“It is an adventure called Bertie’s Botheration. A haunting, gothic tale of…” She stopped for the dowager was frantically gesturing to her heart and grinning.“You have read it! It is my favourite book. Ah, I see you love it too. Yes... yes, I understand you could never tell anyone that it is your favourite. Not lofty enough. I keep a few acceptable names in my head every time someone asks me what my favourite book is, but one does not really confess what book they actually really like and have read over and over …”

“Theodore, I don’t think I have to tell you but …”“I won’t mention the little incident, your grace. Not even on my deathbed.”“Thank you, but to be safe you should give me your solemn oath.”Theodore repeated his promise with his hand on his heart.“Ah, we have to do his sort of thing correctly. Fetch me a holy book.”

“A well-read highwayman, who would have thought?” the dowager commented.“Oh, he absolutely adores books. He plans to retire when he has enough money and furnish his library with hundreds of books. He has already started a collection by stealing all he can find off lords and such.”

“When you get beef from the butcher, you don’t feel bad for the cow that has been killed. But if someone asked you to wield a knife and kill the cow yourself, you wouldn’t be able to do it.”“Are you saying that you are a cow?”“Exactly.”“What?”“You found me alive and couldn’t bring yourself to kill me. It would have been alright if the storm had finished me off. I am like that cow and the storm is the butcher. Do you see now?”“Yes, I see. You absolutely insist that you are a cow. I am not arguing.”

“Can I have my ear back?" He asked irritably.She blinked."Mother, can you tell this creature here to loosen her hold?”

“Lady Anne sighed and whispered to Penelope, “My brother stands guard over me like a sphinx or a fiery dragon. Only men with courage are allowed to make way to my side, and unfortunately England is full of chicken-hearted nitwits.”

“Reading is my favourite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read.”