“I don't want to have to earn love by giving up my ability to make decisions that determine how I live.”

“The only thing I regret about age are the wrinkles. But I have high hopesfor this new almond cream! Do you know, that Italian apothecary promises the cream will make one'sskin as soft as a baby's cheek? Once your child arrives, we'll have a viable comparison. Not having seena baby in years, how would I know what its skin looks like?""I'm glad my condition will prove to be of use," Esme said rather tartly.”

“My only excuse is that I have no reputation myself, and I am thereby well aware of its ephemeral value. Reputation is worthless.Sebastian Bonnington's love letter to Esme Rawlings”

“I love you," he said, his voice catching. "When I thought you were going to die, I wanted to die.”

“I never did learn how to live in the moment, but I did learn that moments could be wasted and the world would continue to spin on its axis.”

“Piers looked up at him. 'You're new. What's your name?' 'Neythen, my lord.''Sounds like a terrible illness. No, more like a bowel problem. I'm sorry, Lord Sandys, your son has contracted neythen and won't live a month. No, no, there's nothing I can do. Sandys would have preferred hearing that to syphilis.”

“When you fall in love, your heart will pound so much you won't be able to throw a mouse let alone a cow pat.I don't think I could throw a mouse now. I dislike the idea of scrabbling little feet in my palm, unless they are yours, of course.”