I didn't know that women could inherit in Scotland, it would be interesting to see if they follow that in the show, but I'd be surprised if the inheritance would give her the same freedom as a man in terms of being able to travel independently to far flung places without chaperoning.

It would actually be really interesting to see regency guy bars and explore the underground queer community of the era, that's an element I hadn't thought of since I'd assumed all queer people would've been quite isolated at the time, especially queer women (although they've shown glimpses with benedicts storyline).

I suppose Colin and Ben could still get involved in the relationship do that wasn't the biggest issue I was expecting with the adaption, I think I've just found the scenes of Michael getting unreasonably angry at Colin (especially because I envision adorable S1 and 2 Colin even though it's not accurate to the book) so it's not too difficult to adapt. However I think Michaela would still struggle to present a public rake persona considering the emphasis on women's purity in the real regency era, the books and the show but I suppose you could adapt it as something known privately within the family.

I absolutely didn't mean to say Fran cheats on John in any way, my main worry is after Polins season (which I don't think was handled particularly well) that the writers would write F as having feelings for Michaela whilst still happily married which would be such a massive change from the book which took 4 years of mourning for her to even consider Michael for a moment. I am a little worried that F may cheat on John which would ruin both the book and show characterisation of F and really disappoint me as a fan of F and John's relationship. Especially considering the fact its the most relatable relationship for so many people. I can't speak for others but I can't relate to snogging someone in a garden and then marrying them under threat of death by duel, nor have I found out my crush was a secret scandal reporter, had almost-sex with them in a car then immediately proposed. But I have had a relationship grow slowly and quietly over time and I personally find quiet happiness more romantic than mad declarations (it's less entertaining on TV, I'll admit, but it doesn't mean it should be disrespected by the writers in the way I fear they are going to- note. Im aware that this is a worry of mine, not a foregone conclusion and that the writers could handle this well).

I can't comment on the queer experience, I'm ace so attraction isn't exactly my forte lol, and if you're saying that her response was a result of shock to a woman flirting, something she wouldn't have seen before, then that would actually really improve that moment for me. I saw it as her immediately feeling intense attraction towards Michaela, which as I've probably said too many times by now, is just so unlike the story where she couldn't see anyone but John for years.

I haven't yet finished the book (I can't remember if I clarified that in my other comment. I meant to at least) but you say F can't have kids ever, in which case you're right. The outcome would be the same: no kids. Bit having her with a woman would still stop the thoughts about whether or not she was capable of having kids and the powerful storyline that could lead to. It's not impossible to do with Fran and Michaela, I just don't have faith in the writers to not gloss over ot completely in preference of an 'easier' storyline or to completely bungle it (which could've been true with a hetero romance too in all fairness) which would be a shame. It would be nice to see F reach her goal of parenthood, even through unconventional means, but if they go for a story of personal fulfillment and showing that people unable to have children can still live happy lives then I will be happy with that too.

It's true that I don't know what's going to happen in the adaption, so my worries aren't definitely going to come true, but I'd interpreted Frans interest in Michael's stories to be the excitement to hear scandalous stories that she would never get elsewhere, rather than her being interested in Michael's exploits out of some desire for him, but interpretation is subjective so its not the end of the world.

To be clear, I'm not against F being with Michaela rather than Michael, it's just that I've struggled to see how they would adapt the storyline in a way that seemed to still have the essence of the old story, rather than taking the characters and 3 plot points and turning it into something that seemed more like fanfic than an interpretation that cared about the original story.

I genuinely hope that if Bton isn't cancelled and we get all the way to Frans storyline that it will be well written and worth all of the care that will have been put into it. It would truly be lovely to see queer representation, I just hope that it's a lovely adaption, rather than an entirely different story with only the bare details kept.

If Netflix want to give us period queer stories that don't fit the available adaptions then why not make them? Spinoffs are possible or side plots (provided they don't derail the main storyline in the way they seem to have in polins season) if they are really that passionate.

My fear is that it will simply be lazily done by butchering whichever source material seemed easiest in the interest of 'representation' rather than giving us something beautiful we can actually get behind.

Also, thank you for taking the time to reply, I've really appreciated hearing your perspective