<p>No, this was before that–when she was first interested (prior to driving lessons) he was aat dinner along with Matt at Downton. Mary got ****ed off over something and drew his attention away from Edith. Matthew came over to Edith and said something along the lines of “looks like we’ve both been jilted” or something like that. That night she wrote the letter. (I just watched these a couple weeks ago, so it’s fresh in my mind.)</p>
<p>Then later on, Mary finds out what Edith did, and gets her revenge with the garden party diss.</p>
<p>Sir Anthony had been invited to dinner as a possible suitor for Mary. Mary, who was not interested and who had been told to cozy up to him anyway, was ignoring Sir Anthony in favor of Matthew. Edith saw her chance and steered her conversation her way. Edith then said something mildly triumphant to Mary, and when Mary wasn’t sufficiently humbled, she dared Mary to try to take Strallan away. Naturally, Mary did so without any trouble. I can’t remember if that’s when Edith was provoked enough to write the letter, but if so, she’d just gone out of her way to prove to herself that Mary was the more attractive sister.</p>
<p>yeah, that’s it. That’s the night she wrote the letter. I think she may have dared her, but part of her was pleasantly surprised to have a guy seem interested in her for a moment–which of course didn’t last. And of course Mary wasn’t interested in Matthew at the time.</p>
<p>Not to defend Edith. But still, having Mary bent on proving her entire life how much more attractive she was than Edith must be hard on a person. </p>
<p>Sybil was so much kinder than either (as they know.) Sigh.</p>
<p>I hope when Downton Abbey ends that they bring out a book of the Dowager Countess’s best sayings. “But, it was an hour Everyday!!” was priceless.</p>
<p>I also love the British words. DH and I roared over squiffy!</p>
<p>Wow, what a comedown from the quality of the last two episodes. We’re back in silly soapy territory with galloping plot developments. Goodbye Ethel, hello Rose! I swear Fellowes must think he’s whole audience has ADHD and can’t concentrate on a scene for more than two minutes. I would have liked to see a lengthy luncheon conversation between Edith and the editor to give some basis for the mutual attraction, but instead we get an instant connection followed by a ridiculous Jane Eyre twist. As for cousin Rose–what the heck was all that about? What did it add to the story? Regarding the resolution of the Thomas story line, I don’t believe for a second that he would have lasted five minutes in any employment after that revelation, but suddenly the whole house, upstairs and down, finds 21st century enlightenment. I do have to say that it was nice to see the Crawleys and staff in their cute cricket attire. Anyway, cannot WAIT to see the Facebook version of this evening’s offering!</p>
<p>MommaJ, I felt exactly the same way. I thought this episode was very weak, and not worthy of the two hours back to back. The Rose storyline was predictable and so was the Edith/editor subplot. And I agree that things would not in those days have gone so well for Thomas, especially given that he already had a reputation for not being all that nice.</p>
<p>Without Rose, how would we know that we had entered the Jazz Age? All Tevye’s daughters are now too old and staid to partake. Not happy to see that she’s apparently taking them all off to Scotland next week, though.</p>
<p>I have to agree about Thomas. I think they tried to be a little too politically correct on that one. No way someone like Carson would have believed that Thomas did not choose to be that way. I do believe, though, that most of the staff probably knew all along and just minded their own business. What I’d like to see is more of Tim with Sybbie. I know parents, especially fathers, didn’t spend as much time with their children as they do now, but somehow I think Tom will be different - yet another way to create conflict between him and Robert.</p>
<p>I’m impressed with how competent Edith seems as she navigates London and the editor. She’s gutsy, self-assured, and delightful.</p>
<p>And apparently Mary wasn’t using contraception – just had a little female problem, that has been fixed by some minor surgery. I wonder what that was.</p>
<p>Also thought it curious that the pseudonym she used at the doctor’s was “Mrs. Levinson.” Why a Jewish name??</p>
<p>In the context of the day, a pretty unforgivable thing to visit on your family, IMHO, just because you are tired of being outshone by your sister. Poor Edith, condemned to live in the lap of luxury. Look at Sybil. Did she sit around whining? I still do not like Edith.</p>
<p>Why is O’Brian such a manipulative b!tch?? Does she have it in for anyone special, or just for everybody? Is she trying to protect and promote Albert, so she’ll destroy anything that gets in her way?? I don’t understand her motivation.</p>
<p>Yes, Levinson was Lady Crawley’s maiden name.</p>
<p>And O’Brien was just awful, I agree, but she did get put in her place, didn’t she?
(“Her Ladyship’s soap…”) Knocked her down a peg - she had gone too far!</p>
<p>Agree that the episode was all over the place, but I enjoyed it. I do not agree that le affaire Thomas was a nod to 21st Century political correctness. I think Fellowes solved that by Robert’s comment ‘If I had screamed blue murder at Eaton every time that a fellow tried to kiss me…’ or some such.</p>
<p>Thomas is awful and a few episodes ago I was looking forward to seeing him getting sacked, but like Bates I found the sight of a pitiful and defeated Thomas quite evocative. The writers are saving Thomas for a reason. My guess is that his day of reckoning with O’Brien is yet to come, although I suspect he’ll take Bates’ advice and try to be nicer.</p>