The reeling has started and as the people dance, the Dowager Countess asks Lord Grantham where Shrimpie is. Lord Grantham sighs that he's hiding and he'll go in search of him in a bit. Meanwhile, Wilkins drops the drink off with O'Brien, but after one sip, it's clear she tastes the alcohol and I wonder if maybe we're supposed to imagine that O'Brien told Wilkins she doesn't drink now, because how else would you assume that someone named "O'Brien" wouldn't catch the taste of whiskey? (Honestly, I feel like some of this subplot must have been cut, because it's playing thin and weak, which are not adjective normally associated with O'Brien storylines.) She puts the thing down, whereupon Molesley picks it up and downs it in one gulp and I know he's only here to be the court jester, but haven't they done a plot with him getting unknowingly wasted before?

Lord Grantham has tracked Shrimpie to the billiard room, wherein he asks if things were always this bad. Shrimpie tells him no -- he and Susan weren't madly in love, but there was a job to be done and they both believed in it. Interesting that these two got together on ideological grounds and grew to hate each other, whereas Lord Grantham chose Cora purely for her money and then came to love her. Shrimpie goes on that their three children kept them busy for years, but with their rapidly emptying nest, they've realized how little they have in common and this, too, is an interesting contrast with Downton, where Sybil was the only one to leave and that didn't stick for long. Lord Grantham casts about for something to say before asking why Susan is so hard on Rose, and Shrimpie thinks perhaps Rose reminds her of him. "Me, when I had something to live for." Lord Grantham, of course, takes exception to that statement and starts to talk about what a wonder Duneagle is, but that's the wrong thing to say, as Shrimpie confesses the money to run the place is gone and laments the fact that he didn't follow Lord Grantham's lead and modernize before it was too late. Sounds like he should have invited Matthew up earlier. Lord Grantham tells him he's sorry, but Shrimpie turns the subject: "What are we going to do about Rose?" Lord Grantham looks at him, and I'm honestly not sure if his expression is saying "Wait, I have an idea" or "Oh, HELL no."

Back downstairs, the violinists start playing a new piece, at which point Rose excitedly rushes to grab Anna, as this is the song to which she taught her to dance. When Mary sees Anna reeling, she's delighted and impressed and tells Bates how marvelous she is. As romantic music swells, he agrees; find her as impressive as you want, Bates, but I would have preferred to keep listening to the Scottish strains.