A Bee In Your Bonnet
Anthony’s dad has a hunting rifle that he doesn’t want to use. Anthony’s dad tells him that if he wants to shoot a deer, he needs to be patient and confident. Anthony is hesitant, but his dad tells him that if he can’t do it himself, someone else will have to and it’s better for him to learn from his mistakes. Anthony decides to try and shoot the deer himself, but fails. He learns from his experience and becomes more confident in the process.
Edmund is stung by a bee and has an adverse reaction, which leads to him clawing at his neck and struggling to breathe. As he looks up at Violet, the light fades from his eyes and he passes away. Anthony is right there, witnessing it all, but he’s told to head off and shield the other women from this. ..
This incident occurred up at Aubrey Hall, the ancestry home that Anthony has invited the Sharma family to come and visit. Lady Whistledown believes that this could well lead to a marriage proposal. For now though, the carriage arrives carrying Edwina and Kate.
Anthony travels to meet his family while asking for their help in winning Edwina and stopping the “gatekeeper” Kate from interfering. Kate is prickly on entrance, despite Anthony promising to improve her opinion of him by the end of the stay. ..
Anthony takes away from Violet what little time he has left with her before they part ways for good. He tells her that he needs to get to know Edwina better, and whether this is the right course of action or not. Anthony reflects on his decision not to date Edwina and decides that this is something he needs to do more carefully.
A game of croquet is taking place but Kate ends up using Anthony’s mallet. She teases him about it, likening him to a child with a blanket. Anthony is way off the mark with his shots while Kate does a great job. Edwina decides to bail when her ball ends up amongst the trees, sending Kate and Anthony out together to fetch their balls.
Anthony and Edmund share a touching conversation about their shared history and how it has shaped their relationship. They also talk about the weight of the world on Edmund’s shoulders, and how Anthony is determined to protect his family. The conversation is heartbreaking, as it shows just how much pain Edmund has been carrying for so long.
Lady Featherington decides to pass on the responsibilities of marriage to Prudence, encouraging her to get married to Jack Featherington. Pen can only watch from afar and despair.
As Prudence watches her friend having her dress fitted, she can’t help but feel a bit frustrated. It seems like every time she tries to have a conversation with Lord Featherington, he’s too busy paying attention to Cressida. She’s not sure what the future holds for them, but for now, she’ll just enjoy the moment.
Edwina and Anthony eventually get talking in the sitting room, with the pair discussing their interests. They’re actually quite different but they do get on well, with a nice sense of humour between them. When Daphne speaks to Anthony about love and how all-consuming it is, Anthony finds himself reflecting on his choice. Does he feel this way about Kate?
Anthony continues to be burdened by his desire to do right by his family and the memory of his father. He’s also haunted by the prospect of proposing to his girlfriend at the upcoming wedding. ..
Daphne and Anthony’s families gather for dinner, where Daphne remarks how similar Kate and Anthony’s backgrounds are. Benedict happens to be high on marijuana, thanks in part to Colin’s “calming” medicine given to him earlier on. All of this is overshadowed when Anthony has second thoughts and decides not to propose after all. ..
Meanwhile, Lady Whistledown gives a scathing assessment of Cressida and her dress in the morning telegram, going on to point out how capable Madame Delacroix is. Pen arrives to see the dressmaker and decides to help with her business in exchange for keeping her secret. So the pair continue to work together for the foreseeable future.
As the episode ends, Anthony meets with Kate and admits that he wants Edwina to be happy. When a bee ends up on her chest and stings her, Anthony breathes heavily and finds himself panicking.
Kate pulls her hand away from Tom’s and looks down at it. She takes a deep breath before looking back up at him. Her eyes are wide and she seems to be trying to come up with something. “I think we should stop,” she says finally.
The Episode Review
This episode is by far the best of Bridgerton this year. We see more of Anthony’s history, including his loyalty to family and how similar that is to Kate’s background.
The siblings are fiercely loyal to each other and have a charismatic wit and air of arrogance about them that actually works incredibly well in a pairing. They are both very good at problem solving and have a deep understanding of each other’s personalities.
I don’t think I should have to explain this to you. ..
The subplot involving Lady Featherington is a bit of a naff, but the story with Delacroix and Penelope working together is more interesting. The Eloise factor is also a bit of a distraction, but overall this story is very exciting.
