is to see her not as a bystander of history but as a puppeteer. She wielded soft power centuries before the term was invented.
To fail at this was to bring shame upon her husband’s name. To excel was to wield immense, quiet power. Servants feared and respected a capable mistress. Gardeners knew that if the roses were not perfect for the Duke’s visit, they would answer to her . eng the grandeur of the aristocrat lady