U.S. “Downton Abbey” fans may have to wait until Jan. 5 to watch season four, but the U.K.’s premiere date is quickly approaching. The delay may be tough to deal with -- but the good news is that trailers for the new season are starting to trickle in!

The ITV drama series has released a 10-second teaser trailer for its fourth season. Featuring Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess, the video doesn’t reveal too much visually: A set of doors open displaying a white light while the countess tells an unknown individual: “You have a straightforward choice before you. You must choose either death or life.”

Although no “Downton Abbey” characters can be seen, it’s easy to assume the Dowager Countess is talking to Lady Mary. As fans of the series remember, Lady Mary gave birth to her son during the special Christmas episode. Although it was a joyous occasion for her and her husband Matthew, their happiness was cut short when Matthew left Mary and their newborn son and got into a fatal car accident.

Season four of the ITV show is set to pick up six months after Matthew’s accident in 1922. And, even though considerable time may have passed, Mary and the rest of the Crawley family is said to still be mourning the deceased heir.

As we previously reported, Matthew’s death will be a struggle for Mary because “every time she looks at the baby, she sees her beloved.” New promotional photos from the coming season show her detachment.

“It’s hard to bond with the baby,” Lady Mary’s Michelle Dockery told reporters. “She looks at him and sees Matthew. It’s a slow process, I think, with motherhood for Mary. The aristocracy didn’t really see their kids very much. So there’s a nanny and, eventually, a governess looking after baby George. ... You don’t see much interaction between the baby and Mary.”

The new season will follow Mary as she slowly attempts to move on from Matthew. “Downton Abbey” viewers will meet Lord Gillingham (Tom Cullen), an old friend of the Crawley family, along with a string of other new faces.

A full trailer for season four will be released Aug. 31 on Facebook.com/ITVDrama. Will you be tuning into the new season of “Downton Abbey”? Let us know in the comments section.

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