[INT. KITCHENS - DAY]

　　ANNA

　　Oh, I like a bit of life in a house, but I-- I just hope Mr Carson doesn't spontaneously combust.

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Erm, I had a letter yesterday.

　　ANNA

　　Yes?

　　MRS PATMORE

　　It's my sister's boy. He's--he's with the Lancashire Fusiliers, only he's gone missing.

　　[Mrs Patmore puts on her glasses and pulls out the note.]

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Erm, "missing presumed dead" they call it.

　　ANNA

　　Oh, no. How did it happen?

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Well, that's just it. They can't find out how it happened, why it happened, whether we can be sure it did happen or he isn't lying prisoner somewhere.

　　ANNA

　　Why not ask His Lordship? He'll have friends in the war office. They can dig something up

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Oh, well n-- I don't like to bother him.

　　ANNA

　　Why not? He's got broad shoulders.

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Oh.

　　[INT. SERVANTS' HALL - DAY]

　　[Ethel watches Lang mend a jacket.]

　　ETHEL

　　Oh, it's ever so fine, Mr Lang. However can you make those big hands do such delicate work? I expect there's no end to the things they could manage.

　　O'BRIEN

　　Giving you a slap for a start.

　　[Ethel pulls back and pouts.]

　　O'BRIEN

　　That is good. Very good. I like to see a proper skill. These days, blokes think they can be a valet if they can smile and tie a shoelace, but there's an art to it, and I can tell you've got it.

　　MR LANG

　　My mother taught me. She was a lady's maid like you.

　　O'BRIEN

　　Well, she knew what she was about. MR CARSON

　　Oh, Mr Lang.

　　[Lang stands hurriedly.]

　　MR CARSON

　　As you know, Sir Richard Carlisle arrives later and the Crawleys are coming for dinner tonight.  I really can't have maids in the dining room for such a party, so I'd be grateful if you'd help me and play the footman.

　　MR LANG

　　Me? Wait a table?

　　MR CARSON

　　Oh, it's not ideal, but I'm afraid I've no choice. The footman's liveries are in a cupboard just past Mrs Hughes's sitting room. You should find one to fit you.

　　[INT. LIBRARY - DAY]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I'm not sure what I can do, but I'm happy to try. What's his name?

　　MRS PATMORE

　　Archie. That is, Archibald Philpots. He was in the Lancashire Fusiliers. They think he was in northern France.

　　[Robert writes it down.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　You realise the most likely outcome is that he has, indeed, been killed?

　　MRS PATMORE

　　I understand, milord. But we'd rather know the worst than wonder.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Mm.

　　[INT. SERVANTS' HALL]

　　[Anna walks down the corridor and Molesley enters.]

　　MR MOLESLEY

　　Ah.

　　ANNA

　　Oh. Hello, Mr Molesley. What are you doing here?

　　MR MOLESLEY

　　I asked inside and they said you were over in the laundry.

　　ANNA

　　Lady Mary wants to wear this tonight. I wasn't sure it was done.

　　MR MOLESLEY

　　I was really wondering if you'd had a chance to read that book.

　　ANNA

　　You only gave it to me yesterday.

　　MR MOLESLEY

　　Of course, of course. But, when you have read it, I hope we can exchange our views.

　　ANNA

　　That'd be nice. But perhaps we might bring some of the others in. We could have a sort of reading club.

　　MR MOLESLEY

　　We could do that. Er...or we talk about it together, just we two. [Miss O'Brien walks by.]

　　ANNA

　　Heavens, it's later than I thought. I must get on.

　　[INT. LADY GRANTHAM'S BEDROOM - DAY]

　　[O'Brien fixes Cora's hair. Robert enters.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I'm off to change, but I wanted you to know I sent a note down to Clarkson, which should do the trick.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　What did you say?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Only that I gathered you'd asked a favour and, given that the estate shoulders the hospital costs, it did seem a little unfair if we weren't allowed a few perks.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Quite right. Thank you, darling.

　　[Robert smiles at her and exits.]

　　O'BRIEN

　　Well done, my lady.

　　[EXT. LONG FIELD FARM - DAY]

　　[John Drake hitches the tractor to a tree stump while Edith sits in the driver's seat]

　　LADY EDITH

　　Ready?

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　Ready!

　　[Edith has trouble with the clutch.]

　　LADY EDITH

　　Come on, damn you.

　　[Edith changes gears and moves the tractor forward. It pulls the tree out by the roots. Drake cheers. Later, they drink in the barn.]

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　To the victor the spoils.

　　[They toast.]

　　LADY EDITH

　　Did you plant that tree?

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　Steady on. It must be forty years old.

　　[They chuckle.]

　　LADY EDITH

　　It's not a flattering light. JOHN DRAKE

　　My father planted it. But you have to be tough with free trees, not let them outstay their welcome.

　　LADY EDITH

　　Farming  needs  a  kind  of  toughness,  doesn't  it?  There's  room  for  sentiment,  but  not sentimentality.

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　Beautifully put, if I may say so, my lady.

　　[Edith smiles at the compliment.]

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　You should be a writer.

　　LADY EDITH

　　Thank you.

　　[Mrs Drake comes in with a basket.]

　　MRS DRAKE

　　How you getting on?

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　Very well, I think.

　　MRS DRAKE

　　And it's not too hard for you?

　　LADY EDITH

　　Not at all.

　　JOHN DRAKE

　　She's stronger than she looks.

　　MRS DRAKE

　　I brought you something to eat, my lady. Though, I'm afraid it's not what you're used to.

　　[The dog sniffs at the basket.]

　　MRS DRAKE

　　Hey, it's not for you.