‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Episode 3 Recap: Reaching the Pinnacle

No good deed goes unpunished, huh? In Bridgerton Season 4 Episode 2, Benedict (Luke Thompson) came to the rescue of Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) when a group of society bros were trying to assault her and another maid, but in doing so, he sustained a nasty cut after his stomach was sliced by a broken wine bottle. Benedict and Sophie fled that scene and ended up at Benedict’s country cottage, which is where we find ourselves in episode 3. After getting settled in the “cottage” (which is really a sprawling castle), Benedict provides Sophie with a guest bedroom and an array out outfits to make her comfortable. If the first two episodes of the season were a Cinderella tale, this episode is more like Beauty and the Beast… there’s even a Mrs. Potts type, Mrs. Crabtree, who one can really imagine as a singing teapot.

In the middle of their first night at the cottage, Sophie is awakened by Benedict who is writhing in pain and feverish. Realizing his wound is infected, she cleans and disinfects it, but while he’s in his feverish haze, he calls to her, saying, “Kiss me. Do not leave me again.” She does not, but she watches over him for the rest of the night until they both fall asleep.

The next morning, the caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Crabtree, wake Sophie and Benedict up. They’re shocked to see an unchaperoned young woman in Benedict’s room, but after Benedict explains the entire situation, they’re put at ease and are generous and warm toward Sophie, though they refuse to leave her alone with Benedict and Mrs. Crabtree hovers over them a little too much. When Sophie offers to help clean up, Benedict forbids her to help –– she’s his guest, after all. But after so many years as a servant, she’s incapable of sitting around not helping. “Are you incapable of leisure?” he jokingly asks her, to which she responds, “I know how to… leisure. I know how to leisure perfectly.”

As they spend time together around the grounds, Benedict continues to be charmed by Sophie’s unladylike qualities, and her air of mystery. As much as he tries to get her to reveal information about herself, she refuses to divulge anything about her past or home life, though she impresses him with her knowledge of art and literature –– an odd quality for a maid to have. “I do intend to learn your secrets while we are here,” he jokes, but she is not keen to reveal them. Benedict seems to have nothing to hide though, as he takes a naked swim one morning just as Sophie is out for a walk, revealing himself to her. She’s flustered because, I mean, who wouldn’t be, and when he accuses her of spying on him and saying, “You did not notice me?” she gives herself away, telling him, “I cannot help but notice you.” The tension is palpable. They kiss. It can’t be helped. I mean, come on.

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When they return to the cottage, Mrs. Crabtree, always meddlin’, senses something between the two and talks to Benedict about his behavior toward Sophie. The thing is, it’s not that Benedict is going to sully his own name if he “defiles” a maid, rather it’s Sophie’s reputation and job prospects that are on the line if anything happens. That’s just how society works. Mrs. Crabtree knows a thing or two about knowing your station, and since Benedict is upper class, she gets him to realize that gives him the upper hand with Sophie and can ruin her if he pursues her. He realizes she’s right. Even though there’s something there that wasn’t there before (what did I say, this episode is so Beauty and the Beast), he apologizes to her for the kiss and they agree to return to London.

Back in London, Lady Penwood (Katie Leung) has found herself at the center of some big society gossip; after running Sophie out of town, she’s come to realize how useful her stepdaughter actually was around the house and in her search for new hired help, she has apparently started The Great Maid War.

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As Lady Whistledown reports, Lady Penwood has been poaching several of the maids of other houses to get them to work for her, which has thrown several houses of the ton into chaos. Now everyone from the Bridgertons to the Featheringtons are concerned that their maids will leave them in the lurch. Varly, the Featherington’s maid, even asks for a raise, having been offered a better paying job from another family. When Lady Featherington offers her a box full of out-of-season garish dresses from her closet instead of a raise, citing their poor finances, Varly reluctantly stays, but when Lady Featherington shows off all the new dresses she’s purchased to replace them, she and Varly have an argument and Varly realizes how unappreciated she is, so she quits.

It’s always fun to see the extended Bridgerton family mixing it up socially so we can see how the dynamics are between all of them, and in this episode, Francesca and Penelope’s relationship deepens when Francesca confides in Pen about her sex life. Not only has Francesca has never reached a “pinnacle” during sex, she doesn’t even know what it is. After attempting to have her mother explain it (poorly), she asks Penelope to break it down. “I beg you, no similes, no analogies, no sentimentalities, I just need answers.” Just a straight up description of the female orgasm, please. If only all health classes were this blunt, women everywhere would benefit greatly. Penelope describes a sensation that spreads across the body, “your heart begins to race, you may gasp for air or shout into the night, it would feel like the height of pleasure.” Francesca finally seems to get it.

Their conversation is interrupted by Eloise who walks in without knowing what they were discussing. When they tell her they’re just discussing tedious marriage things, they share a knowing giggle and Eloise immediately feels excluded. It’s bad enough that she has to chaperone Hyacinth, who is receiving her finishing lessons where she learns all about society etiquette and like, which spoon to use, but now her best friend and her other sister are giggling with private jokes, too. Claudia Jessie is not in this season nearly enough, but she’s giving every second of screen time her all with every wince, gag and nose crinkle.

In old people news, Violet Bridgerton is having quite the awkward time these days. Not only did she stumble over how to explain sex and female pleasure to Francesca, but when it comes time to meet with her crush, Lord Anderson, she can’t quite explain to him just how nervous and uncomfortable she is about the prospect of getting some after years of celibacy after the death of her husband. Lord Anderson is adorable and completely charmed by her awkwardness, and finally, finally, they share a kiss.

To be a little crude, the episode is just one big case of blue balls. No pinnacle for anyone! Not for Francesca, not for Violet, and certainly not for Benedict and Sophie, who realize that it would be a social disaster if they actually pursued their feelings for each other. Benedict has offered to help find Sophie a new job back in London, so as they travel back, you can’t help but wonder what their return to Mayfair will mean, or where she’ll find herself working…

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.