Downton Dish Week Six

There are no fun Downton snacks again tonight because we were snowed in most of the weekend.  I find that after three days of sitting on my butt eating potato chips, I lose all motivation to do anything ever again.  Besides, it's probably best if I only eat carrot sticks for the next week to keep my thighs from exploding.  We need to bring back those shapeless sac garments the ladies of Downtown seem to be wearing these days.  I bet those things could cover up a lot of potato-chip-eating sins.

Master Bates returns to Downton tonight, which is sure to cause some excitement amongst the staff.  I'm a bit confused over the whole Bates thing.  His wife died from arsenic hidden in a cake, right?  The conclusion was that he had poisoned her, right?  Then the neighbor, Mrs. Bartlett, says she saw his wife baking a cake earlier in the day, right?  This I'm all clear on.

Yet, why does that prove he's innocent?  Oh, his wife was caught baking a cake, let's just set him free!?    Maybe he put the arsenic in the cake later.  Maybe he sprinkled it on the top when her back was turned.  Maybe he shoved it down her throat after she had finished eating her slice of cake.

I read something that suggested she had been taking arsenic for a long time before she died.  Why would anyone do that for recreational purposes?  I'm very confused.  Please clarify.

Meanwhile, I don't like the way things between Thomas and Jimmy are headed.  It makes me squirm in awkwardness to watch his unwanted advances.  Poor Thomas.

I do like the continuing romantic dramas of Daisy, however.  Poor Daisy.  I hope she takes the farm and finds herself a beautiful man.

Also, does anyone else often wonder:

Or, is this just me?