Sophie Bridgerton (books)

## Sophia Maria Bridgerton

*For a complete family tree, see the Bridgerton family tree*

**Sophie Bridgerton** (*née* **Beckett**) is the wife of Benedict Bridgerton.

## History

### Early Life

Sophie was the illegitimate daughter of Richard Gunningworth, Earl of Penwood, and a maid. Her mother died in childbirth. She was raised by her maternal grandmother until she was three; her grandmother was dying, and sent Sophie to the earl's household. The earl took her in as his ward, claiming she was the orphaned daughter of a friend. His staff knew who Sophie really was, though, because she looked just like his family. Sophie spent most of her time in his country estate, Penwood Park, while he was in London.

When Sophie was ten, the earl married Araminta Reiling, and brought her and her two daughters, Rosamund and Posy, back to Penwood Park. Sophie was hopeful to finally have a family, but Araminta wanted to send her away. The earl refused, and Araminta told Sophie to stay far away from her and her daughters. Sophie thus silently endured abuse and harassment from Araminta and Rosamund. When she was 14, the earl suddenly died, and stipulated in his will that if Araminta kept Sophie in her household until her 20th birthday, her yearly allowance would triple. Araminta reluctantly agreed, but forced Sophie to become a servant in the house.

### 1815

Sophie was now a lady's maid to Araminta, Rosamund and Posy, but she was made to do the work of three servants. While getting the three ladies ready for the Bridgerton masquerade ball, Sophie wishes that she could go to the ball. Mrs. Gibbons, the housekeeper who had known Sophie for years, overhears her wish. After sending off Araminta and her daughters, Mrs. Gibbons helps Sophie get ready for the ball, wearing an old gown of the late earl's mother, a borrowed mask, and Araminta's shoes, since they were the only ones that fit her. Excited, she headed off to the ball.

During the ball, she captured the attention of Benedict Bridgerton, and the two shared a magical time together dancing, talking, and even sharing a kiss. Sophie, though, had to leave at midnight to avoid getting caught, and was unable to tell Benedict who she really was. She returned home, and Araminta returned soon after. After Benedict stopped by looking for Sophie, Araminta figured out that Sophie was at the ball, and fired her. Not willing to let Araminta get the last word, Sophie took two of her shoe clips to sell and provide for herself.

### 1817

After barely surviving and searching for work, Sophie found employment as an upstairs maid at the Cavender household, where she was happy until their son, Phillip, came home and made unwanted advances. Sophie refused him, and Philip became aggressive. When his parents left and Philip hosted a party, Sophie decided to leave for her own safety. As she was leaving, she was caught by Philip and his friends, who attempted to rape her. Sophie tried to fight back, but she was rescued by Benedict, who was also attending Philip's party.

Benedict took Sophie to My Cottage, his place nearby, and said he would find her a place in his mother's household. Sophie recognized Benedict, but he didn't recognize her. She decided that she would part from him soon, and they'd go their separate ways. However, she came upon Benedict when he was unclothed and swimming in a nearby lake. Though she tried to hide, he caught her and tried to convince her to become his mistress. Sophie refused, not wanting to have an illegitimate child that would suffer like she did. Benedict still leveraged her to join him in London to find employment, and Sophie reluctantly went.

In London, Benedict helped her secure a place as a lady's maid in the house of his mother, Violet. Sophie was a lady's maid to Violet and Benedict's sisters: Eloise, Francesca and Hyacinth. She was happy in the household, and her attraction to Benedict grew, but she kept her identity a secret. After nearly getting caught by Araminta, Sophie went to Benedict's house to hide, and they ended up sleeping together. He again proposed she become his mistress, and she declined again.

While looking after the Bridgerton cousins, Sophie wore a blindfold to play blind man's bluff. Benedict came in, saw her with the blindfold, and recognized her from the masquerade. He was furious she never told him, but Sophie defended herself, refusing to have an illegitimate child. Benedict left, and Sophie decided to leave to move on from her heartbreak. Unfortunately, as she left, she was spotted by Araminta, who quickly had her arrested for stealing the shoe clips.

While in jail, Sophie was visited by Araminta, gloating in her victory. However, Benedict and Violet appeared, and demanded Sophie's release. Though Araminta insisted she stole her shoe clips, Posy showed up and claimed she had stolen them. She also revealed that the earl had given Sophie a dowry in his will, which Sophie was unaware of. It is implied that Araminta squandered Sophie's dowry, and Violet used this as leverage to get Araminta to drop the charges. Sophie convinced Violet to take Posy in, despite Araminta's protests, but when Violet threatened to have her solicitors find Sophie's dowry, possibly leaving Araminta penniless, she bitterly relented, and insulted Posy as a "disappointment." Furious at her insulting Posy, Sophie hit Araminta so hard, she fell to the floor and left, humiliated. Sophie and Benedict married the next week.

### 1817–24

Benedict and Sophie moved to My Cottage after their wedding, and settled there permanently. Posy used to visit often and, at some point, Sophie decided to find a suitor for Posy. She decided to match her up with Hugh Woodson, the new vicar in their county, and Posy and Hugh immediately fell in love. They married soon after.

### 1824

Sophie and Benedict came to London to celebrate Violet's birthday with their three sons: Charles, Alexander, and William. While there, Sophie revealed to Benedict that she was pregnant. They both agreed that if they had a daughter, they would name her Violet.

Sophie and Benedict again returned to town when his brother, Colin, married Penelope Featherington. Sophie went back to My Cottage, where Benedict arrived with his brothers, Anthony, Colin, and Gregory. They had been looking for Eloise, and also brought her to My Cottage. Sophie then attended Eloise's wedding to Phillip Crane, who lived nearby Sophie and Benedict's home. After the wedding, Eloise arrived unannounced at My Cottage one day, and found out Charles was ill. She helped keep vigil over him with Sophie and Benedict, who were worried when Charles didn't get better. Philip arrived, looking for Eloise, and used his knowledge as a botanist to cure Charles, to both Sophie and Benedict's relief.

## Personality

Abused and neglected, Sophie Beckett has always longed for family, and to be loved and accepted. Then one night, she meets Benedict Bridgerton, and her life is transformed. Despite the happiness she finds, Sophie is afraid of her heart being broken again, and keeps Benedict and her dreams at a distance.

## Relationships

### Romantic

#### Benedict Bridgerton

Benedict was Sophie's "Prince Charming." They met during a masquerade ball, and Sophie was swept off her feet and fell in love. But because of her status as a bastard and servant, she felt a future for both of them would never happen. It broke her heart, but she resigned herself to a life without Benedict. When Benedict unexpectedly came back into her life years later, Sophie was hurt that Benedict didn't recognize her, but she still held to the belief that they could never share a future and didn't tell him the truth. She was annoyed when he forced her to take a position as a maid in her mother's house because she didn't want to be near him, but she didn't know how to be away from him. Her love for him grew, and she ended up giving into her feelings and sleeping with him. But when Benedict said that she should be his mistress, Sophie quickly insulated her heart again, and refused his offer. When Benedict figured out that Sophie was the Lady in Silver and got angry about her not telling him, Sophie refused to say that she was wrong, because she didn't want to be a mistress like her mother, or have an illegitimate child that would suffer like her. When Benedict left, upset, Sophie's heart broke because she thought she had lost him, and decided to leave England to stay as far away from Benedict as possible. However, Benedict came back and helped her in her darkest time, when she was arrested, and said he loved her and wanted a future with her, and she was elated to marry him and get what she always wished for: love and family.

### Familial

#### Eloise Crane

Sophie was once a lady's maid to Eloise, but Eloise considered her a friend and treated her with kindness. She later enabled Benedict to meet with Sophie so that they could marry, and Eloise became her sister-in-law. Years later, when Sophie and Benedict were married and lived in the countryside, Eloise came and stayed with them after being found unchaperoned with Phillip Crane, who lived nearby. Sophie and Eloise bonded over Eloise trying to get to know Phillip before the wedding, as well as dealing with her overprotective brothers. Sophie knew Eloise well to know that she scared men with her strong-willed personality, and encouraged her to help Phillip get to know her so they could have a happy marriage.

#### Posy Reiling

Sophie and Posy became stepsisters when they were around ten years old, but Araminta was quick to tell Posy to stay away from Sophie. Even though Araminta and Rosamund would abuse Sophie, Posy simply stayed away and didn't interact with Sophie, not wishing to hurt her. After Sophie became a maid to them, Posy treated Sophie more kindly than Araminta or Rosamund; Sophie saw that Posy was ignored, and tried to show kindness to her when she could. Posy helped Sophie escape from the home after Araminta fired her; Sophie later realized that Posy became the target of Araminta's abuse, and felt bad for her. Posy saved Sophie from being arrested by claiming she was the one who stole Araminta's shoe clips. Sophie returned the favor by having Violet Bridgerton take in Posy so she would be saved from Araminta's wrath. The two were finally able to establish a loving, sisterly relationship that they always wished for.

#### Violet Bridgerton

Though Sophie was hired to be a maid in Violet's household, Violet took care of her like a member of family, and included her in afternoon teas with her daughters. Sophie was grateful to Violet for taking care of her, but wanted to leave to avoid being seen by Araminta or being around Benedict. Because Violet took better care of her than Araminta ever had, she was reluctant to leave. When Sophie finally packed her things, she went and said goodbye to Violet out of obligation for the kindness and care she had been given. Violet later was critical in helping Sophie avoid being sent to jail by Araminta, and enabling Sophie to marry Benedict by crafting a false backstory of Sophie's parents. Sophie married Benedict, and Violet became her mother-in-law; in honor of Violet, Sophie named her daughter after her.

## Notes and Trivia

* Sophie's favorite color is green.
* She can speak French and Latin.
* She resides in Wiltshire with her husband, Benedict, along with their four children.
* She grew up in Norfolk.
* She has dark blonde hair and green eyes just like her father's.
* She never knew her birth mother, given she passed away during childbirth.

## Appearances

 **#02** | "The Viscount Who Loved Me"
 **#03** | "An Offer from a Gentleman"