“If looks could have killed, Susan would have been bleeding profusely from the forehead.”

“Michael had to clutch the end of the table to keep from rising. He could have had Shakespeare at his side to translate, and still not have been able to explain why Colin‟s remark infuriated him so.”

“His hand was on her arm, and he could feel her skin, feel the soft warmthof it, and then when he looked down, her face was tilted toward his, and her eyes, deep and bluebut so completely unmysterious, were gazing up at him, and in truth there was no way—simplyno way—he could do anything in that moment but kiss her.Anything else would have been a tragedy.”

“He looks like a man.' 'How descriptive,' Susan said in a droll tone. 'Remind me never to advise you to seek work as a novelist.”

“Yes.” She sighed again, with even more drama, not that Gregory would have imagined it possible. “It isall so romantic,” she added. “The bride, the groom…”“Both are considered standard in the ceremony, I understand.”His mother shot him a peevish look. “How could I have raised a son who is so unromantic?”Gregory decided there could not possibly be an answer to that.”

“All of this presupposes that I have set my sights on a single male.' Susan's eyes bugged out. 'You certainly cannot set your signs on a married man!' 'I meant a particular man,' Elizabeth retorted, swatting her sister on the shoulder.”

“Are you all right?” he asked Olivia. His heart was still racing with terror that she’d been hurt. “I heard a woman scream.”“Ah, that would have been me,” Sebastian said.Harry looked down on his cousin, face frozen in disbelief. “You made that noise?”“It hurt,” Sebastian bit off.Harry fought not to laugh. “You scream like a leettle girl.”