Diksha Sundriyal
In the fourth season of Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton,’ Sophie Baek is forced to live a life as a servant in her own father’s house after his death, when she is told that he didn’t leave anything for her in his will. This information is presented to her following her father’s funeral by her stepmother, Araminta, who has never hidden her disdain for her. Still, she offers to keep Sophie in the house if she works as a maid, and the poor girl has no choice but to accept this fate. Eventually, she crosses paths with Benedict Bridgerton, whom she falls in love with, and all the trials and tribulations of their romance finally lead her to discover the truth about her father’s will. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Araminta’s Lie Keeps Sophie From Her Inheritance
In the final episode of ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4, Sophie tells Benedict about how she couldn’t believe his love and his promises, citing that she’s already been disappointed in a similar manner before. Her father had told her he loved her and would provide for her, even though she was his illegitimate daughter. But when the time came, he left nothing for her in his will. When she mentions that Araminta told her all this, Benedict points out that she could have lied because she hates Sophie. And that turns out to be the case when Sophie finally finds her father’s will in the Penwood House and realises how she had been duped all these years. In truth, the late Lord Penwood had kept his promise. Even though Sophie was born of his affair with his mistress, a former maid, he still loved her as much as society could allow him to.
When Sophie’s mother died, he brought his only daughter into his house as his ward. He provided for her education and raised her as any young lady of nobility would. This is why Sophie had no idea about the circumstances of her birth or why she was treated differently when Araminta arrived in the house as her father’s new wife. Sophie was happy to have a mother and two sisters, but Araminta never accepted Sophie, and the fact that Lord Penwood loved his daughter and kept her in the same house as her daughters made Araminta hate Sophie even more. Araminta’s hatred for Sophie was not hidden from Lord Penwood, but he didn’t really try to rectify the situation. However, he wasn’t ignorant enough to believe that his wife wouldn’t kick out his illegitimate daughter at the first chance she got.
So, he included a clause in his will, where Araminta would get an additional four thousand pounds a year if she didn’t kick out Sophie and raise her under the same roof as her own daughters. Araminta found a way to do that by turning Sophie into a maid, but then there was the part about the dowry. Her husband left eighteen thousand pounds each for Sophie, Rosamund, and Posy, which offended her because it meant that Lord Penwood saw his mistress’ daughter in the same light as her daughters. So, she lied to Sophie, telling her that her father left nothing for her in the will, and the fact that she was allowed to stay in Penwood House as a maid was an act of kindness on Araminta’s behalf.
Sophie Gets Her Dowry Back Through the Support of the Bridgertons
On Benedict’s insistence, Sophie finds a way to sneak into the Penwood House, now occupied by Cressida Cowper, with Eloise’s help and discovers the truth about her father’s will. She is moved to discover that her father really did love her and kept his word by leaving a sizable dowry for her. At the same time, it also makes her angry because Araminta not only kept the money from her but also made her believe that her father never loved her. At the same time, it is also pointed out that Araminta has committed a crime by not following the rule of the will and stealing Sophie’s rightful inheritance from her. If this were reported, she would surely be convicted and would have to spend the rest of her life in prison.
At the same time, the scandal would also permanently tarnish the reputation of her daughters, who would be shunned from society and would never be able to find a suitable husband. Had the truth been discovered under different circumstances, Sophie would most likely have wanted her stepmother to face the legal consequences of her actions, though she may have eventually decided against it for the sake of Posy and even Rosamund. But in her current circumstances, she herself is facing legal charges. First, Araminta has accused her of stealing her shoe clips, which Posy later confesses to stealing and giving to Sophie. Secondly, Sophie is accused of impersonating nobility, which she is guilty of because, despite her father’s love for her, she is still an illegitimate child.
Since both Araminta and Sophie risk going to prison, Violet proposes to make a deal. Araminta will give Sophie the dowry her father left for her, and to keep her from going to jail on the second charge, she will present her as a distant niece of her husband. In return for this, Sophie will not go to the authorities about Araminta’s crimes, and they can happily part ways, with no reason to see each other again. With no other choice, Araminta agrees to this arrangement, which is made official and permanent when the Queen gives her silent approval. This not only allows Sophie to become insanely rich but also makes it acceptable in the eyes of society for her to marry Benedict.
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