“Tell me something wicked.”

“Daphne felt something wild and wicked take hold. “Let’s walk in the garden,” she said softly.“We can’t.”“We must.”“We can’t.”

“Your fangs are showing, Miss Lyndon.""Are they?" she asked, reaching up to touch her face. "I shall have to remember to retract them."Charles burst out laughing. "You, Miss Lyndon, are a treasure.""That's what I keep telling everyone," she said with a shrug and a wicked smile, "but no one seems to believe me.”

“Did you wonder?” he whispered. “Did you leave me and wonder what I hadn’t told you?” He leaned in, just so she’d feel his lips move whisper-light against her ear. “Did you want to know what I did when I was wicked? Do you want me to tell you?” he murmured. He felt her jerk slightly in surprise, and he chuckled. “Not about them, Francesca. You. Only you.”-Michael Stirling”

“Is there something you wish to tell me?” Violet askedgently.Hyacinth shook her head. How did one share somethingsuch as this with one’s mother?—Oh, yes, by the by and in case you’re interested, ithas recently come to my attention that my affianced husbandasked me to marry him because he wished to infuriatehis father.—Oh, and did I mention that I am no longer a virgin?No getting out of it now!No, that wasn’t going to work”

“Don’t tell me your name. It’s likely to awaken my conscience, and that’s the last thing we want.”

“It's still horrible. The whole thing.""Dreadful," Grace agreed.Amelia turned and looked at her directly. "Sodding bad."Grace gasped, "Amelia!"Amelia's face wrinkled in thought. "Did I use that correctly?""I wouldn't know.""Oh, come now, don't tell me you haven't thought something just as unladylike.""I wouldn't say it."The look Amelia gave her was clear as a dare. "But you thought it."Grace felt her lips twitch. "It's a dammed shame.""A bloody inconvenience, if you ask me.”