Spoilers ahead.Bridgerton season 4 saw Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek’s romance play out like a true Cinderella love story, but it also held some darker moments for other characters.Francesca’s romance with John Stirling was cut short, after he experienced a ruptured cerebral aneurysm and died in his sleep. She grieves throughout the remainder of the season and finds comfort in her companionship with John’s cousin, Michaela Stirling—but the heartbreaking storyline withheld a few key details from Francesca’s corresponding Bridgerton book, When He Was Wicked.Liam Daniel/NetflixIn the show, Francesca suspects that she is pregnant with John’s child, but after undergoing an exam, she finds out that it was a false alarm—a choice that differs greatly from the book, which instead sees her suffering a shocking miscarriage.Here’s why Francesca’s miscarriage storyline didn’t make it into Bridgerton season 4.Why was Francesca’s pregnancy loss cut from Bridgerton season 4?While speaking with Swooon, showrunner Jess Brownell explained that she and the Bridgerton writers decided to cut Francesca’s miscarriage storyline because it would have made the tone of season 4 “too morbid.”“Ultimately, I think John’s death and the funeral are already in so many ways such a departure from the tone of the show,” she said. “I think episode 7 has hints of lightness, but it is a much darker version of Bridgerton in a way that I think is really interesting, and especially in the way we get to watch the family come together.”She added, “I think it would be difficult for Fran to come back from all that.”How did Francesca’s pregnancy loss play out in the book?In When He Was Wicked, Francesca goes to wake up John and discovers that he is dead. The next day, Lord Winston tells John’s cousin, Michael, to ask if Francesca is with child in order to determine if John’s earldom will be transferred to a possible baby boy; if Francesca gives birth to a girl, Michael receives the title. Michael delays the task, but Francesca volunteers that she is pregnant later in the chapter.In the following chapter, Francesca receives a visit from John’s mother Janet. While talking to Janet about her pregnancy, Francesca notices how weak she feels, and realizes that she miscarried after noticing a patch of blood where she was sitting. As a result, Michael becomes the ninth Earl of Kilmartin.When He Was WickedWill Bridgerton explore Francesca’s fertility in season 5?Brownell told Swooon that she and the team working on Bridgerton are “still very interested in honoring the fertility storyline. It’s something we tried to honor this season, and we will continue honoring in her future season.”Related StoriesBridgerton Showrunner Talks Francesca’s IdentityHannah Dodd Reintroduces Francesca BridgertonWho, Exactly, Is Michaela Stirling?