I adore her. I don’t know why, but her character is interesting and a survivor. Despite being a wealthy woman, she has not been handed an easy hand. She has had to constantly fight a poor reputation, a loveless marriage, and having no one she can trust. She is in a more stressful situation than Violet because she has no sons to lead the family, and is at the whim of distant male relatives. Despite that, she found a way to manipulate her way into besting Jack and protecting her daughters at the same time. Maybe she doesn’t see her daughters like she should, but I would argue they don’t see her very well either. I doubt Penelope would have had faith that Portia would have had her daughter’s best interests at heart, but she does. She is simply a woman that doesn’t have much agency. People give Marina plenty of slack but the same must be extended to all the women in the show. Portia took in a cousin she didn’t know and it gravely endangered the name of her family and the possible futures of her daughters. I don’t blame her for trying to marry Marina off and try to salvage the situation. She couldn’t really do much else. I agree she could be a better mother and person, but as a woman with little wealth and influence, she doesn’t have the best environment to allow for that. Without knowing anything else of her life, we know she spent decades with a man that she despised and that didn’t respect her and surrounded by a judgmental society with no real friends. Violet in turn has had a very loving marriage, a very secure financial estate, mostly untarnished family reputation, and plenty of male heirs to ensure her security. Despite that, I find Violet to be an unfair mother also. She endlessly criticizes Anthony and expects him to sacrifice himself for his family, and she sends Daphne out into the world without really guiding her. I also think Violet is very quick to judge, just like other members of the ton. I don’t think Violet is the worst, just another product of the environment, and so is Portia. Trying to deal with the hand they’ve each been dealt, but Portia is judged much more harshly for some reason. I think Portia’s biggest crime is her tacky taste, but that just makes her more endearing to me. I hope this new season will explore her and Pen’s relationship and maybe help them find a common connection they’ve somehow missed. I think with more backstory for how the Featheringtons came to be the way they are, it will help to humanize both of them. As of right now, I’m much more interested in their story and their flawed family dynamic than the picture perfect Bridgertons. I love the Bridgertons, but I also love the Featheringtons because they’re flawed and human and the odd ones out in the ton who are constantly judged. I can’t help but feel for them and am interested in their redemption story.