James is visited by his friend Axel Ryttsen, a Swedish Army captain who lives for taking risks. With him is his valet, the handsome and charismatic Torkel Kraft. There is some scheming going on the manor house during their visit, but to what end?

Hazel Bellamy assumes her role as mistress of the household with great trepidation and Richard becomes the quarry of a bounty-hunting Austrian woman and her wily and rapacious brother.

Spring is in the air and Hudson has found love, but it comes at a price for the household. In the end, the object of his affection makes a sacrifice for him.

Winter 1908: Elizabeth befriends a bunch of Bohemian-types, but is drawn to two in particular: Evelyn Larkin, a radical Socialist extremist, and her lover, Lawrence Kirbridge, a handsome, free-spirited poet. On the eve of her 21st birthday, with her parents out of town, Lizzy invites the entire group to Eaton Place, and is humiliated when the Bellamys return home unexpectedly and throw everyone out. Anxious to prove she's nothing like her parents, Lizzy is compelled to do something extreme, leading to a falling out with her parents and a harsh discovery about Evelyn.

A leisurely evening out with his chums, a few beers and some downstairs gossip give Edward a bigger headache than any hangover ever could.

James and Lady Diana Newbury behave foolishly, with little regard of how it impacts others. Edward is in trouble with Daisy when he's caught in a lie.

August 1904: Finding themselves alone and having the run of the house, the junior servants indulge in a night of wild partying. When James, the Bellamy's son, show up unexpectedly, the party takes an unusual turn, causing Sarah to reevaluate her life. Unhappy with what she sees, she makes a monumental decision that will alter her course forever.

James yearns for a regimental post at the front and Rose volunteers to become a conductorette as the war rages on.

Autumn 1908: While providing food for the homeless, James and Elizabeth are surprised to run into Sara whose been living on the street. Elizabeth insists on taking her back to Eaton Place where she's given a job as a scullery maid. Sarah immediately reverts back to her old tricks and, claiming to be a medium, causes an uproar when she tries to conjure up the spirit of Emily during a seance.

November 1903: Clemence, young and inexperienced, is hired on a trial basis by Lady Marjorie, who decides Clemence is not an appropriate name for someone in service and changes it to Sarah. Being far too outspoken and having a tendency towards over exaggeration and drama, Sarah struggles to fit in and become accepted by the other servants.

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Kirbridge return from their honeymoon and set up their new household in nearby Greenwich.

Georgina and her cohort throw a bacchanal at Eaton Place, with tragic consequences. Miss Treadwell, a governess for the children, joins the household.

Frederick considers his future when he feels his talents are largely wasted in the Bellamy household.

June 1904: An artist, commissioned to paint Lady Marjorie's portrait, takes a shine to Sarah and convinces her to pose for him. The painting, depicting Sarah and her roommate, is a bit racy, and when the Bellamy's see it in a public exhibit, they fire both girls for what they wrongly conclude is "questionable behaviour."

Things have not improved in the Kirbridge household. It turns out they have yet to consummate their marriage. Lizzie, unaware she's married to a gay man, is miserable and angry, making Lawrence miserable, too. Realizing he cannot fulfill that "need" for her, Lawrence decides to enlist the help of a friend to fulfill those duties for him.

Everyone's nerves are frazzled when Lord Southwold dies, Lady Southwold and her companion, Miss Hodges, spend a some time with Richard and Lady Marjorie and a valuable diamond brooch goes missing.

Alfred, the former Bellamy footman, is on the run and dupes Rose and uses her kindness as a shield from the law.

The reappearance of Gregory Wilmot throws Rose into a tailspin. Lady Prudence butts heads with Helen over a tea party for wounded officers.

May 1905: When Elizabeth returns home from abroad, her parents plan her debut into society, but the spirited young girl has little interest. She reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment, has a change of heart and flees. Rose, more like a sister than a servant, steps up and makes the girl see the situation in another light.

June 1909: Elizabeth and Lawrence Kirbridge have fallen in love and, refusing to conform to society's rules, announce their plan to live together without marriage, resulting in pressure from all sides. After Lawrence gives in and starts pressuring her too, Lizzie finally succumbs. Meanwhile, Sarah fulfills her dream to perform on the stage when she takes a job in a burlesque show. James shows up and, now that she no longer works for his family, wants to pursue the relationship they've both wanted for nearly six years.

Richard Bellamy, who has been in considerable financial distress since the death of Lady Marjorie, finds himself at the center of a insider trading firestorm in his capacity as a member of Parliament.

Hazel's first substantial encounter with fashionable society causes her great humiliation, marital distress and a near-fatal accident, when she and James visit Lord and Lady Newbury at Sommerby Park.

James is home on leave and offers a realistic account of what is really happening on the front and Daisy and Edward announce their engagement to Hudson.

Virginia Hamilton returns to Eaton Place, seeking Richard's advice for her son who is facing a court martial. Meanwhile, Edward is scheduled to go back to France, and James is wallowing in self-pity.

As Britain tries to rebound from the war, James Bellamy runs for political office. Edward and Daisy are struggling financially but realize they have friends who love them at Eaton Place.