[EXT/INT. FRONT DOOR/OUTER HALL - DAY]

　　MR BATES

　　Sorry to have kept you waiting, sir.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　I'm here to see Lord Grantham.

　　MR BATES

　　Is he expecting you?

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　No. But he'd be very interested in what I have to tell him.

　　MR BATES

　　His Lordship is not at home, but if you will leave your name--

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Ah, ah, ah. Don't go all high and mighty with me. I don't know who you are, but you're certainly not the butler,

　　so don't try and make out you are.

　　MR BATES

　　How do you know?

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Because Charlie Carson's the butler 'round here.

　　MR BATES

　　Does your business concern him?

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　It might do.

　　MR BATES

　　Excuse me for one moment, sir.

　　[Bates partially closes the door and enters the house. Anna waits in the entry.]

　　MR BATES

　　Fetch Mr Carson as fast as you can.

　　[Anna nods and the stranger walks in uninvited. Bates turns back to Anna.]

　　MR BATES

　　Use the front door.

　　[Anna heads outside and the stranger smirks after her.]

　　MR BATES

　　If you would like to follow me, sir.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Oh, no. If you think you're tucking me away somewhere, you've got another thing coming.

　　MR BATES

　　You will be more comfortable, sir.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Sorry, chump.

　　[The stranger waltzes into the library and looks around.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Oh, aye. I'll not mind waiting in here.

　　[Sybil enters wearing a riding outfit.]

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Bates...?

　　MR BATES

　　This...gentleman is an acquaintance of Mr Carson, milady.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　What is he doing in here?

　　MR BATES

　　He says he has urgent business with His Lordship.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Urgent.

　　MR BATES

　　I've sent for Mr Carson to come at once.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Then I'll stay with you in case explanations are needed.

　　MR BATES (mouths)

　　Thank you.

　　[EXT. DOWNTON ABBEY, GROUNDS - DAY]

　　[Anna runs down the road.]

　　ANNA

　　Mr Carson! You're needed at once in the library.

　　[INT. OUTER HALL/LIBRARY - DAY]

　　[Robert enters through the open front door to hear the stranger complaining loudly.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　How long are you expecting me to wait? I'm a very busy man, you know.

　　MR BATES

　　If you could just be patient for a little longer, sir.

　　[The stranger sees Robert entering.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Ah.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　May I ask who this is and precisely what is going on?

　　[Mr Carson and Anna enter.]

　　MR CARSON

　　Mr Bates, what are you...? Er...I'm sorry, Your Lordship. Mr Bates, you may go now.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　No, stay where you are. No one is going anywhere. Do I take it you know this man?

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Don't try and deny it.

　　MR CARSON

　　No, I won't deny it. I do know him, my lord, but not what he is doing in the library.

　　MR BATES

　　I tried to take him downstairs out of sight, Mr Carson, but he wouldn't come.

　　MR CARSON

　　Thank you, that was thoughtful.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　But who is he?

　　[Carson hesitates.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Will you tell him or shall I?

　　MR CARSON

　　His name is Charles Grigg. We worked together at one time.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Oh, I'm a little more than that, aren't I, Charlie? We're like brothers, him and me.

　　MR CARSON

　　We are not like brothers.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　We were a double act. On the halls.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　You were on the stage? Carson, is this true?

　　MR CARSON

　　It is, my lord.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　The Cheerful Charlies, that's what they called us.

　　[Carson rolls his eyes while Grigg does a tap dance and hands Robert a flier for their old act.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　We did quite well, didn't we?

　　MR CARSON

　　Until you couldn't keep your hands out of the till.

　　ANNA

　　Would you like us to go, Mr Carson?

　　MR CARSON

　　No. You know it now. You might as well bear witness to my shame. He turned up in the village with no warning some

　　days ago on the run, asking for somewhere to hide and, of course, for money.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　God in heaven.

　　MR CARSON

　　He's wanted for some petty crime of which he is, of course, guilty.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Hey, steady on.

　　MR CARSON

　　He threatened to expose my past to make me a laughingstock in this house. And in my vanity and pride, I gave him

　　what he wanted.

　　CHARLES GRIGG (scoffs)

　　You did not.

　　MR CARSON

　　I put him in an empty cottage and fed him from the kitchens. I couldn't buy food in the village, it would raise

　　too many questions. I stole. I'm a thief. She...saw it.

　　[Carson indicates Anna.]

　　ANNA

　　I'd never have said anything, Mr--

　　MR CARSON

　　And now my disgrace is complete. My lord, you have my resignation.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Really, Carson, there's no need to be quite so melodramatic. You're not playing Sydney Carton.

　　[Robert turns to Grigg.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　So, why have you come here, if he has done everything you asked of him?

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Because he hasn't.

　　[Grigg sits down in a chair.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　He wouldn't give me any money.

　　MR CARSON

　　If I had, how could I have prevented his returning to Downton once it was spent?

　　[Robert clears his throat.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　My dear Mr Grigg...

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Ah. Nice to see someone 'round here's got some manners.

　　MR CARSON

　　Hold your tongue!

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I'll tell your what is going to happen. When I have given you twenty pounds, you will leave Downton immediately

　　and we will never set eyes on you again.

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　I'll have to see about that.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　If you return to this area, I will personally ensure your conviction for theft and blackmail.

　　[Grigg springs up from the chair.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　Just a minute--

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　You will serve from five to ten years in His Majesty's custody.

　　[Robert pulls out his wallet.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　You think you're such a big man, don't you? Just 'cause you're a lord, you think you can do what you like with

　　me.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I think it, because it is true.

　　[Robert holds out the cash and Grigg debates for a moment, then takes the money.]

　　CHARLES GRIGG

　　You'll not always be in charge, you know. The day is coming when your lot will have to toe the line just like the

　　rest of us.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Perhaps. But happily for Carson, that day has not come yet.

　　[Grigg looks at Carson and stalks off. Anna and Bates follow, but Sybil remains.]

　　MR CARSON

　　I...take it my resignation has not been accepted?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　My dear fellow, we all have chapters we would rather keep unpublished. To be honest, Carson, I'm rather

　　impressed. Did you really sing and dance and everything in front of an audience?

　　[Sybil smiles.]

　　MR CARSON (ashamed)

　　I did.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　And do you ever miss it?

　　MR CARSON

　　Not in the least, my lord.