“Biding time is easy -- and gets you nowhere.”

“I'd pity you," she said in a conversational tone. "But you know,you just aren't worth it. I'd pity your new son, too,but he won't be worth it either after you get done raising him to be just like you-that's if he's even really yours or just-""Get out!" Mortimer cut in furiously.”

“Don't make me have to chase after you again, because there's no way in hell you can get away from me, lady.”

“Shall we go have a nice dinner in London? And,well, you can't, but I feel like getting a little foxed while we're at it.”

“Who is he?""Rupert St. John.""Isn't he-oh,my,that handsome boy of Julie's? Well, that explains a bit, I suppose. He always did dazzle you whenever you saw him,didn't he?""Yes,until I got to know him," Rebecca replied, then wished she'd kept that grumble to herself.Up went Lilly's brow. "Something else is wrong aside from the fact that you had to get married?""I suppose that the bride and groom hate each other could be considered a little something else," Flora said.This time Lilly sat down.She started to say something, but changed her mind. She opened her mouth to start again, but again snapped it shut. Finally she burst out, "This sort of thing was never supposed to happen to you!" Then after giving herself a brief shake, she said, "Very well, as briefly as you can, please,so I can get beyond this sudden urge to go find a pistol.”

“And here I thought you were actually going to behave yourself," he said. "It's going to get worse if they don't keep their hands off you.""I suppose you're going to tell me now that only you have the right to touch me.""I see we understand each other.”

“She paused, frowning as she sifted through her memories. “I think it was my mother who said it, that Kathleen married Frank Dunn just so she could leave Haverhill. I remember thinking at the time that that must have been a powerful desire she had, to see more of the world.” Or a powerful desire to get away from her small of corner of it, Chad was thinking.”