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And What Renders Him So Unmarriageable?” Eloise Asked. Francesca Leveled A Serious Stare At Her Older Sister. Eloise Was Mad If She Thought She Should Set Her Cap For Michael. “well?” Eloise Prodded. “he Could Never Remain Faithful To One Woman,” Fran-cesca Said, “and I Doubt You‟d Be Willing To Put Up With Infidelities.” “no,” Eloise Murmured, “not Unless He‟d Be Willing To Put Up With Severe Bodily Injury.

-Julia Quinn

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And What Renders Him

Julia Quinn

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And What Renders Him So Unmarriageable?” Eloise Asked. Francesca Leveled A Serious Stare At Her Older Sister. Eloise Was Mad If She Thought She Should Set Her Cap For Michael. “well?” Eloise Prodded. “he Could Never Remain Faithful To One Woman,” Fran-cesca Said, “and I Doubt You‟d Be Willing To Put Up With Infidelities.” “no,” Eloise Murmured, “not Unless He‟d Be Willing To Put Up With Severe Bodily Injury.

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No. Haven’t You Been Listening?” Marcus Would Always Remember That Moment. It Was To Be The First Time He Would Ever Be Faced With That Most Vexing Of Female Quirks: The Question That Had Nothing But Wrong Answers.

My Love Has Eyes Blue As The Sky. Her Warm, Bright Smile Makes Me Want To Try To Give Her The World, And When She's Curled Up In My Arms Where I Can Feel Her Touch, I Realize Again That I Love Her So Much. My World Has Turned From Black To White. Kissing In Starlight, Basking In Sunlight, Dancing At Midnight.' ~john's Poem For Belle

There Were A Lot Of Things In Life To Be Afraid Of, But Strangeness Ought Not Be Among Them.

In His Heart, She’d Been Smiling For Him. But Now She Was Smiling At Colin Bridgerton, He Of The Famous Charm And Sparkling Green Eyes.

Raw Toast," Lucas Said Grimly, Shaking His Head. "it Goes Against The Very Nature Of Man.

No Man Of Any Intelligence Would Pretend To Know A Female Mind.

The Unexpected Moment [is] Always Sweeter.

Unexpected Moments

But When Anthony Kissed Her, She Felt As If She Were Losing Her Mind. And When He Kissed Her Twice, She Wasn't Even Sure If She Wanted It Back!

His Brows Rose. “and How Is It That You Have Come To Be Such An Expert On Scrapes And Bruises?” “i’m A Governess,” She Said. Because Really, That Ought To Be Explanation Enough.

He Said He Loved Me,” She Whispered. Daniel Swallowed, And He Had The Strangest Sensation, Almost A Premonition Of What It Must Like To Be A Parent. Someday, God Willing, He’d Have A Daughter, And That Daughter Would Look Like The Woman Standing In Front Of Him, And If Ever She Looked At Him With That Bewildered Expression, Whispering, “he Said He Loved Me . . .” Nothing Short Of Murder Would Be An Acceptable Response.

I Love You With Everything I Am, Everything I've Been, And Everything I Hope To Be. I Love You With My Past, And I Love You For My Future. I Love You For The Children We'll Have And For The Years We'll Have Together. I Love You For Every One Of My Smiles And Even More, For Every One Of Your Smiles.

I Am Asking You To Marry Me Because I Love You,” He Said, “because I Cannot Imagine Living My Life Without You. I Want To See Your Face In The Morning, And Then At Night, And A Hundred Times In Between. I Want To Grow Old With You, I Want To Laugh With You, And I Want To Sigh To My Friends About How Managing You Are, All The While Secretly Knowing I Am The Luckiest Man In Town.” “what?” She Demanded. He Shrugged. “a Man’s Got To Keep Up Appearances. I’ll Be Universally Detested If Everyone Realizes How Perfect You Are.

To Say That Men Can Be Bullheaded Would Be Insulting To The Bull.

Any Man, You'll Soon Learn, Has An Insurmountable Need To Blame Someone Else When He Is Made To Look A Fool.

Simon Stopped Breathing Until Her Forefinger Touched His Nipple, And Then His Hand Shot Up To Cover Hers. "i Want You," He Said. Her Eyes Flicked Downward, And Her Lips Curved Ever So Slightly. "i Know." "no," He Groaned, Pulling Her Closer. "i Want To Be In Your Heart. I Want-" His Entire Body Shuddered When Their Skin Touched. "i Want To Be In Your Soul.

Rehearsels, Actually." "rehearsals?" "for The-" Oh,no. "-musicale." The Smythe-smith Musical.it Finished Off What The Crusades Had Begun.there Wasn't A Man Alive Who Could Maintain A Romantic Thought When Faced With The Memory-or The Threat-of A Smythe-smith Musicale.

In Three Days," He Continued, "i Will Be Your Husband. I Will Take A Solemn Vow To Protect You Until Death Do Us Part. Do You Understand What That Means?" "you'll Save Me From Marauding Minotaurs?

Don't Settle. Know What You Want And Reach For It. And If You Don't Know What You Want, Be Patient. The Answers Will Come To You In Time, And You May Find That Your Heart S Desire Has Been Right Under Your Nose All The While.

He Wondered If She'd Mind If He Threw Her Down On The Blanket And Tore Off Her Clothing. (..) She Looked Heartbreakingly Innocent. Alex Sighed. She'd Probably Mind.

She Smelled Like England, Of Soft Rain And Sun-kissed Meadows. And She Felt Like The Best Kind Of Heaven. He Wanted To Wrap Himself Around, Bury Himself Within Her, And Stay There For All Of His Days. He Hadn’t Had A Drop To Drink In Three Years, But He Was Intoxicated Now, Bubbling With A Lightness He’d Never Thought To Feel Again.

Until You've Lived Through All That," He Said, "don't You Ever Complain About What We Have. Because To Me... To Me..." He Choked On The Words, But He Barely Paused Before He Continued. "this - Us - Is Heaven. I Can't Bear To Hear You Say Otherwise.

I’m Not Certain You’d Know The Right Sort Of Man For You If He Arrived On Our Doorstep Riding An Elephant.” “i Would Think The Elephant Would Be A Fairly Good Indication That I Ought To Look Elsewhere.

She Glared At Him. "i'm Not Asking You To Apologize." "well, That's A Relief.i Doubt I Could Find The Words.

Turner Let His Face Fell Into His Hands. "i'm Never Going To Touch Her Again", He Moaned. "he's Never Going To Touch Me Again!" They Heard Miranda Roar."well,it Doesn't Look Like You'll Have Much Argument From Your Wife On That Point", Olivia Chirped.

Do I Look Like A Mess?” She Asked. He Nodded. “but You’re My Mess,” He Whispered.

I Don't Know Whether To Toss You Through That Window Or Shake Your Hand And Say 'well Done'" Henry Said In A Tired Voice.

That Was Very Rude Of Me.” “think Nothing Of It. You’ve Done Worse.

Then It's Settled," Harriet Said. "we Shall Work Out The Smaller Roles Later.""what About You?" Elizabeth Demanded."oh, I'm Going To Be The Goddess Of The Sun And Moon.""the Tale Gets Stranger And Stranger," Daniel Said."just Wait Until Act Seven," Miss Wynter Told Him."seven?" His Head Snapped Up. "there Are Seven Acts?""twelve," Harriet Corrected, "but Don't Worry, You're In Only Eleven Of Them. Now Then, Miss Wynter, When Do You Propose That We Begin Our Rehearsals? And May We Do So Out Of Doors? There Is A Clearing By The Gazebo That Would Be Ideal.

Hyacinth,” Lady Bridgerton Said In A Vaguely Disapproving Voice, “do Try To Speak In Complete Sentences.” Hyacinth Looked At Her Mother With A Surprised Expression. “biscuits. Are. Good.” She Cocked Her Head To The Side. “noun. Verb. Adjective.” “hyacinth.” “noun. Verb. Adjective.” Colin Said, Wiping A Crumb From His Grinning Face. “sentence. Is. Correct.

When The Dead Body Said, "good Evening," Annabel Had To Face The Grim Conclusion That It Wasn't As Dead As She'd Hoped.

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Cousin‟s Wife. Moses Must Have Forgotten To Write That One Down

Don’t Look So Upset,” Hyacinth Said, Once It Was Just The Two Of Them Again. “you’re Quite A Catch.” He Looked At Her Assessingly. “is One Meant To Say Such Things Quite So Directly?” She Shrugged. “not To Men One Is Trying To Impress.” “touché, Miss Bridgerton.” She Sighed Happily. “my Three Favorite Words.” Of That, He Had No Doubt.

He’d Spent His Life Being A Perfect Gentleman. He’d Never Been A Flirt. He’d Never Been A Rogue. He Hated Being The Center Of Attention, But By God, He Wanted To Be The Center Of Her Attention. He Wanted To Do The Wrong Thing, The Bad Thing. He Wanted To Pull Her Into His Arms And Carry Her To Her Bed. He Wanted To Peel Every Last Inch Of Her Clothing From Her Body, And Then He Wanted To Worship Her. He Wanted To Show Her All The Things He Wasn’t Sure He Knew How To Say.

I Didn't Think I Should Die But I Did Not Know How I Would Live.

What About Me?” Frances Asked. “the Butler,” Harriet Replied Without Even A Second Of Hesitation. Frances’s Mouth Immediately Opened To Protest. “no, No,” Harriet Said. “it’s The Best Role, I Promise. You Get To Do Everything.” “except Be A Unicorn,” Daniel Murmured. Frances Tilted Her Head To The Side With A Resigned Expression. “the Next Play,” Harriet Finally Gave In. “i Shall Find A Way To Include A Unicorn In The One I’m Working On Right Now.” Frances Pumped Both Fists In The Air. “huzzah!

I Shall Have One, Too," He Told Her. "so That You Don't Feel Alone." She Tried Not To Smile. "that Is Most Generous Of You." "i Am Quite Certain It Is My Gentlemanly Duty." "to Eat Cake?" "it Is One Of The More Appealing Of My Gentlemanly Duties," He Allowed.

I Have Thoroughly Compromised Your Niece," Alex Declared. "will You Plase Insist That She Marry Me?" Caroline Didn't Bat An Eyelash. "this", She Announced, "is Most Peculiar.

Nothing Like Trapping The Gentlemen Where They Couldn't Get Away.

Turn Right Up Ahead," He Directed. "it'll Take Us Directly To My Cottage." She Did As He Asked. "does Your Cottage Have A Name?" "my Cottage." "i Might Have Known," She Muttered. He Smirked. Quite A Feat, In Her Opinion, Since He Looked Sick As A Dog. "i'm Not Kidding," He Said. Sure Enough, In Another Minute They Pulled Up In Front Of An Elegant Country House, Complete With A Small, Unobtrusive Sign In Front Reading, My Cottage

He Shook His Head In Wonder. "you Are Magnificent." "i Keep Telling Everyone That," She Said With A Nonchalant Shrug, "but You Seem To Be The Only One To Believe Me.

You Have A Mother?" He Quirked A Brow. "did You Think Mine Was Some Sort Of Divine Birth? My Father Was A Remarkable Man, But Even He Was Not That Talented.

The Biggest Challenge Of My Career, Which Is Something That Authors Of Genre Fiction Face All The Time, Is Writing Something Fresh And New And At The Same Time Meeting Reader Expectations.

If You Do Not Apologize To Lady Honoria,” Marcus Said, His Voice So Mild As To Be Terrifying, “i Will Kill You.” There Was A Collective Gasp, And Daisy Faked A Swoon, Sliding Elegantly Into Iris, Who Promptly Stepped Aside And Let Her Hit The Floor. “oh, Come Now,” Mr. Grimston Said. “surely It Won’t Come To Pistols At Dawn.” “i’m Not Talking About A Duel,” Marcus Said. “i Mean I Will Kill You Right Here.

Miss Wynter, I Think You Should Be The Evil Queen,” Harriet Said. “there’s An Evil Queen?” Daniel Echoed. With Obvious Delight. “of Course,” Harriet Replied. “every Good Play Has An Evil Queen.” Frances Actually Raised Her Hand. “and A Un—” “don’t Say It,” Elizabeth Growled. Frances Crossed Her Eyes, Put Her Knife To Her Forehead In An Approximation Of A Horn, And Neighed.

Before She Knew What She Was About, She Was Jumping About Like A Crazy Woman, Yelling, “yes! Yes! I Win!” “you Don’t Win,” Anthony Snapped. “oh, It Feels Like I’ve Won,” She Reveled.

Phillip Looked To Eloise. "perhaps Introductions Are In Order?" "oh," Eloise Said, Gulping. "yes, Of Course. These Are My Brothers." "i'd Gathered," He Said, His Voice As Dry As Dust. She Shot Him An Apologetic Look, Which, Phillip Thought, Was Really The Least She Could Do After Nearly Getting Him Tortured And Killed, Then Turned To Her Brothers And Motioned To Each In Turn, Saying, "anthony, Benedict, Colin, Gregory. These Three," She Added, Motioning To A, B, And C, "are My Elders. This One"—she Waved Dismissively At Gregory—"is An Infant.

He Sighed, Wondering How His Life Had Been Turned Upside Down By This Woman In Less Than Forty-eight Hours. Correction: By This Woman, A Pig, And A Rabbit.

You’re Going To Be My Grandmother.” “you Silly Child. In My Heart, I’ve Been Your Grandmother For Years. I’ve Just Been Waiting For You To Make It Official.

She Tried To Remind Herself That Beauty Was Only Skin Deep, But That Didn't Offer Any Helpful Excuses When She Was Berating Herself For Never Knowing What To Say To People. There Was Nothing More Depressing Than An Ugly Girl With No Personality.

You Might Wish To Revisit Your Understanding Of The Word Everything.” Gregory Turned To His Mother. “vocabulary And Comprehension Were Never Her Strong Suits.” Violet Rolled Her Eyes. “every Day I Marvel That The Two Of You Managed To Reach Adulthood.” “afraid We’d Kill Each Other?” Gregory Quipped. “no, That I’d Do The Job Myself.

What Happened To Your Face?" Harriet Asked. "it Was A Misunderstanding," Daniel Said Smoothly, Wondering How Long It Might Take For His Bruises To Heal. He Did Not Think He Was Particularly Vain, But The Questions Were Growing Tiresome. "a Misunderstanding?" Elizabeth Echoed. "with An Anvil?" "oh, Stop," Harriet Admonished Her. "i Think He Looks Very Dashing." "as If He Dashed Into An Anvil." "pay No Attention," Harriet Said To Him. "she Lacks Imagination.

She'd Met Colin On A Monday. She'd Kissed Him On A Friday. Twelve Years Later. She Sighed. It Seemed Fairly Pathetic.

The Two Of You Together Are A Menace,” Penelope Remarked. “my Aim In Life,” Lady Danbury Announced, “is To Be A Menace To As Great A Number Of People As Possible, So I Shall Take That As The Highest Of Compliments, Mrs. Bridgerton.” “why Is It,” Penelope Wondered, “that You Only Call Me Mrs. Bridgerton When You Are Opining In A Grand Fashion?” “sounds Better That Way,” Lady D Said, Punctuating Her Remark With A Loud Thump Of Her Cane.

Oh, Very Well, Do You Want To Know Why I Really Think You Should Keep A Journal?" She Nodded. "because Someday You're Going To Grow Into Yourself, And You Will Be As Beautiful As You Already Are Smart.

I Can Imagine No Greater Bliss Than To Lie About, Reading Novels All Day.

And Then, Well . . . He Might Have Slept For A Bit. He Rather Hoped He Was Sleeping, Because He Was Quite Certain He’d Seen A Six-foot Rabbit Hopping Through His Bedchamber, And If That Wasn’t A Dream, They Were All In Very Big Trouble. Although Really, It Wasn’t The Rabbit That Was So Dangerous As Much As The Giant Carrot He Was Swinging About Like A Mace. That Carrot Would Feed An Entire Village.

But She Was Already In. Gareth Couldn't Help But Stand Back In Admiration. Hyacinth Bridgerton Was Clearly A Natural Born Athlete. Either That Or A Cat Burglar.

Suddenly It Was Too Hard To Be In His Presence, Too Painful To Know That He Would Belong To Someone Else.

When A Man Writes A Romance, The Woman Dies. When A Woman Writes One, It Ends All Tidy And Sweet.

Blake Took A Small Roll From The Tray On The Table, Then Put It Back In Favor Of A Larger One. And Maybe A Little Butter. It Certainly Couldn't Hurt. And Jam...no, He Drew The Line At Jam. She Was A Spy, After All.

Oh, Elizabeth," He Murmured, Leaning Down To Press A Gentle Kiss On Her Mouth, "i Love You So Much. You Must Believe Me." "i Believe You," She Said Softly, "because In Your Eyes, I See What I Feel In My Heart.

I‟m Going To Kill Her,” Francesca Said To No One In Particular. Which Was Probably A Good Thing, As There Was No One Else Present. “who Are You Talking To?” Hyacinth Demanded. “god,” Francesca Said Baldly. “and I Do Believe I Have Been Given Divine Leave To Murder You.” “hmmph,” Was Hyacinth‟s Response. “if It Was That Easy, I‟d Have Asked Permission To Eliminate Half The Ton Years Ago.” Francesca Decided Just Then That Not All Of Hyacinth‟s Statements Required A Rejoinder. In Fact, Few Of Them Did.

Love Was The Best Present Of All.

No Words For The Passion. No Words For The Need.no Words For The Sheer Epiphany Of The Moment.and So, On An Otherwise Unremarkable Friday Afternoon, In The Heart Of Mayfair, In A Quiet Drawing Room On Mount Street, Colin Bridgerton Kissed Penelope Featherington.and It Was Glorious.

His Mouth Captured Hers, Trying To Show Her With His Kiss What He Was Still Learning To Express In Words. He Loved Her. He Worshipped Her. He'd Walk Across Fire For Her. He— —still Had The Audience Of Her Three Brothers. Slowly Breaking The Kiss, He Turned His Face To The Side. Anthony, Benedict, And Colin Were Still Standing In The Foyer. Anthony Was Studying The Ceiling, Benedict Was Pretending To Inspect His Fingernails, And Colin Was Staring Quite Shamelessly.

A Man’s Got To Keep Up Appearances. I’ll Be Universally Detested If Everyone Realizes How Perfect You Are.

Be Careful What You Wish For,her Mind Thundered.

"are You All Right?” He Asked Olivia. His Heart Was Still Racing With Terror That She’d Been Hurt. “i Heard A Woman Scream.” “ah, That Would Have Been Me,” Sebastian Said. Harry Looked Down On His Cousin, Face Frozen In Disbelief. “you Made That Noise?” “it Hurt,” Sebastian Bit Off. Harry Fought Not To Laugh. “you Scream Like A Leettle Girl."

And If That Weren't Bad Enough, The Next Sound He Heard Was A Loud Click. The Damned Woman Had Locked Him Out. She'd Taken All The Food And Locked Him Out. "you'll Pay For This!" He Yelled At The Door. "do Be Quiet," Came The Muffled Reply. "i'm Eating.

Milk?” Lady Bridgerton Asked. “thank You,” Gareth Replied. “no Sugar, If You Please.” “hyacinth Takes Hers With Three,” Gregory Said, Reaching For A Piece Of Shortbread. “why,” Hyacinth Ground Out, “would He Care?” “well,” Gregory Replied, Taking A Bite And Chewing, “he Is Your Special Friend.

There Were Rules Among Friends, Commandments, Really, And The Most Important One Was Thou Shalt Not Lust After Thy Friend's Sister.

Everyone Has Secrets. Especially Me.

It’s A Curse, Really,” Lady Danbury Said. “i’m The Only Person I Know My Age Who Has Perfect Hearing.” “most Would Call That A Blessing.” She Snorted. “not With That Musicale Looming Over The Horizon.

If One Didn't Have Love, Was It Better, Then, To Be Alone?

Watch Over Honoria, Will You? See That She Doesn’t Marry An Idiot.

A Lot Could Happen In A Week. Just Look At The Last One.

She Needed Him To Be Him. Even If He Could Not Be Hers.

It's Just That I Don't Think Friends Tie Friends To The Bedpost." James Choked On His Tea. "caroline, You Have No Idea.

I Have Friends Who Have Children, And They Have Told Me How Remarkable It Is To Have A New Life That Is A Piece Of Your Own Flesh Anf Blood. But I --" "i Realized That I Didn't Love Her Because She Was A Piece Of Me, I Loved Her Because She Was A Piece Of You.

Daniel Immediately Knelt At Her Side, Pulling Her Close. “it’s All Right,” He Murmured. “everything Is Going To Be All Right.” Anne Shook Her Head. “no, It’s Not.” She Looked Up, Her Eyes Shining With Love. “it’s Going To Be So Much Better.

The Girl Doesn’t Need A Violin,” He Added. “she Needs To Have Her Hands Bound So She Can Never Touch An Instrument Again.

I Just -- I Know My Own Heart And I Love You, Turner. And If You Have Even The Tiniest Shred Of Decency, You'll Say Something Because I've Said Everything I Possibly Can, And I Can't Bear The Silence, And -- Oh For Heaven's Sake! Will You At Least Blink?" He Couldn't Even Manage That.

The Look Anthony Shot At His Sister Was So Comically Malevolent Simon Nearly Laughed. He Managed To Restrain Himself, But Mostly Just Because He Was Fairly Certain That Any Show Of Humor Would Cause Anthony's Fist To Lose Its Battle With His Brain, With Simon's Face Emerging As The Conflict's Primary Casualty.

My Mother Is Convinced That Yellow Is A Happy Color And That A Happy Girl Would Get A Husband. -penelope Featherington

I Thought You Wanted Food," She Gasped. "i Do," He Murmured, Tugging On The Bodice Of Her Dress. "but I Want You More.

Not That I Wish To Give You Any Ammunition, But The Sad Fact Of It Is-most Men Are Sheep. Where One Goes, The Rest Will Follow. And Didn't You Say You Wished To Be Married?' 'not To Someone Who Follows You As The Lead Sheep.

I Knew Nothing But Love And Devotion When I Was Growing Up. Trust Me, It Makes Everything Easier.

Daniel Held Himself Very Still, Waiting For The Wave Of Jealousy That Never Came. He Was Furious With The Man Who’d Taken Advantage Of Her Innocence, But He Did Not Feel Jealous. He Did Not Need To Be Her First, He Realized. He Simply Needed To Be Her Last. Her Only.

Anthony Looked Down At His Evil Clutches -- Hands, He Reminded Himself, Hands -- And Grinned Anew.

This Thing Between Them, This Bond—it Wasn’t Just Passion, And It Wasn’t Wicked. It Was Love, And It Was Divine.

There,” She Said Triumphantly. “like That.” He Began To Wonder If They Were Speaking The Same Language. “like What?” “that! What You Just Said.” He Crossed His Arms. It Seemed The Only Acceptable Reply. If She Couldn’t Speak In Complete Sentences, He Saw No Reason Why He Had To Speak At All.

Stirlings Of Old Had Been So Damned Besotted With Their Newfound Earldom That They Couldn't Think To Put Any Other Name On Anything...it Was A Wonder He Didn't Drink Kilmartin Tea And Sit On A Kilmartin-style Chair. In Fact, He Probably Would Be Doing Just That If His Grandmother Had Found A Way To Manage It Without Actually Taking The Family Into Trade.

...i Do Not Tell You Often Enough, Dear Mother, How Very Grateful I Am That I Am Yours. It Is A Rare Parent Who Would Offer A Child Such Latitude And Understanding. It Is An Even Rarer One Who Calls A Daughter Friend. I Do Love You, Dear Mama.

The Smythe-smith Musicale. Thankfully, It Came Around Just Once Per Year, Because Hyacinth Was Quite Certain It Would Take A Full Twelve Months For Her Ears To Recover.

Just Be Quiet And Accept The Praise.

He Gave Her His Best Smile. His Best I-almost-died-so-how-can-you-deny-me Smile. Or At Least That’s How He Hoped It Appeared. The Truth Was, He Wasn’t A Very Accomplished Flirt, And It Might Very Well Have Come Across As An Iam- Mildly-deranged-so-it’s-in-all-of-our-best-interests-if-youpretend- To-agree-with-me Smile.

Your Heart Is Free Now." "no," He Whispered. "it's Yours.

Because If He Looked Like He Was Unaffected By Her Smile, Then She Would Not Realize That, In Actuality, He Was In An Utter Panic Because Somewhere Deep Down Inside He’d Realized That His Life Had Just Changed Forever.

He Was The Firstborn Bridgerton Of A Firstborn Bridgerton Of A Firstborn Bridgerton Eight Times Over. He Had A Dynastic Responsibility To Be Fruitful And Multiply.

Have You Seen Frances?” He Tilted His Head To The Right. “i Believe She’s Off Rooting About In The Bushes.” Anne Followed His Gaze Uneasily. “rooting?” “she Told Me She Was Practicing For The Next Play.” Anne Blinked At Him, Not Following. “for When She Gets To Be A Unicorn.” “oh, Of Course.” She Chuckled. “she Is Rather Tenacious, That One.

Daphne," He Said With Controlled Gentleness, "what Is Wrong?" She Sat Down Opposite Him And Placed A Hand On His Cheek. "i'm So Insensitive," She Whispered. "i Should Have Known. I Should Never Have Said Anything." "should Have Known What?" He Ground Out. Her Hand Fell Away. "that You Can't—that You Couldn't—" "can't What?" She Looked Down At Her Lap, Where Her Hands Were Attempting To Wring Each Other To Shreds. "please Don't Make Me Say It," She Said. 'this," Simon Muttered, "has Got To Be Why Men Avoid Marriage.

And So Harry Became Proficient In The Task Of Cleaning Up Vomit.

Did You Know I Dream About Your Hair? I Use To Say It Was The Color Of The Sun At Sunset, But I'm Wrong. It's Brighter Than The Sun, Just As You Are.

It's The Curse Of Motherhood. You're Required To Love Us Even When We Vex You.

She Was Petite, Small In That Way That Made A Man Want To Slay Dragons.

Love Is Blind,” Harriet Quipped. “but Not Illiterate,” Elizabeth Retorted.

I Have To Tell You It Was The First Time Even After All These Years Of Expecting My Own Death That I Truly Knew What It Meant To Die Because With You Gone There Was Nothing Left For Me To Live For.

It Has Oft Been Said That Physicians Make The Worst Patients, But It Is The Opinion Of This Author That Any Man Makes A Terrible Patient. One Might Say It Takes Patience To Be A Patient, And Heaven Knows, The Males Of Our Species Lack An Abundance Of Patience.

Don’t Tell Me Your Name. It’s Likely To Awaken My Conscience, And That’s The Last Thing We Want.

Happy Endings Are All I Can Do. I Wouldn't Know How To Write Anything Else.

Is There Anything Else I Can Do To See To Your Comfort, Miss Trent?" Perriwick Inquired. "she's Fine," Blake Growled. "clearly, She--" "perriwick, Isn't The West Wing On Fire?" Perriwick Blinked, Sniffed The Air, And Stared At His Employer In Dismay. "i Do Not Understand Sir.

And I Hope You Will Not Think Me Foolish When I Also Extend My Thanks. Thank You, Michael, For Letting My Son Love Her First. —from Janet Stirling, Dowager Countess Of Kilmartin, To Michael Stirling, Earl Of Kilmartin

Love's About Finding The One Person Who Makes Your Heart Complete. Who Makes You A Better Person Than You Ever Dreamed You Could Be. Its About Looking In The Eyes Of Your Wife And Knowing All The Way To Your Bones That She's Simply The Best Person You've Ever Known.

Weakness Never Got Anyone Anywhere.

Caroline Stamped Her Foot In Frustration, But When It Landed, It Landed On Something Considerably Less Flat Than The Floor. "owww!" He Yelled. Oh! His Foot!sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry , She Mouthed.i Didn't Mean It. "if You Think I Can Understand That," He Growled, "you're Crazier Than I'd Originally Thought.

Interesting, He Later Reflected, Was Perhaps Not The Correct Word.by The Time He And Henry Arrived Back At The House For Their Midday Meal-a Scrumptious Bowl Of Hot, Sticky Porridge-he Had Mucked Out The Stable Stalls, Milked A Cow, Been Pecked By Three Separate Hens, Weeded A Vegetable Garden, And Fallen Into A Trough.

There Were Only So Many Ways A Man‟s Heart Could Break, And He Had A Feeling His Couldn‟t Survive Another Puncture.

It's Only Through Sheer Force And Luck That She's Yet To Take Over The World.

You Are Always Looking At People Like This.” And Then She Made A Face, One He Couldn’t Possibly Begin To Describe. “if I Ever Look Like That,” He Said Dryly, “precisely Like That, To Be More Precise, I Give You Leave To Shoot Me.

It Was A Damned Good Thing Men Couldn’t Have Children. Gregory Took No Shame In Admitting That The Human Race Would Have Died Out Generations Earlier.

For Me, The Dialogue Is The Easiest Part Of Writing. It Just Always Seems So Obvious What A Character Will Say. Maybe Its Because I Talk Too Much!

Men. The Day They Learned To Admit To A Mistake Was The Day They Became Women.

And, She Was Able To Tell Herself With Some Satisfaction, The Man In Question - One Colin Bridgerton - Felt Precisely The Same Way.... ....his Earth Shook, His Heart Leaped, And Penelope Knew Without A Doubt That His Breath Was Taken Away As Well. For A Good Ten Seconds. Falling Off A Horse Tended To Do That To A Man.

He Smiled, And Suddenly She Knew That His Words Were True. Everything Would Be All Right. Maybe Not Today And Maybe Not Tomorrow, But Soon. Tragedy Couldn't Coexist In A World With One Of Colin's Smiles.

Click. The Door Swung Open. "three," James Said With A Slightly Self-satisfied Smile. "well Done," Caroline Said. He Smiled Back At Her. "i've Never Met A Woman Or A Lock That Didn't Love Me.

She Could Not Bear The Thought. She Simply Could Not Bear The Thought That She Might Somehow Prove To Her Grandfather That Her Mother Had Indeed Been A Fool And Her Father Had Been A Damned Fool And That She Was The Damnedest Fool Of Them All.

Miss Butterworth And The Mad Baron,” Sebastian Said Approvingly. “excellent Choice.” “you Have Read This?” Alexei Asked. “it’s Not As Good As Miss Davenport And The Dark Marquis, Of Course, But Worlds Better Than Miss Sainsbury And The Mysterious Colonel.” Harry Found Himself Rendered Speechless. “i’m Reading Miss Truesdale And The Silent Gentleman Right Now.” “silent?” Harry Echoed. “there Is A Noticeable Lack Of Dialogue,” Sebastian Confirmed.

Olivia: You Didn't Even Know I Was There! Harry: Excuse Me, Yes I Did.

Men Are Sheep. Where One Goes, The Rest Will Soon Follow. -lady Whistledown

Francesca: It's Still A Bit Cold Yet. Michael: Never Stopped John And Me. Francesca: Yes, Well, You're Scottish. Your Blood Circulates Quite Well Half Frozen.

He Sucked His Lips In An Attempt Not To Laugh. "aren't You Spanish?" She Raised One Arm In A Salute. "viva La Queen Isabella!" "i See. Then Why Are You Speaking With A French Accent?

Very Well,” He Said With A Small Sigh. “ladies Today Are So Very Capable. It Breaks My Hea Rt, Really.” He Leaned In, Almost As If Sharing A Secret. “no One Likes To Feel Superfluous.” Grace Just Stared At Him. “rendered Mute By My Grace And Charm,” He Said, Stepping Back To Allow Them To Exit. “it Happens All The Time. Really, I Shouldn‟t Be Allowed Near The Ladies. I Have Such A Vexing Effect On You.

James - "are You Paying Attention Or Just Trying To Make Me Look Like An Idoit?" Elizabeth - "oh, I'm Definately Paying Attention. If You Look Like An Idiot It Has Nothing To Do With Me.

Of Course None Of Those Men Was Suitable. Half Were After Your Fortune, And As For The Other Half—well, You Would Have Reduced Them To Tears Within A Month.” “such Tenderness For Your Youngest Child,” Hyacinth Muttered. “it Quite Undoes Me.

The Only Words I'll Allow From Your Mouth Are, 'oh, Gareth,' And 'yes, Gareth.'" "what About 'more, Gareth'?" "he Almost Kept A Straith Face. "that Will Be Acceptable.

She Had Been Born For This Man, And She Had Spent So Many Years Trying To Accept The Fact That He Had Been Born For Someone Else.

When You Walk Into A Room,” He Said Softly, “the Air Changes.

To Call That Writing, Madam, Is An Insult To Quills And Ink Across The World.

Every Unmarried Man Is Looking For A Wife. They Just Don't Always Know It.

The Ranks Of Society Are Once Again Filled With Ambitious Mamas, Whose Only Aim Is To See Their Darling Daughters Married Off To Determined Bachelors

In Every Life There Is A Turning Point. A Moment So Tremendous, So Sharp And Clear That One Feels As If One's Been Hit In The Chest, All The Breath Knocked Out, And One Knows, Absolutely Knows Without The Merest Hint Of A Shadow Of A Doubt That One's Life Will Never Be The Same.

He Looks Like A Man.' 'how Descriptive,' Susan Said In A Droll Tone. 'remind Me Never To Advise You To Seek Work As A Novelist.

She Wandered Over To The Enclosed Range, A Rather Modern-looking Contraption That Cook Had Purchased Earlier In The Year. "do You Know How To Work This?" She Asked. "no Idea. You? " Daphne Shook Her Head. "none." She Reached Forward And Gingerly Touched The Surface Of The Stove Top. "it's Not Hot. " " Not Even A Little Bit? " She Shook Her Head. "it's Rather Cold, Actually. " Brother And Sister Were Silent For A Few Seconds . " You Know," Anthony Finally Said, "cold Milk Might Be Quite Refreshing ." " I Was Just Thinking That Very Thing!

No One Knows As Well As I How Much Nonsense Is Printed In Books.

I Won't Be Satisfied With Anything Less Than Everything.

I Was Told Once That The Most Important Part Of A Fight Is Making Sure Your Opponent Looks Worse Than You Do When You’re Through.

A Man With Charm Is An Entertaining Thing, And A Man With Looks Is, Ofcourse, A Sight To Behold, But A Man With Honor - Ah, He Is The One, Dear Reader, To Which Young Ladies Should Flock.

People Will Think You're Courting Me.' 'nonsense, Everyone Knows I Don't Court Respectable Women.

Michael Nodded Tersely, Eyeing A Table Across The Room. It Was Empty. So Empty. So Joyfully, Blessedly Empty. He Could Picture Himself A Very Happy Man At That Table. "not Feeling Very Conversational This Evening, Are We?" Colin Asked, Breaking Into His (admittedly Tame) Fantasies.

Now I Want You To Listen To Me," He Said In A Low Voice, Taking Her Chin In His Hand And Forcing Her To Look At Him. "and Listen Carefully, Because I'm Only Going To Say This Once. You Are Going To Marry Me Before This Week Is Out. Since You Have Conveniently Run Off To Scotland, We Don't Need A Special License. You're Just Lucky I Don't Haul You Off To A Church Right This Instant. Get Yourself A Dress And Get Yourself Some Flowers, Because, Sweeetheart, You're Getting Yourself A New Name.

Felicity," Mrs. Featherington Interurupted, "why Don't You Tell Mr. Brdgerton About Your Watercolors?" For The Life Of Him, Colin Couldn't Imagine A Less Interesting Topic (except Maybe For Phillipa's Watercolors), But He Nonetheless Turned To The Youngest Featherington With A Friendly Smile And Asked, "and How Are Your Watercolors?" But Felicity, Bless Her Heart, Gave Him A Rather Friendly Smile Herself And Said Nothing But, "i Imagine They're Fine, Thank You.

It Was Funny, He Reflected Later, How One’s Life Could Alter In An Instant, How One Minute Everything Could Be A Certain Way, And The Next It’s Simply ... Not

He Loved Her. He Wanted Her. He Needed Her. And He Needed Her Now.

Gareth Turned To Gregory. “your Sister Will Be Safe With Me,” He Said. “i Give You My Vow.” “oh, I Have No Worries On That Score,” Gregory Said With A Bland Smile. “the Real Question Is—will You Be Safe With Her?” It Was A Good Thing, Gareth Later Reflected, That Hyacinth Had Already Quit The Room To Fetch Her Coat And Her Maid. She Probably Would Have Killed Her Brother On The Spot.

In Her Heart She Longed For This Man, Dreamed Of A Life That Could Never Be.

As His Hands Moved To His Trousers, He Saw That She Was Pulling The Bedsheets Over Her. "don't," He Said, Barely Recognizing His Own Voice. Her Eyes Met His, And He Said, "i'll Be Your Blanket".

He Didn’t Know Where The Thought Had Come From, Or What Strange Corner Of His Brain Had Come To That Conclusion, Because He Was Quite Certain It Would Be Nearly Impossible To Live With Her, But Somehow He Knew That It Wouldn’t Be At All Difficult To Love Her.

Caroline Trent Hadn't Meant To Shoot Percival Prewitt, But She Had, And Now He Was Dead. Or At Least She Thought He Was Dead.

A Duel, A Duel, A Duel. Is There Anything More Exciting, More Romantic ... Or More Utterly Moronic?

Love Works In Mysterious Ways.

Mysterious Ways

This Has To Be The Most Self-centered Thing I've Ever Said, But No, I Think You Just Wanted To Vex Me.

I Vow To Spend The Rest Of My Life Keeping Your Hands And Feet Warm.

Tell Me Something Wicked.

I Also Think He Is Given To Disguises...sometimes He Wears Spectacles And Sometimes He Does Not. And Twice He Has Worn An Extremely Peculiar Hat. Inside.

Am I Not Allowed To Have My Pride? Or Is That An Emotion Reserved For The Elite?

He'd Been Waiting For A Love Fraught With Passion And Drama; It Hadn't Even Occurred To Him That True Love Might Be Something That Was Utterly Comfortable And Just Plain Easy.

Besides," He Said Breezily, "were It Not For Misunderstandings, We Would Be Sadly Lacking In Great Literature." She Looked At Him Questioningly. "where Would Romeo And Juliet Be?" "alive.

Sometimes There Are Reasons For Our Fears That We Can’t Quite Explain. Sometimes It’s Just Something We Feel In Our Bones, Something We Know To Be True, But Would Sound Foolish To Anyone Else.

Gregory,” She Said, “you Cannot Leave Me Here. What If Someone Finds You And Removes You From The House? Who Will Know I Am Here? And What If…and What If…and Then What If…” He Smiled, Enjoying Her Officiousness Too Much To Actually Listen To Her Words. She Was Definitely Herself Again. “when This Is All Over,” He Said, “i Shall Bring You A Sandwich.” That Stopped Her Short. “a Sandwich? A Sandwich?

This Is Why I Didn't Get Married Last Year," She Said To Him. "i Wouldn't Be Here To Nurse You." She Thought About That For A Moment. "of Course, One Could Make The Argument That You Wouldn't Be In This Situation If Not For Me. But We're Not Going To Dwell Upon That.

Heartache, Daphne Eventually Learned, Never Really Went Away; It Just Dulled. The Sharp, Stabbing Pain That One Felt With Each Breath Eventually Gave Way To A Blunter, Lower Ache—the Kind That One Could Almost—but Never Quite—ignore.

Darling," He Said Distractedly,"about The Moon..." "yes?" "i Don't Think It Matters Whether You Want It Or Not." "what Are You Talking About?" "the Moon. I Think It's Yours." Victoria Yawned, Not Bothering To Open Her Eyes. "fine. I'm Glad To Have It." "but--" Robert Shook His Head. He Was Growing Fanciful. The Moon Didn't Belong To His Wife. It Didn't Follow Her, Protect Her. It Certainly Didn't Wink At Anybody. But He Stared Out The Window The Rest Of The Way Home, Just In Case

If You Want To Know If A Gentleman Loves You,” Her Mother Said, “there Is Only One True Way To Be Sure.” “it’s In His Kiss,” Her Mother Whispered. “it’s All There, In His Kiss.

Not That I Knew Who You Were Until Last Month. But Now That I've Got You, I'm Not Letting You Go." "you're Not?" Blake Stared At Her In Irritated Confusion. What Was Her Game? "do You Think I'm An Idiot?" He Spat Out. "no," She Said. "i've Just Escaped From A Den Of Idiots, So I'm Well Familiar With The Breed, And You're Something Else Entirely. I Am, However, Hoping You're Not A Terribly Good Shot.

James Started To Laugh. His Chin Hurt Where She'd Smacked Him Twice, His Foot Throbbed Where She'd Stepped On It, And His Entire Body Felt As If He'd Swum Through A Rosebush, Which Wasn't As Far Off The Truth As It Sounded. Yet Still He Started To Laugh.

He Gave Her A Sly, Sideways Look. "did You Bring It?" "my List? Heavens, No. What Can You Be Thinking?" His Smile Widened. "i Brought Mine." Daphne Gasped. "you Didn't!" "i Did. Just To Torture Mother. I'm Going Peruse It Right In Front Of Her, Pull Out My Quizzing Glass—" "you Don't Have A Quizzing Glass." He Grinned—the Slow, Devastatingly Wicked Smile That All Bridgerton Males Seemed To Possess. "i Bought One Just For This Occasion." "anthony, You Absolutely Cannot. She Will Kill You. And Then, Somehow, She'll Find A Way To Blame Me." "i'm Counting On It.

I Would Give The World To Have One More Person For Whom I Would Lay Down My Life.

Caroline, Do You Value Your Neck?" "yes, I'm Rather Fond Of It. Why?" "because If You Don't Shut Up, I'm Going To Wring It.

I Don't Like Your Tone," Was Violet's Standard Answer When One Of Her Children Was Winning An Argument.

Most Fiction Series Are Written So That The Reader Can Come In At Any Point And Not Feel Lost, But If You Can Start At The Beginning, Why Not?

Let Me Drive," She Said, Reaching For The Reins. He Turned To Her In Disbelief. "this Is A Phaeton, Not A Single-horse Wagon." Sophie Fought The Urge To Throttle Him. His Nose Was Running, His Eyes Were Red, He Couldn't Stop Coughing, And Still He Found The Energy To Act Like An Arrogant Peacock. "i Assure You," She Said Slowly, "that I Know How To Drive A Team Of Horses.

She Hated That She Was Still So Desperate For A Glimpse Of Him, But It Had Been This Way For Years.

Unrequited Love

Nonetheless, I Can't Help But Be Flattered That You Noticed The Latest Addition To My Collection," He Said. She Rolled Her Eyes. "because Personal Injuries Are Such A Dignified Thing To Collect." "are All Governesses So Sarcastic?

There Was A Certain History To This. While Heavily Pregnant With Amelia, She Had Asked Him If She Was Radiant Or If She Just Looked Like A Waddling Duck. He Told Her She’d Looked Like A Radiant Duck. This Had Not Been The Correct Answer.

You Always Get More Respect When You Don't Have A Happy Ending.

Elizabeth, You Resemble Nothing So Much As A Hen Trying To Hatch A Book.

I'm Not A Gentle Pony... I Promise You, You Will Have To Work To Keep Your Seat.

Colin Decided Then And There That The Female Mind Was A Strange And Incomprehensible Organ - One Which No Man Should Even Attempt To Understand. There Wasn't A Woman Alive Who Could Go From Point A To B Without Stopping At C, D, X, And 12 Along The Way.

But Looking Beautiful Isn't, I Think, As Important As Feeling Beautiful.

Tonight," He Whispered, His Voice Hoarse And Hot In Her Ear, "i Will Make You Mine." -simon To Daphne

Never," He Spat Out, "kick A Man Who Is Pointing A Gun At You.

I Keep Waiting For The Day In Which Everyone Who Loves Downton Abbey Will Realize They Were Actually Watching A Historical Romance Novel.

He Stepped Toward Her, And Her Heart Just Ached From It. His Face Was So Handsome, And So Dear, And So Perfectly Wonderfully Familiar. She Knew The Slope Of His Cheeks, And The Exact Shade Of His Eys, Brownish Near The Iris, Melting Into Green At The Edge. And His Mouth-she Knew That Mouth, The Look Of It, The Feel Of It. She Knew His Smile, And She Knew His Frown, And She Knew- She Knew Far To Much.

It Was Heaven. Forget Angels, Forget St. Peter And Glittering Harpsichords. Heaven Was A Dance In The Arms Of One's True Love.

Sometimes Hen...i Think I Would Give My Life Just For One Of Your Smiles.

There Was A Huge Difference Between Dislike And Disregard.

Mother,” Hyacinth Said With A Great Show Of Solicitude, “you Know I Love You Dearly—” “why Is It,” Violet Pondered, “that I Have Come To Expect Nothing Good When I Hear A Sentence Beginning In That Manner?

If He Was Planning To Attack And Ravish, He Gave No Indication Of Being In A Hurry To Do So.

How Do You Feel?” She Asked, Trying To Fluff His Pillow. “other Than Terrible, I Mean.” He Moved His Head Slightly To The Side. It Seemed To Be A Sickly Interpretation Of A Shrug. “of Course You’re Feeling Terrible,” She Clarified, “but Is There Any Change? More Terrible? Less Terrible?” He Made No Response. “the Same Amount Of Terrible?

I’m Trying To Embroider.” Hyacinth Held Up Her Handiwork As Proof. “you’re Trying To Avoid—” Her Mother Stopped, Blinking. “i Say, Why Does That Flower Have An Ear?” “it’s Not An Ear.” Hyacinth Looked Down. “and It’s Not A Flower.” “wasn’t It A Flower Yesterday?” “i Have A Very Creative Mind,” Hyacinth Ground Out, Giving The Blasted Flower Another Ear. “that,” Violet Said, “has Never Been In Any Doubt.” Hyacinth Looked Down At The Mess On The Fabric. “it’s A Tabby Cat,” She Announced. “i Just Need To Give It A Tail.

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