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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!

-Julia Quinn

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What About Me?” Frances

Julia Quinn

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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!

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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.

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.

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

Annabel Looked Down. Her Hands Were Shaking. She Couldn't Do This. Not Yet. She Couldn't Face The Man She'd Kissed Who Happened To Be The Heir To The Man She Didn't Want To Kiss But Whos She Probably Was Going To Marry. Oh Yes, And She Could Not Forget That If She Did Marry The Man She Didn't Want To Kiss, She Was Likely To Provide Him With A New Heir, Thus Cutting Off The Man She Did Want To Kiss.

To This Day, The Duke And I Remains Particularly Close To My Heart; I Felt It Was The Novel In Which My Writing Took A Huge Leap Forward.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Perriwickturned To Penelope As He Set The Tray Down On A Table. "if I Might Be So Bold, My Lady-" "perriwick!" Blake Roared. "if I Hear The Phrase 'if I Might Be So Bold' One More Time, As God Is My Witness, I'm Going To Toss You Into The Channel!" "oh Dear," Penelope Said. "perhaps He Does Have The Fever, After All.perriwick , What Do You Think?" The Butler Reached For Blake's Forehead, Only To Have His Hand Nearly Bitten Off. "touch Me And Die," Blake Snarled.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Why Don’t You Purchase An Italian Dictionary? I Will Assume The Expense.” “i Have One,” She Said, “but I Don’t Think It’s Very Good. Half The Words Are Missing.” “half?” “well, Some,” She Amended. “but Truly, That’s Not The Problem.” He Blinked, Waiting For Her To Continue. She Did. Of Course. “i Don’t Think Italian Is The Author’s Native Tongue,” She Said. “the Author Of The Dictionary?” He Queried. “yes. It’s Not Terribly Idiomatic.

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.

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Tell Me Something Wicked.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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I Can't Imagine A Romance Novel Published Today Where The Hero Rapes The Heroine And She Falls In Love With Him.

Falling In Love

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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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

It Suddenly Made Sense. Only Twice In His Life Had He Felt This Inexplicable, Almost Mystical Attraction To A Woman. He’d Thought It Remarkable, To Have Found Two, When In His Heart He’d Always Believed There Was Only One Perfect Woman Out There For Him. His Heart Had Been Right. There Was Only One.

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

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

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

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.

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

It Was One Of Those Things That Had To Be Experienced To Be Understood

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Love Works In Mysterious Ways.

Mysterious Ways

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!

He Ought To Buy Her A New Dress. She Would Never Accept It, Of Course, But Maybe If Her Current Garments Were Accidentally Burned... ...but How Could He Manage To Burn Her Dress? She'd Have To Not Be Wearing It, And That Posed A Certain Challenge In And Of Itself.

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

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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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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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.

So He Decided To Stay Out Of It And Instead Turned Back To Lady Bridgerton, Who Was, As It Happened, The Closest Person To Him, Anyway. “and How Are You This Afternoon?” He Asked. Lady Bridgerton Gave Him A Very Small Smile As She Handed Him His Cup Of Tea. “smart Man,” She Murmured. “it’s Self-preservation, Really,” He Said Noncommittally. “don’t Say That. They Wouldn’t Hurt You.” “no, But I’m Sure To Be Injured In The Cross Fire.

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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.

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

Just Be Quiet And Accept The Praise.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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

Reformed Rakes Make The Best Husbands,"violet Said. "rubbish And You Know It." -anthony To Violet

Eloiseis Getting Married As Well.” “eloise?” Michael Asked With Some Surprise. “was She Even Being Courted By Anyone?” “no,” Francesca Said, Quickly Flipping To The Third Sheet Of Her Mother‟s Letter. “it‟s Someone She‟s Never Met.” “well, I Imagine She‟s Met Him Now,” Michael Said In A Dry Voice.

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

It Wasn‟t Even Desire. It Was Far More Than That. It Was Love. Love. With A Capital L And Swirly Script And Hearts And Flowers And Whatever Else The Angels— And Yes, All Those Annoying Little Cupids—wished To Use For Embellishment.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

There Was A Huge Difference Between Dislike And Disregard.

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.

Where Is He? Bridgerton!" He Bellowed. Three Chestnut Heads Swiveled In His Direction. Simon Stomped Across The Grass, Murder In His Eyes. "i Meant The Idiot Bridgerton." "that, I Believe," Anthony Said Mildly, Tilting His Chin Toward Colin, "would Refer To You.

Above All Else, Be True To Your Heart. When You Marry, Whether It Be A Marquis Or An Estate Manager (or Both!), It Will Be For Life. You Must Go Where Your Heart Leads And Never Forget That Love Is The Most Precious Gift Of All. Money And Social Status Are Poor Substitutes For A Warm, Tender Embrace, And There Is Little In Life More Fulfilling Than The Joy Of Loving And Knowledge That You Are Loved In Return.

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

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.

Be Careful What You Wish For,her Mind Thundered.

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?

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

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.

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.

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.

And For The Rest Of The Night, He Couldn’t Quite Forget The Smell Of Her Perfume. Or Maybe It Was The Soft Sound Of Her Chuckle. Or Maybe It Was Neither Of Those Things. Maybe It Was Just Her.

I Cannot Feel Like A Duchess In My Mother’s Sitting Room.” “what Do You Feel Like, Then?” “hmmm.” She Took A Sip Of Her Tea. “just Daphne Bridgerton, I Suppose. It’s Difficult To Shed The Surname In This Clan. In Spirit, That Is.” “i Hope That Is A Compliment,” Lady Bridgerton Remarked. Daphne Just Smiled At Her Mother. “i Shall Never Escape You, I’m Afraid.” She Turned To Gareth. “there Is Nothing Like One’s Family To Make One Feel Like One Has Never Grown Up.

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

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.

Everyone Has Secrets. Especially Me.

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

The Unexpected Moment [is] Always Sweeter.

Unexpected Moments

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.

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

But Hyacinth Bridgerton, Who At Ten Should Have Known The Least About Kisses Of Anyone, Just Blinked Thoughtfully, And Said, " I Think It's Nice. If They're Laughing Now, They'll Probably Be Laughing Forever.

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.

You Don't Always Have To Kiss A Lot Of Frogs To Recognize A Prince When You Find One -henrietta Barett

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.

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.

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

What?" "you're So Neat," She Said, Looking Almost Embarrassed. He Glanced Pointedly Over His Shoulder. "there Are Four Hundred On The Other Side Of This Door." "but You're Ruining Me." "i Can't Do It Neatly?

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!

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

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 Had To Do Something," She Said. "i Couldn't Just Sit And Wait For Life To Happen To Me Any Longer.

Daphne Felt Something Wild And Wicked Take Hold. “let’s Walk In The Garden,” She Said Softly. “we Can’t.” “we Must.” “we Can’t.

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.

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

You're In A Rather Odd Mood Today." I'm Soaking Wet, Eloise." No Need To Snap At Me About It, I Didn't Force You To Walk Across Town In The Rain." It Wasn't Raining When I Left,". There Was Something About A Sibling That Brought Out The Eight-year-old In A Body. I'm Sure The Sky Was Gray," Clearly, She Had A Bit Of The Eight-year-old In Her As Well.

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

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.

Children,” Lady Bridgerton Said With A Sigh As She Retook Her Seat. “i Am Never Quite Certain If I’m Glad I Had Them.

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

Anthony Bridgerton Leaned Back In His Leather Chair,and Then Announced, "i'm Thinking About Getting Married." Benedict Bridgerton, Who Had Been Indulging In A Habit His Mother Detested—tipping His Chair Drunkenly On The Back Two Legs—fell Over. Colin Bridgerton Started To Choke. Luckily For Colin, Benedict Regained His Seat With Enough Time To Smack Him Soundly On The Back, Sending A Green Olive Sailing Across The Table. It Narrowly Missed Anthony's Ear.

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.

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

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.

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.

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".

Anthony Sneezed And Pushed Them Aside. "mother, I Am Trying To Have A Conversation With The Duke." Violet Looked At Simon. "do You Want To Have This Conversation With My Son?" "not Particularly." "fine, Then. Anthony, Be Quiet.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

You Are Not Going To Waltz In Here And Distract Me With A Clever Phrase And A Beguiling Smile." "you Think My Smile Is Beguiling?

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.

Love Was The Best Present Of All.

I Am Going To Kill You," He Hissed. She Gulped. "don't You Want To Lecture Me First?" He Stared At Her With A Heavy Dose Of Stupefaction. "i Take That Back," He Said With Precisely Clipped Words. "first I Am Going To Strangle You, And Then I Am Going To Kill You." "here?" She Asked Doubtfully, Looking Around. "won't My Dead Body Look Suspicious In The Morning?

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

It Was Juvenile, He Knew, This Need To Assign Blame, But Everyone Had A Right To Childish Emotions From Time To Time, Didn't They?

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

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