In the seventh episode of Bridgerton Season 2, Lady Whistledown sets the tone with her acerbic commentary on the tumultuous affairs unfolding. However, her bold move to cast aspersions on the Queen by implicating her as the root cause of the high-profile debacle is akin to stirring up a hornet's nest. The Queen, enraged, doubles her efforts to unmask Whistledown and believes she has finally uncovered the culprit.
The Queen storms in to confront Eloise, accusing her of being the elusive Whistledown. She has spied Eloise at the printing shop and sees an opportunity to forge an alliance, envisioning a partnership that could revolutionize society. Eloise, however, categorically denies the accusation, insisting she is not Whistledown. This rejection fuels the Queen's ire, and she labels Eloise as her enemy.
With a menacing tone, the Queen gives Eloise three days to "come to her senses." She demands a decision from Eloise, warning that failure to comply will result in her utter destruction. Eloise, shaken, returns indoors and confides in Penelope, revealing the Queen's accusation. Her secret rendezvous with Theo has been misinterpreted, leading Penelope to take matters into her own hands.
But confronting the Queen is fraught with peril, and Delacroix believes the only way to salvage Eloise's situation is by penning a scandalous piece about her. This tactic would divert the Queen's scrutiny away from Eloise. However, Penelope is torn between betraying her friend or staying loyal.
Amidst this looming scandal, the Sharma family, accompanied by Lady Danbury, maintain a stoic demeanor, brushing aside any hostile or sarcastic comments from their fellow attendees. Similarly, the Bridgertons also venture out, determined to maintain a nonchalant facade amidst the fallout from the scandalous wedding, hoping to ride out the storm of public opinion.
Unsurprisingly, an awkward silence descended upon the afternoon as Kate and Anthony struggled to maintain a respectful distance from each other. Eventually, Kate whispered to Anthony, urging them both to forget their accidental kiss, which she deemed a horrid mishap.
That afternoon, Eloise appeared unexpectedly to seek Theo's counsel, eager to align their stories. However, Theo's current predicament with the palace weighed heavily on his mind, causing him to advise Eloise to return to the palace and avoid further entanglements.
Emboldened by her desperation, Eloise revealed herself as Whistledown and concocted a ruse, claiming to be an ally in order to buy herself more time to uncover the true identity of Lady Whistledown and "make her pay for her sins."
In a bold stroke, Pen opted to portray Eloise as a "political radical" in her latest letter, deflecting attention away from her beleaguered friend. This revelation dealt a devastating blow to the family's reputation and threatened to shatter Pen's fragile friendship. The fleeting glimpses of Penelope by the fireplace, tossing her papers into the flames and weeping, betrayed the depth of her anguish.
That fateful evening, Anthony's path once again crossed with Kate's, and he confessed the dire straits his family faced. Despite the weight of his troubles, his thoughts were solely fixated on Kate. He was overwhelmed with a love for her that was both absolute and manic. The sweet scent of lilies seemed to envelope him, and as their gazes locked, the irresistible urge to kiss her overcame them both.
The next morning, as the rain poured down relentlessly, Kate mounted her steed in a bid for escape. Anthony, however, couldn't bear to let her go and followed closely. Horror-stricken, he watched helplessly as Kate stumbled and fell from her horse, her head colliding with the unforgiving ground with a sickening thud.
