In the year before WWII, 165 Eaton Place reopens its doors and welcomes viewers back into the lives of its inhabitants, upstairs and down. Lady Agnes and Sir Hallam’s family is now complete with the addition of two small children, but Sir Hallam is drawn into dangerous waters by his preoccupation with the threat of Nazi Germany and the return of troubled Lady Persie. Lady Agnes catches the eye of charismatic American multi-millionaire Casper Landry, and Sir Hallam’s aunt, Dr. Blanche Mottershead, has made herself comfortable in the house after Lady Maud’s death. Meanwhile, life downstairs adjusts to the absence of Rose and the addition of the spirited new nursery maid, Beryl. With upstairs and downstairs harboring life-changing secrets, and the menace of war creeping ever closer, the smooth running of Eaton Place threatens to come to a halt.
Part One: As 165 Eaton Place reopens its doors, two new arrivals make their mark. Sir Hallam’s forthright aunt, Blanche, disrupts life upstairs, while feisty new maid Beryl struggles to adjust to life in service. Meanwhile, Lady Agnes’ concern for her children reveals a dark secret about Mr. Pritchard. Sir Hallam’s preoccupation with Nazi Germany leads him into dangerous waters, and a chance meeting unlocks a hidden desire.
Watch Part One – “A Faraway Country About Which We Know Nothing” – Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 8pm on Masterpiece Classic.
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