As she is identified as ' countess ', her death presumably occurred after her husband's accession to the earldom.
Immediately, there is a distracting sound from the sofa, and he hears, once again, as he had in his dream, the death throes of the old countess.
The 164 earls and countesses, coming down the scale, could be charged an annual licence fee of £600, which would bring in £98,400.
We shall no doubt hear in a few weeks' time that there is a new countess in another place.
There are 28 marquesses and 157 earls and countesses.
They can call the peeresses duchesses, countesses, ladies, whatever they like.
Some other countess was given the credit.
The main male character is a manipulative libertine who promises marriage to a rich countess for her fortune.
