- This page is about the book. For the Netflix episode of the same name, see The Duke and I
The Duke and I is the first book in the Bridgerton series by author Julia Quinn. The book follows Daphne Bridgerton, the fourth child and eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, in her quest for love and marriage.
Synopsis[]
By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s sister, the lovely—and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it’s all an elaborate plan to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.
But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it’s hard to remember that their courtship is a complete sham. Maybe it’s his devilish smile, certainly it’s the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her… but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke… for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love…[1]
Plot[]
Prologue:
Simon Basset is born to the Duke and Duchess of Hastings after several years of marriage and miscarriages. The duchess dies soon after giving birth. The Duke is more eager to have his son take over the estate than actually caring about Simon.
When Simon is four, the Duke is furious that Simon still hasn’t spoken. When the Duke threatens to hit him, Simon speaks his first words, and he’s revealed to have a profound stutter. Furious that his son isn’t perfect, the Duke writes off his son, saying he’s dead to him. Nurse Hopkins vows to help Simon overcome his stutter.
By the time Simon is eleven, his speech has improved considerably. He decides to go see his father. Nurse Hopkins hesitantly takes him. At Basset House in London, the staff are shocked to see him, as they thought Simon was dead. Furious, they both demand to see the Duke. He comes down, and Simon speaks, trying to admonish him for saying he’s dead. He’s unable to, though, as the sight of his father makes him tense and causes his throat to close up. The Duke mocks Simon, and sends him away. Angry, Simon vows that he’ll hurt his father the way he hurt Simon.
Chapter 1:
April 26, 1813
Lady Whistledown says the Bridgerton family is the most prolific family of the ton. She makes fun of the siblings being named alphabetically, then comments on how they all look almost identical, which confirms their parentage, unlike other ton families.
Violet and Daphne discuss Lady Whistledown’s column. Violet believes Lady Whistledown is ruining Daphne’s chances for marriage, but Daphne argues that she’s been out for two years and Lady Whistledown has only been around for three months. Daphne thinks about how she’s not been able to get any worthwhile offers because the gentlemen of the ton find her too friendly or nice to be considered. She and Violet continue discussing Lady Whistledown’s column, and read about the Duke of Hastings returning to town after the death of his estranged father. They remember he’s a friend of Anthony’s, and Violet dismisses him as a suitor for Daphne, believing he wouldn’t suit her. Daphne says she wants to find someone she can have a family with, like Violet found with Edmund.
Simon is at White’s with Anthony, where they discuss their antics in university and their lives now. Simon says he has no intention of taking his place in society, but Anthony warns him that mothers will find him with their daughters, hoping he’ll marry them. Simon has no intention of marrying, vowing to let the Hastings line die with him to spite his father. Anthony invites him to dinner at the Bridgerton household later that week, and says he’ll be at Lady Danbury’s ball to escort Daphne. Simon says he plans to stop in to the ball for a little while to greet Lady Danbury, then leave. Anthony is doubtful that Simon will make that happen.
Chapter 2:
April 26, 1813
Lady Whistledown says the Duke of Hastings is a bit of a mystery, as she’s unable to discover the reason for the long-time estrangement between him and his father.
Daphne is at Lady Danbury’s ball, trying to avoid Nigel Berbrooke, whose marriage proposal she’s already turned down once. Anthony finds her, and they both talk about Violet and her matchmaking attempts with both of them, the eldest son and daughter. Benedict joins them followed by Colin, having just returned from his travels abroad. The four siblings are eventually found by Lady Danbury, who lets Daphne know Nigel Berbrooke asked her if she’d seen Daphne, but she didn’t help him, to Daphne’s relief. After Lady Danbury leaves, Daphne decides to duck into the retiring room to avoid Berbrooke.
Simon lurks in the hallways of Lady Danbury’s home, planning to quickly greet the hostess, then leave quickly. He thinks of his past and how he pushed himself to do better because of his father’s cruel rejection of him. When his father affectionately greeted him years later in London, acting as if they hadn’t been estranged for years, Simon left England and travelled the world, not returning until he received word that his father had died. He happens to hear Berbrooke and Daphne arguing, with Berbrooke begging Daphne to marry him, and Daphne refusing repeatedly. Simon goes to save Daphne when Berbrooke grabs her, but Daphne is able to land a punch, causing Berbrooke to fall unconscious. Simon finally sees Daphne’s face, and is rather struck with her beauty.
Chapter 3:
April 28, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports that Nigel Berbrooke was seen purchasing a diamond ring, and speculates about there being a new Mrs. Berbrooke soon.
Daphne is just as struck by Simon as he is by her. Having tried to avoid Berbrooke and failed, she was already annoyed by how the night was going. Still, seeing Simon distracts her from her predicament. Daphne asks Simon to help her move Berbrooke so he’s not left out by himself. Berbrooke wakes up for a second and murmurs Daphne’s name, and Simon realizes who Daphne is. He’s troubled that he’s lusting after Anthony’s sister. Daphne asks who he is, and Simon introduces himself. Daphne recognizes his name from Lady Whistledown’s column, and tells him how she heard about him and was told to avoid him. Simon sees this as a challenge, saying her mother would be disappointed if she found out they were in each other’s company.
Berbrooke keeps going in and out of consciousness, begging Daphne to marry him. Simon hits him again, knocking him unconscious. Simon tells Daphne to leave while he gets Berbrooke into his carriage, but Daphne says she’d rather leave him there. Simon gladly agrees to that. Daphne, though, becomes concerned about Berbrooke being comfortable, and Simon leaves, annoyed by Daphne’s waffling.
Chapter 4:
April 28, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports that Ambitious Mamas in the ton are everywhere these days, the worst of them being Lady Bridgerton and Mrs. Featherington. She wonders what will happen when Lady Bridgerton’s three other daughters enter the Marriage Mart.
After encountering the many ambitious mamas and their young daughters, Simon decides that he’d rather spend time with Daphne than this crowd. Anthony watches Simon’s distress in amusement, avoiding mothers with his brothers. Simon is introduced to Mrs. Featherington and her daughters, who are then quickly shooed away by Lady Danbury. Anthony joins them, still delighting in Simon’s distress. Benedict and Colin also join the group, meeting Simon.
Colin points out Daphne, who is being introduced to a bevy of suitors by Violet. The brothers start talking about saving her, but no one actually takes action, terrified of their mother. Benedict then suggests Simon save her. Simon inadvertently mentions he already met Daphne, but makes up a story. He mentions Violet telling Daphne to stay away from him. Anthony thinks Violet could change her mind, and pushes Simon in Daphne’s direction.
Simons meets Violet and Daphne, as Anthony introduces him. To avoid dancing with the Featherington sisters, Simon asks Daphne for a dance.
Chapter 5:
April 30, 1813
Lady Whistledown comments on Daphne and Simon dancing together, and believes Lady Bridgerton will be relieved at the thought of Daphne being off the shelf.
Daphne agrees to Simon’s offer to avoid both her mother’s matchmaking attempts and the Featheringtons. Daphne asks what Simon told her brothers, and Simon tells her the story he concocted, which her brothers believed. As they’re dancing, Simon tells her about meeting the ambitious mamas and their daughters; Daphne tells him that she’s been suffering the exact same thing for two years. Simon asks why she doesn’t marry, and Daphne tells him she hasn’t received any worthy offers.
Daphne talks about her wish to marry after Simon says he intends to never marry. Seeing how much he’s enjoying Daphne’s company, Simon concocts a plan. He tells Daphne his idea that they pretend to be a couple so he doesn’t have mothers throwing their daughters at him. Simon tells Daphne he suspects her brothers are scaring off her suitors, but Daphne corrects him, saying men only see her as a friend. Simon thinks that when he feigns interest in Daphne, she’ll be able to get more suitors and avoid her mother’s matchmaking attempts. He promises to let her break off their courtship when she finds someone she wants to marry. Thinking of her options, Daphne agrees to Simon’s plan.
Violet watches Daphne and Simon in earnest; when Anthony questions her earlier comments about Simon, Violet says she changed her mind, and hopes Daphne will become a duchess. Anthony is annoyed when Simon asks to take a stroll around the ballroom with Daphne, but Violet stalls him long enough to let Simon and Daphne go. Violet pesters Anthony about Simon, to the point that he eventually escapes by distracting Violet with Colin’s return. Anthony leaves, and Violet later sees Daphne coming back with another man, and Simon dancing with Penelope Featherington.
Chapter 6:
April 30, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports that the Duke of Hastings made clear he has no intention of marrying, and knows that Ambitious Mamas will just see that as a challenge. She notes that he made the comments before he met Daphne.
Simon calls at the Bridgerton House the next day, per Daphne’s request. He finds her entertaining a bevy of suitors. Simon is jealous at the sight. When Daphne finally notices him, Violet is quick to push all the suitors except Simon out of the room. She leaves them alone for a few minutes, and Daphne marvels at the ingenuity of Simon’s plan, not noticing his discomfort. Violet returns, and Simon gives her the flowers he brought. Violet is touched by the gesture, and asks Daphne to get a vase for them. Daphne decides she could fall in love with Simon, but doesn’t expect him to do the same. She’s stopped by Anthony, who is annoyed to see Simon calling on her. He refuses to let Simon court Daphne, but Violet overrules him, dismissing Anthony’s concern about Simon’s reputation. He asks for a private word with Simon, but Violet warns him to go elsewhere and not hurt Simon.
Simon and Anthony go to the study in Bridgerton House, where Anthony becomes furious at Simon courting Daphne. Anthony grabs Simon’s throat to one point, but Simon quickly reverses their positions before letting Anthony go. While defending himself, Simon feels his stutter coming back, something that hasn’t happened in years. Though Simon says he’d never behave inappropriately with Daphne, Anthony still doesn’t like their courtship.
Daphne joins them to make sure they don’t kill each other. Simon finally tells Daphne they should come clean to Anthony, to which she agrees. Simon explains their scheme to Anthony.
Chapter 7:
April 30, 1813
Lady Whistledown compares men to sheep, saying where one goes, the rest will follow.
After hearing of Simon and Daphne’s scheme, Anthony believes they’re both completely insane and demands they stop immediately. Anthony threatens to kill Simon if they don’t stop, but Daphne steps up to defend the plan. She tells Anthony that she had six callers today, something which has never happened before, and it’s because Simon showed interest in her.
Anthony finally agrees to the scheme, but says nobody should know about the plan, and Simon and Daphne are never to be alone together. He warns Simon that if he catches him compromising Daphne, he’ll kill him. Both Simon and Daphne agree, and Simon asks about dinner that evening. Anthony disinvites him, but Daphne refuses to let him do that. Daphne tells Simon to come for dinner, and tells Anthony to be on his best behavior.
Later that day, Violet is skittish after being made aware of Simon coming to dinner. Though Daphne tries to calm her down, Violet thinks she should be more nervous. She hopes that her younger children will behave, but Daphne thinks Simon won’t mind. Violet still thinks Simon could be a good match for Daphne. After she walks away, Daphne admits some truth to Violet’s words, and is dejected at the idea that their courtship will come to an end without marriage.
Simon is amused by the Bridgerton family dinner, watching the younger kids flick food at each other and the whole family talking animatedly at the table. He bears Anthony’s disapproving glances, but Violet purposely puts her sons at the opposite end of the table from Simon, while Daphne sits right next to him. Violet inveigles Simon to join the family when they visit Greenwich the next day. Simon agrees, but silently wonders what he’s gotten himself into.
Chapter 8:
May 3, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports on Simon joining the Bridgerton family on a trip to Greenwich.
Daphne apologizes to Simon for her mother’s scheming, but Simon assures her that he’s enjoying the trip because he wants to see Greenwich and the Royal Observatory. Daphne admits she’s not as good at math as Simon is, hence she’s not as familiar with the Meridian. She mentions her love of history, and Simon thinks about his dislike for it because of his father. They both make fun of Anthony’s clear distress at their closeness.
As they get ready to leave the boat, Simon and Daphne end up in close proximity, and Simon is gripped yet again by lust and desire for Daphne, despite his wish to not marry. Violet manages to get Anthony away from Simon and Daphne. They both watch the Bridgerton family running wild, and Simon thinks about his own childhood. Daphne notices, and is curious about his emotional shield.
After visiting the observatory, Simon has lunch with the Bridgerton family, where he speaks to young Hyacinth. He has fun with her, and she eventually states he has her approval to marry Daphne. Daphne sees the exchange, and comments that Simon will be a great father one day. Simon quickly shuts her down, saying he’s never going to be a father. Daphne notices his coldness, and wonders where it came from.
As the family prepares to board the yacht, Gregory gets onto the gangplank, but stops in the middle. In the bid to get him to move, he inadvertently causes both Simon and Anthony to fall into the water, to everyone’s amusement. Violet sends Daphne over to break up Simon and Anthony, knowing they’re going to start fighting, even though it was Gregory’s fault. Daphne realizes her mother’s right, and is able to pull Simon away before he and Anthony start fighting over whose fault it was.
That night, Daphne heads downstairs and finds Anthony working in his study. They go to the kitchen for some milk. Daphne asks Anthony why Simon is opposed to marriage. Anthony is upset, and tells her to forget about marrying Simon. Daphne is still curious, and Anthony says he doesn’t know, but that as long as he’s known Simon, he’s been opposed to marriage and won’t change his mind about that. Daphne hopes Anthony is wrong.
Chapter 9:
May 14, 1813
Lady Whistledown finds it odd that after the Greenwich outing, Simon and Daphne have only spent time together at evening functions, never going on a promenade or riding in Hyde Park together.
At Lady Trowbridge’s ball a few weeks later, Daphne is surrounded by interested suitors, but her mind’s only on Simon. She realizes she’s fallen in love with him. Him not being at the ball is making her feel miserable. Colin finds her, and remarks that he saw Simon enter a few minutes before. Daphne doesn’t believe him until Simon appears right behind her. Daphne tries to dismiss Colin, who teases his sister to Simon’s amusement, before leaving the two alone.
Daphne tells Simon she’s surprised to see him there, and Simon says he was bored. Daphne is skeptical, but tells him how she’s getting comments about him not visiting her or spending time with her outside of balls. She tells him to visit her the next day, or her mother will be furious. Daphne mentions that another duke asked her about Simon, claiming to be a friend of Simon’s father. Simon becomes tense at this, and answers Daphne’s questions in a clipped tone. Seeing his mood change, Daphne is worried.
When Simon refuses to be helpful, she walks away, annoyed, but Simon stops her. He apologizes, and says he gets angry at the topic of his father. Daphne suggests they walk on the terrace, but before they can, the Duke of Middlethorpe approaches them. He tells Simon that before his father died, he entrusted some letters to Middlethorpe to give to Simon. Simon tells Middlethorpe to burn them before walking away. Daphne tells Middlethorpe not to do that, but Middlethorpe asks her to take the letters because he thinks he might die soon. Daphne reluctantly agrees before following Simon outside.
Daphne finds Simon, and starts talking about the stars to change the topic. Simon follows her lead, and talks about seeing stars on his trip abroad. The air is electric between them as they find themselves in close proximity. Daphne finally suggests a walk in the garden. Simon refuses, but Daphne takes off on her own. She manages to get to the hedges before Simon catches up with her. The two are facing each other and come in close proximity, their attraction becoming even more pronounced.
Chapter 10:
May 14, 1813
Lady Whistledown comments that a single kiss can ruin a woman.
With desire blazing between them, Simon finally gives in to the passion and kisses Daphne, who returns the passion in earnest. The two of them are lost in the kiss until Anthony finds them. Furious, he starts beating up Simon. Daphne tries to stop them, but ends up falling into the hedges nearby and being cut by multiple thorns. Her screams cause Simon and Anthony to stop fighting. Simon carefully pulls Daphne out, while Anthony wraps his coat around her to cover up her torn dress. Anthony quickly starts beating up Simon again, while Daphne tries to stop him. Anthony demands Simon marry Daphne, but Simon refuses. Anthony quickly declares he’ll see Simon at dawn for a duel.
Daphne is shocked that Simon would rather die than marry her, but Simon apologizes, saying he can’t marry her. Daphne steps back, hurt, believing that he doesn’t want to marry her. Simon, though, insists that’s not the case. Anthony tries to pull Daphne away, but Simon stops him, wanting to ease Daphne’s hurt. He tells Daphne that marriage with him will make her miserable, and he can’t watch her go through that. Daphne finally tells Anthony to just take her home, and the two leave Simon in the gardens.
Chapter 11:
May 17, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports on Colin dancing with all three Featherington sisters, as well as Nigel Berbrooke courting someone other than Daphne. She notes Daphne left early due to a headache, but Lady Whistledown is skeptical about this claim.
Daphne is at home, trying to figure out a way to stop the duel. She waits for her family to come home, specifically Colin so that he can help her stop the duel. Colin comes home, and tells Daphne that one of his friends saw her go into the gardens with Simon. Daphne realizes she’ll be ruined, and asks Colin to help her stop the duel. She admits to Colin that she loves Simon, and she feels like he wants to marry her, but something is holding him back. Though Colin is skeptical, he agrees to help Daphne. He manages to get the location of the duel from Anthony and Benedict, and he and Daphne race to the duel.
Simon meets Anthony in a remote area, where Anthony offers him one last chance to not go through with the duel by marrying Daphne. Simon, though, still refuses, but says it has nothing to do with Daphne. Daphne arrives and interrupts, and Simon is furious at her. She begs him to hear her out, but Simon is too angry at her, as are Anthony and Benedict at Colin for bringing her. With few options, Daphne punches Simon to delay him. She explains that they were seen and by the morning, the gossip will be all over town. Unless Simon marries her, she’ll be ruined. Simon still can’t go through with it, but as Daphne pleads with him, his refusal starts melting.
Chapter 12:
May 19, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports that a duel supposedly occurred between two unnamed gentlemen. However, both men walked away, and she wonders if whoever convinced them to stop can use their sense on the rest of the ton to facilitate peace.
Simon finally agrees to marry Daphne, but he tells her he “can’t have children.” He tells her she won’t be able to have a family like she wished if she marries him. Weighing her options, Daphne tells Anthony that there will be no duel, and she and Simon will marry.
The Bridgerton household becomes a frenzy of activity as they prepare for Daphne and Simon’s wedding. Daphne becomes dizzy and is barely able to stay awake or give answers to her eager younger sisters. She’s hardly able to comprehend her decision to marry Simon and accept that they won’t be having children. Violet tells Daphne she knows Simon loves her, and encourages her to rest while Daphne tries to process all the changes in her life.
Simon is also in a state of shock about the turn of events, but his desire for Daphne is still just as strong. Anthony comes by, and lets him know that if he ever hurts Daphne, Anthony will personally kill him. Simon says he wants to do right by Daphne.
Chapter 13:
May 21, 1813
Lady Whistledown announces Daphne and Simon’s impending marriage. She comments on how there are bets whenever she predicts a new attachment about whether the couple will marry or not. Daphne and Simon were bet on to marry at White’s.
Daphne is exhausted after the week of wedding preparations. She becomes slightly emotional when Anthony mentions Simon refusing her dowry, and putting it into a trust she can use for her children. Simon visits her after a week, and gives her an engagement ring. She loves it and tells him emeralds are her favorite; Simon explains he chose it because it reminds him of Daphne’s eyes. Daphne argues her eyes are brown, but Simon says they’re lined with a hint of green. Daphne looks in the mirror, and is shocked she never noticed that. The two exchange a friendly conversation, and she hopes they will be able to enjoy each other’s company like they used to. Simon hopes so too, as he wants to make her happy.
The night before the wedding, Daphne is visited by her mother. She knows Violet is about to talk about marital relations and intimacy, and is excited. Violet, though, is feeling very awkward about the conversation. She fumbles her way through explaining how a marriage is consummated, saying that it will be a special moment between a man and a woman who care for each other. She starts to leave, but Daphne is not satisfied with the explanation. Violet again fumbles her words, finally telling Daphne that consummating a marriage can lead to having a baby. She is shocked to hear that Simon has already kissed Daphne. Daphne points out it doesn’t matter since they’re getting married. Violet agrees, and hastily beats a retreat. Daphne is left with more questions than answers, and wonders if Simon is unable to be intimate since he said he can’t have children.
Daphne and Simon are married with her family present. As the archbishop is pronouncing them man and wife, Gregory starts sneezing, causing Daphne and Simon to burst out laughing as they kiss. The congregation has a range of emotions from confused to amused. Daphne and Simon still start their marriage on a note of happiness.
Chapter 14:
May 24, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports how the events of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings were spread from Hyacinth to Felicity Featherington, then to Mrs. Featherington, who told everyone. Lady Whistledown says she wasn’t invited, and has to trust Hyacinth’s account.
To Daphne’s surprise, instead of returning to Hastings House in London, Simon takes her straight to Clyvedon Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Hastings, where they’ll spend the next few weeks. Daphne becomes nervous at the idea of spending her wedding night in her carriage, but Simon assures her that they’ll be stopping at an inn for the night. Daphne wonders if Simon can’t consummate the marriage because he said he can’t have children.
Simon is endeavoring to make good on his promise to keep Daphne happy. He is still in shock after the wedding and his abrupt change in plan to stop at the inn instead of heading straight to Clyvedon. His desire for Daphne is apparent as he fumbles through his words and finally tells Daphne he’ll take a nap, pretending to fall asleep in the carriage.
Daphne watches Simon pretend to go to sleep, and decides to let him keep up the charade. She’s still nervous about her wedding night and spending it at an inn. She wakes Simon up just as they arrive at the inn. Daphne waits in the lobby while Simon talks to the innkeeper. She later notices him getting angry, and finds out the innkeeper has only one more room available. Daphne is upset at Simon wanting separate rooms, but tells the innkeeper that it’s no problem, smoothing things over though Simon still looks annoyed.
Simon and Daphne arrive in their room. While Daphne explores the room, Simon feels his desire for her building. He tells Daphne they should go down for dinner, but Daphne says she can’t eat because she’s nervous. Simon asks why, and Daphne admits that it’s about their wedding night. Simon assures her he doesn’t plan to consummate their marriage until they get to Clyvedon. Daphne says they don’t have to wait, and Simon’s desire increases. Daphne suddenly turns away apologizing, confusing Simon. She finally explains, in a roundabout way, that she thinks Simon is impotent. Simon is shocked, and quickly corrects Daphne’s assumption. Daphne says she thought that because of what her mother said, and Simon is torn between amusement and shock. Daphne fumbles through her mother’s explanation, and Simon finally gives in to laughter, telling Daphne she has no idea what happens between a man and woman. Daphne admits that he’s right, and Simon says he can show her what happens, pulling her in close.
Chapter 15:
May 28, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports that after the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, London has become quiet and boring.
Simon starts seducing Daphne, both thrilling and terrifying her. They end up on the bed, where Daphne realizes Simon is burning with as much desire for her as she is for him. While undressing her, Simon shares how he’s had wicked thoughts about Daphne for weeks, but didn’t act because she was his best friend’s sister. He takes off his clothes, and joins her on the bed. Daphne tells Simon she wishes she wasn’t so ignorant of what happens between a husband and wife, but Simon is perfectly fine with it, and is happy to show her the many ways he can pleasure her. They consummate their wedding night, but Simon pulls out before his release to avoid impregnating Daphne.
Daphne and Simon arrive at Clyvedon, and happily sequester themselves in the bedroom for a week. After that, Daphne decides to meet the staff and take on her duties as the duchess. When she’s alone with Simon, she notices he’s distant or changes the topic whenever she talks about childhood memories or asks him about his father and childhood. Simon, meanwhile, is struggling with being back at Clyvedon, recalling how lonely he was as a child. Daphne is his comfort during his worst times, and he tries not to let her get hurt by him.
Daphne decides to have tea with Mrs. Colson, the housekeeper, to learn more about Clyvedon and Simon. Mrs. Colson tells Daphne that she was the late duchess’s companion initially, then worked her way up to housekeeper. She recalls how kind the duchess was, her struggles to have children, and wishes she had been alive after Simon was born. She mentions to Daphne how cruel the Duke was to Simon, and eventually reveals how Simon used to stammer. Daphne is shocked by this, and lets Mrs. Colson get back to work while she digests the information.
Chapter 16:
June 2, 1813
Lady Whistledown says the heat wave is affecting the residents of London and forcing them to flee, but the Duke and Duchess of Hastings have been lucky enough to avoid the heat.
Simon watches Daphne get ready for bed, as he did the previous night. He comes over and starts talking to her, and notices Daphne staring at his mouth more than once. Eventually, they move to the bed, and start getting frisky. Daphne tells Simon she loves him, which makes him slightly emotional. They make love, and Simon again avoids releasing into Daphne. Initially, Daphne watches him, sated. Then, she remembers Mrs. Colson’s words and realizes Simon is purposely making sure he doesn’t get her pregnant. Furious, she gets out of bed, but Simon stops her, asking why. Daphne confronts him about intentionally making sure she doesn’t conceive. Simon gets angry and starts to stutter as he explains his reasons to Daphne. He tells her how his father never cared about him, just the Hastings title. So, in order to spite him, he’s going to make sure the title dies with him. He leaves the room, while Daphne is in tears.
Chapter 17:
June 2, 1813
Lady Whistledown says that men are more bullheaded than a bull.
Daphne tries talking to Simon the next morning in the study. She initially asks about his travels, but Simon quickly gets to the point. Simon points out that he was willing to die in the duel because he knew how much Daphne wanted children, and he still refused to have them. He never wanted to hurt her. Daphne points out he already has. She realizes his determination to not have children out of hatred to his father is stronger than the love he feels. Hurt, she bids farewell to him and leaves the room.
Simon avoids Daphne for the rest of the day. Though he argues that he told Daphne he wouldn’t have children before they married, he still feels guilty for hurting her. After having dinner alone, Simon decides to go talk to her. When he gets to the duke’s bedroom though, he finds it empty. After not finding Daphne, Simon rings for a servant, and a maid answers his summons. Impatient and stressed, Simon curtly asks the maid where Daphne is, and the maid says she’s in the duchess’s bedchamber down the hall.
Simon dismisses the maid, then goes to Daphne’s bedroom. He knocks, but gets no response. He tries to open the door, but it’s locked. He calls out to Daphne, who responds, and tells her to let him in. Daphne refuses, and Simon threatens to break down the door. After contemplating, Daphne opens the door. Simon demands that she move back into the duke’s bedroom. Daphne refuses, saying he’s choosing to withhold something from her, so she’s withholding herself from him. Simon points out he owns the room, but Daphne says he owns nothing but his father’s title. Simon demands she explain herself. Daphne says he’s letting his father rule his life from the grave, controlling his every action. Simon says his father’s not controlling him when he seduces or makes love to Daphne. Daphne, though, argues that when he pulls out from her, he’s letting his father dictate his actions when they’re in bed together. Daphne tells him to leave. Simon points out that as his wife, he could make her let him stay. Daphne says he wouldn’t do that to her. Simon finally storms out of her room.
Chapter 18:
June 4, 1813
Lady Whistledown says the men of the ton have been drinking more than usual lately.
Simon goes out to the village, gets drunk, and beats up two sailors, taking out the rage he feels towards his father. He heads back to Clyvedon Castle, wanting Daphne back. He gets to her door, and makes a scene, yelling for her. She finally opens the door, and he stumbles into the room. Daphne immediately realizes he’s drunk, and tells Simon to go to bed. Simon, though, is too drunk to stand up. He starts bemoaning how his father always won, and by not having children, he feels like he’s winning. Daphne tells Simon he won long ago when he did better than his father ever thought he would. She finally helps him get up, and lay down in her bed. She tries to leave, but Simon won’t let her.
She falls asleep next to him. She wakes up later, and finds Simon still asleep. Despite being worn out, Daphne realizes Simon still wants her. She decides to make love to him while he’s asleep. Even with his eyes closed, he responds to her seduction. Eventually, he climaxes, and Daphne purposely stays on top of him so he releases into her. Just as this happens, Simon wakes up, and is shocked to realize what Daphne did. Angry and upset at what Daphne did, Simon starts stuttering again. Upset at his stutter coming back, he leaves the room.
Daphne later gets a note from Simon saying he’s gone to one of his estates, and to let him know if she’s successful in conceiving. Daphne is heartbroken at Simon leaving her, and hopes she was successful in conceiving. She calls for the maid and request tea as she comes to the conclusion that her love for Simon won’t fix the situation. Mrs. Colson brings her tea with biscuits, asking her to eat. Feeling lonely, Daphne decides to go back to London.
Chapter 19:
June 9, 1813
Lady Whistledown says the Duchess of Hastings was spotted in Mayfair by Philippa Featherington, but she ignored the very loud greeting of Philippa when she called out to her.
Though initially planning to go to Bridgerton House in London, Daphne changes her mind and goes to Hastings House instead to preserve her pride. Violet comes by, and asks Daphne where Simon is. Daphne admits they’re in a bad spot, and Violet tries to comfort her. Daphne assures her she’ll be okay, because it’s the only possible outcome she can imagine.
Colin comes to visit Daphne, demanding to know where Simon is and what happened. When he insults Simon, Daphne tells her brother to leave because he’s in her home and she can handle her own issues. Colin agrees, but says he’s not letting the issue go.
Daphne keeps waiting for her courses to come, but three weeks later, they’re late and Daphne’s hopeful she’s pregnant. She decides to write a letter to Simon just as Anthony comes to visit. Daphne is furious at her brother for barging in, but he tells her that he vowed to kill Simon if he ever hurt Daphne. Anthony sees the letter she wrote, and again vows to kill Simon. Daphne threatens to never speak to Anthony again if he kills Simon, saying her marriage is her business. Anthony relents, but says he’ll be conveying his disapproval. Daphne agrees to let her brother deliver the letter after extracting two promises: that Anthony won’t read the letter and he won’t hurt Simon. Anthony reluctantly agrees, and takes the letter.
Anthony immediately travels to Wiltshire, delivering the letter to Simon. He makes his disapproval known, and lets Simon know that Daphne is in London. Simon silently thinks about how much he’s missed Daphne over the last two months and wanting to see her again. Anthony warns him that Daphne showing up alone is causing gossip, and she can’t go out too often due to her own shame. Anthony says he knows Simon and Daphne love each other, so they should work things out. He leaves, and Simon thinks about how he was stuttering again in front of Daphne, and felt like a fool like he did as a child. He reads Daphne’s letter, which says she is pregnant, and immediately makes plans to head to London.
Chapter 20:
August 2, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports how Simon and Daphne’s marriage has suddenly gone sour, given the Duchess’s stay in London for two months without her husband, even though Lady Whistledown believes the couple appeared to be in love.
Simon gets to London two days later, and initially goes to Bridgerton House. The butler tells Simon quite firmly that Daphne is actually at Hastings House. Annoyed, Simon heads over, and finds out Daphne is out riding. Worried, Simon has a horse saddled, and heads out to find her. Daphne rides in a fury on her favorite horse, trying to forget the pain she’s feeling. She outruns her groom, wanting to be alone. She eventually comes to the forest to take a breath when she hears another rider approaching. Daphne has her horse take off again, looking behind to see if the rider is close. This causes her to hit a branch, and fall off her horse. Simon finds her, and gets off his horse to tend to her. Daphne is hurt¸ but not severely injured. She feels better with Simon around.
After feeling relieved at Daphne being okay, Simon yells at her for riding when she’s pregnant. Daphne argues he never wanted a child, but Simon says he doesn’t want the child to get hurt. Daphne then tells him she’s not pregnant. Simon asks if she lied to him, but Daphne swears she thought she was pregnant when she wrote to him. However, her courses came two days ago, confirming she’s not pregnant. Simon consoles her, but Daphne yells that he’s probably relieved she’s not pregnant. However, Simon says he doesn’t want her to be upset, and wants to make amends. He finally tells her how he lost control and started stuttering when they argued, and he hated himself for that. Daphne asks if he’s upset by what she did, and Simon says he didn’t like what she did, but he left because of his stutter coming back. Daphne feels relief at knowing Simon doesn’t hate her.
Daphne tells Simon that he’s not less of a man when he stammers, and he’s no longer the boy that his father used to insult. She tells him to let go of his anger because that’s the only way he can be happy. Simon says by having a child, his father wins, but Daphne argues he wins because he is choosing love. Simon says he doesn’t know how to live without the anger because it’s what has been motivating him his entire life. Daphne believes he would’ve succeeded without the hate, and with love he can do even more. Simon finally gives in, and tells Daphne he wants to be happy.
Chapter 21:
August 6, 1813
Lady Whistledown reports the Duke of Hastings’s return.
Simon and Daphne ride back to Hastings House. There, they find Anthony, Benedict and Colin waiting for them. Annoyed, Simon tells them to leave, but they refuse until Simon proves he loves Daphne, who is also annoyed by the presence of her brothers. Simon pulls Daphne aside, and confesses his love for her. He never wanted to love anyone, but he couldn’t help falling in love with her. They kiss, then remember her brothers are still there. Satisfied, they start to leave just as Violet appears. Furious with her sons, she drags them out and yells at them for interfering with Daphne’s life. Simon and Daphne watch them in amusement, then head upstairs. They head to the bedroom, where they declare their love for one another again before seducing each other and getting into bed. After undressing, they make love, and when he climaxes, Simon doesn’t pull out, but releases himself into Daphne, certain of his choice.
Daphne wakes up a few hours later, and finds Simon in the sitting room of the master suite. Daphne wonders if Simon is hesitant to become a father, and assures him that they don’t need to have children immediately. Simon, though, tells Daphne that he finally realizes that she was right about him holding on to his father, and it’s time to let him go. He worries, though, about their child being born with a stutter like Simon. Daphne asks if he’d reject the child, to which Simon firmly denies. She assures him that if their child does have a stutter, they’ll love the child and help him, because they’ll be better parents.
After sitting together for several hours, Daphne goes and gets the letters that Middlethorpe entrusted to her. She gives them to Simon, saying they might help give him closure with his father. Simon looks at the letters, and realizes his father no longer has power over him. He decides to let them stay filed away because he wants to live his own life. He starts seducing Daphne, telling her he hopes they have a child someday. They move into bed again, hopeful for their future.
Epilogue:
December 15, 1817
Lady Whistledown reports that the Duke and Duchess of Hastings now have a newborn son. They already have three daughters named Amelia, Belinda, and Caroline, and Lady Whistledown speculates they’ll name their son David.
Simon is annoyed at Lady Whistledown’s column about their son’s name, saying she must have a spy. Daphne, though, is too busy fawning over David to care about the column. She says she likes reading Whistledown after she called Simon and Daphne ‘London’s most besotted couple.’ Simon says that moniker has made him too ashamed to show his face at any club. Daphne hands David over to Simon, who promises to love and protect his son.
Somewhere nearby, Lady Whistledown starts writing her December 19, 1817 column.
Notes and Trivia[]
- The Duke and I focuses on Daphne and Simon's relationship, the subject of season one of the Netflix series Bridgerton.
- Simon mentions being friends with Lady Danbury's nephew, Riverdale. This is referring to James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, the male lead character in How to Marry a Marquis by Julia Quinn.
- Simon is mentioned to have told off Beau Brummell while out in the ton. Beau Brummell was a real-life prominent member of the Regency era who was friends with the Prince Regent George (later King George IV), and had considerable influence on the many manners and fashions adopted by the ton.
- Julia Quinn wrote a second epilogue for Daphne and Simon. It is included in The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After.
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