“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!”

“It has always seemed to me that if one falls in love with any gentleman one becomes instantly blind to his faults. But I am not blind to your faults, and I do not think that everything you do or say is right! Only—Is it being—not very comfortable—and cross—and not quite happy, when you aren’t there?” “That, my darling,” said his lordship, taking her ruthlessly into his arms, “is exactly what it s!” “Oh—!” Frederica gasped, as she emerged from an embrace which threatened to suffocate her. “Now I know! I am in love!”

“Why were you in a vehicle with Kate, alone? What were you wearing? What was she wearing? How long were you there? Did you do something or did you talk? What was the nature of your discussion? Could this trip have been avoided?" I rubbed my face. "So basically you're scared that His Lordship might get his panties in a bunch?""That's one way to put it.”

“The Trader held the ring horizontal and let the fingertips of his right hand circle over it. As he did so, he closed his eyes, murmured something to himself, and was silent again. His eyes remained closed; he did not move. "What's he doing?" whispered Walker.Soledad shrugged her shoulders. "Something terribly powerful.""Wrong." replied the Trader. "I'm concentrating on the mosquito bite on my left heel, so it will stop itching.""Oh," Walker said seriously."Mosquito bite?" Soledad repeated."I can't catch ghosts if my foot is itching. I beg you for a little more understanding.""But of course," Walker said spitefully.”

“His lordship and I are...opposite sides of very different coins.”

“How very interesting." Imogen gave a dainty sniff." I collect that you also poured some of the brandy down his lordship's throat. Was that part of the treatment?" “Absolutely critical," Matthias murmured.”