Read the following passage.
“I could have you arrested,” the duchess told me in a whisper. “I know the right people. I have the power.” She smiled, but her smile was not kind. “Keep my secret,” she said, “or you will regret it.”
What is the meaning of the word duchess in this passage?
A. a person who leads a band
B. a diplomat
C. a high-ranking noblewoman
D. a person who studies power