Warning! This post contains spoilers for Bridgerton season 2.

In Bridgerton season 2, the mystery of Lady Whistledown's identity becomes a bit of a problem for the young women in the Ton. At the end of Bridgerton season 1, Nicola Coughlan's Penelope is revealed to be the writer behind the Lady Whistledown scandal sheet. Set during the Regency Era in London, Bridgerton's infamous Lady Whistledown scandal sheet is representative of real-life columns that often appeared in newspapers and published gossip about the upper classes. The popular Netflix adaptation of the Julia Quinn novel series uses Lady Whistledown's scandal sheet as the narration of what's happening in each episode.

Penelope's scandal sheet is not only a way for her to express herself in a society that is extremely restrictive for women, but it's also a way for her to earn her own money. During season 2, Penelope learns that keeping Lady Whistledown a secret is much harder than she initially thought it would be. Not only is her closest friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) obsessed with uncovering the truth about her, but she isn't the only one. Queen Charlotte, played by Golda Rosheuvel, is busy with her own search for the woman behind the pen. The investigation forces Penelope to get creative about how she moves her drafts to the print shop that publishes Lady Whistledown.

Related: Bridgerton: All THREE Actors Who Play Lady Whistledown

By the end of Bridgerton season 2, only a few people have figured out the true identity of Lady Whistledown. Penelope goes through extreme lengths to conceal her identity and for the most part, it has worked in her favor. Unfortunately, because of what she writes in the scandal sheet, having her identity revealed could be the biggest scandal in the Ton. Penelope learns this the hard way in season 2 when the Queen's investigation puts someone she loves at risk. At the end of the season, Penelope burns her quill after the Lady Whistledown persona forces her to hurt her best friend in the world. These characters are the only ones who, at the end of season 2, know Penelope's secret.

Madame Delacroix

Madame Genevieve Delacroix (Kathryn Drysdale) is the first person to know that Penelope is Lady Whistledown. She is the modiste where most of the women of the Ton go to have dresses made for the various events of the social season. After she sees Penelope going to the print shop in town, Penelope recruits Madame Delacroix to help her deliver her scandal sheets to the printers, because she has packages going in and out of her shop every day. In Bridgerton season 1, Eloise accused Madame Delacroix of being Lady Whistledown. Since both Penelope and Madame Delacroix have something to protect about their identities and have businesses to run, their partnership works well for both of them.

Eloise Bridgerton

Penelope and Eloise talking in Bridgerton Season 2.

Eloise has been determined to discover the true identity of Lady Whistledown since Bridgerton season 1. Her search for Lady Whistledown eventually leads her to find Theo Sharpe, a print shop apprentice who introduces her to the early women's liberation movements in London. Lady Whistledown reveals her involvement with political radicals after Queen Charlotte assumes that Eloise is Lady Whistledown. Eloise's discovery that Penelope is Lady Whistledown felt like a betrayal after the writer hurt the entire Bridgerton family's reputation with what she published. Even though Penelope thought it was the only way to save Eloise from Queen Charlotte, it may have destroyed their friendship.

Who Is Next To Discover Pen Is Lady Whistledown?

Colin and Penelope at a ball on Bridgerton

In the books, Colin Bridgerton is the first person to discover that Penelope is Lady Whistledown. That doesn't happen until the fourth book Romancing Mister Bridgerton. While the Netflix series has taken a different direction from the books, it would not be surprising if Colin is the next person to discover Lady Whistledown's true identity. Especially if Bridgerton season 3 is some combination of the 3rd and 4th books. Bridgerton season 2 is not likely to be the end for Lady Whistledown. Even though Penelope broke and burned her quill, without Eloise, Lady Whistledown is her only refuge from her family and the restrictive rules of the Ton. Lady Whistledown also serves as the voice of the series, and it is likely to find a way to bring her back, somehow. Especially if the series still intends to reference the books.

More: Bridgerton Season 2’s Most Important Character Is Onscreen For 4 Minutes

Bridgerton season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.