<p>(on the other hand, given how standardized handwriting education was even in this country until about 15 years ago, is it so very unlikely to think counterfeiting might not have been so difficult?)</p>
<p>Interesting idea that Edith may be Rosamund’s daughter…but it doesn’t square with Rosamund’s advice that to have your biological secret child too close is courting disaster. </p>
<p>Maybe Rosamund knows that from personal experience… and after all, Edith isn’t THAT close.</p>
<p>I suspect it’s not true but it’s certainly an interesting theory. Maybe they should hire us as writers. 
</p>
<p>Did I miss Rose’s reaction to her engagement not happening? I was looking forward to that, but where was it?</p>
<p>Aside from that, Barrow can’t have it on Cora’s maid that she is gay, because it hasn’t hurt him at Downton. Must be something else.</p>
<p>I’ll just watch it again, then in the Spring see them all again when my other PBS station redoes them all.</p>
<p>^^ She was sitting at a table, when Mary joined her and made some comment along the lines of, “So I see you’ve heard from Mr. Ross.” Rose then accuses Mary of being just like her (Rose’s) mother. Then Mary tells her she’s not, and if Rose wants to complicate her life, she should do it for the right reasons.</p>
<p>No, I think there was something else about Baxter that Barrow is poking fun about. It might have something to do with being away or being wherever they were, since he made a point to tell Baxter he “wanted to hear all about it” when they get back. I doubt it has to do with being gay. Besides, that was a topic that was already scuttled about.</p>
<p>I keep wondering why Rose’s parents were not able to get there to see their daughter’s coming out. After all, her aunt’s mother came from America to watch. And somehow I thought Rose had brothers. Where were they?</p>
<p>There were so many little zippy lines which I loved, but I really disliked Mary saying the race is on (or something similar). Yuck! If ALL she is interested in is her inheritance, she should simply interview them like a business partner and choose whoever is the wealthiest. </p>
<p>I did enjoy Isabel’s making fun of Violet, but once MacLaine started to make fun of her, I felt badly (except she did bring it on). But I’m a bit confused about ages or rather whose generation she is. That is, why does Isabel hang out with Violet, when technically, as Matthew’s mother, she’s the same generation as Lord Grantham. I know they are both widows, but they seem to hang out together a lot. She could hang with Rosamund.</p>
<p>Rosamund andf Violet have obviously been through this unwed mother thing before. Don’t know if it’s Edith, but it’s somebody.</p>
<p>Interesting theory. There’s no way Violet herself was ever “a girl in trouble,” but Rosamund – maybe. And since Violet is Rosamund’s mother, well, Violet might have known about it. Might.</p>
<p>I think we’re getting too elaborate here. Fifty years ago, pre-Roe v. Wade, every one of us parents would have had a pretty good idea of how our daughters could obtain an abortion, if necessary, or have a baby and get it adopted discreetly, even if only some of us had been through the process personally. It’s a degree-of -separation thing; no one was that far removed from someone who had been “in trouble” that way.</p>
<p>In other news . . . everyone has noticed how Edith keeps getting the short end of the stick, and she does. Edith is now thoroughly sympathetic despite having been fairly evil in the past. She even gets to wear attractive clothes now. But what about Daisy? Daisy is wonderful, hardworking, skilled, and proud, she’s cute as the dickens, and she has been married and widowed without ever having had her own love reciprocated (or, for that matter, having had sex). When does Daisy get lucky? When does she get a costume change?</p>
<p>I’ve only seen Years 3 and 4. What happened with Daisy’s marriage – he went off to war right after the ceremony? Daisy’s FIL is absolutely delightful and seems to genuinely care for her.</p>
<p>I find myself mildly liking the socialist school teacher. She serves to keep Tom in touch with his political roots. But she doesn’t let her earnest political beliefs prevent her from being a reasonably agreeable and pleasant person, and she’s kind of cute in a school marmish sort of way. And she’s not so politically strident as to be above wanting to see and being dazzled by the opulence of the big house (unless she’s actually casing the place for a political riot or bomb attack in which case I take it all back.)</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>No, he came back from the war gravely wounded and Daisy reluctantly (under pressure from Mrs. Patmore) married him on his death bed.</p>
<p>Daisy is going to be very lucky indeed, because she is going to inherit the farm from her FIL plus “a good bit put by.” Maybe Alfred will come back and marry her and they can run the farm together, maybe open a pub. Or maybe a new footman in one of the next series who will be a nice “likely lad” who appreciates her. I don’t think they want her to move to the farm yet, because she’s such a beloved character. </p>
<p>She was really mean to Ivy though. I thought Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. Hughes would have put a stop to that early on. </p>
<p>^^VeryHappy: Daisy reluctantly married William on his deathbed at his insistance. He was wounded in WWI (along with Matthew) and came to Downton for nursing care. They were married and he died a few hours later. (You must watch the first two series!)</p>
<p>I liked last night’s season finale and am about to watch it again on another PBS station. Interesting idea here that Edith is really Rosamund’s daughter rather than Cora… but even as clueless as Lord Granthem is most of the time, that might have been hard to pull off. Interesting scenario now with the tenant farmer and the baby. I suspect that Gregson will turn up next season and that will make things much more interesting.</p>
<p>I knew the minute that Anna handed the coat to Mrs. Hughes the incriminating evidence would be found and I liked the juxtaposition of the two coat scenes… one confirming guilt and one sort of redemption…I thought it was good scene of Mary throwing the ticket into the fire. I thought it was a bit too pat that Blake turns out to be an aristocrat also… how convenient to level the playing field. Liked the scene with Isobel and her new suitor, but I always liked Dr. Clarkson also … but most of all I loved the ending with Carson and Mrs. Hughes…</p>
<p>Oh, I know…I would love to see Carson lighten up even just a little.</p>
<p>The other thing I loved about last night’s episode was all the gorgeous dresses for the festive events in London. Rose and her friends looked so beautiful and I loved their headpieces. It was nice to finally have a break from all the drab, shapeless clothes of the past few episodes!</p>
<p>I really think Carson needs a swift kick to the rear. I mean, really. What an old-school fuddy duddy. He needs to change a little. He’s annoying lately.</p>
<p>If we are going to play with this theory that Edith is Rosamund’s, I don’t think we have to assume Lord Grantham doesn’t know. If Rosamund were in trouble and it was suggested that Cora and Robert should take in the child to make it look legit, do you really think he’d say no? I don’t think he’d be thrilled but I think he would probably do it. Especially since his marriage to Cora saved his family’s bacon, he owed them one.</p>
<p>I do find it a little odd that the whole family knows about this now except Edith’s parents (and Mary.) That’s right, isn’t it? It’s been so long. Obviously they dont want the public to find out about the scandal but I would think now that the cat is out of the bag within the family they’d tell her parents.</p>
<p>Rosamund is Robert’s sister. If Violet had come to Robert and Cora, and suggested that Cora should take a nice five month vacation abroad with her sister-in-law now that Cora is (nudge nudge) four months pregnant, Robert would have gone along.</p>
<p>It does sort of explain why Edith bears much less resemblance to her parents than Sybil or Mary did/do.</p>