and prostitutes, though her sense of moral imperative often irritates others. She maintains a quarrelsome rivalry with Violet, the Dowager Countess, but this eventually develops into a genuine friendship, especially after Isobel is grief-stricken by Matthew's unexpected death and Violet's brief illness. Isobel later receives a marriage proposal from Lord Merton, and despite a health scare and his sons' attempts to prevent the marriage, Isobel decides to marry him in the final series. Lady Rosamund Painswick Lady Rosamund Painswick (née Crawley) (played by Samantha Bond) is Robert's widowed sister who lives on her own in London. She and her late husband, Marmaduke Painswick, had no children. Rosamund is one of the more headstrong and outspoken members of the family. She is devoted to Robert and his family and thus feels it is her duty to speak her mind on every possible occasion, though her interference in her nieces' decisions often has disastrous results. For example, Rosamund's influence causes complications and delays Mary and Matthew's engagement during the first two series. However, Rosamund also supports Edith throughout Edith's unplanned pregnancy and with finding a way to raise the child. The younger Crawleys often use Rosamund's home at 35 Belgrave Square as a place to stay when visiting London, on which occasions Rosamund takes the opportunity to catch up on family gossip. Tom Branson Thomas Ferguson Niall Branson (played by Allen Leech) was initially the family chauffeur, employed in series one. He is an outspoken socialist, Irish nationalist and republican; during luncheons in the servants' hall, he had few qualms about espousing support for early Labour leader Keir Hardie. Tom develops feelings for Lady Sybil, with whom he shares political interests and a determined personality. After the First World War, Tom and Sybil receive Robert's reluctant blessing and marry in Dublin. However, in the third series, Tom and now-pregnant Sybil are forced to flee Ireland after Tom becomes implicated in the burning of an Anglo-Irish nobleman's house. Tom struggles both with grief over Sybil's death in childbirth and with being accepted by the Crawleys and their servants as a new member of the Crawley family. At the end of the third series, Tom becomes the land agent for the estate at Violet's suggestion, owing to having grown up on a farm in Ireland. He helps Matthew and Mary modernise Downton. However, Tom still feels he cannot fit in; during a house party