It's taken five series of Downton Abbey for Carson to man up to the task, but the butler has finally asked Mrs Hughes to marry him.
In the final few scenes of the Christmas special, Carson (Jim Carter) asks the head housekeeper to be his wife after buying a cottage for them both to live in.
'Take your time to decide,' he tells her, 'but know that I'm not marrying anyone else.'
Scroll down for video
FINALLY! Carson asks Mrs Hughes to marry her in the Downton Abbey Christmas special
Carson asks if she is offended by the proposal, but Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) is anything but.
'Oh Mr Carson I can assure the very last thing in the world that I am in this moment is offended,' she tells him.
They pour a drink and make a toast to celebrate 'the fact that I can still get a proposal at my age,' Mrs Hughes says.
'I thought you'd never ask!'
Shocked: Mrs. Hughes couldn't believe it had taken the head butler so long
Of course: The housekeeper says yes and the Downton fandom rejoices
Ah bless! Carlson gets emotional as he finally gets his Christmas wish
Earlier in the episode the two continued to look at cottages together with the expectation of a joint business venture.
But Mrs. Hughes tells him that she has no money as it all goes to pay for her mentally handicapped sister's care.
That's when Carson takes it upon himself to buy the house for the two to live in as husband and wife.
Happy news for Anna and Bates as she is released on bail and he gets an alibi for the time of the murder - thanks to the sleuthing skills of Baxter and Molesey (Kevin Doyle).
Jail bird: Anna was still in police custody as the episode opened, as her husband Bates tried his best to get her out
Throughout the episode Anna (Joanne Froggatt) barely raises a smile as it's revealed that as child she was abused (Nice one Fellowes).
But at least she perks up when her missing husband Bates (Brendan Coyle) returns and they sneak off for a quickie... quickie kiss that is.
The Crawley family jump on a train to go visit Rose and the Sinderbys who have rented out Brancaster Castle, in Northumberland, to host a shooting party.
It seems though that word got to the Sinderby's head butler Stowell that Tom Branson used to be a chauffeur as he refuses to serve the Irishman.
Surprise: She gets a shock when her missing husband returns to Downton, upon her release on bail
Happy times: The couple enjoy a rare moment of joy though it's still unclear if either one is a murderer
He also rubs Thomas (Rob James-Collier) up the wrong way by getting him to work as a footman as well as the temporary valet to Lord Crawley (Hugh Bonneville).
Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) shows her distaste for the way Stowell (Alun Armstrong) has been treating Branson (Allen Leech), so gets Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) to talk Barrow into getting the snobbish butler into trouble with his employers.
Her plan soon comes to fruition as a fake dinner time request from Lord Sinderby (James Faulkner) causes him to take it out on Stowell.
Obviously don't use the world 'obviously' when disagreeing with the lord of the manor.
Nasty: Lord Sinderby's butler Stowell treats Thomas and Tom with disrespect upon the Crawley family's arrival to Brancaster Castle
Snubbed: The butler refuses to serve Tom because he used to be a driver
Scheme: Lady Mary tells Baxter to get Stowell into trouble, with a little help from Thomas
Lady Mary realises that maybe her plan to get back at the butler worked against her because of an uninvited guest arrives called Diana Clark (Alice Patten) with a small boy who turns out to be Lord Sinderby's love child.
Lady Rose (Lily James) protects her father-in-law's secret by pretending Diana was her friend but soon Mary and the Earl of Grantham are in on it.
Diana seems grateful for Rose's intervention before leaving the manor, while the new wife uses the situation to blackmail Stowell into treating Branson with respect.
Lord Sinderby realises just how much of an asset his son's other half is and makes sure she knows how welcome she is in the family - now he knows she can keep a secret.
Whoops! After getting Stowell into trouble, he retaliates by inviting Lord Sinderby's lover and illegitimate child to the Castle. Rose swoops in and saves embarrassment by saying the woman is an old friend of hers
Naughty: Rose's father-in-law is shocked to see his mistress, and his son
Lady Mary is also introduced to a potential new suitor in the form of Talbot (Matthew Goode), who she treats with disdain at the beginning.
But once she sees he's got a good shot and drives fast cars it seems he had her heart racing.
Back home, the Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith) and Isabel Crawley (Penelope Wilton) have their own men troubles.
Prince Kuragin (Rade Serbedziga) meets his estranged wife through a meeting set up by Violet, though it's clear the princess is not who he wants.
The Prince fled to England after the Russian Revolution where he revealed that his wife, Irina (Jane Lapotaire) was missing, and it seems she is bitter about more than just having to wear the Countess's clothes.
Ding dong: Matthew Goode joins the cast as Talbot, a potential suitor for Lady Mary
Good shot: Mary seems impressed with the newcomers shooting skills
Hot wheels: Turns out Talbot is a racer, and certainly got her heart racing
But Violet won't be having anymore to do with the Russian.
'I will never again receive an immoral proposition from a man,' she tells Isabel.
Her friend finally tells Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) about the mean treatment she has suffered by his sons and ends their romance.
'That sounds more final than if you spat in my eye,' he tells her. 'But I do love you.'
'I will not poison what years you have left by setting you against your children,' she responds.
Violet's timing is as brilliant as ever, and she sees a defeated Lord Merton walk out the door. Sad face.
Way to keep a secret Edith! Seems like everyone knows who Marigold's mother his.. except for Lady Mary
Romance? Lady Edith may well be finding a daddy for her daughter, with the arrival of Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) who joins them at the castle
Across the pond: Atticus Aldridge talks about his New York job offer as Tom prepares to move to Boston
Sounds like Branson isn't the only one heading across the pond as Rose informs her cousins that Atticus Aldridge (Matt Barber) has been offered a job in New York.
Tom spends the episode looking forlorn as he prepares for his final farewell. He takes a turn around his late wife Sybil's room at the Abbey where he is joined for an emotional prayer by her sisters.
The Earl Of Grantham seems tipsy at their annual Christmas party, but holds it together long enough to say a proper goodbye to his son-in-law - but still tries to get him to leave Sibbie, his granddaughter behind.
Awkward: The Prince's estranged wife arrives in England
No more naughtiness: The Dowager sent Prince Kuragin packing when he tried to proposition her again
Over: Isabel ends her relationship with Lord Merton because of his sons
At least he has George and Marigold, the illegitimate child of Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) who keeps telling everyone to keep it quiet about her being the mother, but acts like a mother at every opportunity.
Of course it is self-absorbed Lady Mary who seems to be the only one who doesn't know Marigold's parentage.
But like her sister, Lady Edith may well be finding a daddy for her daughter, with the arrival of Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) who joined them on the hunt.
Prayer: Tom, Mary and Edith get emotional as they remember Sybill
Who knew? Lady Mary knocks out a Christmas carol to the guests at the Downton party
Farewell: Robert bids his son-in-law an emotional goodbye
Finally, the feud between Spratt (Jeremy Swift) and Denker (Sue Johnston) continues as the butler tries to show up the housekeeper in the Dowager's kitchen.
Though in the end Denker whips up a decent broth and gets one over on Spratt.
But you'll have to wait until autumn 2015 to see who becomes Carson's best man, if Lady Mary has her way with Talbot, and if the nickname 'Donk' catches on.
Let's make 'Donk' happen: Marigold gives her granddad a cracking nickname
No comments:
Post a Comment