Surely not. Not with Edith having undergone exactly that complication last season.
Something I’ve been wondering about: Suppose Mary does indeed marry Gillingham – or any other man with is own title & estates – what happens with Downton? Does she move to the new estate along with the kid (I’ve actually forgotten his name) or leave him behind to be raised there? Either way leaving the day-to-day running of Downton to Lord Robert, who by now she shouldn’t trust with it?
Or does she insist on staying at Downton and her husband must move in? That would seem less than appealing to most men. I mean, okay, it’s a nice house, but it’s full of your inlaws and you’re bound to feel like an a boarder, and what happens when the kid reaches majority? And what’s happening back at YOUR old homestead?
Even so, I’d guess that is what will happen (the series is called Downton after all) which is an argument for her ending up with the other guy instead – no competing heap’o’stone to live at…
Now, those are First World Problems of EPIC proportion!!
George, the kid, obviously gets Downton and the title, and then any kids Mary and Tony have would get his title and estate. But I’m guessing Mary would have to move, which is another reason (plot wise) it isn’t gong to be Lord G who gets Mary’s hand. I suspect something isn’t going to right on their little week-long getaway!
My guess is that they would buy a townhouse in London, and then consider Downton and/or the guy’s country estate as their country residences. Besides, once George goes to school, he’ll be living there for most of the year anyway, so let’s say school plus a holiday in London, a holiday at Downton, and a holiday at Dad’s place.
I don’t see any reason they can’t “live” in several houses. That’s the point of being an aristocrat – it’s not like you have to go to an office every day!
But the whole point of Downton Abbey is the house. That’s why we’ve seen damn little of the family’s London home–where they spend part of each year. (And where they probably know more interesting people & do more interesting things.)
During the war, that’s why Sybil didn’t get to nurse in a real hospital. That’s why Edith could only help farm near home.
(old joke follows)
A Scottish private walks into the pharmacy near his bases, pulls a beat-up, mutilated condom out of his pocket, and asks the pharmacist how much it would cost to repair the condom. The pharmacist replied that including replacing the band and spot welding the holes, it would cost 26 pence, but that for 29 pence, he could sell the private a new one. The private said, “Aye, that is a weighty decision, I shall be back in two hours with an answer.” Two hours later, The Scotsman returns and says: “The regiment has voted to replace.”
Yes. (And the *Little Women *borrowing was the mix-up between salt and sugar; Jo did it in the Alcott novel, and Mrs. Patmore in DA.)
As for the remarks about marriage to Gillingham being workable because they could live in London and merely spend time at each of their ancestral estates: yes, in real life that would be no problem. But it wouldn’t work for the show–so I place my bet on the side of those saying she’ll choose some other suitor. (Perhaps someone we haven’t yet met; someone whose demographic characteristics will cause a contretemps and lots of juicy opportunities for rude remarks from the Dowager…what’s Antonio Banderas been up to, lately? He might be free…)
Just saw tonight’s episode, and liked it. Not surprised the volunteer fireman’s wife finally said “Enough!” to Lady Edith dropping by every half-hour to see the kid. The Dowager covered up her surprise at her butler’s news of having seen Lady Mary in Liverpool quite well. More tension between Anna and Bates. The art expert was hitting on Lady Cora very hard - thought he was gonna go in for a smooch by the end! Nice scene with the Russian emigres and the Dowager - looked like some Faberge eggs in the DA collection, too. And again the schoolteacher puts her foot in her mouth (although the Russian dude seemed to be overreacting). I’m starting to share the Earl’s low opinion of her.
Well, perhaps the Russian wasn’t totally overreacting. I got the feeling that the refugees that Rose was caring for were close to the royal family (they had a Prince there that the Countess had a dalliance with after all). So if she was to insult the Romanov’s, she’d basically be insulting his family.
It’s like Downton’s version of Talking Dead.