The Passing Winter
Written by Annabelle Hood
This episode picks up the morning after the night before. Benedict believes that as a result of them sleeping together – and his confession – that Sophie will agree to be his Mistress, but Sophie continues to refuse, telling Benedict that is not the life she wants for herself, but she may have no choice if she is pregnant. We are shown Sophie tracking her cycle, giving more emphasis to the possibility of her being with child. Sophie’s position in Bridgerton House is complicated further when Araminta, accompanied by Rosamund and Posy, call on Violet, Eloise and Hyacinth and she is seen by Posy who covers for her. Meanwhile Araminta brings up Sophie’s name with Violet, saying that she stole shoe clips, obviously waiting for a reaction that Violet refuses to give. After the Tea Violet goes to see Sophie in her room, giving her a letter of recommendation and telling Sophie that for her own protection it would be best she finds somewhere else to work away from Mayfair now that Araminta lives next door and is wanting to prosecute her.
Image Credit: Netflix
Meanwhile the Queen is still eager for gossip on Benedict and the Lady in Silver, and after Lady Danbury informs her that Miss Hollis was in fact not the lady that Benedict sought, and he has now given up the hunt for the Lady in Silver, the Queen asks Alice if she thinks there is someone else, Alice lies and says no.
Anthony and Kate have returned from India and are currently at Aubrey Hall with their son Edmund, however, Anthony has been summoned to Bridgerton House by Violet, and he is loathed to leave Kate and Edmund. In London Anthony goes to their club with Colin and Benedict, where he gets the opportunity to talk to Benedict about Sophie. Benedict compares Sophie to Siena, but as Anthony points out it is not the same as he is in their home and around their family, and as Benedict tells Anthony it is not a dalliance, Anthony responds that they will not be able to live their life in the open. Benedict leaves with a parting shot at Anthony implying Anthony does not care for the family like Benedict does.
At tea with the Bridgerton ladies, Edmund is brought in to join them, and Benedict arrives in time to witness Violet with Edmund. Benedict expresses his conflicting emotions about Edmund to Lady Danbury, and he further expresses envy at Edmund and how he has brought the family together, knowing that any children he has with Sophie will not be able to be a unifying presence.
Image Credit: Netflix
The new Lady Penwood, who has been revealed to be Cressida, is hosting a ball, and at Alice's suggestion the Queen has convinced Cressida to hold it in her honour with no intention of turning up. At the ball as guests begin to realise the Queen is not going to attend we see Penelope signal for the footmen to distribute her Lady Whistledown column, in this column she announces her retirement from writing it, thus overshadowing Cressida's ball. During the ball Francesca and John spend some quiet time together reminiscent of their first meeting, they express their love for each other in a poignant moment.
As they return home from the ball Anthony calls for Benedict to join him in his study. Anthony confronts Benedict about planning a life with Sophie. Anthony tries again to tell Benedict what their life would be, how any children will not be accepted in society, or be able to be part of the family. Benedict insists that he has thought it all through but he cannot walk aways from her, not telling Anthony that he is in love with her and continuing with the plan for Sophie to be his mistress. The conversation is overheard by Sophie, and the reality hits her, she returns to her room throwing a drawing of My Cottage into the fire, throwing away the fantasy she had of a life with Benedict. Sophie meets with Benedict and tells him that love isn't enough and that she has accepted another position.
The episode ends with Francesca going to wake John after he went to lie down with a headache to find he had died.
Highs:
- The return of Kate and Anthony, and meeting Edmund
- Hyacinth sneaking into Cressida's ball with Eloise's help
- Again, the Li girls being criminally under utilised
- Francesca and John's moment in the garden at Cressida's ball
Lows:
- The power dynamics of the Benedict and Sophie relationship, it is feeling a bit like workplace harassment. This is solely down to a lot of choices made by Jess Brownell that have backed them into a corner with the storytelling.
- Benedict calling Edmund a small creature. The optics of this line are not great in my opinion. Would it have been so hard for Benedict to call him by name?
