“It’s a curse, really,” Lady Danbury said. “I’m the only person Iknow my age who has perfect hearing.”“Most would call that a blessing.”She snorted. “Not with that musicale looming over the horizon.”

“‘If you want to know if a gentleman loves you,’ her mother said, ‘there is only one true way to be sure.’”Lady Danbury leaned forward. Even Hyacinth leaned forward, and she was holding the book.“‘It’s in his kiss,’ her mother whispered. ‘It’s all there, in his kiss.’”

“You said a curse is only a curse if I allowed myself to me cursed by it. You said... I had it in my power to free myself of any curse - that curses were preludes to blessings...”

“The two of you together are a menace,” Penelope remarked.“My aim in life,” Lady Danbury announced, “is to be amenace to as great a number of people as possible, so Ishall take that as the highest of compliments, Mrs.Bridgerton.”“Why is it,” Penelope wondered, “that you only call meMrs. Bridgerton when you are opining in a grand fashion?”“Sounds better that way,” Lady D said, punctuating herremark with a loud thump of her cane.”

“Honoria couldn’t help but watch her make her way over toDaisy, and Mr. Bridgerton said, “Don’t worry, she’s mostlyharmless.”“My cousin Daisy?” she asked dubiously.“No,” he replied, momentarily nonplussed. “Lady Danbury.”Honoria looked past him to Daisy and Lady Danbury. “Is shedeaf?”“Your cousin Daisy?”“No, Lady Danbury.”“I don’t believe so.”“Oh.” Honoria winced. “That’s too bad. She might be by thetime Daisy is through with her.“That’s not going to end well,” he murmured.Honoria could do nothing but shake her head and murmur,“No.”“Is your cousin fond of her toes?”Honoria blinked in confusion. “I believe so, yes.”“She’ll want to watch that cane, then.”Honoria looked back just in time to see Daisy let out a smallshriek as she tried to jump back. She was not successful with thelatter; Lady Danbury’s cane had her pinned rather firmly.”

“She was the kind of person who would rather light a candle than curse the darkness.”