Chapter 18 Season 2 – House of Cards Episode Summary 2.5

House of Cards Chapter 18 Synopsis: The White House enlists Vice President Francis Underwood as its envoy in the back-channel negotiations with China’s emissary, Xander Feng, and uses the anniversary of the Overland Campaign in Spotsylvania as cover.  Frank wreaks havoc in the negotiations deliberately relaying false demands from the Chinese causing the President’s bridge project to fall through.  Meanwhile, a man named Seth Grayson unearths Claire’s abortion records and extorts a job in the Vice President’s staff in exchange for his silence.

House of Cards Chapter 18 Recap: Vice President Frank Underwood honors the 150th anniversary of the Overland Campaign with his presence beginning in the reenactment of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House where General Grant met General Lee for the first time.  Frank, a native of the South, takes no pride in the Confederacy, but his honoring one of the last battles leading to its fall is filled with irony.  He takes no pleasure in attending the event and addresses the crowd with a short and banal speech.Continue reading...

Frank Underwood begins his research of Xander Feng, Raymond Tusk’s business partner on the Rare Earth Refinery whose net worth exceeds that of Tusk.  Feng’s deep family connections to the Party built through his grandfather’s service and friendship with Mao Tse-tung gave way for his success in the telecom industry that secured his wealth.  He meets with Feng in his hotel room to discuss business proposals that will truly mend the conflict between China and the US following the failed Joint Commission talks.  Their negotiations occur in parallel with the trade summit in Washington where State Secretary Cathy Durant creates an appearance of reconciliation with China.  Feng begins the back channel dialogue with China’s grant to Clayton West of a 40-year lease on the Mei Mei Rare Earth Elements Refinery.  Frank hints of the indefinite awarding of the lease to Clayton West, Tusk’s nuclear energy company, with an argument that the lease must go to the highest bidder for appearances sake.  Feng is certain that Tusk will outbid any competitors.  They move on to President Garret Walker’s priority-one item, the construction of a bridge over the Long Island Sound from Port Jefferson to Milford sanctioned by the Committee on Foreign Investment in exchange for a 25-year toll-taking contract.  Frank believed Feng funding the bridge to be a done deal, but Feng brings up the issue of the currency manipulation suit the US filed against China in the World Trade Organization.  Contrary to the expected demand, Feng and his associates would like the US to pursue the lawsuit.  Feng’s alliance managed to convince their conservative counterparts to accept a free-floating currency for China that requires the exchange rate to be determined by the market without central bank intervention.  The change to an open currency could free up interest rates and reduce inflation in China to the benefit of entrepreneurs such as Feng and Tusk.  China, however, prefers to receive the WTO ruling to conceal their conformity with a US sanctioned mandate.

Frank, however, decides to go against Feng’s demand and instructs Doug Stamper to inform Durant that China requires the abandonment of the WTO suit before discussing the bridge.  He suspects the unusual demand to pursue the lawsuit as an agenda serving Feng and Tusk, but not Beijing.  Frank worries that Feng and Tusk is using Washington to force Beijing into agreement, which may jeopardize trade summit negotiations.  He supposes that the Standing Committee remains divided despite Feng garnering support for his cause.  They are to leak the Administration’s decision to drop the lawsuit as soon as Durant presents it in the summit.

Claire Underwood would like to let the interest surrounding her rape die down without action from her part, but Connor Ellis worries that the press will uncover her dishonesty given that the rape that supposedly led to her abortion happened five years before the abortion.  Claire is not concerned and assures Connor that she and her husband ensured that no medical records on her abortion exist.  Only the doctor who performed the abortion was present and he already passed away.  Nevertheless, Connor believes that silence after a serious accusation, one that has become the center of attention, is a mistake in public relations.  Claire remains adamant with her decision leaving Connor to acquiesce and leave for Spotsylvania.  Connor becomes the person chosen to leak news of the Administration’s decision to drop the WTO suit.  Doug was to disclose the information, but decided to relegate the task to Claire’s Communications Director in order to distance Frank from the leak.  He speaks to Ayla Sayyad about information he claims to have received from a Chinese businessman with ties to the Standing Committee who is doing back-channel negotiations with the US.  The Wall Street Telegraph reports the news of the U.S. dropping the WTO suit without naming Feng as the source, but the articles in Hong Kong do.  Ayla confronts Connor after learning of the identity of his supposed source as Xander Feng.  She questions him about China’s decision to use the wealthy, corrupt businessman as their back-channel emissary noting that the man is one offense away from obtaining a death sentence in China.  Connor, however, intimates of only having assumed the role of messenger.  Meanwhile, Feng learns of Frank’s betrayal, but patiently waits for him to reach out to him.

Doug Stamper arrives in Feng’s house to discuss the dropping of the WTO lawsuit.  He notes of China’s declaration of victory over the decision and reveals the Administration’s suspicion of the legitimacy of his request.  Feng is already displeased of the Vice President sending his Chief of Staff to represent him in his meeting.  He vilifies Stamper and taunts the alcoholic with an Old Fashioned he made using a rare and fine 1926 Macallan that cost forty-thousand dollars a bottle.  Stamper ends the teasing by smashing the glass to the floor.  He gains Feng’s acknowledgement and obtains his message to the Vice President.  Feng refuses funding the construction of the Port Jefferson Bridge unless the lawsuit is reintroduced.  He gives assurance in managing the members of the Standing Committee protesting the WTO suit adding that the majority wants reform.  Feng, however, sends his warning of bypassing the Vice President altogether if he refuses to cooperate.  Stamper delivers Feng’s message to Frank and offers to inform the President, but Frank forbids him from doing so.  Frank intends to fuel the wrath of the President.  He instructs Stamper to have the State Secretary resurface the bridge project in order to ascertain Feng’s bluff.

Frank resumes his obligation as Vice President of the United States and attends a tour of the battleground including the Bloody Angle where 15,000 Union-Confederate soldiers lost their lives on the half a mile wide battlefield.  The organizers of the event surprise him with an introduction to his ancestor, Corporal Augustus Elijah Underwood of the 12th Regiment of McGowan Brigade.  A fact Frank Underwood is unaware.  Corporal Underwood was only twenty-four years of age and a father of a two-year old son he never met when he died in the Battle of Spotsylvania.  The story of his great-great-great-grandfather as told by the actor captivates Frank Underwood causing him to delay the rest of the tour for a more detailed chronicle of his ancestor’s death.  Corporal Underwood tells of the attack that occurred in the middle of the night.  The scarcity of weapons left him unarmed, but his courage did not falter despite the enemy’s advantage.  He attacks a Yankee with his bare hands and bites him fiercely to the bone.  Regrettably, the enemy overpowers him and bashes his head with a rock.  He was buried in a mass grave without a headstone.

Claire Underwood and the head of the Women’s Caucus, House Representative Elaine Brooks, have lunch with First Lady Tricia Walker in the hope of gaining the support of the First Lady in their fight against sexual assault.  This after the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff refused to meet with Claire.  He, however, agreed to send the Director to speak in his behalf.  Congresswoman Brooks claims of the Joint Chiefs’ uncooperative attitude towards her appeals regarding sexual assault, but the Joint Chiefs refute her accusations.  The Director belies their uncooperativeness with assertions of established measures and procedures created to bring offenders to justice.  He, however, belligerently makes it clear that civilian jurisdiction on crimes committed by the military will never materialize.  The arrival of the First Lady disrupts his contention.  Claire Underwood deliberately scheduled a different time for the First Lady in order to startle the Joint Chiefs with her arrival and presence.  Having accepted the impossibility of civilian jurisdiction over military offenses, Claire proposes allowing civilian oversight on military courts.  This too incenses the Director of the Joint Chiefs and indignantly dismisses the suggestion.  The First Lady senses the uniformed officer’s averseness to accept recommendations from civilians and interjects of her husband’s role as Commander-in-Chief despite his civilian status.  She urges the Director to consider the recommendations from Claire and Congresswoman Brooks allowing Claire to bring up the atrociousness of the military’s sexual assault prevention literature that advises submission to an assault.

Lucas Goodwin continues his education in hacking and practices stealthily plugging the thumb drive into a server.  Gavin Orsay also known as HEROnymous Bot attempts to dissuade Lucas from enacting a federal crime, but Lucas is determined to push through with it.  Lucas finds his experience as a crime beat writer sufficient for the undertaking.  He equates it to his expose of the DC drug ring that involved corrupt police officers.  Gavin warns him about the severity of taking on the FBI, but receives insult for the crimes he did anonymously.  The unstable hacker goes into a tirade of the punishment his friends received at the hands of the FBI for their attempt to expose government surveillance, corruption, and other conspiracies.  Gavin sees himself as a soldier.  He tries one last time to deter Lucas from committing the crime.  Regrettably, Lucas believes the unlawful retrieval of Zoe Barnes’ phone records is his last option.  Agent Nathan Green barges in Gavin’s apartment after Lucas had left.  The FBI agent chastises the hacker for attempting to dissuade the journalist from committing the crime.  The ruthless agent envious of the luxury afforded his prisoner takes his aggression on Gavin’s pet guinea pig, Cashew.  He establishes his authority as Gavin’s master and treats him like a dog.

Lucas meets with the uncharacteristically nervous and seemingly reluctant Gavin.  He convinces the hacker to hand him the thumb drive confident of their plan’s success.  Lucas later attends the tour of the data center that includes a tour of the highly secure area that houses the servers.  Aware of Lucas’ desire to see the servers in close proximity, the guide enthusiastically permits him access inside the caged servers allowing Lucas to plug in the thumb drive.  The FBI working undercover as the tour guide and his colleagues arrest Lucas Goodwin.

Mrs. Susan Marbury receives Mr. White of Planned Parenthood in her house to discuss the naming of a fund after her deceased husband in honor of his work.  Mr. White claims that the delicate matter he would like to ascertain warrants an in-person meeting.  He asks Mrs. Marbury if her husband performed any illegal abortions and aggressively pursues this line of questioning with inquiries about the identities of the patients.  Mr. White mentions Claire Underwood by name.  Mrs. Marbury denies her husband ever performing an abortion on Claire Underwood, but Mr. White claims to know that he did.  The livid Mrs. Marbury ends their meeting, but Mr. White is undeterred and reveals his real name, Seth Grayson.  Seth apprises Mrs. Marbury of his deception and claims to have been working for Claire Underwood to ensure that her secret remains buried and Dr. Marbury’s reputation untarnished.  He convinces Mrs. Marbury of his good intentions and manages to sway her into giving him her husband’s journal.  The journal contains an entry of the abortion he performed on Claire Underwood twenty-five years ago.

Claire Underwood meets with Seth Grayson after claiming to have unearthed records of her abortion in August 1986, years after her sexual assault.  Seth has come to demand a job, arguing that her current Communications Director failed to destroy evidence of her transgression.  He asserts having shown loyalty by presenting her the damning evidence instead of selling it for considerable profit to the newspapers.  Moreover, he recommends keeping Connor to avoid consequences of his abrupt termination.  He is quite certain that Connor will eventually resent working with him and will decide to accept the job he had secretly arranged for him.  Claire worries that Connor will go to the press with the truth she revealed to him and remains reluctant in acceding to Seth’s demand.  She distrusts Seth Grayson, a man whose qualifications exceed the job he desires, but Francis advises to accede to his demand.  Francis believes that Connor will remain silent about Claire’s secrets with an amicable departure.  He argues of wanting to work with a distrustful but effective staff than a reckless one.

An irate President Walker orders a conference call with him, Frank, Tusk, and Durant after Feng rejected financing the bridge due to Frank’s deceitfulness.  Tusk insists that Feng had complained of Frank’s relaying the opposite of his demands, but Frank vehemently refutes the accusation.  He presents his suspicion of Feng working for his personal gain and not China’s.  Moreover, he insinuates of Tusk’s collusion.  The President, however, wants nothing but to ensure the success of his infrastructure program through the construction of the Port Jefferson Bridge using only foreign investment to guarantee deficit reduction.  He forbids both Frank and Tusk from contacting Feng until the revival of the bridge deal.  He, instead, instructs Durant to take over.

Frank continues his duty as Vice President of the United States and visits the encampment of the Overland Campaign reenactment.  He finds the actor playing his grandfather playing the fiddle and asks him to show him the exact spot where his grandfather died.  Claiming to pay respects to his ancestors, the Vice President manages to evade his entourage allowing him to meet with Feng, willfully disobeying the President’s order.  Frank wants Feng to inform Tusk that he and the President are not his puppets.  Feng threatens him with the finality of his withdrawal from financing the bridge, but Frank could not care less.  Tusk complains to the President of Frank’s disobedience forgetting that his knowledge of Frank’s conversation with Feng implied his own insubordination.  Frank advises the President to walk out of the summit and to refuse to negotiate with China, an advice Tusk warns the President against taking.  Sensing the futility of the conference call, the President steps in and admits his two errors.  He recognizes now that he erred in accepting Tusk’s recommended Chinese emissary and making Frank his envoy.  President Garrett Walker pulls out of the negotiations with China due to Frank’s failure as the back-channel emissary.  Frank had successfully steered the President to take the action he desired him to make.  Later, he resumes his duty and attends the groundbreaking of the Overland Campaign Visitor Center where he gives his grandfather the honor to break the earth.  Frank then asks for a moment of silence in remembrance of the dead.  He buries his ring in the broken earth.

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Chapter 17 Season 2 – House of Cards Episode Summary 2.4

House of Cards Chapter 17 Episode Summary: Vice President Frank Underwood sets out to inveigle House Representative Donald Blythe to support the entitlement reform, but finds that the man he betrayed has become difficult to deceive.  Jackie Sharp must prove herself worthy of the Office of the Majority Whip and reluctantly teams up with Remy Danton in the Herculean task of gathering votes for the much contested entitlement reform.  Meanwhile, Claire Underwood must do the live interview on CNN alone due to the biohazard scare that left her husband quarantined in the Capitol.  The interview quickly becomes scandalously revealing.

House of Cards Chapter 17 Recap: Raymond Tusk sends Remy Denton at the last minute to help gather votes for the entitlement reform not wanting its failure to derail President Garrett Walker from mending the conflict with China.  Vice President Francis Underwood persuades Majority Whip Jackie Sharp to accept the help of Remy arguing that people are more likely to accede with both of them making the request.  Frank, on the other hand, will induce House Representative Donald Blythe and consequently his supporters to vote for the entitlement reform.  He only has two hours and seventeen minutes to do so.Continue reading...

Donald grudgingly meets with Frank and immediately declares the futility of Frank’s lobbying for he has no desire of agreeing to his request.  Donald has lost confidence in Frank after he deceptively took over and revamped the Education Bill.  The version that was passed in Congress is diametric to the one Donald drafted.  The betrayal remains fresh in his mind.  Donald vows never to make the same mistake twice.  He formed a twenty-eight man coalition working to keep the integrity of the Democratic Party.  The coalition will not consent to the entitlement reform that goes against the principles of the party.  Frank could see that Donald’s resolve could not be broken.  He informs his wife over the phone of the lost cause and the quarantine of the Capitol due to the white powder present in one of the mails sent to the Office of the Majority Whip.  Meanwhile, Jackie and Remy both struggle to convince the Democrats to support the entitlement reform approved by the Administration.  The backlash from AARP remains one of their concerns, but Remy assures them of having bought the AARP President’s accord with a $45 million endowment.  This, however, will still not appease the senior voters whose eligibility to receive entitlements will be delayed a few years.  Jackie elucidates the alternative, which is the immediate discontinuation of services.  Nevertheless, the Democrats remain adamant with their disinclination to support the bill Frank Underwood crafted due to their distrust of him following the failure of the Education Bill whose political goal was to buy traction with the Republicans.  Jackie plans to intimidate her colleagues into submission, but Remy advises against it.  She follows his advice and inveigles her colleagues with complacence if they choose to withhold their support.  She, however, entices them with the promise of defeating the Republicans and winning the support of the American people through a display of progress and solidarity.  With only eight votes away, Jackie loses her gentility with two Congressmen who remain adamantly against the entitlement reform.  Remy is aware of the needs and requirements of the two house representatives and advises her to bribe them for their votes.  Unlike earlier that day, Jackie dismisses Remy’s advice and instead insults the two Congressmen.  She makes it plain their scheme of withholding their votes for ransom and becomes confident of having won their votes with her reproach.  Jackie declares of only giving rewards to those with good behavior.  The two Congressmen will not gain favors from her if they vote against the entitlement reform.

Donald calls his wife, Marjory, on the phone to inform her of the quarantine.  Frank senses trouble at home and learns that Marjory’s Alzheimer’s disease has worsened enough for Donald’s daughter, Molly, to take a semester off to care for her mother.  Frank seeks to use the man’s vulnerability to win his support.  Regrettably, Donald shrewdly perceives the deception.  He, however, remains trapped with Frank Underwood for a few more hours as one of the tests from the powder-like substance comes up inconclusive.  The quarantine and the evacuation of the Capitol proved propitious to Frank for it postponed the vote for a few more hours.  Moreover, it allowed him to do Donald a favor.  As Vice President of the United States, he was able to demand a means for Donald to speak to his mentally ill wife despite a block of all communication as part of the procedure to combat a security threat.  In addition, it gives him a valid excuse to miss the joint interview with his wife.  The HazMat crew manages to obtain secure two-way radios for Frank and Donald to use.  Frank urges Claire not to wait for him and to do the interview alone.  Later, he painfully listens to Donald speak to his demented wife who fails to recognize or remember him.  The pitiful incident allowed Frank to exploit Donald’s vulnerability with insincere concern.  He eases into the attack with an inquiry about the funding of research on Alzheimer’s, which he learns is grossly inadequate compared to the cost of care for the patients stricken with the disease.  He also discovers that Donald tried to pass a bill that will help fund the research, but was opposed by their mutual enemy, Chairman of Appropriations Howard Webb.  Marjory might have lost her lucidity, but Donald remains perceptive.  He sees past Frank’s false concern and right through his scheme of buying his vote in exchange for the funding of Alzheimer’s research.  The use of Marjory’s illness to coax his support disgusts Donald.

Meanwhile, HEROnymous Bot apprises Lucas Goodwin of the plan he envisioned will gain them access to the highly secure data center that holds the much-coveted phone records that connects Frank Underwood to the deaths of Zoe Barnes and Peter Russo.  Lucas is to use his press credentials and ersatz motive of writing an article about cyberterrorism to obtain a tour of the data center where he will then plug a thumb drive into one of the servers.  HEROnymous Bot convinces Lucas to perform the deed instead of him, arguing that his attendance of the tour before the breach will immediately make him the prime suspect.  The breaking news of the quarantine calls Lucas back to the office, but the eccentric hacker prevents him from doing so.  HEROnymous Bot induces Lucas to forego his duty as a journalist that he may walk him through every line of code he will write in order to retrieve the phone records.  This ensures guilt on both men when they get caught.  Unbeknownst to Lucas, HEROnymous Bot, otherwise known as Gavin Orsay, is working for the FBI.  Gavin struck a deal with the FBI by helping them catch cyber criminals in exchange for his freedom.  He now reports to Doug Stamper’s friend, FBI Agent Nathan Green, who maintains that his absolute freedom can only be attained with his help in the capture of AV Unit or his friends in DecSec.  Gavin is incredulous of the whole cyberterrorism operation established to catch Lucas Goodwin, a journalist inept in coding whom he does not believe to be a real threat.

Connor Ellis struggles to convince the producer to pursue the interview regardless of the absence of the Vice President.  The producer had been patient with the delay believing the reward for an exclusive interview regarding the quarantine worth the wait.  Claire steps in after sensing the disinclination of the producer to agree to the request to have the interview without the Vice President and the desire to use it as an exclusive recount of the quarantine.  Connor cancels the interview after the producer insists on making the entire interview about the quarantine causing the producer to confer with the journalist, Ashleigh Banfield, who is to conduct the interview.  Claire gets her demand and sits for a live interview with Ashleigh on CNN.  As agreed upon, Ashleigh only spends the first few minutes of the interview on the quarantine of Capitol, the reason for Frank Underwood’s absence.  The interview quickly moves on to Claire Underwood, the daughter of wealthy parents, privileged and influential.  Sensing that her background does not appeal with the masses, Claire chooses the memory of her visit to Dealey Plaza with her father.  It is the place where beloved former President John F. Kennedy was shot.  She appeals to the masses with the words of her father about Kennedy, the man who lost his life for making the world a better place.  Ashleigh, however, once again challenges her appeal with an insinuation of having agreed to a marriage of convenience citing her father’s generous contribution to Frank Underwood’s campaign.  Claire gradually loses control of the interview when Ashleigh catches her with a canned response to the question about their decision not to raise children.  The journalist notes having heard the exact answer in previous interviews, catching Claire off-guard.  Claire is even more unprepared with the succeeding question, one that insinuated her having committed abortion.  Frank, still quarantined at the Capitol, watch closely at how his wife handles the question, while Connor indignantly demands the producer to go on commercial.  His petition was rejected.  Claire affirms that she had been pregnant and confesses to have had an abortion.  The shocking revelation startled everyone and rattled Claire who requested for a break during the interview.

Claire deliberates with Connor on how to handle the questions that will follow her shocking revelation.  She reveals to the Communications Director of terminating her pregnancy thrice.  Both agree that she should only confirm one especially since the first two were a result of her promiscuity.  The third one was no better for she and Francis decided to terminate the unplanned pregnancy they saw as a hindrance to his campaign.  Connor advises against continuing the interview, but Claire ignores his advice.  Claire resumes the interview with Ashleigh and discusses the circumstances that led to her abortion.  She claims to have terminated the pregnancy that resulted in the sexual assault she received from a classmate in college.  She did not report the rape out of shame.  Claire continues with the enthralling revelation with the disclosure of the rapist’s identity.  She declares to have seen her rapist recently after thirty years of not seeing him at a commissioning ceremony.  Francis pinned the stars on the man who sexually violated her.  She reveals her rapist as General Dalton McGinnis.  Claire avows that Francis had always known of the assault, but was unaware of the identity of her assailant.  The staggering revelations left Ashleigh Banfield nearly speechless.

At last, the quarantine is lifted.  Frank before rushing to his wife vows to give Donald the funding for Alzheimer’s research despite his averseness to vote for the entitlement reform.  He bumps into Jackie, who informs him of needing four more votes in order to pass the bill.  Seeing the futility of obtaining support for the entitlement reform, Frank moves on to more pressing matters that is his wife’s scandalously revealing interview.  He leaves Jackie Sharp to deal with Donald Blythe and his coalition.  Jackie instructs her secretary to give her every ream of paper in the office and hauls them to Donald’s office.  She claims that the boxes of paper contain the names of every person in America who will lose their benefits due to the government freeze that will follow due to the failure of Congress to vote for the package that include entitlement reform.  Donald remains obdurate with his vote, but Jackie convinces him to get four of his people to vote for the package in order to avert a government shutdown.  They then will work together on the issues of concern citing that she is unlike Frank Underwood.

Claire ponders the half lie she made.  Her rape was true, but it did not impregnate her.  Connor is very well aware of the lie, but supports her of the revelation of her rapist.  She worries about General Dalton McGinnis’ denial, but a private claiming to have been the victim of the General reduces the doubt surrounding her claim.  Claire needs to talk the young woman into agreeing to divulge her identity in order to allow her to make the claim during the interview.  Claire promises protection from the Vice President of the United States ultimately convincing Private Megan Hennessey to come forward.  Private Hennessey joins the interview and reports of at least three sexual assaults by General McGinnis in her class.  Later, husband and wife celebrate their success with a cigarette.  Upon Claire’s urging, Francis sings her “Pretty Polly”, a ballad describing the murder of a young woman after she becomes pregnant and the haunting of her killer that led to his insanity and eventual death.

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Chapter 16 Season 2 – House of Cards Episode Summary 2.3

House of Cards Chapter 16 Episode Summary: Vice President Frank Underwood convinces President Garrett Walker to approve of the entitlement reform amendment that accedes to the demands of the Republicans.  Frank reaches out to Republican Senate Majority Leader Hector Mendoza for help in ensuring the passage of the amendment knowing that Republican Senator Curtis Haas will be a hindrance to its success.  Meanwhile, Lucas Goodwin continues his pursuit of exposing Frank Underwood as a murderer.  He enters the Deep Web in search of a hacker who can obtain the phone records that will uncover the crimes Frank Underwood committed and buried.

House of Cards Chapter 16 Recap: President Garrett Walker prepares for the State of the Union address that focuses on domestic issues.  Raymond Tusk becomes worried that the President has decidedly ignored the conflict with China.  Vice President Francis Underwood, however, believes that the President is correct to favor domestic over foreign affairs.  He argues that a government shutdown immediately after the speech will be detrimental to all concerned.  Tusk is unconvinced for he does not see a solution to the much contended entitlement reform, but Frank has a plan.  He vows to have the Democrats in the Senate agree to the Republicans’ demand of raising the retirement age.  Although the Republicans will get their demand, the White House will be credited as having averted a government shutdown for reaching across the aisle.  Tusk remains incredulous of the Vice President’s risky plan despite Frank’s insistence of taking the blame for its failure should it fail.  Nonetheless, Tusk offers to persuade the President into agreement.Continue reading...

Vice President Frank Underwood offers Senate Majority Leader Hector Mendoza the Democrats’ agreement to raise the age of eligibility for entitlement to 67 years old.  The White House expects the prevention of a government shutdown in return.  Mendoza is in agreement with Frank’s plan, but worries about Curtis Haas.  The Republican senator’s aversion to Democrats causes him to refuse any offer from them.  Regrettably, Curtis controls a third of the Republican caucus.  Nonetheless, Frank speaks to the Democratic Senate leaders and convinces them to allow the entitlement reform to pass in order to avert the government shutdown.  The Democratic Leadership agrees given his assurance that Mendoza will ensure the Republicans’ concurrence.  However, just as Mendoza predicted, Curtis Haas rejects the Democrats’ proposal of raising the retirement age to 67 despite their argument of making entitlements solvent until 2055 and the added savings of a trillion dollars that removes the burden from the taxpayers.  Curtis suggests raising the retirement age to 68 and the elimination of early retirement.  His radical demands enrage the Democrats who accuse him of working in the behest of the Tea Party that poured 10 million dollars of their PACs into his campaign.  Mendoza attempts to persuade Curtis into agreeing to the Democrats’ proposal, but he continues to reject them.  Having reached an impasse, Frank suggests both parties to speak to their colleagues before reconvening the next day.  He then asks Mendoza for a way to prevent Curtis from enacting a filibuster when they get the amendment passed.  Mendoza believes they can stave off a filibuster if they can ensure that the passage of the amendment constitutes the passage of the bill by previous agreement.

Frank updates Tusk of the progress with the entitlement reform including the obstacle that is Curtis Haas.  However, the objective of his call is to ask Tusk to ensure that the new retirement ages are included in the President’s speech.  Tusk had been successful in convincing the President to agree to the entitlement reform.  Frank relies on Tusk’s power of persuasion to sway the President into including specifics of the Senate version of the reform in the State of the Union address.  Frank and Mendoza speak privately with Curtis in the hope of uncovering the true reason behind his resistance.  Curtis fears that another win from the Democrats will result in the next Congress dismantling the agreement invalidating the sought after entitlement reform.  Mendoza offers assurance to his fellow Republican Senator with a proposal to include a super majority point of order against revisiting the issue for ten years.  An official long-term commitment from both parties will prevent the dismantling of the agreed entitlement reform.  In addition, the Democrats have agreed to keep VA services and FEMA at current levels and settled on the spending cuts the Republicans proposed.  Curtis remains adamant in rejecting the Democrats’ compromise thinking that the country might benefit from experiencing a disastrous mismanagement of government.  Frank, however, appeals to the man’s ego and inveigles him into accepting the proposal.  Curtis desires to be known as the man who realized the passing of the entitlement reform.  He agrees to the proposal with the condition of allowing fifteen years to pass before revisiting the reform and the Democrats taking full responsibility for the gridlock if the House fails to pass the bill.  Senator Curtis Haas and Vice President Frank Underwood shake hands on the deal.

Speaker of the House Bob Birch learns of the Senate version of the entitlement reform that bears no resemblance to the bill the House passed.  He confronts Jackie Sharp, the recently installed Whip, livid with the bill’s current incarnation.  He guarantees her that Senate will not pass the bill.  Bob’s threat materializes after Curtis Haas withdrew on the deal he made with the Democrats.  President Walker reproofs Frank for the failure in Senate, but also blames himself for allowing to be persuaded into agreeing to the entitlement reform.  Tusk had informed the President that Frank bullied him into convincing the President to agree to the compromise. President Walker’s conversation with Frank is filled with derision towards the Vice President he hoped could manage Congress.  Frank assures the President of his ability to ensure the passing of the bill in the Senate in time for the State of the Union address.

Frank Underwood sets on his goal of proving his competence to the President and chastises Mendoza for failing to control Curtis.  Mendoza, however, is powerless against Curtis and the fifteen Senators under his influence.  It is up to Frank to get the bill passed through Senate.  He manages to get a few Republicans to support or at least abstain from voting against the bill in exchange for favors.  The Republicans learn of having lost the majority vote through Frank’s poaching.  They engage a quorum call in order to forestall the voting while they determine a course of action.  Vice President Frank Underwood takes the chair and instructs the expeditious handling of the roll call as members of the Senate voting for the entitlement reform enter the chamber.  Learning that the Democrats have reached a quorum, Senate Majority Leader Hector Mendoza instructs the Republicans to leave leading to an absence of a quorum.  Frank and his team anticipated this move.  Senate Minority Leader Willard Erikson moves to direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to compel the attendance of absent Senators.  Senators who are not ill or excused from attendance will be arrested as approved by the presiding officer, the Vice President.  With only three Republicans present, the Democrats vote for the motion presented.

The Sergeant-at-Arms along with the Capitol Police wastes no time in arresting the absent Republican Senators.  Some have barricaded themselves in their offices in a futile attempt to avoid arrest.  Mendoza speaks to Frank of the senselessness of his scheme, but Frank sees his presence as an act of surrender.  True enough, Mendoza asks him for his demands.  Frank will end the so-called tyranny if the Republicans vote for the agreed version of the entitlement reform.  Mendoza along with six Republicans of his choice surrenders to the police and allow them to be hauled in the chamber under protest much to Senator Curtis Haas’ dismay.  A quorum is finally reached.  Curtis threatens to filibuster the main bill, but learns that Mendoza made a deal with Frank.  The passage of the substitute amendment constitutes passage of the main bill preventing anyone from enacting a filibuster.  The roll call for the adoption of the substitute amendment to HR 934 begins and Curtis in a futile attempt to prevent its passing interrupts the roll call with a proposal, which the presiding officer, Frank Underwood, denied.  The entitlement reform passes Senate.  Raymond Tusk praises Frank for accomplishing such a feat, but Frank makes known to Tusk of uncovering his duplicity after hearing from the President of Tusk’s disapproval of him and his counsels.  That evening, the President addresses the nation and proudly announces the passing of HR 934 in the Senate, which raises eligibility to 68 and 64 for normal and early retirement to ensure entitlement for future generations.  The passing of the bill also indicates the prevention of a government shutdown.  The President acknowledges Vice President Frank Underwood for its success.

Doug Stamper speaks about the post in the Deep Web concerning the Vice President with his friend at the FBI serving as the executive liaison to the White House.  He gives the FBI agent strict orders to find and arrest the person responsible for the post despite the agent’s recommendation to ignore it given that a crime has not been committed.  Doug suggests that the FBI help the person with the crime he plans to commit to give them reason to arrest him.  Given the extent of the operation, Doug asks of him, the FBI agent wants a promotion in return for his services.  Meanwhile, Lucas Goodwin approaches Christina Gallagher in person after the woman ignored the numerous correspondences he sent her about Frank Underwood’s role in the deaths of Peter Russo and Zoe Barnes.  Lucas believes her to be the only person who would understand his conspiracy theory given her relationship with the late Peter Russo.  Unfortunately, Christina already moved on and put Peter behind her.  In fact, she has threatened to contact the police and to speak to the Vice President about his theory if Lucas continues to stalk her.

Later, Lucas’ laptop begins to malfunction and embarrassingly starts to show a slideshow of pornographic pictures of women ending with a photo of Zoe Barnes.  Soon, he receives instant messages from HEROnymous Bot, a hacker wanted by the FBI, who claims to be able to accomplish his request.  Lucas waits for the hacker at Waffle Nation, but receives a package from a messenger instead.  The package contains an iPad and a pair of earphones.  The hacker conceals his identity through animation and voice alteration.  Moreover, the hacker requests Lucas to sign with his thumbprint a document that denies membership of the law enforcement.  Lucas’ desperation causes him to agree despite his better judgment.  The hacker then sends him an e-mail with instructions for getting the two-step verification code for the Herald’s internal servers.  Lucas is to destroy the iPad and the e-mail he had sent him unaware that he had just given his identity to the very people he wants to expose.

Believing to have made progress, Lucas updates Janine Skorsky of recent developments in his investigation hoping to convince her to return and help him with the exposé.  Janine, out of fear, had left her job as a political correspondent with Slugline for a teaching job in Ithaca following the death of Zoe Barnes.  Lucas returns to The Herald without the support of Janine.  Nevertheless, he pursues his plan and follows the instructions from HEROnymous Bot starting with pocketing the IT person’s mobile phone that receives the servers’ password through a text message.  Lucas passes the password to HEROnymous Bot allowing the hacker access to The Herald’s servers.  He later learns that the task was only a test to determine Lucas’ resolve.  Lucas meets HEROnymous Bot in the hacker’s luxury apartment where he is once again asked questions regarding his affiliation with law enforcement.  The hacker intimates the possibility of the FBI monitoring Lucas’ posts, but denies the FBI’s knowledge of his identity.

Rachel Posner now works as a call center agent for the National Firearm Education Center after Doug Stamper forced her into hiding.  She uses the resources available to her and calls her mother, Cheryl Posner, a nurse working in the Pediatric division of the Lynchburg Children’s Hospital.  Inopportunely, her manager sees her idle causing her to hang up.  Later, a young woman on the bus ride home befriends her.  She learns that the young woman works at a Christian bookstore and daycare center after she hands her a pamphlet that causes Rachel to cringe.  Later, she receives a visit from Doug informing her of Lucas Goodwin’s determination to uncover the truth about Peter Russo.  Doug orders her not to speak to anyone or go to any place she does not have to be.  Rachel insists that she has not been in contact with anyone, but Doug finds the pamphlet causing him to suspect her of withholding the truth.  His mandate caused Rachel to rebel.  Rachel attends the Christian fellowship introduced to her by Lisa, the young woman she met on the bus.

Claire Underwood interviews Connor Ellis for the Communications Director position.  The young man from Lubbock, Texas impresses her with his strategy to give the Underwoods media attention appropriate for their status. Connor’s resourcefulness and determination enthralled her.  Connor confessed to have gotten rid of his thick accent much like his fellow Texan, Claire.  The woman who now has no trace of the Southern accent learns that the young man managed to get access to her first joint interview with Frank Underwood during his run for state assembly in 1986.  Claire still spoke with a Southern accent back then.  Connor was determined to get the job and flew to the local affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina in order to watch the tape as part of his research.  He returns for another interview with Claire and proposes a media plan.  His arrival is propitious given the recent fiasco in Congress where the Vice President was accused of tyranny.  Connor recommends a joint interview reminiscent of the first one the Underwoods had in South Carolina.  He brought with him a copy of the interview and pointed out the moment of intimacy Claire displayed that he believed would have captivated the audience.  Connor believes that the interview will provide enough distraction from the chaos in Congress that Frank instigated.

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Chapter 15 Season 2 – House of Cards Episode Summary 2.2

House of Cards Chapter 15 Episode Summary: House Representative Francis Underwood becomes the Vice President of the United States and immediately wreaks havoc in the White House after scheming with State Secretary Cathy Durant into forcing the issue of the Chinese cyber warfare in the Joint Commission talks.  This caused the ire of Raymond Tusk, mentor and long-time advisor to President Garrett Walker, because it damages his business relationship with China.  Meanwhile, House Representative Jackie Sharp makes her run in the Whip’s race known after receiving the financial support of her good friend, Congressman Ted Havemeyer.

House of Cards Chapter 15 Recap: House Representative Francis Underwood is sworn in as the Vice President of the United States without a single vote cast in his name.  His first order of business is to bring order to the race for the position he left vacant.  The Whip’s race has become reprehensible enough for the President to consider it as his current biggest disappointment.  Frank Underwood along with Speaker of the House Bob Birch speaks with the two frontrunners, Howard Webb and Wes Buchwalter, about the virulent backbiting between them.Continue reading...

In exchange for her loyalty, Christina Gallagher manages to secure a position in President Garrett Walker’s staff with the help of Frank Underwood.  She shows gratitude to Frank by feeding him information about the President beginning with his meeting with Raymond Tusk to discuss the Joint Commission talks.  Frank entrenches the meeting with Tusk and brings along Secretary of State Cathy Durant.  He knew that Cathy would recommend using the Joint Commission talks to present the issue of corporate cyberattacks by the Chinese.  Tusk would rather avoid the issue given the damage it will cause to his business relationship with China and the setback it will cost his co-venture refinery project in Fujian.  Much to Cathy’s surprise, Frank agrees with Tusk arguing that antagonizing the Chinese could undo years of progress.  Nonetheless, President Walker acquiesces to Cathy’s plea and allows her to lay out an agenda surrounding the cyberattacks without making demands so as not to alienate the Chinese.  With his meeting with Tusk encroached, President Walker decides to speak to Tusk over lunch.  Cathy and Frank, on the other hand, discuss the relationship of the President with Tusk.  She learns that the President sees Tusk as a mentor and advisor.  Frank taking his side was part of his strategy believing that opposing him will only prompt Tusk to repel further the cyber warfare issue.  Nonetheless, he believes that Tusk will continue to convince the President to exclude the cyber warfare issue from the agenda of the Joint Commission talks.  He recommends Cathy to force the Chinese to confront the issue immediately despite her promise not to make demands.  The usually uneventful Joint Commission talks made the news after the Chinese walked out to express their resentment for the US delegation’s demand to include the Chinese government-sanctioned cyberattacks on the agenda.  To make matters worse, the Secretary of State made a statement to the press that will further ire the Chinese government.

Lucas Goodwin speaks to the police about the involvement of the newly installed Vice President of the United States in the death of Zoe Barnes.  He persuades them to obtain the data history from Zoe’s phone carrier that will prove that the two were in contact with each other.  Exasperated with Goodwin’s incessant claim, the detective who handled the case shows him the security video from the subway platform that caught Zoe tripping or jumping into the train tracks.  The video did not show evidence of another person pushing her into the tracks.  However, Lucas has not given up on the conspiracy theory and it has affected his work so much so that it caught the attention of his superior.  Concerned about his friend and former subordinate Lucas, Tom Hammerschmidt agrees to meet him at The Washington Herald, the newspaper he once run before Zoe Barnes caused a scandal that led to his termination.  Lucas confides his conspiracy theory to Tom, who patiently listens.  Tom does not find Lucas insane, but he does find the theory implausible.  He supposes that Lucas is grieving for the unexpected loss of his lover.  His grief prompts him to demand an explanation for Zoe’s sudden death and accepts one no matter how incredible it may seem.  Lucas preoccupied with troubles of his own sends a writer from the tech beat to cover the Joint Commission talk’s fiasco believing that the man’s knowledge of technology will be useful in understanding the much-contended Chinese cyber warfare.  The section about the phone companies catches the interest of Lucas Goodwin.  He learns from the tech beat writer that phone carriers keep the data history of their customers including the names of the people they contacted and the contents of their correspondence.  The writer then introduces him to The Deep Web, the 96% of the Internet that is inaccessible to search engines.  It is a place of illegal activity and a part of the Internet where one can hire hackers.  Lucas enters The Deep Web and seeks help in hacking the phone records of the Vice President of the United States.

House Representative Jackie Sharp has lunch with House Representative Ted Havemeyer believing that the man wanted to speak about his illegitimate child suffering from cerebral palsy.  Jackie is one of a few people who know his secret.  She soon learns that Ted wanted to have lunch with her, because he heard about her interest in the position of Whip.  Jackie informs him that her interest in the position is benign given her lack of experience and funding.  Ted offers to funnel his PAC money to gain her supporters.  Jackie refuses the largesse Ted is offering, but Ted makes it clear that he too will benefit from her rise as Whip.  He finds it advantageous to be the benefactor and friend of the Whip.  The man is unaware that Jackie Sharp’s modesty was an act.  She had asked her friend, Lorrie Tate, to inform him of her interest in the Whip race certain that Ted will offer to help her with the campaign.  In exchange, Jackie is to make Lorrie Chief Deputy.  Rumors of Jackie Sharp entering the Whip race begin to fly around Congress prompting Wes Buchwalter to reach out to Frank Underwood for help unaware that he had enticed Jackie to campaign for his position.  Wes, however, senses an inkling of Frank’s hand in Jackie’s campaign for Whip.  He conspires with the enemy, Howard Webb, in the hope of eliminating the third candidate. Webb’s solution, however, is for Wes to drop out.  In exchange, Webb will give Wes the Chairmanship on Appropriations.  Jackie learns of the trade and speaks to Ted, who offers his Chairmanship on Ways and Means to get Wes on their side.  Ted finds it an appropriate sacrifice, one he is willing to make, because the benefit of having the Whip as an ally outweighs any Chairmanship.  Regrettably, Wes Buchwalter’s deep-seated loathing for Ted Havemeyer causes him to refuse the offer unless it comes with the death of Ted’s political career.  Ted ensured Wes’ loss in the Senate race twelve years ago after he financed his primary opponent.  Wes considers his political death at his demand retribution.  Jackie, disinclined to betray the friend who treated her as his own daughter, reaches out to Frank for help, but he can only offer her one solution, betrayal.  Frank offers dirt that will destroy the political career of Ted Havemeyer, but it is information Jackie knows very well.  In fact, Jackie has been checking on Ted’s illegitimate daughter with the nanny of her children on his behalf.  She is reluctant to betray the man who supported her for many years and in some ways gave her career.  Frank becomes disappointed with Jackie after uncovering her weakness, because he chose her to be his replacement for her ruthlessness.  His instincts, however, were right.  Jackie Sharp speaks to Ted Havemeyer of having bought the support of Wes Buchwalter with the death of his political career.  The story of the illegitimate daughter he supports, but never visits will soon make the news marking the end of his career as a politician.

Claire Underwood assumes the role of the wife of the Vice President of the United States and begins the search for her Chief of Staff.  Her other duties include appearances in events and one of them is attending the pinning of stars to two newly commissioned Marine generals, Alicia Hampton and Dalton McGinnis.  Claire would rather not attend the event, but she acquiesces because it is the first event her husband will attend as Vice President.  General McGinnis introduces himself to Frank and informs him of having dated Claire in Harvard.  The encounter disturbed Claire enough for Frank to notice it.  He finds her in the women's room in tears.  Soon he learns that McGinnis was the man who raped Claire during her freshman year in Harvard.  Frank becomes livid and refuses to pin stars on the General, but Claire begs him not to make a scene.  Vice President Frank Underwood does his duty and pins the stars on General Dalton McGinnis with immense displeasure.  Husband and wife return home somber with the remembrance of the violation done to Claire.  Frank tries to dispel the hatred coursing through his blood at the shame of honoring the man who raped his wife.  Claire lies in bed reliving the horrifying ordeal she received from McGinnis.  She confides to Frank her struggle to destroy the person who had been the victim of a heinous violation.  She informs him that the hatred will persist, but he must harness it and use it on someone else.

President Walker returns to the White House enraged at the news of the failed Joint Commission talks with China.  He reproofs the Secretary of State for the direct ultimatum the US delegation demanded of the Chinese and her decision not to recant it.  Secretary Durant chose to exhibit strength instead of losing face.  The President dismisses Durant then immediately calls Tusk on the phone and includes Frank in the call.  Tusk advises the President to apologize to the Chinese, which Frank supports arguing that the goal is to resume the talks without further delay.  President Walker, however, worries that opposing his Secretary of State will be perceived as a miscommunication between him and his Cabinet.  Following the advice of Frank and Tusk, the President agrees to apologize personally to the Chinese government.  However, Frank speaks of the concern the President raised earlier and the insight from the Secretary of State about the Chinese.  Frank imparts his belief that intransigence might earn the respect of the Chinese as it displays his strength and resolve as the President of the United States.  President Walker follows the advice of his Vice President and takes full responsibility for the direct ultimatum the State Department imposed on the Chinese delegation of the Joint Commission.  Moreover, he shows his resolve to deal with the issue of Chinese cyber warfare in a press conference where he expresses his intolerance for China’s theft of the intellectual property of American corporations and the threat to the government’s online infrastructure.  His press statement caused indignation from the Chinese prompting its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to speak of the injustice of the false accusation and defamation of the People’s Republic of China.  The issue caused China to refuse bilateral trade talks with the United States.  Tusk calls Frank to speak to him of the President’s unexpected statement that wreaked havoc on the trade talks with China.  More troubling to Tusk is the President’s unprecedented decision to oppose his advice without fair warning.  He sees Frank’s handiwork in the President’s press statement.  Frank argues that opposing China benefits the President’s approval rating, which will prove advantageous to all concerned.  They must support the President in the decision he made publicly and instead work on mending the relationship with China through backchannels.

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Chapter 14 Season 2 – House of Cards Episode Summary 2.1

House of Cards Chapter 14 Episode Summary: House Representative Frank Underwood learns that Zoe Barnes has unearthed Rachel Posner leading to his possible involvement in the death of Peter Russo.  Janine Skorsky becomes convinced that Frank Underwood’s support of a sham candidate was all part of his plan to become Vice President of the United States.  Claire Underwood devices a strategy that will put Gillian Cole in her mercy.

House of Cards Chapter 14 Recap: Francis and Claire Underwood return from their run and find Doug Stamper there anxiously waiting for Francis.  Stamper apprises Frank of Zoe’s investigation that led to the discovery of Rachel Posner, the prostitute who was with Peter Russo the night of his DUI arrest.  He also learned from Christina Gallagher that Zoe had been looking into Roy Kapeniak.Continue reading...

Stamper deals with Rachel straightaway with a demand for her to quit her job and leave with him that night.  The exigency of her departure is not groundless for Zoe has come to speak to her again.  Zoe learns that the young waitress had left in the middle of her shift and is nowhere to be found for she has nothing but a PO Box for her address.  Lucas Goodwin and Janine Skorsky had hit an impasse with their leads leaving Rachel as the only person who could uncover the truth about Peter Russo.  Zoe believes that the young woman has knowledge of a more serious crime than Peter’s DUI.  Meanwhile, Stamper had already prepared a place for Rachel in Joppa, Maryland where she is to disappear.  He arrives at her apartment to find her unprepared and hostile to the departure.  She threatens Stamper with a knife and demands that he allow her to keep the new life she has made.  Regrettably, he overpowers her.  Rachel Posner has no other choice but to leave with Stamper.

Congressman Frank Underwood offers House Representative Jackie Sharp his position as the Whip, since he will soon assume the Vice Presidency.  Jackie is a war veteran serving only her third term in congress.  The offer to serve in the Leadership comes as a surprise even to her given her lack of tenure, but Frank is determined to name Jackie as his replacement.  Frank meets with President Garrett Walker, Speaker of the House Bob Birch, and House Majority Leader Terry Womack to discuss his replacement as Whip.  The two most senior members in the caucus, Howard Webb and Wes Buchwalter, were put into consideration, but Frank does not approve of the candidates.  He instead suggests a wide-open race that will allow the caucus to pick his replacement.  Womack supports his recommendation with the argument that the winner will gain the respect of the caucus after having fairly won the race, but Birch is in disagreement with the strategy.  Womack manages to convince Birch to approve of the open race with the condition that neither Birch nor Underwood can endorse a candidate.

The imminent confirmation of Frank’s assumption as the Vice President of the United States leads the Secret Service to begin preparing his security detail, but Frank refuses to receive the service reserved for a Head-of-State until after his confirmation.  He would like to savor the last days of privacy.  Moreover, he refuses to reside at the Naval Observatory during his term and insists on staying at his townhouse despite the necessity to build the security infrastructure that will ensure his safety.  His last request as an incoming Vice President is the promotion of Edward Meechum from Capitol Police to Secret Service regardless of his lack of training.

Claire learns from her lawyer, Oliver Spencer that Gillian Cole insists on going to court despite the recommendation of her lawyers to do otherwise.  She calls her bluff and agrees to go to trial regardless of her lawyer’s advice to woo Gillian into a settlement.  This is because Claire has been working on a different strategy.  She managed to track down David Applebaum, the doctor who impregnated Gillian.  Moreover, Claire had informed Mrs. Applebaum of Gillian’s existence and condition leading the scorned wife to make a scene that embarrassed the mistress of her husband.  This is only the first step in Claire’s strategy to get Gillian in a bind.  Soon, Gillian arrives at CWI after Claire refused to return her calls.  She has come to speak to her about the cancellation of her Blue Cross insurance that was to provide her health coverage up to a year after her termination.  Gillian learned the termination of her health coverage from Blue Cross.  Its reinstatement will require the approval of her former employer.  Gillian informs Claire of the medication that she can only get through her HMO.  She is surprised to learn that Claire is aware of the medication.  Ostensibly, all the consultation with Dr. Larson about post 40-pregnancies was only part of the scheme in gaining knowledge about Gillian’s condition.  Adding to her surprise is Claire forging her signature on a consent form.  Soon it becomes clear that the misfortunes she encountered including the incident with Mrs. Applebaum are Claire’s doing.  Gillian threatens to expose her underhanded tactics in court, but Claire is not intimidated for she knows that Gillian’s unborn child will die without the medication only she can provide through her approval.  Claire guarantees the death of the unborn child if Gillian pursues the trial that will expose Claire for what she truly is.  Ironically, Claire offers Gillian CWI in exchange for her cooperation.

Frank schedules a rendezvous with Zoe.  Lucas Goodwin finds the request portentous, but Zoe is confident of her ability to deal with Frank Underwood.  Moreover, she sensed that Lucas’ disapproval stems from his knowledge of her affair with the congressman.  She pursues the meeting with Frank and sets the meeting place at Rock Creek Park.  Meanwhile, Lucas meets with his reluctant source, the cop who once helped him expose police officers involved in drugs.  The same cop gave him Rachel Posner’s arrest record and intimated that only a person of authority could have expunged Peter Russo’s arrest.  Lucas assumes the involvement of Police Commissioner Barney Hull in the cover-up, but believes him only a pawn to a Congressional Leadership’s scheme.  The power of the people behind the cover-up causes the cop to refuse Lucas further help.  He, however, gave him the police report on the apparent suicide of Peter Russo.  Lucas immediately conveys to Zoe the fact from the police report that Russo was found on the passenger seat instead of the driver’s seat of his car.  Zoe dismisses the insinuation and meets with Frank at Rock Creek Park to ask questions about his support of Peter Russo including her supposition of his involvement in the cover up of his DUI arrest.  Notwithstanding her dismissal of Lucas’ insinuation, Zoe confronts Frank about the police report that placed Russo in the passenger seat of his car where he was found dead.  Frank informs Zoe that Russo was found halfway out of his car showing that he must have had second thoughts about committing suicide, but was too late.  Frank had spoken to the commissioner about leaving this shameful fact from the police report.  Zoe is not convinced, but carelessly shows her incredulity.  She admits to have thought of Frank’s involvement in Russo’s death.  Frank vehemently denies his involvement and struggles to persuade Zoe into believing by confessing his hand in the DUI cover-up and the business with Kapeniak.  Moreover, he admits his assumption of the vice presidency and lures her with access to the Oval Office.  She imparts their conversation to her friends convincing Janine of Underwood’s involvement in Russo’s death.  Zoe, on the other hand, is skeptical of Janine’s theory.  The lure of access to the White House has gotten to her.  She is incredulous of the theory that Frank Underwood supported a sham candidate he knew would self-destruct in order to clear the way for Vice President Jim Matthews to resume his governorship.  Matthews resigning his position as Vice President leaves it open for Frank for the taking.

Zoe later receives a text message from Frank asking her for a fresh start.  She agrees to meet him at the Cathedral Heights Metro Station and finds him on the platform where construction is underway.  Zoe accepts Frank’s request to start their relationship anew beginning with the purging of their previous communications including his contact record on her phone.  She, however, continues to ask him about Peter Russo’s suicide claiming that her trust in him relies on learning of the details of his death.  Zoe makes him aware of her knowledge of Rachel Posner’s presence at the McNeely Cancer Institute fundraiser, the event Peter Russo attended the night he fell off the wagon.  She asks him of his hand at having the prostitute bump into Russo at the fundraiser, but Frank fervently denies knowledge of it.  Zoe insists that Rachel has been acting under Frank’s orders and asks him of the young woman’s whereabouts.  She claims that her inquiries and his honesty in answering them will protect them both from other people’s investigation.  She eventually confesses that her insistence stems from wanting assurance that her role as Frank’s pawn did not lead to someone’s murder.  Frank finds her notion ludicrous causing him to walk away, prompting Zoe to follow him.  Little did she know that he had planned that act as well as he timed it exactly as the train arrived on the platform.  Frank Underwood pushes Zoe Barnes onto the incoming train where all witnessed her fall, but none saw her murder.  Frank arrives home after taking the life of Zoe only to find that his wife has prepared a cake for his birthday.  News of Zoe’s horrific death reaches Lucas Goodwin and Janine Skorsky.  Janine is certain that Zoe’s death was no accident and is already preparing her departure when Lucas arrives.  She has decided to forego the investigation into Frank Underwood for fear of her life.  Janine has received pornographic photos of Zoe that Frank took to impart his awareness of her participation in Zoe’s investigation.  Lucas begs her to stay in order to help him bring Frank Underwood to justice, but Janine, who has not known fear before, is horrified of the man soon-to-become Vice President.  Claire learns of Zoe Barnes’ death from the morning news.  Although the police have ruled her horrific death an accident, Claire appears to believe otherwise.

Jackie meets with Frank after reading through the files he has on her, Webb, and Buchwalter.  She comes to a realization that Frank had chosen her over the two senior house representatives, because he could not find anything damaging to her.  She, however, wonders about the qualities Frank found in her that made him certain of her aptitude as Whip.  She learns that it is her ruthless pragmatism.  Jackie, as a war veteran, expertly and efficiently obliterated villages that housed innocent people in accordance with orders from higher authority.  In other words, Frank chose her for her ability to do what is needed.  Her service background, clean history, and photogenic appearance add to her good qualities.

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The London Season – Downton Abbey Episode Summary 4.9

Synopsis: The Crawleys are in London for Lady Rose’s debut.  Lady Rose becomes acquainted with Ms. Freda Dudley Ward, the mistress of the Prince of Wales.  All is well until Mr. Terence Sampson gets hold of a highly sensitive letter that will bring scandal to the monarchy.  The Crawleys go in a mission to retrieve the letter from Mr. Sampson’s possession.

Downton Abbey The London Season Episode Summary: It is 1923 and the Crawleys are at the Grantham House in London in preparation for Lady Rose McClare’s ball.  People of high society will be attending the debutante ball including Lady Cora’s family from America.  Mrs. Crawley, however, has decided not to attend.  Lord Merton, who has taken a liking to Mrs. Crawley, finds this a pity.  He later learns that Mrs. Crawley had indeed changed her mind.  She has decided to join Lady Grantham to the ball.  She explains that she felt smug to dismiss the invitation to an event she has come to realize a tradition practiced to measure a person’s progress through life. Continue reading...

Lady Rose could not wait to be presented to enjoy the life of an adult woman that she manages to convince Lady Cora and Lord Grantham to allow her to attend a party with her friend, Madeleine Allsopp, at the Embassy Club where the famous band, Ambrose & His Orchestra, is performing.  They find Miss Allsopp’s father there with the Prince of Wales in the company of Ms. Freda Dudley Ward.  Ms. Ward expresses her gratitude to Lady Rose for their presence, noting that the Prince of Wales had become grouchy before they arrived.

Tom Branson is alone in Downton Abbey with Lady Edith leaving for London to join her family for Lady Rose’s ball.  Mr. Barrow whines about having to wait on him knowing that the man used to be the family’s chauffer whose position would have been beneath him if he had not married up.  Tom’s only fault is that he was fortunate enough to have fallen in love with Lady Sybil, who reciprocated his love.  Not wanting to be a burden to the understaffed house at Downton Abbey, Tom decides to have his dinner at The Grantham Arms.  He bumps into Miss Sarah Bunting on his way to the pub.  Lady Violet sees them and she stops her car to bid him good-bye before she leaves for London.  She boasts to the uninterested Miss Bunting about Lady Rose’s debut that will involve supper at the Palace.  The encounter with Lady Violet causes Miss Bunting to rescind her refusal of Tom’s offer of dinner at the pub.  She then puts him in an awkward position when she asks to see the mansion at Downton Abbey.  Tom reluctantly gives Miss Bunting a tour of the main rooms of the mansion and he more hesitantly brings her to the gallery as per her request.  He confesses his uneasiness of bringing her to the mansion in the Crawleys absence, but Miss Bunting insists on seeing the gallery.  His uneasiness is with basis for malicious Mr. Barrow finds them at the gallery and he is sure to make something out of nothing.  Tom finds the need to clarify their presence at the gallery in the hope that Mr. Barrow would not give malice to what he saw, but knows well that Mr. Barrow has nothing but malice in his mind.  In fact, Mr. Barrow informs Lord Grantham about seeing Tom with Miss Bunting at the bedroom gallery the moment he had a chance to speak with him privately.  Lord Grantham confronts Tom about the information Mr. Barrow relayed to him.  Tom does not deny or make excuses about the fact that he had brought Miss Bunting for a quick tour of the house after dinner.

Mrs. Martha Levinson arrives at the Grantham House with her son, Harold Levinson.  The man was reluctant to leave America, but had to due to the Teapot Dome scandal that almost ruined him.  He and his mother will be spending some time traveling around Europe.  Mrs. Levinson alone is a handful and she without a maid is another level of nuisance.  Fortunately, reinforcements from Downton Abbey arrive.  Mrs. Hughes has come to take charge in the absence of the Grantham House governess, Mrs. Bute.  She brings with her Daisy Mason to help Mrs. Patmore.  Daisy relays a cryptic message from Mr. Barrow to Miss Baxter, one Mr. Molesley overheard.  There is no doubt that Mrs. Hughes is a welcome sight given the kerfuffle that will endure for a few days.  Mr. Carson welcomes her assistance and her opinion regarding the treat he is planning for the servants as per Lady Cora’s request to show gratitude for their hard work.  He has already chosen two sights to bring the servants, but could not decide between the two.  Mr. Carson plans a fun day for the servants, but he has yet to decide whether to bring them to the new Science Museum or the Crystal Palace.  Mrs. Hughes is disappointed at Mr. Carson’s idea of a fun day, but does not share her criticism.  Instead, she suggests getting the opinion of the staff.  He takes her advice and presents the sights he has chosen for their day of fun and quickly realizes the disappointment in everyone as he went over his list of attractions.

Charles Blake takes Lady Mary out to lunch and to the viewing of the Summer Exhibition where they find Lord Gillingham speaking with Lady Rose and Ms. Dudley Ward.  They learn that Billy Aysgarth, Madeleine Allsopp’s father, introduced Lady Rose to Ms. Dudley Ward.  As it turns out, Mr. Blake is acquainted with Ms. Ward, both of whom are not invited to Lady Rose’s ball until now.  Ms. Ward immediately senses the friction between Mr. Blake and Lord Gillingham.  Soon, the grand soiree at the Grantham House commences.  Lady Rose introduces Lord Aysgarth and his daughter to Mrs. Levinson and Harold.  Lord Aysgarth rudely leaves their company to chat with his old friend, Lord Harrowby, leaving Miss Allsopp to make excuses for her father’s discourteous behavior.  The impudence is not lost on Mrs. Levinson.  Lord Grantham, on the other hand, is shocked and annoyed to find his sister, Lady Rosamund Painswick, arrive with the unwelcome guest, Mr. Terence Sampson.  The con artist obviously inveigled his invitation to the party, but the Crawleys, afraid of making a scene, could not do anything but receive him.  He begins chatting with his friend Lord Aysgarth, who is very much aware of his reputation as a card sharp.  Lord Aysgarth learns from him that the Levinsons are made of money.  In fact, they were responsible for keeping Downton Abbey afloat.  Lord Aysgarth takes an interest on the Levinsons after hearing of their wealth and he sends his daughter to mingle with Harold.  Meanwhile, Mr. Sampson once again gets himself invited to an after party at the Embassy with Lady Rose and Ms. Ward.  Lady Rose arrives at the Embassy with her friends and imparts to their male company of the letter Ms. Ward showed them.  The letter seems to be of value given the identity of its writer.  With them at the nightclub are Harold, Lord Aysgarth, and Mr. Sampson.  Lord Aysgarth persuades Harold to dance with his daughter embarrassing Miss Allsopp especially after learning that Harold is aware of Lord Aysgarth’s intentions.  Lady Rose decides to dance with Neil Foster leaving Mr. Sampson alone at their table to look after their bags.  This gave Mr. Sampson an opportunity to steal the mysterious letter from Ms. Ward’s bag.

The kitchen has been producing food relentlessly.  Mrs. Patmore could not thank Daisy enough for her assistance, which the assistant cook appreciates.  Ethan Slade, Harold Levinson’s valet, notices her aptitude at managing the kitchen and asks her about leaving Downton Abbey to further her career.  Daisy takes offense at the innocent question from the valet she had only known for half an hour.  The young valet who has not left America until now is finding the customs in England different from America.  He, however, remains tolerant and accepting of the requests asked of him including the demand for him to serve as a footman.  Unaware of the footman’s decorum, Ethan offers hors d’oeuvres like a traveling salesman causing Mr. Carson to scold him.  The reproach he received did not dampen his spirits and he returns to the kitchen cheerful as when he arrived.  He relays comments he overheard upstairs especially about the kedgeree that he learned Daisy made.  It was a dish even Mr. Levinson, a man averse to English food, devoured.  Daisy has been having a good week with all the compliments she has received for her cooking.  Alfred Nugent’s letter of good news adds to her cheer.  Alfred wrote to inform her that he has finished his course at the Ritz Escoffier culinary school and the school had offered him a job as an under chef at the Ritz.  Ethan sees the delight the news brought to Daisy and wonders whether she and Alfred are lovers.  He inquires about it to Mr. Carson and is pleased to learn that there is no romance between the two.

The day of Lady Rose’s presentation has arrived.  She rides in the car with Lady Cora as throngs of commoners greet them as they parade through The Mall leading to the Buckingham Palace.  Lady Rose and the other debutantes enter the Palace in awe including Lady Cora, who will be presenting Lady Rose.  Lord Grantham looks expectantly on as Lady Cora and Lady Rose wait for their turn.  At last, the master of ceremonies calls the Countess of Grantham and Lady Rose MacClare.  With a curtsey and a nod from the Throne, Lady Rose is now officially a woman.  However, unlike other debutantes, the King addresses her after the Prince of Wales informs him of her relation to Lord Flintshire.  King George V mentions the hospitality that Lord Flinshire extended to the Prince of Wales in Bombay and speaks of the success of the Indian tour under the command of the father of Lady Rose.  Lady Rose and Lady Cora join the other guests at the reception where the Levinsons are also in attendance thanks to Lord Grantham’s position as lord lieutenant.  Mrs. Levinson finds that Lord Aysgarth has become keen on her.  Harold notices the man’s sudden interest in his mother and informs Miss Allsopp of his mother’s finances.  Moreover, he tells her that when Mrs. Levinson dies, all the capital reverts to him.  His blunt discussion of money embarrasses Miss Allsopp terribly causing her to run away.  Meanwhile, Ms. Ward is also at the Presentation Court.  She confronts Lady Rose with troubling news about the loss of the letter she showed her and Miss Allsopp the night of the grand soiree.  Learning that Miss Allsopp does not have the letter, Lady Rose could only think of one other person who might have taken it, Mr. Sampson.

The following morning, Lady Rose asks Lord Grantham if Mr. Sampson is capable of doing something dishonorable.  Her inquiry forces her to divulge the story surrounding the letter and its significance.  Mr. Sampson must be looking into selling the letter to the newspapers in America for gossip of the love affair between the Prince of Wales and Ms. Dudley Ward has been all over America.  Lady Rose finds herself responsible for the theft, because Mr. Sampson would not have known its existence if she had not joked about it that night at the Embassy.  Lord Grantham’s loyalty to the monarchy prompts him to help retrieve the letter.  He devises a plan that involves sneaking into Mr. Sampson’s flat to retrieve the letter.  He enlists Mr. Bates’ help in forging a letter with Mr. Sampson’s signature informing the porter to allow them entry to the flat unaware that the forger is Mr. Bates.  He also enlists the help of Lady Mary who has the important task of retrieving the letter from Mr. Sampson’s flat, while Lord Grantham keeps Mr. Sampson in the card game he is hosting.  Lady Rose suggests inviting Lord Aysgarth to the card game for she is certain that he will not refuse.  Moreover, Mr. Sampson will most likely join Lord Aysgarth to the game without suspecting anything.  Lord Grantham will also invite Harold to the card game making the invitation too hard to refuse.  Lady Rose suggests inviting Miss Allsopp to ensure that Harold will stay for the game.  The problem now becomes Mrs. Levinson, who Lord Grantham believes will inadvertently divulge their scheme.  He suggests having Aunt Rosamund take her, Lady Violet, and Mrs. Crawley to a play just to keep Mrs. Levinson away for the evening.  Lady Mary is reluctant to play a part in the scheme that will help cover up a scandal that she believes the crowned Prince brought to himself.  Lord Grantham argues that it became their responsibility the moment they introduced Mr. Sampson to Ms. Dudley Ward and Lady Rose as good as handed him the letter.

Harold Levinson tries to make up for his offense and invites Miss Allsopp for a picnic alone with him following the advice of his valet, Ethan.  Daisy informs Ethan that in England, a man cannot go on a picnic alone with a young, unmarried woman, but learns that Lord Aysgarth and Mrs. Levinson will be joining them.  Ethan volunteers Daisy to be one of the staff that will prepare the food at the picnic.  Mrs. Patmore sees right through Ethan’s plan and welcomes it.  They set up the picnic in front of the Albert Memorial.  Harold could not believe his enjoyment of English food and the picnic despite the extra company in the persons of his mother, Lord Aysgarth, Lady Violet, and Mrs. Crawley.  He admits to Miss Allsopp of the reputation he has with women, one he managed despite his unprepossessing appearance, thanks to the wealth he inherited from his father.  He continues on the conversation about money and begins to offend Miss Allsopp again, but redeems himself with a confession of admiration towards the young lady.  He, however, as Miss Allsopp surmised, will not go along Lord Aysgarth scheme.  He does it out of respect for her whom he knows is a reluctant pawn to the plot.  Later, Ethan informs Daisy that Mr. Levinson has become such a fan of his cooking that he wants her to go with him to America to cook for him.  He informs her that she need not provide an answer right away for they will be touring Europe for a month or two.  If Daisy decides to accept the job offer, he will send her the fare and Ethan will meet her in New York.

Lady Edith informs Aunt Rosamund that Michael Gregson had given her power of attorney to give her authority over his affairs including decisions required from an editor.  She wonders about the rights of their child, but Aunt Rosamund makes it plain that their daughter’s rights to her biological parents’ affairs have been dissolved the moment the Schroders adopted her.  Lady Edith, however, has second thoughts in the vow she made to keep her bastard child a secret.  Her change of heart arose after learning that Michael’s disappearance and potential death was borne out of a noble deed.  Michael got into a fight the night he disappeared with a gang of toughs who preach about the most horrible things.  Lady Edith would like their child to receive half of the inheritance.  Aunt Rosamund recommends giving the inheritance anonymously, but Lady Edith’s concern is not really about the inheritance and truly due to the guilt of giving her child away.  Her guilt overcomes her so that Lord Grantham could not help but ask her daughter about the sadness that exudes her.  Her vague but loaded answer perplexed him.  Lady Edith intimates that she would never intend to hurt her father.  Later, a statement from Tom Branson about fighting for their wishes gives Lady Edith the courage to decide for herself.  She informs Lady Cora and Lady Rosamund of her decision to leave London the day after the ball and her plan to go to the Continent to settle matters regarding Michael Gregson.

Mrs. Hughes relays to Anna the appeal at the Scottish Church for old clothes for Russian refugees.  Although Anna did not bring to London clothes she would want to donate, she informs Mrs. Hughes of convincing Mr. Bates to buy a new overcoat and donate his old one to the cause.  Mrs. Hughes finds a ticket stub as she looks through the pockets of Mr. Bates’ overcoat to ensure that he has not left anything of his inside it.  She brings to Lady Mary’s attention the ticket stub that places Mr. Bates in London the day Mr. Green died and gets the impression that Lady Mary already knew of his presence in London that fateful day.  Lady Mary assures Mrs. Hughes that Anna does not suspect anything.  Mrs. Hughes wonders if Lady Mary will inform Anna of their discovery and intimates of her reluctance to tell her.  Moreover, Mrs. Hughes finds no reason to condemn Mr. Bates for avenging his wife’s honor if he truly killed Mr. Green.  Later, she learns from Mr. Bates that he has not been in London since he buried his mother during the war.  She then overhears Lady Mary trying to trick Mr. Bates into revealing the crime he may or may not have committed against Mr. Green and she intervenes to prevent her from pushing him to a confession.  Lady Mary speaks privately with Mrs. Hughes confessing of her unease in covering up a potential crime.  Mrs. Hughes speaks of the repercussion their unearthing the truth will produce.  She would rather not see Mr. Bates punished for taking the life of a vicious man.  Lady Mary believes that the end does not justify the means.  Mr. Bates senses the insinuation from Mrs. Hughes and Lady Mary of his presence in London.  Anna informs Mrs. Hughes of her husband becoming upset for handing over his overcoat before he has gone through its pockets.  Miss Baxter intensely listens to the conversation between Anna and Mrs. Hughes trying to make something of it.  Mr. Molesley does the same with her when Mr. Barrow speaks to her about hearing her report.  He calls for her in order to rescue her from doing something she obviously is hesitant to do for Mr. Barrow.  This offered a reprieve to Miss Baxter though only temporary.  Nonetheless, Mr. Molesley advises her not to allow herself to be part of Mr. Barrow’s schemes for the consequences of doing so are graver than the unearthing of the secret that Mr. Barrow holds over her.

The ladies and Harold return from the picnic and learn of the card game that evening.  Lord Grantham did not count on them refusing the offer to go to the theater and Lady Edith sensing that the card game is a ruse.  Mrs. Levinson arrives at the drawing room and learns of the evening she is to spend with Lady Rosamund Painswick at the theater.  Much to Lord Grantham’s surprise, she is the least to provide the most reluctance for the imposed night out in the town.  The male guests arrive at the Grantham House for the card game.  Meanwhile, Lady Mary along with Lady Rose and Mr. Blake gains entry to Mr. Sampson’s apartment through the signed note from him.  They soon return with news of not having found the letter.  However, not all of them found the unsuccessful escapade futile.  Mr. Blake took pleasure at knowing that Lady Mary reached out to him for help.  He forthrightly expresses his desire to be her lover.  She is uncertain of their future given their diametric background and thinking, but Mr. Blake believes in a future where caste becomes trivial.  News of the failed mission reaches Mr. Bates despite the success of his forgery.  Mr. Bates realizes that if he were in possession of a valuable document, he would carry it with him wherever he goes.  True enough, this is indeed what Mr. Sampson did.  He kept the letter in the breast pocket of his overcoat.  Mr. Bates snatched it as he helped him into his coat.  All who partook in the plot rejoice with the retrieval of the letter that would have ruined the crowned Prince, while Mr. Sampson realizes that he had lost the letter that would have brought him some fortune.  Given the Prince’s reputation, Lady Mary is uncertain that the monarchy is safe from scandal.  However, as Anna puts it, the next crisis would at least not involve the Crawleys.  Lady Mary and her family are grateful to Mr. Bates for without him the Crawleys would have been entangled in a scandal for which they are partly to blame.  Anna explains that Mr. Bates is very loyal to the family just as the Crawleys are loyal to him and Anna.  Lady Mary shows her loyalty to Mr. Bates by throwing into the fire the ticket that proves that he was in London the day Mr. Green died.

The guests arrive at Lady Rose’s ball and just as the ball commences officially with a dance between the master of the house and the debutante, the crowned Prince graces the ball with his presence.  Who better to open the ball but the Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the throne? All are in awe as the Prince dances with Lady Rose.  The rest of the family and the guests join the dance including Harold who uncharacteristically dances with Miss Allsopp.  They remain friends despite agreeing not to be part of Lord Aysgarth’s scheme.  Mrs. Levinson, on the other hand, turns down Lord Aysgarth’s marriage proposal, but offers him introductions to rich, old ladies who covet a title.  Lady Violet learns that Mrs. Levinson rejected Lord Aysgarth’s proposal, much to her surprise.  She could not fathom the lack of desire for a title that Mrs. Levinson had to remind her how Lady Violet’s world is slowly slipping away to make way for Mrs. Levinson’s world.  The thought gave Lady Violet a terrible fright.  Meanwhile, Mr. Blake is annoyed at watching Lord Gillingham and Lady Mary dancing.  He becomes much more peeved at seeing them sneaking out of the ballroom to speak privately.  Lord Gillingham learns that Lady Mary had turned down Mr. Blake, but he has refused to accept it.  He soon learns that Lady Mary had refused him for his resentment for nobility.  A true gentleman, Lord Gillingham, tells Lady Mary the truth about Mr. Blake despite the disadvantage it will cause him.  He tells her that Mr. Blake is in fact heir to his father’s cousin, Sir Severus Blake.  Mr. Blake is to inherit the baronetcy and one of the largest estates in Ulster making him a nobleman.  He, in fact, will soon become more eligible than Lord Gillingham.  Mr. Blake had always known this, but he is one who felt no desire to display his status.  To learn that she and Mr. Blake share a similar background makes a difference in Lady Mary’s attitude toward Mr. Blake.  Lady Mary confronts him about keeping it from her and learns that Mr. Blake did not want her to think that they share the same prejudices given their upbringing.  Moreover, Mr. Blake wanted to win her on his merits.  He is surprised to know that Lord Gillingham had told her about his social class.  Lord Gillingham wanted a fair fight to win Lady Mary’s heart.

Morning has come and the masters and guests are still in the ballroom, while the servants continue their service without sleep.  Mrs. Hughes brings up the matter of the outing to motivate them and is relieved to learn that Mr. Carson has finally gotten it right.  Mr. Carson has decided to spend their day off by the sea.  Meanwhile, Lady Edith is back at Downton Abbey.  She speaks with Mr. Drewe about adopting the daughter of her friend, a child she will be bringing to Downton from Switzerland.  Lady Edith explains that her parents disapproved of her friendship with the child’s mother, which is why the child cannot live with them.  She asks for Mr. Drewe’s confidence in keeping the truth about the child secret.  Mr. Drewe senses that the child is Lady Edith’s daughter and sympathetically offers to keep the secret only between the two of them.  Mr. Drewe plans to send a letter to himself, a letter from his friend who passed away and asked in her will for him to take the child.  He is certain that his wife, Margie, will not question the request and will love the child like her own.

After days of hard word, the servants at last get their day off at the beach.  All enjoy their respite from the drudgery of service, but Mr. Barrow is set on tormenting Miss Baxter.  She, however, has taken Mr. Molesley’s advice and at last stands up to Mr. Barrow despite the consequences of getting his ire.  Miss Baxter thanks Mr. Molesley for giving her the courage to confront the things in her past that had caused her fear.  She has yet to see what will happen, but she is relieved that she is no longer afraid.  Daisy also has reached a decision.  She has decided not to go to America to work for Mr. Levinson.  This disheartens Mr. Slade, who had pushed for her recruitment as Mr. Levinson’s cook to be with her.  Daisy is aware of this and is grateful for his affection.  Ivy Stuart overhears Daisy’s refusal to go to America and pleads Mr. Slade to allow her to take Daisy’s place as Mr. Levinson’s cook.  Daisy helps her get Mr. Slade to accept arguing that Mr. Levinson will not notice the difference if Ivy took her place.  Mrs. Patmore witnessed this all.  She is surprised that Daisy is not upset with Mr. Slade’s advances.  On the contrary, Daisy is ecstatic at having a man keen to court her.  The thought of it will keep her happy for months to come.  She and Mrs. Patmore watch as Mr. Carson holds Mrs. Hughes hand as he walks through the beach for the very first time.

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