Netflix's "Bridgeman" is fairly faithful to the main plot of the series of romance novels (open in new tab) that inspired the show, but one of the biggest scandals of the first season did not appear in Julia Quinn's corresponding book at all. It was the sad story of Miss Marina Thompson, played by Ruby Barker, who eventually appears in Quinn's book, but much later and only in the past tense.

Let's review: in the show, Marina is living with her cousin, the Fetheringtons, after suffering a scandalous "condition," namely an out-of-wedlock pregnancy with a soldier named George Crane. Throughout the season, Marina and her cousins scheme to cover up Marina's condition by rushing her into marriage to Colin Bridgerton and other aristocrats. Marina also tries to get an abortion by mixing homemade herbs. Neither goes according to plan, and she is forced to take a third, safer option that she came up with in the nick of time (opens in new tab).

Both the series and the book will show what the future holds for Marina. Please note: There are spoilers for the first two seasons of "Bridgerton" and for Quinn's fifth book in the series, "With Love to Sir Philip.

At the end of season one, the extremely unlucky Marina learns the tragic reason why George never wrote back to her: he was killed in action. He learns of Marina's pregnancy and asks her to marry him to protect the family honor. Because of Lady Whistledown's jealous pen (open in new tab), her illness is now known throughout the ton, and Marina has no choice but to accept it and leave with Philip.

Marina actually makes an appearance in Season 2. Colin Bridgerton returns from a trip around the world and decides to visit his former lover. Although Marina appears to be unsatisfied with her life, she nevertheless gives it up and drives away Colin and his delusion of running away with him in order to pursue a happy ending stolen by the influential hand of Lady Whistletown.

We also learn that Marina has given birth to twins, and we see Philip and Colin develop a bit of a rapport, much to her annoyance. It remains to be seen if she will appear again in another season. ......

The above is rarely the case in Quinn's series, and the Marina stories that do appear are only told in flashbacks. We first meet her in the prologue (opens in a new tab) to "With Love to Sir Philip," which chronicles Eloise Bridgerton's journey to finding love (more on that here, if you're so inclined).

The book begins with Philip mourning the death of Marina, his wife of eight years at the time, who died of a fever after a suicide attempt. He remembers that Marina was in a constant "melancholy" throughout their time together and claims that she "never laughed or joked."

She is also described as having been George Crane's fiancée before his death - not just a secret lover as portrayed in the program. Instead, she and Philip had twins, but Philip confesses that "he never loved her, never really loved her."

It's a very sad ending for a character who simply can't seem to catch a break, so here's hoping Netflix takes some creative liberties with the original story to get Marina the (on-screen) happily ever after she deserves.