Duchessdom

She had a certain grandeur about her cap, and a majestical set about the skirt of her dress, and a rigour in the lines of her mouth, which indicated a habit of command, and a confidence in her own dignity, which might be supposed to be the very clearest attribute of duchessdom.

“No, no; purchase a dukedom.” “I don’t want a dukedom; I want a duchessdom.” “That’s all right. Buy the title, give it to the cook, and let her marry some spectre of her own rank; she can give him the title; and there you are!”

Believe me, if Nan had liked duchessdom, none of this would be taking place.

The buskers gathered expectantly at their table, and presently the two came in, he who had thought a kingdom well lost for love, and she who had gained a duchessdom by it.

Astride his trusty equine colleague, he went from kingdom to queendom and from dukedom to duchessdom, asking for names and phone numbers.

The children spent more time in their imaginary “kingdoms, empires, domains, dukedoms, and marquisdoms … and—oh yes! Duchessdoms,” and talked for hours about what to name their castles and realms.