Bridgerton Season 1 Episode 8 Recap – After the Rain

Lady Wistheldown tells her readers that one can never know about a marriage behind closed doors.

Lord and Lady Featheringtons continue not to talk to each other because of their financial turmoil. Will and her wife are awake in bed worrying about their future. The king has yet another of his troublesome episodes while eating, and the queen chooses to distance herself from the man. Violet awakens and touches the pillow where her husband used to lay.

Daphne and Simon pose for a portrait. Mr. Granville tells them that they should smile and move closer to one another. Simon tells Daphne that he will leave London after the portrait is finished, and Daphne tells him that doing so will make them the subject of the town gossip. She tells him to leave after the end of the season and that he should attend the Hastings ball, as it would be his last commitment. Henry tells them they should get closer and that Simon should touch Daphne’s shoulder. Simon does as he is said, and Daphne trembles in his touch. They look at each other, and Henry tells them they are the very picture of devotion.

At the Bridgerton House, Eloise hovers over Benedict, asking questions about Genevieve. She wants him to be careful about her because she is not who he thinks she is. Benedict tells her that he did not expect her to think so lowly of Genevieve just because she does not belong to the ton. Anthony is distracted, reading about Siena in the papers. Violet tells everyone that their sister Francesca will arrive the next day.

The pen comes to Marina’s room to check on her and sees her packing her things. Marina tells her she is no longer pregnant, thanks to the tea. She says she can finally come home, especially since the season is over. She says sorry for playing with Colin and tells Pen he will notice her someday. From the window, they see a man coming to visit them. Marina’s smile fades when he sees his face.

While in the market, Dpahen tells Violet that she has decided to go separate ways from Simon. Violet begs her to forgive and move forward, but Daphne tells her it is impossible. Portia approaches them and tells them that her girls are sad that they weren’t invited to the ball. Violet tells her that it is her fault and that it is all Portia’s fault. Daphne tells her mother to forgive and move forward as she extends an invitation to Portia and her girls. Varley means to them that a certain Mr. Crane has arrived at their house. Daphne hears this and goes with Portia to her house.

They arrived home and were surprised to discover that Mr. Crane was there, not George, but his brother, Philip. Philip tells them that George has died. Marina walks out in tears, and Daphne follows her. Marina explains that George was writing her a letter telling her he loves him and that he is coming for her and their child. He says that without Daphne’s recent inquiries, she would have never known this.

Eloise comes to Genevieve’s shop even when it is closed. Thinking that she is Lady Whistledown, Eloise subtly hints for her to restore the Featheringtons’ reputation by writing something good about them and warns her that the queen is enraged and wants to silence the author. Thinking Eloise is there because of her relationship with her brother, Genevieve tells her that she has no intention of compromising anyone.

At the Hasting house, Daphne asks Simon what his father did to make him vow never to have children. He does not answer the question. Instead, he tells her that he is doing that for her own good and she will be better off without him. He leaves and heads to Will’s boxing match.

While helping Will prepare for his match, Alice tells him that if he wins this match, they can leave the city. Will tells her they can not continue living from fight to fight because he cannot fight forever. He looks at Lord Featherington standing nearby. Archibald approaches two gentlemen and makes a wager in favor of Will’s opponent using the deed of his house. Anthony and his brother arrive, and he sees Siena with another man again.

Simon approaches Will and tells him that he does not need to be there to support him anymore – he already has lots of supporters, unlike before. Simon sees him making eye contact with Lord Featherington and grows suspicious but does not say a word.

At the Featherington’s, Portia tells her daughters to wear a dress they have worn before to the Hastings ball as they are yet to settle their credit at the modiste. They are surprised to see Philip waiting in the drawing-room, wanting to speak to Marina. He proposes to Marina, saying that he must protect her and take care of her, given that his brother took liberties with her virtue. Marina does not accept his proposal, saying that she does not know the man and certainly does not love him, so she cannot marry him. After he leaves, Portia tells Marina she shouldn’t have done that because it was a decent proposal. Marina tells them that she is no longer pregnant, so she does not need to participate in any more schemes.

At the Hastings House, Daphne intends to find out what made Simon take a vow on his father’s deathbed. She rummages through the late duke’s office and finds Simon’s letters, informing him of his progress on speaking unopened. Lady Danbury sees her and tells Simon’s father was unimaginably cruel, having demanded perfection from Simon.

At the boxing match, Anthony and Siena make eye contact from afar and end up having sex in the hall beneath the bleachers. Will chooses to lose to his opponent even when he can still fight. Simon goes to his tent after the match and sees Lord Featherington leaving. Simon confronts Will for fixing his match, but Will tells him that he is simply doing what he must for his family.

Archibald presents his winnings to Portia and tells her their problems are solved. Portia tells Varley they are going to the modiste the next morning so the girl can have new dresses.

The following day, Daphne eats breakfast in the dining room, to Simon’s surprise. They have not eaten together for a while. Daphne tells him she is going to Bridgerton House because Francesca has returned. She asks him to join her because it would look suspicious if he won’t.

Simon and Daphne arrive at the Bridgerton House. Hyacinth welcomes Simon by asking him when she can visit Clyvedon. Francesca shows Daphne her piano skills. Benedict tells Eloise not to bother Genevieve in her shop again, and Anthony overhears the conversation. Benedict reveals to him that he has a friendship with the modiste. Eloise and Benedict brace themselves for a violent reaction from Anthony, but to their surprise, Anthony tells him that he’s happy for him to find contentment with Madam Delacroix. Colin offers them a song as Penelope walks in. Eloise pulls her away to tell her that she has discovered who Lady Whistledown is and how she agreed to publish something to restore the Featherington name.

Eloise tells Pen they should be like Lady Whistledown, unmarried but successful. Pen tells her that Eloise can achieve that because she now has a duchess for a sister, while her family’s status s a different story entirely.

Simon sits beside Hyacinth and Gregory. He makes a horse out of paper and plays with the two children while looking at Daphne.

Madame Delacroix visits the Featheringtons to give them their new dresses since they have paid their credit and given an advance. Marina walks by the room and feels something in her stomach, causing her to drop the plate she was holding. Portia comes to see what happened, along with Genevieve, and Marina tells them she needs a doctor. The doctor tells Marina she is still pregnant because tea does not do anything.

Anthony and Siena are in bed, having a fun time together, when Siena tells Anthony that she must go to prepare for her show and that Anthony must prepare himself for the Hastings ball. Anthony asks Siena to come to the ball with him. He tells her that he’s a viscount, his sister is a duchess, and the duke is his brother-in-law so that no one would dare say anything. He tells her he wants her beside him, and Siena gives in.

At the Hastings House, Daphne and Simon get ready to welcome their guests to the final ball of the season. They look at their portrait and discuss the order of events. They laugh as they discuss how many dances they will do during the ball. Daphne tells him that he was wonderful with Gregory and Hyacinth and that they adore him. He tells her that children have always adored him, but that doesn’t mean he wants his own children.

Guests start coming, and soon the dance floor is filled with people of the ton. Simon sees Will and Alice lavishly dressed, with Alice sporting a new, expensive necklace. Violet arrives with Eloise, who appears to be uneasy about being in a corset and a gown. Daphne tells her that if Eloise wants to stay in the library for the whole evening, away from the ball, she will not say a word. Eloise tells Daphne she is grateful for Daphne being perfect because that means she doesn’t have to be.

The Featheringtons arrive, and Portia lets Philippa approach, Mr. Finch again. Lady Cowper and another member of the ton approach Portia and tell her they heard that Lord Featherington secured himself a win.

At the club, Archibald enjoys himself and drinks until the men he wagered call him into a room and poison him.

Colin sees Penelope at the ball and tells her he’s sorry for not listening to her when she warned him against Marina. He also tells him that he’s going on a tour, just as she is about to confess her love for him.

Eloise was about to approach the queen to find out her plans for Whistledown when the queen’s butler, Brimsley, stopped her. He tells her that no one is supposed to approach the queen and reveals that they have traced Whistledown’s activities to a printing press in Lombard Street when the ton is busy with gatherings like the ball currently happening and boasts that they are bout to seize her there tonight.

Eloise panics and tells Benedict that he should ask Genevieve to stay home tonight, but he tells her not to speak of her. Eloise decides she’ll go to Lombard Street herself and bribes a coachman to bring her there.

Anthony comes with flowers to Siena’s house so he can bring her to the ball. To his surprise, a man opens the door. Siena shortly follows and tells Anthony that she is looking out for herself, which is why she will not come with him to the ball. She begs him to let her go, and after much hesitation, Anthony tells her that she’s right to look out for herself and leaves.

A carriage arrives at Lombard Street, where Eloise has been patiently waiting. She goes out of the carriage and tries to get closer to Lady Whistledown, but she hears a runner coming to seize her. She tells Lady Whistledown to go because she is about to get seized, and lady Whistledown flees.

At the Hastings ball, Lady Danbury tells Simon that pride will cost him everything and leave him with nothing and that he shall not allow what happened to his father to happen to him too.

Violet tells Daphne that she misses her husband and that while they had a beautiful marriage, they too have faced difficulties. She tells Daphne that they chose to love each other every day and that it brings her peace and comfort to know they chose to love. This brings Daphne to tears and tells her that she wishes there was something she could do, but before she can say anything else, Violet stops her and tells her that she is a Bridgerton — there is nothing she cannot do.

The time for their waltz has come. Simon and Daphne head to the dance floor and dance while the rest of the ton watch. Violet, Lady Danbury, and the queen look particularly pleased as they watch the couple dance. Simon and Daphne danced until the rain started falling. The guests leave the dance floor, and so does Simon, but Daphne stays. She lets herself get soaked, and Simon joins him. Seeing how romantic that is, Mr. Finch was about to dance in the rain with Philippa, but Lady Danbury stopped him. Lady Danbury tells the guests that the evening is complete and that they should all go.

Finally, alone together, Daphne tells Simon she knows why he made the vow and that she has read the letters he wrote to his father. She tells him that his father was wrong to make him believe that he needed to be perfect to be loved. She tells him that she loves all of him, despite all his flaws and imperfections. She tells him he can choose to love her as much as she loves him and leaves.

The Featheringtons arrive at their house and are met by an unusual silence among the staff and a pair of Bow Street Runners. Varley pulls Portia away and tells her that Lord Featherington is dead. Portia goes to the study and looks for the money Archibald showed her the previous night, and she finds nothing and cries loudly.

Simon comes to Daphne’s room and tells her he does not want to be alone, but he does not know how to be the man Daphne deserves. Daphne tells him he should stay so they can get through it together, and they kiss. They make love, and for the first time, Simon lets himself come inside Daphne of his own will.

Eloise comforts a crying Pen and tells her that she is always there for her, even in her father’s absence. Pen tells her to share something good so she can stop crying. Eloise tells her that she saved Madam Delacroix and that she can still save her family’s reputation.

Portia stands by Archibald’s room, and Marina asks her how she endured more than 20 years of marriage without love. Portia tells her that she found things to love, like her children, which eventually add up to be enough. She assures Marina that she can do it too. Marina leaves with Sir Philip Crane. Varley gives Portia a piece of paper containing the name of the man who will inherit the Featherington estate.

The Bridgertons bid Colin goodbye as he starts his tour. Simon tells Anthony that he and Daphne will stay in London for a while to enjoy themselves, and Anthony tells them that he is ready to confess his love to her new viscountess. Eloise tells Benedict to give her regards to Madam Delacroix, but Benedict tells her that she is on a trip back to France. He tells her that they have said their goodbyes at a party the previous night, a perfect one. Knowing that Benedict and Genevieve were together the last night, Eloise realizes that Lady Whistledown cannot be Madam Delacroix.

Lady Whistledown writes that she might reveal herself someday, but that is entirely up to her. Lady Whistledown writes this while riding a carriage and reveals herself as Penelope.

Daphne gives birth to a boy, and as Simon holds him in his arms, he tells Daphne that his name should start with an “A,” keeping with family traditions.

Our Thoughts

Well, like the other episodes, this season finale is packed with lots of emotions. First, we learn that Sir George Crane died and that his brother, Philip is willing to marry Marina. Maybe we can consider her lucky. Well, she certainly is fortunate if we are to compare her fate to Lord Featherington, who dies and leaves his girls behind. She is also still lucky compared to Penelope, who cannot tell Colin how she feels.

The revelation of Lady Whistledown’s identity certainly surprised us because until we saw her face, we were led to believe that she was Genevieve. This is a perfectly viable theory because she knows everything about the ton. Still, we obviously didn’t think that a member of the ton, not to mention, Penelope, would have to hide under an anonymous personality to be able to write.

Daphne and Simon’s reconciliation is also worth noting, as they went from thinking of separation to becoming new parents to the heir of the Hastings line. Well, this certainly proves to us that there is nothing a Bridgerton cannot do, just as Violet said. We can say it is all’s well that ends well.