Cressida is super dramatic in this episode, and I’m so here for it. But it’s the final moments that bring with it the big reveal – Colin finds out Penelope is Lady Whistledown!

The next episode of Bridgerton season 3 Part 2 is titled “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” which is the name of the book by author Julia Quinn that the season is based on. It’s time for episode 6, which brings with it the reveal we’ve all been waiting for. What happened in this episode? Read on below! For a review of the episode, click here. 

The aftermath of Cressida’s “reveal”

After the end of episode 5 where Cressida dramatically announced she’s Lady Whistledown, of course word spreads around the next morning. This is the biggest gossip of the ton after all! It seems most people believe it, and the ton has mixed reactions and feelings about this reveal. It’s evident that those closest to her don’t think Cressida to be clever at all, literally saying that to her face. Including her mother who calls out her bluff. Cressida’s father has been cast out of his club due to this news and is as angry as ever, deciding to send her to live with her aunt in Wales. Plus Lord Greer has rescinded his offer of marriage, which of course she’s happy about. But her parents are not. And as a result her dowry has been taken away from her dad.

Lady Cowper is still hopeful that at least with the reward money from Queen Charlotte, Cressida can have some sort of a dowry and perhaps find someone from America or the countryside to accept her hand in marriage. It’s really evident just how limited ladies’ options are in this time. Queen Charlotte asks for an audience with Cressida, and puts pressure on her to write another issue. Then, she’ll get her reward. And as a side note – apparently the queen doesn’t care about her sparkler anymore now that she knows she doesn’t have a worthy opponent. Ok.

Cressida knows she can’t do this on her own and turns to Eloise to try and see if she’d collaborate on writing the column with her. Eloise is angry at Cressida for claiming she’s Lady Whistledown, and also pretends it’s because she’s hurt at all Cressida has written about the Bridgertons. Even though obviously Eloise knows it’s truly Penelope who did this. Cressida tells Eloise she’s envious that she’s been able to do something whereas Eloise is all just talk. The two walk away from each other, and Cressida has lost a friend. So what is Cressida to do now? Read on below!

The advice Penelope receives

In response to this, of course Penelope is frustrated and is trying to come up with a perfect sheet to counteract and deny Cressida’s claims. Colin can feel something is up with her. I mean, yes for sure. She’s panicking and having a nervous breakdown every two seconds. Anyone can see there’s something wrong. Eloise goes in and has a heart-to-heart with her brother and she realizes just how happy and in love he is. And so, she tells Penelope to just let Cressida take the credit of being Lady Whistledown and not to tell Colin anything.

But Penelope states she’s worked too hard and Lady Whistledown is hers. But Eloise reminds her that she’s going to become a Bridgerton soon, and she can’t be both. So Penelope has to choose and Eloise recommends she let the column go. Penelope gets the same sort of advice from her mother in a rare heart-to-heart between them as well. She tells her daughter she’ll need to cater to Colin’s dreams and wishes. And when Penelope asks about her own dreams, Portia says ladies don’t have dreams. She chose a match for security, and her husband couldn’t even give her that. Though she’s grateful for her three girls and has always hoped they would do better. Portia may make questionable decisions and may not be mother of the year, but she does care about her daughters. And she’s happy Penelope will have that security.

Finally as Penelope is weighing her options, she gives Madame Delacroix a visit and tells her partner in crime she’ll no longer be Lady Whistledown. Genevive tries to subtly tell her that she can’t imagine giving up being a modiste, and it makes her happiest when she sees the smiles on her customers’ faces. Compared to everyone else, Madame Delacroix is the one telling Penelope to hang on to what she’s built. Ultimately though, Penelope hides her ink and quill and burns the Lady Whistledown issues, making the decision to give it all up.

What’s wrong with being confident?

Penelope and Colin are to be married in three weeks, and she says she loves him for the first time. She admits how she’s felt about him since they first met and it’s a secret she’s kept to herself. Colin apologizes for not seeing her sooner, and the two do a little cute dance at the chapel where they’ll be married. We also learn that Colin is writing a manuscript about his travels, and Penelope asks him if she could edit it for him. Though, he says it’s something he wants to do on his own to prove to himself that he can do it. Interesting.

Will takes Lady Danbury’s advice and decides to sell the club, fully integrating himself into higher society. She recommends he and Alice throw a ball, and this is where the juiciest part of the episode happens! Cressida shows up uninvited with her mother and waltzes in with the instrumental version of “Confident” by Demi Lovato playing. It’s super dramatic, and I’m so here for it. Literally the perfect song choice.

While the queen is not happy to see her at first, Cressida comes out with a small “issue” right there at the party letting people know she’s not going anywhere, and will return with a full scandal sheet. We see her mom pull up her sleeve with ink on her arm, indicating that she’s actually the one to have written the column. Queen Charlotte is impressed, for now, and tells her to have a full issue tomorrow. Then, she’ll get her reward. Is that going to happen though because Penelope may have beat her to the punch.

The reveal we’ve been waiting for!

With Cressida’s mini issue coming our right then and there, this causes Penelope and Eloise to freak out, and both admit their faults in a way. Especially Penelope. Eloise blames herself for creating a monster, while Penelope says that she’ll publish one more time just to discredit Cressida. She tells Eloise that “Whistledown is power.” She started the column because she felt powerless in her own home and didn’t have a voice. And instead of using that for fellow voiceless people, she used her pen to cause damage. “Let me use it now to do some good.” This convinces Eloise and she urges her friend that she needs to get something printed right away before Cressida does.

I mean obviously Colin has started to catch on that something is going on, and Penelope did abruptly leave dancing with him at the party. She jumps into her carriage and hurriedly writes a column, delivering it to her printer. She’s relieved at first, but then turns and finds the last person who should be there, there. Colin has followed her! We end with Colin catching Penelope red-handed after she’s given the issue to the printer and asks, “You, are Lady Whistledown?” And he does not look happy. The secret has finally been revealed!

What else is going on?

It’s revealed why Lady Danbury is angry at her brother, and it’s because she had a chance of happiness and was going to run away the night before she was to be married. But Marcus told their dad, and we see that she endures several years of an unhappy and unfulfilled marriage in the prequel series, Queen Charlotte. And that was all her brother’s fault.

Lord Kilmartin has officially proposed to Francesca, and the two want Violet to speak with the queen since she had set up Lord Samadani as a suitor for her sparkler. But Violet wants to wait until the end of the season because of the queen, at least that’s the excuse she uses, and instead give them a quiet wedding in the countryside when the season is over. Francesca gets angry and tells her mother not every love has to be dramatic and fought for like her siblings’. And she’s right.

Finally, Benedict gets an interesting proposal after meeting Lady Tilley’s friend, Paul. He catches the two kissing and they ask him to join them in bed. Benedict is shocked and walks out. I’m sorry, what’s the point of this story?

Bridgerton season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.