The Duke Had Never Had to Introduce Himself — She Asked His Name Because She Genuinely Did Not Know

"I Can Replace You Easily" the Duke Said — She Was Gone Before He Finished the Sentence

The Duke Had Never Been Contradicted at His Own Table — She Did It Twice and Finished Her Soup

"God Help the Poor Soul Who Calls You Wife" The Duke Said — He Was That Soul by Autumn

"She Paints Flowers, Nothing More" the Duke's Sister Sneered — The Royal Academy Disagreed

"You May Imitate a Lady, but You Cannot Become One," the Duke Said — She Was A Duchess by Spring

"She'll Beg to Come Home by Winter" the Duke Told His Valet — The Valet Was in Her Service by Spring

"I'm Doing Her a Kindness by Staying" the Duke Said — She Left Him the Kindness of His Own Company

"I've Seen Cleverer Housemaids" the Duke Told His Guest — The Housemaid Comparison Did Not Age Well

"She's Not Worth My Attention" the Duke Said — He Couldn't Look Away by December

"Let Her Try," the Duke Said, Laughing — No One Was Laughing by November

"A Pretty Face and Empty Head" the Duke Told His Companion — The Empty Head Outbid Him at Auction

"Let Her Play at Farming" the Duke Said — His Tenants Paid Their Rents to Her by Spring

The Duke Laughed When She Made Her First Offer — He Accepted Her Last One on His Knees

"Pretty Enough, Sharp as a Spoon" the Duke Told His Valet — The Spoon Cut Him Down to Size

"Leave the Greek to Oxford Men," the Duke Said — She Had His Study and His Name by Christmas

"I'd Rather Be a Spinster Than Your Duchess" She Said — What He Did 3 Years Later Changed Her Mind

"Remember Who You're Speaking To" the Duke Warned — She Bought His Title's Debt by Winter

Your Child Has My Eyes, the Duke Sneered — The Child Was His Brother's Only Heir

"A Woman's Place Is in the Nursery, Not a Boardroom" the Duke Said — She Closed the Deal Without Him

"Her Land Is Worth Nothing," the Duke Said — He Was Negotiating For It by Spring

She'll Cry at the Sight of Mud, the Duke Said — She Rode Through a Storm to Save His Harvest

"This Marriage Means Nothing to Me" the Duke Told His Butler — Then Burned the Annulment Papers

"Make Yourself Invisible Tonight", the Duke Warned — But When She Walked In the Room Went Silent

"She's Far Too Old to Be Anyone's Bride" the Duke Said — He Proposed That Same Week

"No Man Wants a Wife With Opinions" the Duke Said — He Proposed by Sunday

"Shouldn't You Be Knitting Instead of Trading?" the Duke Mocked — He Begged Her Advice by Autumn

"I'm Not the Girl You Left Behind" She Told the Duke — He Knew She Was Right

"I Was Never in Love With Her," the Duke Said — His Sister Held the Letters That Proved Otherwise

I Pity the Man Who Marries Her, the Duke Said — He Was That Man by Friday

"I Would Sooner Marry a Stranger," the Duke Said — She Was the Stranger Listening

"You Were Never My First Choice" The Duke Said — The Silence After It Ended Everything

The Duke Gave Her a List of Things a Duchess Doesn't Do — She Kept It as a Guide

"You Will Smile and Say Nothing" the Duke Said — She Said Quite a Lot. He Agreed With All of It.

"Leave the Thinking to the Men" the Duke Said — She'd Already Solved It on the Carriage Ride Over

The Earl Didn't Want a Wife. He Wanted Her Gone. She Stayed.

"She Isn't Worth Fighting For" the Duke Said — He Was at Her Door by Morning

"I Don't Negotiate With Women" the Duke Said — She Shook Hands With His Rival and Left

"She Won't Last a Week Here" the Duke Told His Butler — She Outlasted His Engagement

"I Saw You With Her" She Told the Duke — She Had Already Packed Before He Could Explain

"Women Don't Understand Land" The Duke Told His Steward — She Then Purchased the Field He Needed

The Duke Told Her She Was Beneath Him. She Laughed and Walked Away.

"She Is Plain and Dull" the Duke Said — Not Knowing She Stood Behind the Door

"I Engaged You For Business, Not Love" The Duke Said — She Left Without Signing The Papers

The Duke Said Their Marriage Was Only Convenience — She Believed Him, And That Was His Mistake

"I Only Tolerate Her for Her Father's Sake" the Duke Said — She Left That Night Without a Word

I Will Not Marry Her, the Duke Said — Then Burned the Contract at the Altar, Leaving His Bride...

"A Pretty Face Won't Help You Here" the Duke Warned — She Hadn't Planned to Use It

"This Is a Man's Job" The Duke Told Her — He Didn't Knew The Report He Was Reading Was Hers

"You Are Far Too Clever for a Husband" Her Dad Said — She Smiled. She Hadn't Been Looking for One.

"A Woman Has No Business Here" the Duke Said — She Smiled, Left, and Had His Best Farmer by Monday

"Find Someone Your Level" His Mother Said — She Did. A Duke Crossed Three Counties to Meet Her

"Know Your Place" the Duke Told Her — She Curtsied, Left, and Bought His Neighbor's Estate

HE SPENT THREE YEARS FORGETTING HER — SHE ARRIVED ON HIS DOORSTEP IN THE RAIN