"Swish"
Daphne and Simon arrive at Clyvedon, Simon's country estate. Daphne is shown around by the housekeeper, Mrs. Colson, while Simon works through the appeals of the tenants. Despite their new duties as duke and duchess, they cannot keep their hands off each other. While visiting the village fair, Daphne unintentionally offends the farmers by declaring a tie while judging some pigs. She also greets an expectant mother with toddler, and she and her husband talk about their lack of children.
Back in London, Colin announces his engagement to Marina, to the dismay of Penelope and Anthony. Violet gives her blessing, while the Featherington women anticipate the wedding. Marina tries to reconcile with Penelope to no avail. At dinner, the Featheringtons try to press for a shorter engagement. Fed up, Penelope tells Colin that Marina is in love with Sir George, but Colin says it's all right with him. Marina manipulates Colin into suggesting elopement and tells Penelope in no uncertain terms that she will not give up on Colin. However, Lady Whistledown's announcement of the pregnancy puts a stop to that plan.
In the process of making it up to the villagers, Daphne manages to befriend Mrs. Colson, who tells her of the previous Duke's abuse, and that he had trouble conceiving. Daphne asks her lady's maid about how children are really made, and realizes that Simon has been lying to her. During intercourse, Daphne forces him to come inside her and confronts him about his deception.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Consent: While still not entirely consensual, a key scene from Daphne and Simon's honeymoon is changed from the book. Instead of Daphne inseminating herself while Simon is intoxicated, she and Simon are enthusiastically going at it but she doesn't let him pull out upon orgasm.
- Bridal Carry: Upon arriving at Clyvedon Simon scoops his new wife up in his arms and carries her up to the bedroom.
- Brutal Honesty: When Marina's machinations to elope with Collin drive Penelope to finally confront Marina over it, Marina realizes Penelope has an unspoken love for him. Despite (or perhaps because of) her genuine affection and esteem for Penelope she quite directly and unflinchingly lays out how those feelings can't ever prosper, and she herself has an obligation to her child's welfare and her own and thus will go forward with her plans.
- Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Daphne initiates sex with Simon, after finding out that he's been lying to her about his ability to have children. Although Simon is clearly upset when he realizes what Daphne intends to do and asks her to wait, the show treats it as though they were equally in the wrong (him for lying, her for forcing him to ejaculate in her) and devotes more time to Daphne's reaction than to Simon's deception.
- False Reassurance: Bordering on Metaphorically True, when Marina asks Penelope what she'll do now that she knows her plans to wed Collin under false pretenses, Penelope reassures her she won't warn him or tell anyone, since it'd ruin her family. While Penelope doesn't say anything, her nom de plum of Lady Whistledown, however...
- Insatiable Newlyweds: Newlyweds Simon and Daphne cannot keep their hands off each other, rushing off to have sex as soon as they arrive. They then proceed to have sex in multiple places around the estate.
- Internal Reveal:
- Daphne learns her husband is not infertile; we've known since episode 2 that Simon has made a vow to not have children rather than being unable to have them.
- Penelope learns that Portia and Mrs. Varley have been forging letters from George, which we saw them do earlier in the show. It doesn't dissuade Marina from trying to marry Colin, though.
- The ton learns of Marina's pregnancy, which has been clear since the first episode.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Despite technically still in Simon's duchy territory, Daphne and Simon consummate their honeymoon by having sex on the lawn, library, Simon's bureau and even on a staircase.
- Romantic Rain: A run through the rain kicks off the Insatiable Newlyweds' Sex Montage.
