The resolution of the novel rejects the "ugly duckling" transformation trope. Theodora does not magically become beautiful in the conventional sense; the ton does not suddenly realize she was a swan all along. Instead, the resolution is internal. James falls in love with Theodora’s mind, her wit, and her resilience.
Their marriage had been a whirlwind of childhood friendship turned into a pragmatic alliance. James, with his golden hair and easy smile, had always been Theo’s protector. When they wed, she hoped that perhaps, in the dim light of their bedchamber, he might see the sharp intelligence of her eyes or the grace in her step. Instead, she found a man who looked at her with nothing but polite affection—and a restless spirit that eventually drove him across the ocean to the wilds of the American colonies.
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