“Am I not allowed to speak in hyperbole?""Only," he said, a bit too smoothly, "if you are talking about me."Ellie's face slid into a smirk. "Oh, Charles," she exclaimed, "I feel as if we have known each other for a million years." Her tone grew more ironic. "I am that weary of your company.”

“Ellie had a feeling he thought she was exaggerating. "I am not jesting. Yesterday she presented me with two lists. The first consisted of chores I must perform in addition to those I already do.""What, did she have you cleaning out the chimney?" Charles teased."Yes!" Ellie burst out. "Yes, and it was not a joke!"”

“Ellie fought the urge to stamp her foot. "I meant it this time. Do you accept my apology?""It appears," he said, raising his eyebrows, "that you might do me bodily harm if I do not.""Ungracious prig," she muttered. "I am trying to apologize.""And I," he said, "am trying to accept.”

“I shall have one, too," he told her. "So that you don't feel alone."She tried not to smile. "That is most generous of you.""I am quite certain it is my gentlemanly duty.""To eat cake?""It is one of the more appealing of my gentlemanly duties," he allowed.”

“Will you be quiet?" he asked, smiling down at her. She nodded.He pretended to think about it. "I don't believe you/"She planted her hands on her hips, which had to be a ludicrous postition, naked as she was from the waist up. All right," he acceded, "but the only words I'll allow from your mouth are, 'Oh, Gareth,' and 'Yes, Gareth.'He lifted his finger.What about 'More, Gareth?'"He almost kept a straith face. "That will be acceptable”

“We are going to pick up our instruments and play Mozart,”Honoria announced. “And we are going to do it with smiles on ourfaces.”“I have no idea what any of you are talking about,” Daisy said.“I will play,” Sarah said, “but I make no promises about asmile.” She looked at the piano and blinked. “And I am not pickingup my instrument.”Iris actually giggled. Then her eyes lit up. “I could help you.”“Pick it up?”Iris’s grin grew positively devilish. “The window is not far . . .”“I knew I loved you,” Sarah said with a wide smile.”

“I'd wager you have a vengeful streak a mile wide," he muttered."I am the least vengeful person I know," she said with a sniff. "And if you think otherwise, then perhaps you ought not to marry me.""You're marrying me," he ground out, "if I have to drag you to the altar bound and gagged."Ellie smiled waspishly. "You could try," she taunted, "but in your condition you couldn't drag a flea.""And you say you're not vengeful.""I seem to be developing a taste for it.”