The duke and I julia Quinn

participated in this act eight times, and she became very embarrassed, and—" 
"You asked her that?" Simon burst out, the words escaping his mouth like an explosion. 
"Well, yes." Her eyes narrowed. "Are you laughing?" 
"No," he gasped. 
Her lips twisted into a small scowl. "You certainly look as if you're laughing." 
Simon just shook his head in a decidedly frantic manner. 
"Well," Daphne said, clearly disgruntled. "I thought my question made perfect sense, seeing as 
she has eight children. But then she told me that—" 
He shook his head and held up a hand, and now he looked like he didn't know whether to laugh 
or cry. "Don't tell me. I beg of you." 
"Oh." Daphne didn't know what to say to that, so she just clamped her hands together in her lap 
and shut her mouth. 
Finally, she heard Simon take a long, ragged breath, and say, "I know I'm going to regret asking 
you this. In fact, I regret it already, but 
why
exactly did you assume I was"—he shuddered—
"unable to perform?" 
"Well, you said you couldn't have children." 
"Daphne, there are many, many other reasons why a couple might be unable to have children." 
Daphne had to force herself to stop grinding her teem. "I really 
hate
how stupid I feel right 
now," she muttered. 
He leaned forward and pried her hands apart. "Daphne," he said softly, massaging her fingers 
with his, "do you have any idea what happens between a man and a woman?" 
"I haven't a clue," she said frankly. "You'd think I would, with three older brothers, and I 
thought I'd finally learn the truth last night when my mother—" 

---

"Don't say anything more," he said in the oddest voice. "Not another word. I couldn't bear it" 
"But—" 
His head fell into his hands, and for a moment Daphne thought he might be crying. But then, as 
she sat there castigating herself for making her husband weep on his wedding day, she realized 
that his shoulders were shaking with laughter. 
The fiend. 
"Are you laughing at me?" she growled. 
He shook his head, not looking up. 
"Then what are you laughing about?" 
"Oh, Daphne," he gasped, "you have a lot to learn." 
"Well, I never disputed 
that,"
she grumbled. Really, if people weren't so intent on keeping 
young women completely ignorant of the realities of marriage, scenes like this could be avoided. 
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. His eyes grew positively electric. "I can 
teach you," he whispered. 
Daphne's stomach did a little flip. 
Never once taking his eyes off of hers, Simon took her hand and raised it to her lips. "I assure 
you," he murmured, flicking his tongue down the line of her middle finger, "I am perfectly able 
to satisfy you in bed." 
Daphne suddenly found it difficult to breathe. And when had the room grown so hot? "I-I'm not 
sure I know what you mean." 
He yanked her into his arms. "You will." 

---

Chapter 15 
London seems terribly quiet this week, now that society's favorite duke and that duke's favorite 
duchess have departed for the country. This Author could report that Mr. Nigel Berbrooke was seen 
asking Miss Penelope Featherington to dance, or that Miss Penelope, despite her mother's gleeful 
urging and her eventual acceptance of his offer, did not seem terribly enamored with the notion . 
But really, who wants to read about Mr. Berbrooke or Miss Penelope? Let us not fool ourselves. We 
are all still ravenously curious about the duke and duchess. 
Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, 28 May 1813 
It was like being in Lady Trowbridge's garden all over again, Daphne thought wildly, except 
that this time there would be no interruptions—no furious older brothers, no fear of discovery, 
nothing but a husband, a wife, and the promise of passion. 
Simon's lips found hers, gentle but demanding. With each touch, each flick of his tongue, she 
felt flutterings within her, tiny spasms of need that were building in pitch and frequency. 
"Have I told you," he whispered, "how enamored I am of the corner of your mouth?" 
"N-no," Daphne said tremulously, amazed that he'd ever even once examined it. 
"I adore it," he murmured, and then went to show her how. His teeth scraped along her lower lip 
until his tongue darted out and traced the curve of the corner of her mouth. 
It tickled, and Daphne felt her lips spreading into a wide, open-mouthed smile. "Stop," she 
giggled. 
"Never," he vowed. He pulled back, cradling her face in his hands. "You have the most beautiful 
smile I've ever seen." 
Daphne's initial reaction was to say, "Don't be silly," but then she thought—