The Duke and I (Bridgertons, #1)

by Julia Quinn

“I cannot imagine having only one child myself,”

“I didn’t know her,” he said with a shrug. “I didn’t mourn her.”

Daphne somehow knew that his words were false. And at the same time, she knew that he believed them one hundred percent.

what could have happened to this man to make him lie to himsel...

The wind had brought color to his cheeks and ruffl...

she was wondering why she had the most bizarre urge to throw her arms around the duke and never let go.

Daphne and Simon are starting, to like one another. They are drawn to each other.

“Did you know that Greenwich also has a most romantic history?”

Simon briefly wondered if there were actually a forty-year-old matron inside her ten-year-old body. “It was here that Sir Walter Raleigh laid his cloak upon the ground so that Queen Elizabeth would not have to dirty her slippers in a puddle.”

He cast a secret glance at Daphne. She was looking up at him with mirth and humor and something else that made him feel about ten feet tall.

“Puddles?” “Indeed. If I’m going to have to ruin a cloak to save your slippers, Miss Hyacinth, I’d like to know about it in advance.” “But you’re not wearing a cloak.”

“Heavens above,” Simon replied, in such a voice that Daphne burst into laughter below him. “You do not mean that I will be forced to remove my shirt?” “No!”

“You don’t have to remove anything! There aren...

“You Bridgerton ladies are very demanding, did you know that?”

Hyacinth

She is ten years old.

“If you decide to marry my sister—” she said. Daphne choked on a biscuit. “—then you have my approval.”

Hyacinth Daphne's sister, approves if Simon Basset decides to marry her sister.

“But if you don’t,” Hyacinth continued, smiling shyly, “then I’d be much obliged if you’d wait for me.”

“Ten, why?” He shook his head in bewilderment. “Because for a moment, I could have sworn she was forty.”

Daphne smiled. “Sometimes she is so like my mother it’s frightening.”

“It’s three.” Daphne shrugged as she rose to her feet. “To her that’s late. According to Mother, a lady should always be home at five o’clock.”

“You’ll make some lucky child an excellent father someday.”

the look in his eyes nearly froze her heart. “I believe I told you I have no intention of marrying,” he bit off. “Ever.”

“Therefore it is unlikely that I shall ever ...

she knew that their courtship was nothing more than a charade, she felt a vague sense of disappointment.

Daphne has feelings for Simon. She was hoping he would, change his mind about marriage and children. Simon never wants marriage or children, ever.

Simon went tumbling into the murky water of the Thames,

Anthony was sputtering in the water, right next to Simon.

They both fell in the water trying to save Gregory Bridgerton.

Anthony and Simon came stalking out of the water, dripping and glaring at each other.

“It looks as if they might come to blows.” “But why? It was all Gregory’s fault.” “Of course,” Violet said impatiently, “but they’re men, and they’re both furious and embarrassed, and they can’t very well take it out on a boy of twelve.”

“Any man, you’ll soon learn, has an insurmountable need to blame someone else when he is made to look a fool.”

fully intending to attempt to reason with the two men, but one close look at their faces told her that nothing she could possibly say could imbue them with as much intelligence and sensibility as a woman would have in such a situation,

Simon glared at Anthony. Anthony glared at Simon. Daphne yanked. “This isn’t over, Hastings,”

Daphne realized that they were simply looking for an excuse to come to blows.

He’d preferred to keep his study at Bridgerton House even after he’d moved into his bachelor’s lodgings,

She and Anthony usually had an easy, joking relationship,

“Have you found the milk,” he asked, “or must I venture out in search of a cow?”

“You know,” Anthony finally said, “cold milk might be quite refreshing.” “I was just thinking that very thing!”

“It’s about the duke.” Anthony’s mug hit the table with a loud thunk. “What about the duke?”

“I know you don’t like him . . .”

“He’s one of my closest friends.”

“I just don’t trust him around women. Around you in particular.”

The duke might have been a rake—I suppose he might still be a rake for all I know—but he would never seduce me, if only because I’m your sister.”

“he knows you’d kill him if he touched me. The man isn’t stupid.”

“I was wondering if you knew why the duke was so opposed to marriage.”

“For Christ’s sake, Daphne! I thought we agreed that this was just a charade! Why are you even thinking about marrying him?”

“I’m ...

she might be lying but unwilling to examine her feelings closel...

“You had better not be thinking about trying to get him to marry you,”

Daphne has feelings for Simon. She wants to know why he wont get married, because she wants him to marry her.

“because I’ll tell you right now he’ll never do it. Never. Do you understand me, Daphne? He won’t marry you.”

“I would have to be a half-wit not to un...

“About why he won’t get married,” she prodded. “Why are you so interested?” he asked wearily. The truth, Daphne feared, lay a little too close to Anthony’s accusations,

I think I have a right to know, since, if I don’t find an acceptable suitor soon, I may become a pariah after the duke drops me.”