Don’t rush to pass judgment.

While the third season of Bridgerton continued with the same premise as its predecessors, exploring the romance of another sibling, Colin Bridgerton, and his romantic interest, Penelope Featherington, the second part of the series brought many unexpected twists. The foreshadowing of Francesca’s upcoming story was one of them.

During the season, she seemed to find love with John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin, whom she eventually married. The couple was all set to travel to Scotland and have their happy ending until the surprise appearance of Michaela Stirling, John’s cousin. Hannah Dodd, who portrays Francesca, explains what this meant for her character.

Will Francesca and Michaela Stirling End Up Together?

Those who know the plot of Francesca’s book knew that what she had with John wasn’t the end of her story, just the beginning. And even they didn’t expect the appearance of Michaela, since in Julia Quinn’s novel she was Michael, John’s brother. The viewers of the show were even more confused.

When Francesca first saw Michaela and tried to introduce herself, she clearly had some difficulty speaking. In fact, the third Bridgerton daughter seemed completely taken and quickly forgot that her husband was standing right next to her.

The point that fans took issue with wasn’t the fact that she was attracted to another woman, but the way it was portrayed. Many thought that single moment erased her feelings for John, but Dodd disagrees. According to the actress, Francesca’s feelings are much more vague at the moment.

“Well, we don’t know yet. But Fran’s definitely feeling some big feelings that I don’t think she necessarily knows what they mean. <…> So, she’s got a time to go and explore what just happened to her, but I don’t think she knows what just happened to her in that moment,” she said to Shondaland.

Of course, it was some sort of intense feeling, but the woman from Regency London, even as whimsical as it was in Bridgerton, probably wouldn’t have been able to put her finger on it. What Francesca and John had was still real, but this little something that would now occupy her thoughts would have to manifest itself one way or another in the future.

So, if you are interested in how the newlyweds will navigate their life in Scotland and what happens next between John, Francesca, and Michaela, be sure to keep an eye out for more news and behind-the-scenes updates on season 4.