SOLVED. Regency book about girl (who used to be a boy chess genius) raised by aunts [s]

[Maddy]

Spoilers

This regency book is about a girl who used to be raised as a boy. Her father took her around Europe where she played chess in royal courts and competitons but she was passed as a boy. One day, she was playing I a competition and her father told her to lose. She refused. So he announced she was in fact a girl. She was taken to trial for decieving everyone and because it was considered. Immoral to dress as a boy. At the trial she was stoned as her father said it was her idea and that she had forced him to do it.

She was rescued by h aunts who changed her name and took her in. She was taught how to be a girl again although she found it hard because she was used to being a boy with all the freedom of the time. She returns to England and gets on with life but her aunts are getting older and life is harder for them. She knows she needs to marry, but she pretends to be dull and nothing like who she is and never plays chess again.

She meets a man who she falls in love with. He is accused of a crime and goes to trial and she has to go to court to save him but knowing that if she goes she can only save him by damming herself, as she is terrified of crowds.

Unknown title or author - have read it before but cannot remember characters name either.

[Mai]

I searched: "novel" "play chess" "a boy" "aunts" and this blog post came up:
http://wonkomance.com/index.html%3Fp=...
THE BLOG POST HAS MANY SPOILERS!!!!!
It talks about The Duchess War by Courtney Milan.
It sounds like your book!

[Juels]

I agree. Sounds like The Duchess War.

[Maddy]

thank you that was it perfectly