After almost a month-long break, leaving fans with anticipation, season three of Bridgerton returns with its second installation. While the first half revolved around the union of Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, the final four episodes are all about Penelope learning to accept herself. Queen Charlotte’s curiosity in finding the true identity of Lady Whistledown confirmed that one day or another, Penelope would have to confess her secret. Moreover, Penelope was engaged, and hiding the secret from Colin any longer seemed almost impossible. Will Colin support Penelope? And will her readers discover her truth? Let’s find out what happens in the final four episodes.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 5: Did Eloise reveal Penelope’s secret?
Soon after Colin announced his engagement to Penelope at the Bridgerton house, Penelope felt the sudden pressure to come clean to her fiancé. Penelope secretly enjoyed watching the shock on the faces of her mother and sisters after her engagement made it to the most famous gossip column in town. She did not mind the sudden attention and admiration that she received from the Ton. Penelope was also delightfully astonished to see Colin defend her and their relationship in front of her mother, Portia. No one ever stood up for her, and she was simply grateful to have found a man as loving as Colin. Meanwhile, Eloise found it exceedingly challenging to accept Colin and Penelope’s engagement. She wondered if Penelope befriended her to woo Colin, but she could not deny the fact that they did share a beautiful friendship. She was also aware that Colin would be hurt if he found out about Penelope’s secret from someone else, and as his sister, she believed it was her responsibility to handle the situation. She wondered if she must confess the truth to her brother, but then again, it would break his heart. Penelope felt anxious when Queen Charlotte announced a bounty of five thousand pounds for finding Lady Whistledown. Everyone in Mayfair wanted to impress the Queen, and Penelope realized that she must speak to Colin before anyone else did.
Cressida Cowper was ready to do anything to not marry Lord Greer, an old man her father had arranged her marriage with. She came up with the plan of finding out Lady Whistledown’s identity and using the money to live an independent life in Vienna. At the engagement party held at Bridgerton House, Cressida kept a close watch on everyone to figure out the truth. Meanwhile, Eloise demanded Penelope to tell the truth to Colin by midnight, and if she failed, she threatened to spill her secret. Penelope was hyperventilating thinking about Colin’s reaction, but surprisingly, Cressida diverted the attention from Penelope to herself by confessing that she was Lady Whistledown. She believed it was her only way to break off the marriage, and she did not mind the ill reputation that came with the confession. Penelope fainted in the middle of the party, but for the time being, her secret was still safe.
Episode 6: Why did Penelope publish again as Lady Whistledown?
Penelope was not ready to allow Cressida to take credit for her hard work, and she tried to come up with a fitting reply for the next edition of Lady Whistledown. Eloise did not think it was a great idea because either way, the truth would scar the Bridgerton family. Penelope realized that she finally had everything she had dreamt of, and maybe her writing career was not worth risking her marriage. Eloise had decided against confessing to Colin because she had come to realize that her brother truly loved Penelope, and now that Cressida had come out as Lady Whistledown, it was best to keep the truth a secret for life. The Queen doubted Cressida, and she made it quite clear that unless Cressida handed her the latest edition of Lady Whistledown, she would not believe her. Cressida was in trouble; her reputation was ruined, and she was not talented enough to replicate Penelope’s style. Her family was almost banned from social circles, and her only option was to somehow prove that she was indeed the gossip columnist. While Penelope was dealing with her crisis, the season’s Diamond, Francesca, had made up her mind to marry the Earl of Kilmartin, John Sterling. But her mother, Violet Bridgerton, was not entirely impressed by the match. Violet’s understanding of romance was completely different from the quiet relationship that her daughter shared with Lord Kilmartin. Francesca requested her mother seek the Queen’s permission for them to get married, but Violet continued to delay it.
Cressida and her mother, Araminta, entered the ball hosted by the Modrich family with their heads held high. Araminta had come up with a plan, and they believed they could finally impress the Queen. Cressida was not an astute writer, but Araminta believed she had the talent to copy Lady Whistledown’s style. She wrote a letter impersonating the gossip columnist, and it caught the Queen’s attention. She was somewhat convinced that Cressida was telling the truth, and she announced that she was looking forward to the next edition of Lady Whistledown.
Penelope and Eloise were visibly distressed. Eloise was afraid that Cressida would write ill about her family after their recent feud, and Penelope promised her that she would take care of the matter. They had created a monster, but at the end of the day, Araminta’s edition couldn’t be as good as the original. Penelope tried to distance herself from her passion, but she found it to be incredibly tough. Marital bliss was not her only dream; the gossip column had been her support system at a time when she had no one to share her struggle with, and parting ways with it was almost like burying a crucial part of her identity. She was, in a way, glad that she got another chance to pick up her quill and become Lady Whistledown. Even though it risked her relationship with Colin, she could not deny that she had grown too attached to the independence that came with becoming Lady Whistledown. As Penelope rushed to the printer to publish the next edition and expose Cressida, Colin followed her. Colin caught Penelope off guard, and the truth was apparent to him.
Episode 7: What led to Colin and Penelope’s disagreement?
Colin felt deceived upon learning the truth. Penelope had, at times, been critical of the Bridgerton family, and she had used harsh words to describe Colin when he returned from his travels. He found it difficult to forgive her after all the chaos and complications that her column had often stirred. Meanwhile, the stark difference between the original writer and the fake was so obvious that the Queen and the Ton rejected Cressida’s claim. Cressida’s father had made up his mind to send her to live with his sister in Wales. Cressida’s desperation had backfired, and she continued to search for an alternative. Love had found its way into Violet Bridgerton’s life, with Marcus expressing his interest in getting to know her. Lady Danbury’s brother had caught Violet’s attention, and she did not reject the prospect of falling in love once again. Marcus and Lady Danbury overcame their differences, which stemmed from a competitive childhood. Even though initially Lady Danbury was not comfortable with Marcus spending time with her best friend, she later realized that she had misjudged her brother and that Marcus and Violet complemented one another.
The night before their wedding, Colin was heavily drunk, and he ran into Penelope. She was returning home after meeting Genevieve Delacroix, one of the few people who knew her truth. Penelope apologized to Colin, admitting that she was misguided when she wrote certain things, but she never had any ill intentions. She also added that the only reason she criticized him was because she missed the Colin she had known for ages. Penelope regretted not saying all that she felt directly to him, but she also believed that it was only after they fell in love that she started to feel more confident in who she was. Colin wanted Penelope to put an end to Lady Whistledown, but she was not eager to do so. Colin warned her that living a double life was a foolish decision, but Penelope believed it was her cross to bear. The conversation hinted at the fact that Colin felt insecure after finding out that his fiancee was one of the most talked-about writers in Mayfair. He felt inadequate, and he wondered what good he was to her. Penelope tried to make him understand that they were getting married because they loved each other and not because she needed someone to take care of her. Colin eventually realized that the truth was insignificant in comparison to what Penelope meant to him, and the next morning, they got married, and Portia ensured that it was an extravagant affair.
At the very end of the penultimate episode of Bridgerton season 3, The Queen walked into the wedding breakfast party and asked everyone in the room to leave except the Bridgerton family. After carefully scrutinizing the latest edition, she concluded that the author was a Bridgerton. She realized that the author had remained silent for quite some time and published again, fearing that Cressida would ruin the reputation of the Bridgerton family. She advised the author to come forward before things got any worse, but Penelope chose to remain silent. Later, Colin advised Penelope to stop publishing, but Penelope refused to do so. She explained that Lady Whistledown was an extension of her identity, and she could not afford to let go of it. Colin decided to maintain a distance from Penelope as long as they didn’t come to an agreement. This was not how Penelope intended to spend their wedding night, but at the same time, the choice was not easy.
Episode 8: Did Penelope reveal her secret?
Cressida realized that she was left with only one choice—blackmail Penelope. She had gathered information from the apprentice of Lady Whistledown’s printer, and according to his description, she was certain that Penelope was the gossip columnist. Penelope challenged her to convince the whole of Mayfair because, after her reputation was maligned, the chances of anyone believing her were slim. But Cressida proved her wrong when she revealed the truth to Portia. Cressida demanded ten thousand pounds to maintain silence, and Penelope decided to discuss the matter with Colin and Eloise. Colin was of the opinion that they must not entertain Cressida’s demand, and he decided to have a word with her instead. He tried to convince her to do the right thing, but Cressida was desperate, and to be fair, she did not have a loving family or support system to fall back on. She needed the money for her freedom, and she decided to add more to her list of demands. Colin decided to pay her off using his family fund, but Penelope did not think it was fair to deceive the Bridgerton family because, as long as she had known them, they had always showered her with love and affection. Colin was not entirely on board with Penelope’s decision to continue with her gossip column, partly because he was envious of her and also because of the troubles that it brought into their lives.
Penelope decided to take charge and deal with her problem on her own. She wrote letters to the Queen and Violet Bridgerton, confessing her true identity. She wanted a chance to come clean in front of her audience. At the ball hosted by Prudence and Philippa, Queen Charlotte made an unexpected appearance. She was not interested in the ball but in addressing Lady Whistledown. She addressed the elites of Mayfair, stating that she received a letter from Whistledown asking for her mercy and a chance to address her readers to plead her case before the Queen announced her judgment. The Queen turned the floor to Penelope while the room gasped and whispered. Penelope took to the center stage and confessed that she was aware of the damage that her writing had caused. She never assumed that people would take an interest in her opinions, and she did not consider the impact she would have on her readers. She admitted that she was captivated by the ones who dared to live their lives in the open, but she did not realize how difficult it was to be in a position where criticism always found its way. Becoming Lady Whistledown had helped her feel powerful, but she was not responsible with the power she had. She was now aware of how easy it was to pass criticism from the shadows, but to come out in the open and take responsibility required courage. She finally dared to confess her truth, but she also added that she still did not think gossip was bad; after all, gossip was information and played an important role in forming bonds. Penelope was thankful to the Queen for forcing her to come out of her shadows and confess the truth. She promised that if the Queen allowed her to continue, she would be more responsible with her words. Even though the Queen had always wanted to silence Lady Whistledown, she had come to realize (thanks to Lady Danbury) the importance of the gossip columnist among the elites of Mayfair. As long as she was careful with her words, Lady Whistledown was not a threat that required punishment. After the Queen gave her approval, Penelope was free to continue following her passion.
Colin was impressed by the courage displayed by his wife. He admitted that he was envious of her success, but after spending time contemplating their relationship, he realized how lucky he was that Penelope chose him. He regretted his previous stance because, after going through every letter Penelope had written to him, he had come to realize Lady Whistledown was always an integral part of who Penelope was. After the bravery Penelope had shown, Colin admitted that even if his life’s purpose was to love a woman as great as his wife, he would consider himself a fulfilled man.
Bridgerton season 3 ends on a happy note, with Violet and Marcus allowing themselves to get to know each other better and Eloise deciding to accompany Francesca to Scotland. She realized that she wanted to see more of the world and contribute in some way to making a difference in society. Francesca was happy and content with Lord Kilmartin, but it seemed that they lacked sexual chemistry. Francesca was completely mesmerized when she met her sister-in-law, Michaela Stirling. Perhaps it was the first time that she was at a loss for words, and we can expect her to be in a difficult spot in the next season. This season was eye-opening for Benedict Bridgerton, and he realized that he wanted to enjoy all that life had to offer before settling down. His relationship with Lady Tilly Arnold was brief but fulfilling. Unfortunately, Cressida had to bid goodbye to Mayfair and settle for an unglamorous life in Wales.
In Bridgerton season 3’s ending, Colin and Penelope welcomed their son. Penelope was glad to see the influence she had on her sisters when Philipa stated that she hoped her daughter would one day grow up to become a writer. Penelope had taught girls to dream beyond becoming good wives. It is also revealed that Colin finally wrote his travel book with Penelope’s help. Penelope’s family supported her decision to continue with her column, and they helped her balance her personal and professional lives. Penelope Featherington finally came out of her shadows; she no longer had to hide behind a pseudonym.
