Maîtres et Valets

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.

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."

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.

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.

December 1905: Elizabeth falls for a young German baron, whom her father is suspicious of. Richard quickly uncovers the Baron's secret, but as it turns out, Baron Klaus von Rimmer is hiding another secret, which Rose accidentally stumbles upon. The events of the evening compel one of the servants to betray not only the family, but the country as well.

October 1906: Mary, the new housemaid confides in Richard that she's pregnant, the result of an assault by a man who drunkenly forced himself on her. Insisting he must bear responsibility, she reveals the man is Myles Radford, the son of Richard's friend (and her previous employer), General Radford. Myles, outraged that Richard has the gall to question his integrity, gets even with a classless move that could have enormous legal, financial, and moral ramifications.

Summer 1906: Captain Hammond, a handsome young friend of James', graciously agrees to escort Lady Marjorie to the opera. Feeling a strong mutual attraction, they quickly realize how compatible they are, despite the age difference, Abuzz with gossip, the servants seem to be the only ones aware of what's going on.

April 1907: Believing destiny brought them together, Emily, the scruffy kitchen maid, falls deeply and hopelessly in love with a footman named William. When his mistress, Mrs. Van Groeben, learns about his relationship with Emily, she angrily orders William to stop seeing her, leaving Emily heartbroken and driven to an act of desperation.

November 1907: Everyone's been concerned about Mrs. Bridges, who's been despondent ever since Emily's suicide, but when they discover she took a baby from his pram when his mother wasn't looking, and brought him home with her, they realise she's suffering from a mental breakdown. Hoping to keep the incident quiet and protect everyone's reputations, the Bellamys return the baby to his parents and offer compensation, but refuse to divulge Mrs. Bridges' identity. The father, furious that they consider themselves above the law, has Mrs. Bridges arrested and during her hearing, Hudson makes an extraordinary gesture he hopes will keep her out of prison.

Autumn 1908: While providing food for the homeless, James and Elizabeth are surprised to run into Sarah whose been living on the street. Elizabeth insists upon taking her back to Eaton Place where she's given a job as a scullery maid. Sarah immediately reverts 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 séance.

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 in the house during their visit, but to what end?

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, Lizzie 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, Lizzie is compelled to do something extreme, leading to a falling out with her parents and a harsh discovery about Evelyn.

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.

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

Sarah tells James she's having his baby and the Bellamys make provisions to avoid a major scandal.

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 homosexual, is miserable and angry, making Lawrence miserable, too. Realising he cannot fulfil that need for her, Lawrence decides to enlist the help of a friend to step in as proxy.

Elizabeth comes home for Christmas without Lawrence. The Bellamys face another family crisis when it is discovered that Elizabeth is expecting a baby.

There is great excitement among the servants when King Edward VII attends a supper party at Eaton Place. During the evening the arrival of an unexpected visitor creates an emergency below stairs.

Thomas is approached by a blackmailer who claims to have love letters from Lady Marjorie to Captain Hammond.

The brothers of both Richard and Hudson are visiting, causing both men to do things they otherwise would not. For Hudson, it means putting on airs, and for Richard, the visit causes him to snoop; an action he considers beneath him.

Elizabeth returns home with her newborn daughter, Lucy, and the very disagreeable and old Nanny Webster, to look after "Baby".

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

Elizabeth joins the suffragette movement, but in her effort to protect her, Rose is imprisoned.

The Bellamys are in shock when they learn that Eaton Place, which is part of the Southwold estate, must be sold in order to satisfy the terms of the deceased Lord Southwold's will. Adding to their worries is news of Elizabeth's involvement with Julius Karekin, a man they strongly disapprove of, but in the end, the relationship proves very beneficial.

Sarah is pregnant with Watkins' baby and Lady Marjorie has run out of patience with both of them.

Elizabeth's affair with Julius is over, James returns to England with his fiancée, Phyllis, and a major event marks the end of an era.

In the spring of 1912, Lady Marjorie prepares to visit Elizabeth in New York and James takes an interest in Richard's comely and respectable new secretary, Miss Forrest.

News of the Titanic disaster arrives at Eaton Place, and the entire household anxiously awaits word of Lady Marjorie's fate.

James' weekend visit to Somerby Park, with Hudson in tow as his valet, presents an opportunity for both to appreciate their beloved Eaton Place and what they've left behind there.

James' affection for Hazel grows after his mother's death and he proposes marriage.

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

A French countess claiming to be an old acquaintance of Richard's asks Hazel to arrange a meeting.

A scandal erupts after Richard is given a confidential financial tip-off and his shares quadruple in value.

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 Somerby Park.

Lady Southwold and her 18-year-old granddaughter arrive at Eaton Place for the festive season.

Edward is a witness in a scandalous divorce case.

A chance meeting with an Australian sheep farmer leads Rose to make a difficult decision.

The disparity between James' and Hazel's background is cut wide open when Hazel suffers a miscarriage.

A downstairs dalliance and a happy outing to a seaside resort divert the staff as war looms on the European continent. James wants to take a job in India.

In a gesture of goodwill, the Bellamys offer generous hospitality to a family of Belgian refugees and Edward is feeling increased pressure to enlist.

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.

The sinking of the Lusitania has Hudson on a tirade and his anti-German fervor pervade the servants hall. Upstairs, Richard is made Civil Lord of the Admiralty in the newly-formed coalition government.

Edward and Daisy marry before he's sent to France and Georgina becomes a volunteer nurse. Ruby surprises everyone with a surprise announcement.

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

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

Hazel has a little fling with Lt. Jack Dyson, whom she met at the tea party for wounded officers, and is seen by one of her lady acquaintances. James and Georgina meet in France and share a moment of passion.

Sadly, perhaps inevitably, a double dose of tragic news arrives for those at Eaton Place.

This difficult year finally comes to bumpy close. Helen and Richard meet Mrs. Charles Hamilton who wants Richard to help get her pet project off the ground. Edward is home on leave but all is not well. A bombing in London brings a familiar face back to Eaton Place.

Lady Prudence commandeers the Bellamy drawing room for a worthy cause. Another London bombing, another close call, and another tragedy is heaped upon the tattered nerves of those at Eaton Place.

Grasping at straws, the Bellamy family continue to search for any information to indicate James is still alive, but when Trooper Frederick Norton, James' servant, arrives to deliver James' personal belongings, Hazel loses all hope.

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.

Rose receives excellent news, James is depressed about his slow recovery, Richard is courting Virginia, and the Great War is winding down to a victorious conclusion, but there's still one more casualty to be claimed.

It's June 1919 and a jubilant Victory Parade passes 165 Eaton Place -- but with the new family dynamic, what's to become of the beloved Bellamy townhouse?

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.

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

When James buys a small airplane, Virginia defies Richard, putting the entire household through quite an ordeal.

Spring 1922: When William goes off to Prep School, Rose gets Alice a new puppy so she won't be lonely, but when Richard and Virginia go on holiday and leave Miss Treadwell in charge, the entire staff lines up against her when she tries to dispose of the "filthy creature".

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.

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.

(Audio commentary available on some DVDs). An influential industrialist showers attention on Virginia, and there's another member of the household being courted—Ruby.

The entire household comes together when a General Strike is called throughout Britain in May 1926

On the eve of an important dinner party for a French diplomat, Hudson suffers a heart attack.

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

Hudson is back in his element when the Bellamys travel to Scotland for their summer holiday.

After an evening of dissipated behavior and a reckless drive into the countryside, Georgina must appear at a coroner's inquest, when one of the locals is killed.

Better the devil you know than the one you don't is the lesson Mrs. Bridges and Ruby learn after a terrible row. Upstairs, Lord Stockbridge proposes to Georgina, but there's a catch.

James returns to England, with new found vigor and untold wealth, on the eve of the October 1929 stock market crash.

After nearly 30 years, the Bellamy saga ends with the sale of 165 Eaton Place and a fresh beginning for every member of the household.