“Easy, luv. Don't stir the devil, or you'll 'ave to pay the consequences." "I'm not sure I have any coin on me," she said leaning closer and kissing the stubbled roughness of his jaw. "Do you think he would accept my favors instead?" A sultry whisper in his ear. Blade groaned, "Bloody 'ell, Honor. Don't tease a man so." "But it's so very exciting.”

“Looking up, he met her startled gaze. 'Let down your guard, Honor. Let me in. Let me love you.' He kissed her lips, tasted the sweetness of her breath. 'Trust me. I won't ever 'urt you.”

“Aye, then.Come and dance with the Ech'lon. You can be me bloody retinue. King o' Fools and 'is merry band o' jesters. If they don't laugh us out o' the tower, it'll be a bleedin' miracle.”

“I am tempted to incapacitate him with the hemlock and then castrate him.”Lena paled. “I don’t think that would be very wise,” she said. “And the only knife we own is what I use for the cooking. You’re not using that.”“I was planning on using a spoon,” Honoria replied.”

“You're staring.""Can't 'elp meself, he replied. You were made to be stared at.”

“Apologizing to me again, thought Miles miserably. For me. He keeps telling me I'm all right—and then apologizing. Inconsistent, Father.He shuffled back and forth across the room again, and his pain burst into speech. He flung his words against the deaf door, "I'll make you take back that apology! I am all right, damn it! I'll make you see it. I'll stuff you so full of pride in me there'll be no room left for your precious guilt! I swear by my word as Vorkosigan. I swear it, Father," his voice fell to a whisper, "Grandfather. Somehow, I don't know how . . .”

“Mischeif, I can't say before you my life was empty because you have always been in my life. There is no before you, there is no after you, there is only you. I am a better man because of you , and you are my light. I told you once all darkness needs is a little of the right kinda light, an I was right - because even in my darkest times you were there and you changed me. Marry me, because without you my life isn't woth living. Be my light Mischief, forever?”