Bridgerton season 3 is finally here, and although we might have to slow down our binging of the period drama thanks to Netflix releasing the season in two parts, the first four episodes are now available to stream worldwide.
This season will follow the budding romance between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton as their friendship turns to romance... but of course, this is Bridgerton, so it's safe to assume it won't be all plain sailing!
The third episode opens with Colin paying Penelope a late-night visit to tell her that he can't think about anything other than their kiss and she says she feels the same. The pair share a passionate kiss... only for Colin to wake up in his bedroom alone - it was all a dream.
That morning at breakfast at the Bridgerton house Violet is asking once again what Queen Charlotte said about Francesca, while Colin's brothers mock him for having a lie in. He is all flustered, pretending he slept well, but despite trying to keep his composure he struggles when Penelope's name is mentioned and everyone is left bemused by his odd mood.
At the palace, Queen Charlotte is trying to find a suitable suitor for Francesca with Lady Danbury... Lord Debling is mentioned, but the queen says he is a nature bore. However, Lady Danbury's mind is elsewhere as she reveals she has had word of an unwelcome visitor. The Queen offers to banish them from the kingdom for her friend, but Lady Danbury tells her this person isn't worth the worry.
Over at the Featherington house there is more talk about Philippa and Prudence's race to be the first to have a baby... when Lady Portia is surprised to see Penelope at the breakfast table for the first time in a week. Everyone is shocked when Vardy tells them there is a visitor for Penelope, and when she goes downstairs it is Eloise.
Knowing that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, Eloise reveals her shock at how scathing the Whistledown paper was about Penelope's embarrassment. Penelope admits it would have been suspicious had she not written about the one thing everyone was gossiping about, and Eloise admits it was her fault the secret got out and she apologises.
But, while there might be some thawing between the friends, Penelope is left upset once again when she invites Eloise in, and she turns down the invitation saying she is meeting other friends.
As Penelope walks alone in the park, everyone around her is still gossiping about what happened, and when she bumps into Colin, all eyes are on the pair.
They talk in private under a willow tree (presumably a soundproof tree?!) where they share an awkward encounter as the last time they met was when they shared their forbidden late-night kiss (the real one, not Colin's steamy dream kiss!).
Colin is all of a fluster after his dream - with all of his new-found swagger gone as he tries to talk to Penelope and apologize for not getting in touch until now. She is embarrassed at asking him to kiss her, and she tells him they can't continue the lessons as she doesn't want to disgrace his family, but thanks him for his kindness.
As she goes to leave, it is clear that neither of them is saying what they really mean and we are left feeling like this is a conversation that could have gone so differently had they both been honest.
At yet another ball that evening, all the mothers of the season's debutants are talking about Lord Debling, claiming that while he might be a nature bore, he is this season's most eligible bachelor... even though (shock horror) he only eats vegetables.
As Penelope and her mother arrive at the event, Portia advises her daughter to keep a low profile so she doesn't bring any more shame on the family. There is an awkward moment when Colin and the rest of the Bridgertons arrive and he catches Penelope's eye. Eloise tells her brother that she spoke to Penelope, referring to the fact she went to apologize for outing their secret, but Colin thinks she is talking about their kiss, and struggles to mask his relief when it is clear Eloise doesn't know anything about it, leaving his sister baffled.
Elsewhere, Lady Danbury and Violet are advising Francesca on who she should marry, telling her that it is likely the Queen will introduce her to some very promising suitors in the near future.
But while every man in the room is fawning over diamond Francesca, Lord Debling finds Penelope in her hiding corner and they exchange pleasantries... however it doesn't take long for Penelope to realize that Lord Debling doesn't read Lady Whistledown and has no idea why everyone is talking about her.
She enlightens him on what was written about her, and he is refreshingly unphased by it and soon they are chatting happily and easily... and it seems even the fact Lord Debling is a vegetarian hasn't put Penelope off. However, as they are chatting, Colin notices them from afar and... hang on, is that a flash of jealousy we see in his eyes?!
As Eloise and Cressida walk the next morning, Cressida tells her new friend that she has found herself a new suitor - none other than Lord Debling. Eloise points out that she isn't exactly known for her love of animals and the great outdoors, and points out that perhaps she shouldn't tell him about her love of fur when they next meet. Could Penelope and Cressida soon become love rivals as well as friend rivals?
At an event that will see a hot air balloon take flight, Penelope sees Colin and signals for him to meet her in the cake tent so they can talk. She tells him about her connection with Lord Debling and he pretends to be happy for her. As she talks Penelope gets some cake icing on her lip and Colin can't take his eyes off her, however, she mistakes his longing for a friendly gaze and asks if she has got all the icing off, which he replies that she has. She asks him to wish her luck with Lord Debling and it is clear that he hates the idea of her being with another man.
Later that day, Cressida is talking about the book that Eloise lent her to brush up on her nature knowledge and soon they bump into Lord Debling and they chat about birds that are in danger of becoming extinct. However, as they chat he calls over Penelope, much to Cressida's horror and Eloise's awkwardness and they all have a tricky conversation where Cressida and Penelope try to out-charm one another and Eloise looks like she wants to escape in the hot air balloon just to get out of the conversation.
But before Eloise can pass out from boredom, the wind picks up at the event and the hot air balloon looks like it is about to take off with no one inside. Thankfully Colin has his wits about him and grabs a rope, calling for his friends to do the same, and they tug it back to the ground just moments before it would have hit Penelope.
But, while the other women at the event swoon over Colin and his heroics, Lord Debling has thrown himself in between the balloon and Penelope, saving her from what could have been a nasty accident. While everyone is pleased no one is hurt, Colin can't help but notice that Lord Debling and Penelope are looking very close.
And Colin isn't the only one who noticed... Cressida is fuming that Lord Debling saved Penelope and fakes an ankle injury to get his attention, smirking at Penelope as they walk past to find her a seat.
That evening at a ball, Francesca chats with a suitor that Queen Charlotte has set her up with, and everything seems to be going well, much to Violet's delight, until he tells her that he wants to have eight children and soon Francesca is making her excuses to leave - and we don't blame her!
But while Francesca's hunt for a husband might be ongoing, Cressida is prepared to play dirty in a bid to win Lord Debling's affections from Penelope and she makes a beeline for him in the ballroom.
Elsewhere Benedict might have finally found someone who he is a good match with after spending most of the season so far avoiding the woman he asked to dance under pressure in episode one. Lady Tilley Arnold, someone he met by accident at the balloon event, has caught his eye and soon they share a dance.
Meanwhile, Penelope is waiting patiently for her chance to speak to Lord Debling but he is somewhat engaged chatting with Cressida. However, when he goes to get drinks she jumps in after overhearing Colin talking to a group of swooning women about everyone having courage inside them as they ask about his balloon stunt.
Taking Colin's words to heart, Penelope seizes the moment and approaches Lord Debling, confessing that the woman battling for his attention earlier wasn't who she really is, and that she in reality isn't actually someone who loves nature very much,. Once again, Lord Debling enjoys Penelope's honestly and fresh approach and soon they start chatting happily.
Across the room, Colin has noticed the pair talking and is jealous, so asks his mother about her relationship with his father and how they went from being friends to lovers. She tells him it was thanks to his father taking the plunge and confessing his true feelings that they made the move from friends to something more, giving Colin food for thought.
Knowing it is now or never, Colin goes to find Penelope and struggles to find the words he needs to say to confess how he really feels about her. However, just as he is about to tell her everything, Lord Debling comes back and asks Penelope for a dance, leaving Colin no choice but to let an unsuspecting Penelope walk away.
Will he ever tell her how he feels?
The first four episodes of Bridgeton season 3 are available to stream worldwide on Netflix now. The second half of the season will be released on Thursday, June 13.
