Warning! SPOILERS about Bridgerton season 3, episode 4 and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton ahead.

The trailer for Bridgerton season 3, part 2 hinted at plenty of twists and turns potentially threatening Colin and Penelope’s union, but one scene in particular highlighted a massive difference from their book story, which could have big repercussions on their bond. Part 1 of Bridgerton season 3 already introduced various book changes, keeping the heart of Colin and Penelope’s story the same but either entirely changing some stories or completely canceling other book characters. This couldn’t be more visible in Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer, where Penelope shows how much she fought to keep the Whistledown secret hidden.

Penelope being revealed as Whistledown to the viewers at the end of Bridgerton season 1 guaranteed that her secret couldn’t stay hidden for long. Bridgerton season 2’s ending having Eloise discovering her secret already made things difficult for Penelope’s venture, but season 3 being about Penelope and Colin guaranteed the revelation of the gossip writer’s identity to the ton would have happened sooner rather than later. However, details from Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer also highlighted how different Colin’s inputs about the matter seemed compared to Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, risking to strain his and Penelope’s bond as a consequence.

Penelope Outright Lying To Colin Inevitably Makes The Whistledown Reveal More Dramatic

Penelope Never Denied The Truth In Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer indicated the focus of the remaining season 3 episodes would be just as much on the ton’s reaction to Penelope and Colin’s betrothal as on Penelope’s Lady Whistledown secret finally being revealed. However, one specific moment showed how much Bridgerton season 3 changed the story surrounding Colin discovering Penelope’s secret, as Colin can be seen asking Penelope about the ink on her hands, whether she’d been writing, to which Penelope answered yes, not telling the truth and offering letter-writing as an excuse. Penelope’s lies to Colin thus add an ulterior layer to her treachery.

While Penelope’s reveal as Whistledown to the ton took time in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, Colin discovering the truth happened straightforwardly, with him catching Penelope going to Bloomsbury unchaperoned to leave her next Whistledown issue to her publisher. Not only did the event not give Penelope the chance to deny the truth, but it also happened before their betrothal – the carriage scene and Colin’s proposal only happened after Colin learned the truth. Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer showing Penelope wanting to keep her Whistledown secret with Colin too instead makes the ordeal more dramatic, inevitably involving duplicity on Penelope’s part.

Colin Discovering Ink Marks On Hands Is How He Accuses Eloise Of Being Whistledown In The Book

Colin Is Sure Of It & Angry Because He Knows Such A Discovery Would Result In Ruin

Before Colin learned the truth about Whistledown, he had accused his own sister Eloise of being the gossip writer. Colin not only confided in Penelope about his fears over Eloise possibly being Whistledown, but he also confronted Eloise about it precisely because she always had ink stains all over her hands in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Colin couldn’t believe Eloise’s answer that she spent her days writing letters, instead thinking more believable that Eloise was Whistledown, despite Eloise always telling him the truth – she began her correspondence with Sir Philip months before her story is told in the fifth Bridgerton book.

Colin never believed Eloise until he discovered Penelope was Whistledown, despite Penelope assuring him Eloise could have never been the gossiper. However, when he confronted Eloise about it, he was enraged, sure as he was that if the ton even just spoke about Eloise possibly being Whistledown, she would be ruined, as a rumor could hurt a lady no matter if what was shared was true or not. Colin’s reaction could potentially be even more exaggerated given that his love interest Penelope is Whistledown, making the matter heartbreaking because of her betrayal, but also dangerous because Penelope could be ruined.

Eloise Knowing & Threatening Penelope To Tell Colin Ups The Stakes For The Whistledown Reveal

Whistledown Was A Colin & Penelope Issue Only In The Book

Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer also highlighted how Eloise’s role can make the Whistledown reveal heftier in the show than in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. With nobody but Penelope, Colin, and later Cressida knowing in the Bridgerton book, only three people could reveal the truth, Cressida, who blackmailed Penelope, or Colin and Penelope, the couple wanting to protect themselves from her. However, Colin not knowing the truth about Penelope’s writer alter-ego makes everything more difficult in Bridgerton season 3, especially with Eloise knowing about Whistledown and having even cut ties with her friend because of the enormity of Penelope’s secret.

Bridgerton season 3, part 2’s trailer emphasized how taken aback was Eloise by the news of Colin and Penelope’s betrothal, alternating preoccupation about the revelation hurting Colin and about her brother not knowing the truth leading to not being able to fully love Penelope, and anger because Penelope didn’t seem willing to share her secret with Colin. Eloise’s threat to tell Colin the truth herself were Penelope to find it too difficult effectively makes everything about the Whistledown reveal more complicated, potentially briefly turning Eloise into a villain in Bridgerton season 3 to protect Colin’s interests.

After all, Colin himself told Eloise in Bridgerton season 3, episode 1 how he faulted Whistledown for ruining Marina and almost ruining Eloise in season 2, expressing the wish to ruin the gossiper himself if only her identity was revealed. Knowing how strongly Colin felt about Whistledown, Eloise cannot think him anything but entitled to know Penelope’s secret, especially considering their impending marriage, upping the stakes about the Lady Whistledown reveal in Bridgerton season 3 more than they ever were in the book.