Please Include This Book Scene in Season 4. It Would Be Great
Dear readers, we are eagerly awaiting the fourth season of Bridgerton, as the hit Netflix series has officially announced that the fourth season will revolve around Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and his love story. This season of the series will follow the romance between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) from the previous season, as well as the love stories of Benedict’s other siblings, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor).
Just like before, the upcoming fourth season of Bridgerton will be inspired by the Benedict-centric book An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn. In it, Benedict attends a masquerade ball, where he meets Sophie Beckett, a maid in disguise, and immediately falls in love with her. After some time apart, the two reunite, only Benedict doesn’t know that Sophie is his mystery woman in silver. While it would be great to see most of the book adapted, the Netflix series always takes some liberties with what it takes from the source material. Based on the Season 3 epilogue, we already know that the masquerade ball from An Offer From a Gentleman is about to take place. However, another key scene from Quinn’s book deserves to be transferred from page to screen.
‘The lake scene in An Offer From a Gentleman balances humor and heat
The lake scene in An Offer From a Gentleman is a microcosm of what makes this Bridgerton novel stand out, combining humor, heat, and angst to bring Benedict and Sophie together in a way that seems inevitable. In the background, Sophie and Benedict reunite in the countryside after Benedict saves Sophie from being attacked by her new boss’s son, taking her to his home, My Cottage; while there, Benedict falls ill and Sophie nurses him back to health. As the two spend more time together, Benedict finds himself drawn to Sophie in a way that reminds him of the Lady in Silver. To clear his head, Benedict goes swimming in a nearby lake. Unbeknownst to her, Sophie is walking along when she stumbles upon a naked Benedict while he is enjoying a swim alone.
As much as Sophie tries to be realistic when it comes to Benedict, she cannot look away or look away, allowing herself this unholy moment to see the man of her dreams in this state. However, her peeping action is cut short when Benedict realizes he is being watched. While Sophie tries to salvage her humiliation, Benedict feels flattered more than anything else. The scene leans into the comedy as Sophie tries to defend herself, while Benedict watches with amusement as she makes excuses. As the pair walk back to My Cottage, the pair continue to bicker, with Benedict even admitting that he would have done the same if the roles had been reversed. All the teasing stops when their flirting turns into something heated, resulting in Benedict and Sophie sharing a kiss.
‘The Gentleman’s Lake Scene Adds to the Anxiety Between Benedict and Sophie
The Gentleman’s Lake Scene also highlights the anxiety in Benedict and Sophie’s situations. From the moment they first meet at the masquerade ball, they are both drawn to each other. Without even realising it, Sophie wanders over to the lake where Benedict is swimming, while Benedict recognises Sophie’s presence by the lake in the same way. There is an unconscious awareness that draws them together like moths to a flame, but Benedict and Sophie are separated by their social classes. Despite being the illegitimate daughter of an earl, Sophie is a low-class servant in the eyes of society. Benedict may indulge his tastes in some circles outside the nobility, but he knows that any attraction to Sophie can only be a secret that must be kept secret.
Despite all this, as Benedict pulls Sophie into his arms, he remarks that he has never felt this way before, but ironically he has—with Sophie disguised as the Lady in Silver. The anxiety of this kiss is made all the more intense by the fact that Sophie has kept the truth from Benedict. It’s a moment that fits perfectly with the Netflix adaptation, which mixes romance with an equal amount of drama, especially when it comes to secrets; in Season 3, Penelope keeps her identity as Lady Whistledown a secret from Colin until he tracks her down and learns the truth for himself in Episode 6.
