- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [to Robert] Why do you always treat me as if I were a salmon who laid my eggs in the gravel and then swam back to the sea?
- Tom Branson: Are you looking forward to going home?
- Lady Edith Crawley: Why, in particularly?
- Tom Branson: Aren't you missing Marigold?
- Lady Edith Crawley: Aren't you missing Sybbie? Isn't Mary missing George?
- Tom Branson: Not quite as much.
- Lady Edith Crawley: What are you trying to say?
- Tom Branson: Not a lot, really, but these will be my last months at Downton, and you have always been my ally. I'd like to feel we were honest with each other. You see, where I grew up, there were quite a few Marigolds.
- Lady Edith Crawley: I'm not sure I understand you.
- Tom Branson: I think you do. My cousin, Nuala, had a child that was brought up as her sister. No one talked of it, naturally, but we all knew.
- Lady Edith Crawley: I told Papa you'd guessed.
- Tom Branson: So they're both in on it?
- Lady Edith Crawley: They are now.
- Tom Branson: And Mary, does she know?
- Lady Edith Crawley: No, she's completely uninterested in me, which should keep me safe. Please, keep it to yourself. Not for my sake so much as for hers.
- Tom Branson: You may not believe it, but I'm a signed-up member of this family now.
- [He places his hand affectionately on her shoulder and gives a gentle squeeze]
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: The presence of strangers is the only guarantee of good behavior.
- Lady Edith Crawley: Papa? Is something the matter?
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: No, nothing's the matter, and that's what I want to make clear.
- Lady Edith Crawley: I don't understand. What's this about?
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Marigold.
- Lady Edith Crawley: I see. And what do you want to say about Marigold.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: I think you know what I want to say, what I want you to say.
- Lady Edith Crawley: I can't give her up.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Of course not. Have you told Tom?
- Lady Edith Crawley: No, but he might have guessed.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: So now everyone knows.
- Lady Edith Crawley: Everyone except Mary.
- [Robert nods]
- Lady Edith Crawley: I want your forgiveness, Papa. Am I allowed to say that still?
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: It's not the way I'd have had things, I won't lie to you about that. But this is what's happened. I believe Michael Gregson was an honourable man.
- Lady Edith Crawley: Oh, he was, Papa; he really was. He would have married me as soon as he could. I know that.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: I think so too. So now we must do the best for his child, for his sake, as well as yours.
- Lady Edith Crawley: That's so lovely of you!
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: But I think we should keep it in the family. Even in 1924, there are plenty of people who might be unpleasant.
- Lady Edith Crawley: But... do you forgive me, Papa?
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Oh, my darling. I'm sure I need your forgiveness quite as much as you need mine. Now, go to bed
- [He kisses her forehead]
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: and sleep well.
- Mrs. Hughes: Who knows what the future may hold? Or how much longer we'll even be here? Suppose you want to move away and change your life entirely. You don't want to be stuck with me.
- Charles Carson: But that's the point.
- Mrs. Hughes: What is?
- Charles Carson: I do want to be stuck with you.
- Mrs. Hughes: I'm not convinced I can be hearing this right.
- Charles Carson: You are, if you think I'm asking you to marry me... Well?
- Mrs. Hughes: Well, you could knock me down with a feather.
- Charles Carson: And you're not offended?
- Mrs. Hughes: Oh, Mr Carson, I can assure you the very last thing in the world that I am at this moment is offended.
- Charles Carson: You can take as long as you like - I won't press you. Because one thing I do know - I'm not marrying anyone else.
- Mrs. Hughes: Well, then.
- [Hands him a cup of punch]
- Charles Carson: What exactly are we celebrating?
- Mrs. Hughes: We're celebrating the fact that I can still get a proposal at my age.
- Charles Carson: And that's it?
- Mrs. Hughes: Of course I'll marry you, you old booby. I thought you'd never ask.
- Lord Merton: [to Princess Irina] If you're going to be miserable, you might as well do it in charming surroundings.
- Lady Rose MacClare: [as the family enters the castle for the weekend] Can't we use Christian names?
- Lord Sinderby: [dryly] My name is not a Christian name.
- Lady Rose MacClare: You know what I mean.
- Lady Mary Crawley: Will you shoot tomorrow, or have you given way to the uninvited guest?
- Atticus Aldridge: I don't think I have a choice.
- Tom Branson: You can have my place.
- Atticus Aldridge: Certainly not. I've had two good days, and we're out again on Friday, so I don't merit pity.
- Lady Mary Crawley: I hope your neighbour knows how accommodating you're being.
- Atticus Aldridge: You can tell him, if you like. He's staying the night, so you'll have plenty of opportunity.
- Lady Mary Crawley: Don't tempt me. I do find it astonishing, the way people take these things for granted.
- Tom Branson: [with sarcasm] We can't all be as unselfish as you, Mary.
- [Mary turns to look behind her, at Tom]
- Tom Branson: Just joking.
- [Mary, still looking back at Tom, notices Edith arm-and arm with Robert as the two laugh warmly together, so Marry scowls and rolls her eyes]
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: What do you think I should do?
- Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham: What you should do is easy - tell the police - but what I would do is keep it secret until we know more.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Thank heaven we both have a criminal turn of mind.
- Isobel Crawley: [to Lord Merton as she renouces her acceptance of his proposal] I will not have my final years overshadowed by a tear-stained tug-of-war.
- Henry Talbot: Isn't there something called forgiveness through good intention?
- Lady Mary Crawley: Only for Catholics.
- Isobel Crawley: And you've never strayed again?
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: I've never risked everything again.
- Isobel Crawley: That's not quite what I asked.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: It's all the answer you'll get. Remember, we were the Edwardians.
- Spratt: [walks into kitchen; to Denker] So, this is the famous broth.
- Miss Denker: What else would it be?
- Spratt: Are you ready to be judged on it?
- Miss Denker: I should be judged by you, Mr. Spratt, whatever happens.
- Spratt: If you mean I will judge you for promoting yourself through lies and fraud, then, yes, I will. So will she. Your unmasking is at hand.
- [leaves the room]
- Spratt: [Miss Denker smells the broth, and whimpers]
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [enters the room with Spratt] Oh, Denker.
- Miss Denker: Oh.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: I was talking menus with Mrs. Potter and Spratt reminded me about the broth. He didn't want your efforts to be overlooked.
- Miss Denker: I'm sure he didn't. Not a chance.
- Spratt: Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating, m'lady.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: Indeed.
- [to Denker]
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: May I taste it?
- Miss Denker: [frightened] Uh... uh...
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [takes a spoon from Denker] Thank you.
- [tastes the broth; purses lips in a sign of disgust]
- Spratt: I warned you, m'lady.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [obviously lying] It is... delicious.
- Spratt: [shocked] It can't be. It's not possible!
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: There's a point, Spratt, where malice ceases to be amusing. I thank you, Denker, very much. I'm not hungry enough to do your soup justice this evening. Let us save its delights for another day.
- Miss Denker: Whatever you wish, Your Ladyship. Thank you.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham: Thank you.
- [leaves]
- Miss Denker: Ha ha!
- [laughs at Spratt and throws a towel at him]