Georgette Heyer

“As soon as one promises not to do something, it becomes the one thing above all others that one most wishes to do.”

“If you imagine that I have the smallest desire to receive your hand as a reward for having performed a difficult task to your satisfaction you're beside the bridge, my child! I've no fancy for a reluctant wife. I want your love, not your gratitude.”

“Has no one ever told you that it is the height of impropriety to kiss any gentleman, unless you have the intention of accompanying him immediately to the altar?”

“My dear girl, you don't consent to an abduction! You consent to an elopement, and I knew you wouldn't do that.”

“Well, you have the right to make a sacrifice of yourself, but I'll be damned if I'll let you sacrifice me!”

“The society of my relatives can only be enjoyed with frequent intervals.”

“In this case," said Randall unpleasantly, "it affords me purer gratification to dwell upon the thought of my dear Aunt Gertrude duped and betrayed.""Your aunt doesn't suffer throught it!""What a pity!" said Randall.”

“It is now obvious to us all that he has every objection," said Randall. "You know, you had very much better withdraw, my dear aunt. I feel sure that Uncle Henry's double life is going to be exposed. My own conviction is that he has been keeping a mistress for years."[...]Mrs. Lupton flushed. "You forget yourself, Randall. I am not going to stand here and see my husband insulted by your ill-bred notions of what is funny.""Oh, I wasn't insulting him," said Randall. "Why shouldn't he have a mistress? I am inclined to think that in his place -as your spouse, my dear Aunt Gertrude- I should have several.”

“Eccentricity may be diverting, Mama, but it is out of place in a wife: certainly in my wife!”

“[He was aware] of the value of the word of praise dropped at exactly the right moment; and he would have thought himself extremely stupid to withhold what cost him so little and was productive of such desirable results.”

“This, said Damerel wrathfully, is the second time you have walked in just as I am about to propose to your sister!”

“I don't know what you may have seen fit to tell her, Venetia, but so far as I understand it you could think of nothing better to do than to beguile her with some farrago about wishing Damerel to strew rose-leaves for you to walk on!" Damerel, who had resumed his seat, had been staring moodily into the fire, but at these words he looked up quickly. "Rose-leaves?" His eyes went to Venetia's face, wickedly quizzing her. "But my dear girl, at this season?" "Be quiet, you wretch!" she said, blushing.”

“I have seen what comes of being patient," Amanda said with a boding look. "And I have no opinion of it.""What does come of it?" Inquired Sir Gareth."Nothing!”

“Morals and medicine warred within his breast, and medicine won the day- but I dare say morals may give him a sleepless night.”

“Bustle about Noddy, or we shant be in time to snabble any of the lobster patties.”

“I can't imagine what possessed you to propose to me.""Well that will give you something to puzzle over any time you can't sleep.”

“Oh, Randall, don't be such a vile beast!""I don't think much of that",he said critically. "Amiable snake was much better.”

“Tell me,is my grey hall an insuperable bar to matrimony?”

“Yes, darling, that is quite a nice frock, but the hankerchief is not only the wrong shade of grey, but quite damnably tied. Let me show you, my sweet.”

“I liked that young man, did not you? There was something particularly pleasing about his manners, which I thought very easy and frank. He has an air of honest manliness, too, which, in these days of fribbles and counter-coxcombs, I own I find refreshing!”

“Talking to you is like -- like talking to an eel!""No, is it? I've never tried to talk to an eel. Isn't it as waste of time?""Not such a waste of time as talking to you!”

“Creo que jamás aconsejaría a nadie que se diera por vencido, porque no soporto esa actitud tan débil.”

“She decided that her wisest course would be to put him out of her mind. After reaching this conclusion she lay thinking about him until at last she fell asleep.”

“Of course she is a fool, but so are all girls.”

“Oh, 'tis not my qualities they object to! 'Tis my lack of vice.”

“His Grace was at her side, and lifted her down from the chair."My enfant," he said , "duchesses do not dance on chairs, nor do they call their brothers 'imbécile'."Léonie's twinkled irrepressibly."I do," she said firmly.”

“Remind me one day to teach you how to achieve a sneer, Hugh. Yours is too pronounced, and thus but a grimace. It should be but a faint curl of the lips.”

“If it comes to that," retorted Frederica, with spirit, "I am continually shocked by the things you don't scruple to say to me, cousin! You are quite abominable!"He sighed. "Alas, I know it! The reflection gives me sleepless nights.”

“How is this?" she demanded "I had thought a Marquis must always be acceptable!""That, Miss Merriville, Depends on the Marquis!”

“Does it ever occur to you, Mama, that my grandfather is a lunatic?”

“What is your name?""Again sir, that is no concern of yours.""A mystery," he said. "I shall have to call you Clorinda."....."Judith! What the devil? exclaimed Peregrine. "Has there been an accident?""Judith," repeated the gentleman of the curricle pensively. "I prefer Clorinda.”

“Well, I think I laid down my sunshade first,'said Mrs. Twining reflectively. 'Ah, that doesn't interest you. I told Finch that I wanted to tidy my hair (a euphemism for "powder my nose", of course), and would show myself out on to the terrace.''And you did in fact powder your nose, Mrs. Twining, at the mirror over the fireplace?''Most thoroughly,' she agreed.'How long did that take you?'She looked rather amused. 'When a woman powders her nose, Inspector, she loses count of time. My own estimate would be a moment or two; almost any man, I feel, would probably say, ages.''Were you as long, perhaps, as five minutes?''I hope not. Let us say three - without prejudice.”

“People who start a sentence with personally (and they're always women) ought to be thrown to the lions. It's a repulsive habit.”

“I just told them that dear Uncle Silas has gone away on a long journey," she said. "They're such mites, you know, and I've never let them hear about Death, or have ugly toys or stories about ogres and things. I mean, I do frightfully believe in keeping their little minds free from everything but happy, beautiful things, don't you?”

“The youngest Merriville, bursting into the room some time later, found them seated side by side on the sofa. 'Buddle said I wasn't to disturb you, but I knew that was fudge,' he said scornfully. 'Cousin Alverstoke, there is someting I particularly wanted to ask you!' He broke off, perceiving suddenly, and with disfavour, that his Cousin Alverstoke had an arm round Frederica. Revolted by such a betrayal of unmanliness, he bent a disapproving look upon his idol and demanded: 'Why are you cuddling Frederica, sir?''Because we are going to be married,' replied his lordship calmly. 'It's obligatory, you know. One is expected to -er - cuddle the lady one is going to marry.''Oh!' said Felix. 'Well, I won't ask anyone to marry me , if that's what you have to do! I just say I never thought that you sir would have-' Again he broke off, as a thought struck him. 'Will that make her a - a She-Marquis? Oh, Jessamy, did you hear that? Frederica is going to be a She-Marquis!''What you mean is a Marchioness, you ignorant little ape!' replied his austere brother.”

“Child, you do not know me. You have created a mythical being in my likeness whom you have set up as a god. It is not I. Many times, infant, I have told you that I am no hero, but I think you have not believed me. I tell you now that I am no fit mate for you...My reputation is damaged beyond repair, child. I come from vicious stock, and I have brought no honor to the name I bear. To no women have I been faithful; behind me lies scandal upon sordid scandal...You have seen perhaps the best of me; you have not seen the worst''Ah, Monseigneur, you need not have told me this! I know--I have always known, and still I love you. I do not want a boy. I only want Monseigneur.”

“I comfort myself with the reflection that your wife will possibly be able to curb your desire--I admit, a natural one for the most part--to exterminate your fellows.”

“He has probably gnawed his nails down to the quick, or murdered poor Mr. Orde.”

“Oh, yes, she's unusual!" he said bitterly. "She blurts out whatever may come into her head; she tumbles from one outrageous escapade into another; she's happier grooming horses and hobnobbing with stable-hands than going to parties; she's impertinent; you daren't catch her eye for fear she should start to giggle; she hasn't any accomplishments; I never saw anyone with less dignity; she's abominable, and damnably hot at hand, frank to a fault, and – a darling!”

“Don't you dare call me arrogant!If ever I had any at all-which I deny!- how much could I possibly have left after having been ridden over rough-shod by you and Thomas, do you imagine?”

“I do not want a boy. I only want Monseigneur!”

“She stretched out her hand, saying, “Vernon! My dear, what a delightful surprise!”“What’s surprising about it?” he enquired, lifting his black brows. “Didn’t you ask me to come?”The smile remained pinned to Lady Buxted’s lips, but she replied with more than a touch of acidity: “To be sure I did, but so many days ago that I supposed you had gone out of town!”“Oh, no!” he said, returning her smile with one of great sweetness.”

“The Marquis believed himself to be hardened against flattery. He thought that he had experienced every variety, but he discovered that he was mistaken: the blatantly worshipful look in the eyes of a twelve-year-old, anxiously raised to his, was new to him, and it pierced his defences.”

“I was under the impression that I warned you that in London country ways will not do, Frederica!”“You did!” she retorted. “And although I can’t say that I paid much heed to your advice it so happens that I am accompanied today by my aunt!”“Who adds invisibility to her other accomplishments!”

“[...]my memory is reasonably good—unlike yours, dear sir!”“Mine is erratic,” he said imperturbably. “I remember only what interests me.”

“Then Frederica went towards him, holding out her hand, and he raised his eyes from Felix’s eager countenance, and smiled at her, causing Mr. Moreton to suffer a shock. It was not at all the sort of smile with which his lordship beguiled his flirts, but something warmer and more intimate. Good God! mentally ejaculated Mr. Moreton. Sits the wind in that quarter?”

“[...]if you talk any more flummery to me, Frederica, I shall give you one of my—er—icy set-downs!”(Alverstoke)”

“And now I wish I hadn’t been civil, because he says he shall not despair! He is as stupid as Endymion!”“No, no!” said Alverstoke soothingly. “Nobody could be as stupid as Endymion!”

“Perhaps,” murmured his lordship, “I yielded to a compassionate impulse.”“A what?” gasped his best friend. “Oh, did you think I never did so?” said his lordship, the satirical glint in his eyes extremely pronounced. “You wrong me! I do, sometimes—not frequently, of course, but every now and then!”

“Do you recall Fred Merriville?”She stared at him. “Fred Merriville? Pray, what has he to say to anything?”“The poor fellow has nothing to say: he’s dead, alas!”