It may take Bridgerton fans a whole month to recover from the end of season four part one. Benedict asked Sophie, “Will you be my mistress?” Just about every viewer cringed, gasped, or flat-out yelled at the TV. This scene was unsettling enough. But I’m afraid Benedict Bridgerton’s offer to Sophie was even more dire in the book.
Season four of Bridgerton is adapted from Julia Quinn’s novel An Offer from a Gentleman. The final scene of episode four is based on chapters 11 and 12. Unlike in the Netflix show, Benedict and Sophie are by the lake at My Cottage. Sophie isn’t working at Bridgerton House yet. The whole scene is so much creepier than in the show.
In the book, Benedict comes across as much more sexist and classist. Benedict tells Sophie she’s clearly “not the sort of girl” who would kiss people, then shares his theory that she is of a higher social class than most maids. The implication is that “lowborn” girls have more libido, and less self-control. Benedict also insults her job when he says, “You haven’t gotten very far”.
Urgh, he just doesn’t get it
(Image via Netflix)
Benedict doesn’t directly ask Sophie to be his mistress. He asks her to live with him in London. He says, “Be mine forever. I’ll give you anything you want. All I want in return is you.”
Sophie isn’t silly, and knows she would essentially be Benedict’s mistress. Benedict isn’t enlightened enough about feminism to understand this, or why this matters to Sophie. She doesn’t get to explain before Benedict kisses her again.
As they roll about on the ground, Benedict essentially offers to buy her dresses in exchange for sex. He says, “I’ll dress you in silks and satins… I’ll dress you in nothing at all.” Sophie realises this “wasn’t about love, or any of those tender emotions she’d dreamed about, but lust”.
This isn’t romantic at all. It’s actually quite creepy.
I can’t look at this scene in the same way now
(Image via Netflix)
The scene gets worse and worse. Sophie refuses to be Benedict’s mistress. He doesn’t take “no” for an answer, and keeps offering her more money. Really. He says: “I could give you whatever you wanted… Clothes, jewels – Hell, forget about the clothes and jewels, I could give you a bloody roof over your head, which is more than you have now.”
Believe it or not, Benedict’s creepiest moment is yet to come. Sophie tries to return inside, so she can leave. He calls her a “fool” and insists she comes to London and works for his family. Sophie even wonders if Benedict is “trying to punish” her, or might “tie [her] up”. She only goes along with his plan because he actually blackmails her. Really. Benedict threatens that if she won’t be his mother’s maid, he will tell a magistrate she stole from him, then request the magistrate to release her into his custody.
Uh, I think I understand why the Bridgerton show changed Benedict’s offer to Sophie from the book.
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Featured image via Netflix.
