“Never," he spat out, "kick a man who is pointing a gun at you.”

“Not that I knew who you were until last month. But now that I've got you, I'm not letting you go.""You're not?"Blake stared at her in irritated confusion. What was her game? "Do you think I'm an idiot?" he spat out."No," she said. "I've just escaped from a den of idiots, so I'm well familiar with the breed, and you're something else entirely. I am, however, hoping you're not a terribly good shot.”

“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.”

“Consanguinity has never seemed to be one of yourprerequisites for plain speaking.”“Touché,” she returned, giving him a single nod of approval. “Iwas merely pointing out that you are quite stealthy in your goodhumor. This I applaud wholeheartedly.”“I am aquiver with glee.”

“So he decided to stay out of it and instead turned backto Lady Bridgerton, who was, as it happened, the closestperson to him, anyway. “And how are you this afternoon?”he asked.Lady Bridgerton gave him a very small smile as shehanded him his cup of tea. “Smart man,” she murmured.“It’s self-preservation, really,” he said noncommittally.“Don’t say that. They wouldn’t hurt you.”“No, but I’m sure to be injured in the cross fire.”

“Turner let his face fell into his hands. "I'm never going to touch her again", he moaned. "He's never going to touch me again!" they heard Miranda roar."Well,it doesn't look like you'll have much argument from your wife on that point", Olivia chirped.”

“Colin decided then and there that the female mind was a strange and incomprehensible organ - one which no man should even attempt to understand. There wasn't a woman alive who could go from point A to B without stopping at C, D, X, and 12 along the way.”