But the duke did not break away.

He had selected her, she pleased him, he desired to marry an Englishwoman.

He had the approval of Lady Bellairs.
The day came when Fay was suddenly and adroitly confronted with the fact that she must marry him, or lose him.
Many confirmed bachelors who openly regret that they have never come across a woman to whom they cared to tie themselves for life might be in a position to descant on the inability of wives to enter into their husbands' inmost feelings, if only they--the bachelors--had known on a past occasion how to act with sudden promptitude on the top of patience.
The duke played the waiting game, and then hit hard.

He had coolly allowed himself to be trifled with, until the moment arrived when it did not suit him to be trifled with any longer.
The marriage had not proved a marked success, nor an entire failure.

The duke was an irreproachable husband, but, like many men who marry when they are no longer young, he aged suddenly after marriage.