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In a surprising twist, Mr. Hiscox, an old acquaintance of Benedict Bridgerton, has become a central figure in the latest Bridgerton episode. Hiscox serves as a crucial link between two major plotlines: Benedict’s controversial desire to make Sophie his mistress and Penelope Bridgerton’s growing hesitation to continue her role as the notorious gossip, Lady Whistledown.
The drama kicks off with Whistledown’s latest issue, which exposes Hiscox’s extramarital affair. “Of all the things whispered sweetly in a woman’s ear, ‘be my mistress’ might be the most common in Mayfair,” Whistledown writes, referencing Hiscox’s indiscreet behavior. This revelation inspires Benedict to propose a similar arrangement with Sophie, but his hopes are dashed as both men’s situations begin to unravel.
Sophie has been avoiding Benedict since he boldly proposed she become his mistress, burning his letters and ignoring him at Bridgerton House. It takes a candid conversation with Will Mondrich for Benedict to grasp the gravity of his misstep. Will questions whether Benedict made his intentions clear about wanting a legitimate relationship with Sophie, to which the answer is a resounding no. Benedict realizes he has been viewing the situation solely through his own privileged perspective.
Meanwhile, Penelope faces her own dilemma after being confronted by Hiscox’s mistress, who accuses her of wrecking her life. Though the mistress cherished her affair, she was also using Hiscox’s wealth to gain financial independence. This encounter makes Penelope reconsider the impact of her gossip on the women involved, making her reconsider her Whistledown persona and even seek permission from Queen Charlotte to retire from her role. However, the Queen, displeased with the lack of scandalous content in recent newsletters, demands more juicy revelations.
Lady Danbury sees an opportunity and suggests that Alice Mondrich, now a Lady-In-Waiting at the Queen’s court, could uncover secrets about Benedict, given the Queen’s interest in him as the season’s “diamond.” However, Alice hesitates to betray the Bridgertons. On the other hand, Mrs. Varley, Araminta Gun’s new maid who left the Featherington household, is ready to spill secrets. Araminta, Sophie’s notorious stepmother, has relocated next to the Bridgertons after losing her London home to her brother-in-law, who plans to move back with his new wife. This new proximity could stir up more drama, as the Gun family seeks to integrate into the Bridgerton circle.
Mrs. Varley thought working for the Featheringtons was bad, but working for Lady Penwood is far worse, she belittles Varley and chastises her for spending a little too long at the market gossiping with other maids one morning. When Araminta threatens to fire Varley, she saves her hide by blurting out that she knows that Sophie Baek has found employment at the Bridgertons. Varley has no idea what Araminta’s relationship is to Sophie, nor does she have any idea the can of worms she’s opened revealing this information to Araminta.
Whatever is happening over at Kilmartin House is certainly going to shake up Francesca’s marriage (eventually) if you know anything about it from reading the books… Francesca’s been conflicted about the unexpected arrival of Michaela Stirling, her husband John’s cousin.
Michaela and John are unusually close and Michaela has a zest for life, a “chaos” around her, as Francesca says, that seems foreign to Francesca, whose ways are far more methodical and routine. At a party for Michaela, in an effort to steer Michaela away from monopolizing all of John’s time, she tries to set her up with a suitor, which Michaela finds insulting (for reasons unexplained, other than John telling Francesca Michaela is happy to be a spinster). When Francesca goes to apologize, she admits she’s jealous of the relationship between Michaela and John, and the two women soften their attitudes toward each other. By the end of the night, they are besties.
The episode’s pinnacle, as it were, arrives as Hyacinth is giving a dance recital (really more of a mini-ball) for some friends who are performing the dances they’ve recently learned. Eloise is forced to be there as part of a deal she’s made with her mother to re-enter the marriage mart (against her will), Gregory’s there ’cause he’s still on break from Eton, and Benedict is there as Hyacinth’s chaperone, although he can’t keep his eyes off Sophie. Violet Bridgerton has suspected that Benedict’s new, secret infatuation is with Sophie, and she had even sent Mrs. Wilson on a fact-finding mission to learn more about her (which is how Varley found out Sophie was working there). Mrs. Wilson relays to Violet that Sophie’s mother was also a maid, and Violet, the best private investigator in Mayfair if we’re being honest, correctly deduces that Sophie, who has her mother’s last name, is the illegitimate daughter of nobility, the child of a mistress. She loves Sophie and clearly sees her as a suitable companion for Benedict, except for the fact that she’s a bastard and both Benedict and Sophie’s reputations will be tarnished if they get together.
At the recital, one of the footmen at Bridgerton House tells the maids he’s just learned Araminta is their new next door neighbor, news that shocks Sophie to her core. She immediately tells them she isn’t feeling well and races out of the ballroom. Benedict notices her fleeing and chases after her, sensing her distress. Violet, who has finally been getting it on with Lord Anderson, then chases after Benedict to tell him to back off, that whatever he’s feeling for Sophie is not appropriate. Benedict gets brutal by laying into Violet for “bedding a man who is not your husband,” a low blow that stuns her. Benedict then rushes off to find Sophie.
At this point, Sophie still refuses to tell Benedict about her past or her relationship to Lady Penwood, so she simply tells him she needs to leave Bridgerton House for good. That’s when he reveals just how in love with her he is. “The thought of spending a single day without you torments my soul,” he tells her. “You are the person I’ve been searching for all my life. I love you.”
“You cannot,” she protests, but she has fully melted into a Sophie puddle hearing those words, and it is ON. Or OFF, if we’re talking about their clothes.
It’s everything they’ve ever wanted to do to each other and more, but while there’s comfort and safety in this moment, things aren’t going to be so simple in the light of day.
Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.