna.