Downton Abbey series 4

Cora hires Edna Braithwaite to replace O'Brien, who has resigned. Things though do not work out and Braithwaite is replaced by Phyllis Baxter. Lady Mary mourns Matthew's death. Matthew's newly-found letter states Mary is to be his sole heir and thus gives her management over his share of the estate until their son, George, comes of age. Mary assumes a more active role in running Downton. Two new suitors—Lord Gillingham and Charles Blake—arrive at Downton, though Mary, still grieving, appears not to be interested. Lady Edith, who has begun writing a weekly newspaper column and Michael Gregson, a magazine editor, fall in love. Due to English law, he is unable to divorce his wife, who is mentally ill and in an asylum. Gregson travels to Germany to seek citizenship there, enabling him to divorce, but is killed by Hitler's Brownshirts during riots. Edith is pregnant and secretly gives birth to a daughter while in Switzerland. She places the baby with a couple there, but later reclaims her daughter after arranging for a family on the Downton estate (Mr and Mrs Drewe of Yew Tree Farm), to foster her. Anna is raped by Lord Gillingham's valet, Mr Green, which Mr Bates later discovers. Subsequently, Mr Green is killed in a London street accident. A local school teacher, Sarah Bunting, and Tom begin a friendship. Sampson, a card sharp and previous guest at Downton, steals a letter written by the Prince of Wales to his mistress, Rose's friend Freda Dudley Ward, which, if made public, would create a scandal; the Crawley family connives to retrieve it. ==Cast and characters==

Main cast Upstairs • Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham • Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley • Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley • Lily James as Lady Rose MacClare • Allen Leech as Mr Tom Branson • Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham • David Robb as Dr Richard Clarkson • Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham • Penelope Wilton as Mrs Isobel Crawley Downstairs • Jim Carter as Mr Charles Carson, the Butler • Phyllis Logan as Mrs Elsie Hughes, the Housekeeper • Brendan Coyle as Mr John Bates, Lord Grantham's valet • Joanne Froggatt as Mrs Anna Bates, Lady Mary’s maid • Robert James-Collier as Mr Thomas Barrow, the Under-Butler • Matt Milne as Mr Alfred Nugent, First Footman • Ed Speleers as Mr James "Jimmy" Kent, Second Footman; later First Footman • Kevin Doyle as Mr Joseph Molesley, former valet to Matthew Crawley; later Second Footman • Lesley Nicol as Mrs Beryl Patmore, the Cook • Sophie McShera as Mrs Daisy Mason, the Assistant Cook • Cara Theobold as Miss Ivy Stuart, a kitchen maid Recurring and guest cast • Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund Painswick, Lord Grantham's sister (Recurring) • Shirley MacLaine as Mrs Martha Levinson, Lady Grantham's mother (Guest) • Paul Giamatti as Mr Harold Levinson, Lady Grantham's brother (Guest) • Paul Copley as Mr Albert Mason, William Mason's father (Recurring) • Charles Edwards as Mr Michael Gregson (Recurring) • MyAnna Buring as Edna Braithwaite, Lady Grantham's maid (Recurring) • Nicky Henson as Charles Grigg, Mr Carson's friend (Recurring) • Di Botcher as Nanny West (Guest) • Harriet Walter as Prudence, Dowager Lady Shackleton, Lady Violet's close friend (Guest) • Jeremy Swift as Mr Septimus Spratt, Lady Violet's butler (Recurring) • Tom Cullen as Anthony "Tony" Foyle, Viscount Gillingham (Recurring) • Joanna David as the Duchess of Yeovil (Recurring) • Nigel Harman as Mr Alex Green, Lord Gillingham's valet (Recurring) • Patrick Kennedy as Terence Sampson (Recurring) • Andrew Alexander as Sir John Bullock, Lady Rose's suitor (Recurring) • Kiri Te Kanawa as Dame Nellie Melba, opera singer (Guest) • Raquel Cassidy as Miss Phyllis Baxter, Lady Grantham's maid (Recurring) • Joncie Elmore as John Pegg, a gardener (Recurring) • Gary Carr as Jack Ross, the singer (Recurring) • Julian Ovenden as The Hon. Charles Blake (Recurring) • Brendan Patricks as The Hon. Evelyn Napier, Lady Mary's close friend (Recurring) • Daisy Lewis as Sarah Bunting, a teacher (Recurring) • Bernard Gallagher as William Molesley, Mr Molesley's father (Guest) • Douglas Reith as Richard Grey, Lord Merton, Lady Mary's godfather (Recurring) • Andrew Scarborough as Timothy Drewe, a farmer (Recurring) • Stephen Critchlow as John Ward MP (Guest) • Michael Benz as Mr Ethan Slade, Mr Levinson's valet (Guest) • Alastair Bruce as the Earl of Cromer, Lord Chamberlain (Guest) • Oliver Dimsdale as Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (Guest) • Poppy Drayton as The Hon. Madeleine Allsopp, Lady Rose's close friend (Guest) • Guy Williams as King George V (Guest) • James Fox as William Allsopp, Baron Aysgarth, Madeleine's father (Guest) • Janet Montgomery as Freda Dudley Ward, mistress of the Prince of Wales (Guest) ==Episodes==