Comment by CrowellA on Death Keeps Me Awake - Chapter 10

@CrowellA i agree with what you say but every word out of her mouth can be a means to politically undermine the Duke’s household, it's not as simple as arguing back to protect your honor especially when she's new to the scene and her family is not strong. she thinks that the circumstances that brought her here make her easily replaceable and so she cannot do anything that will eventually backfire on her and her family if the duke wishes to end their relationship. 

it's easy to forget that the social scene was also a battlefield and for a house that allied with the duke and supplied them with weaponry and funding, she cannot just fight back with the daughter while believing her position is precarious. I do think it's less about her being timid, and more of her being disciplined enough to not react. For all the rest of them know, they think she's seducing him at night, not that she's a respectable warrior.

honestly, like you said, I just want her to figure out her importance soon and fight back without having the duke intervene, that she realizes that the socialscene is another battlefield and you won'tsurvive without fighting back. I do hope the author doesn't draw it out and it doesn't require a dramatic damsel in distress moment.