The following version of the novel was used to create this study guide: Quinn, Julia. The Duke and I: Bridgerton Book 1. Avon, April 28, 2015.

In the romance novel, The Duke and I: Bridgerton Book 1 by Julia Quinn, Daphne Bridgerton was on the social scene for the third year. She had yet to be approached by a suitor that she or her brother, Anthony Bridgerton, thought was suitable. When Daphne and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, contrived a fake romance to give themselves a break from society, they were setting themselves up for disaster. Simon, who despised his father, had made a vow never to be married. When he and Daphne were found in a compromising situation, Anthony insisted that Simon marry Daphne or face him in a duel. Daphne, who loved Simon, convinced him if he did not marry her she would be ruined. He warned her that he could not have children. Shortly into the marriage, Daphne learned that Simon could have children, but he would not do it because of the way his father treated him. Daphne must help him let go of his past to have a fulfilling future.

The ninth Duke of Hastings, Simon’s father, was overjoyed when his son was born healthy after his wife had lost five previous pregnancies. However, when Simon was still not speaking at the age of four, his father threatened to beat the speech out of him. Simon finally spoke, but he stuttered: “‘D-d-d-d-d-d-d-don’t you h-h-h-h-h-h-hit’—Simon took a deep breath — ‘me’” (7). Simon’s father called him a moron and escaped to London where he told his servants that Simon was dead.

Simon and his nurse worked for years to overcome his stutter. When Simon was eleven, he decided he had overcome his speech impediment to the point he was ready to face his father. In London, however, Simon’s father upset him to the point that Simon stuttered when he spoke to him. He told Simon that he had no place in his house. Simon vowed to become the opposite of the sort of man that his father wanted him to be.

Simon returned to London only after his father died. Although he did not want to be part of the social scene because he believed it only existed for those looking for a marriage partner, he soon realized he could not avoid it. He proposed to Daphne that they pretend to be interested in one another so that she could get a break from the pressure to find a suitor and he could enjoy society events without being hassled by mothers who want their daughters to marry him. The problem with Simon’s proposition was the Daphne and Simon were attracted to one another. Even though Simon insisted he would never get married, Daphne hoped to change his mind.

Daphne’s desire to be alone with Simon led to their undoing when she lured him into the gardens at Hampstead Heath during a ball at a country house. Simon followed her, trying to make himself believe he was going to protect her and would scold her for putting them in a bad position, but instead, he pulled her behind a hedge and kissed her. He had just pulled down the front of her dress to reveal her breasts when her brother, Anthony, caught them. He insisted that Simon marry Daphne, but Simon refused. Anthony called for a duel at dawn the following morning to protect Daphne’s honor.

Daphne found out where the duel would take place and stopped Simon and Anthony from fighting. She warned Simon that if he did not marry her she would be ruined, that other people had seen them together. Simon agreed to marry her, but warned her that he could not have children. Later in the marriage, Daphne realized that Simon was pulling out during sex and ejaculating onto the sheets. She confronted him about his claim that he could not have children. He admitted he had made a vow not to have children in order to spite his father.

As a result of the argument, Simon went out and got drunk. He was still drunk when he returned. He asked Daphne to stay with him while he slept. When Daphne noticed he had an erection, she took the opportunity to have sex with him. When he became fully conscious of what was happening, he participated in the lovemaking. At the climax, however, he was unable to pull out because Daphne was on top. Simon was so angry when he realized what had happened that he was unable to speak without stuttering. He escaped to one of his other estates.

Daphne returned to London alone. After her menstrual cycle was two weeks late, she sent a letter to Simon telling him that she was pregnant. Simon returned to London immediately and was angry when he learned Daphne was out riding. When Simon approached Daphne in the park where she was riding, he scared her and caused her to fall from her horse. He accused her of trying to kill their baby, but Daphne admitted she was not pregnant. She had not lied, but had begun menstruating a few days after she sent him the letter. She advised Simon that if he wanted to be happy, he needed to stop trying to get revenge on his father, that he was only hurting himself. Simon agreed that he wanted to have a family and be happy.

In a pair of epilogues, Quinn notes the birth of a son to Simon and Daphne. They had previously had three daughters. Seventeen years later, Daphne discovered she was pregnant with a fifth child. At this same time, Colin, Daphne’s brother, and his wife brought their three-year-old son to Simon and Daphne because he still was not talking. Simon and Daphne decided it was time to open a packet of letters that Simon’s father had written to him. They hoped there might be some advice that would help Colin and his wife.

Instead, Simon and Daphne were surprised that Simon’s father had written only mundane news about day-to-day life. Simon burned the letters, symbolically eradicating the last hold his father had on him. They advised Colin and his wife just to love their son, regardless if he spoke or not.