Up until the third season of Bridgerton, the sixth sibling of our esteemed Regency-era family was a bit of a mystery. For a while she was shipped off to Bath to study pianoforte with her aunt. But season three kicks off with Francesca Bridgerton’s debut into society. A debut that launches the introvert with a deep desire for quiet in order to hear more of her own voice into a dramatic social season. Though, to be fair, much of the dramatics come courtesy of Francesca’s own mother, who cannot get a grip on Francesca’s sweet but low-key connection with Lord John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin. While things end up working out just fine between mother and daughter and between Fran and John, there are some seeds planted that will surely continue to play out in season four. Before then, however, let’s revisit four pivotal scenes in Francesca’s season three journey.
Francesca meets her match
Episode 3: “Forces of Nature”
Oh, Franny. She seems fine with getting married since it is probably the one way she can get out of the noise of the Bridgerton house and begin a nice, quiet life of her own, and yet, when Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury conspire to land Francesca the coveted title of diamond of the season, her marriage-mart experience shifts into a different gear — and our favorite introvert is not a fan. By the time the Innovation Ball comes around — following the Great Balloon Attack of 1815 — Queen Charlotte has, in her mind at least, matched her diamond with a marquis, Lord Samadani.
Lord Samadani is amiable enough, but he’s also eager to start a large family, and he isn’t afraid to lead his courting of Francesca with that info. The guy you recently began dating informing you that he’d like to impregnate you eight times would be distressing to most women, but especially to Francesca — having eight kids seems to go against her dream of a quiet, happy house, no? It’s very overwhelming, and it’s why Francesca decides to sneak outside for a little air by herself … and finds herself side by side with the handsome Lord Kilmartin. John Stirling is clearly interested in her, but he also immediately understands her and her desire for peace. “Perhaps we can enjoy the silence together?” he asks, content to stand beside Francesca without saying another word. When she heads back into the party and turns for one last look at John, you know she’s hooked.
The music to Fran’s heart
Episode 4: “Old Friends”
The men in Bridgerton make some very dreamy declarations of love, but how does a man who isn’t the surest with his words show that he is very much in love? In John Stirling’s case, with a lovely, thoughtful gesture. Francesca grows more interested in John as she begins to spend time with him — much to the chagrin of Violet, who does not see any kind of spark — but the two introverts can be rather awkward around each other. Take, for example, when they run into each other out in town. Francesca is so excited to see John, but things get weird fast once Francesca rants about how poorly the musician nearby is playing this piece of music and how she would fix it, and John kind of just walks off. Violet sees it as validation that she was right to question their connection, but Francesca is just hurt.
At the following ball, Francesca seems resigned to go along with the queen’s match — that is, until John Stirling arrives with both an apology for running off and a gift to explain why he had to exit their conversation. He presents her with sheet music to the piece they heard the other day, but this time it is made exactly to Francesca’s specifications. She is moved. So moved, in fact, that she wants to leave immediately so that she can play it. John sees Francesca for exactly who she is, and she no longer cares if other people, even her mother, don’t understand why she is drawn to him.
You may now kiss the bride … no, really, really kiss her
Episode 8: “Into the Light”
Francesca spends much of season three trying to prove to her mother that just because what she and John have doesn’t look like the love matches Violet is used to doesn’t mean it isn’t good and worthy and true. They have a moving heart-to-heart the morning of Fran and John’s wedding in which Violet admits that her relationship with Edmund began with a spark and she couldn’t even remember her own name, but that in seeing Francesca and John, she has learned to appreciate the slower approach. It seems like everyone can move on from this whole lack of passion and drama thing, well, until we get to the actual wedding. Francesca and John say their vows, and they finally kiss, and we get a quick shot of a rather confused-looking Francesca. Did she think it would feel different? Did she not feel anything at all? She tucks the moment away and goes on looking very happy to move to Scotland as Lady Kilmartin, but maybe this is something we should put in our back pocket.
Uh-oh, is that a spark?
Episode 8: “Into the Light”
In the season three finale, a very excited Eloise finds Francesca and asks her a huge favor: Could she accompany her to Scotland? Eloise wants to see more of the world, and she promises not to bug her sister too much. Francesca and John would love to have her join them. But Eloise isn’t the only addition to their party. John introduces the Bridgerton sisters to his beloved cousin Michaela, who will also be coming to Kilmartin Castle. One look at Michaela, and Francesca is stopped in her tracks. She stammers over her own name. She is overwhelmed with feeling. Is this the spark Violet had been talking about the entire time? Seems complicated!
I know I, for one, can’t wait to see how all this plays out in season four.
