“Their fathers had been twins, but John‟s had entered the world seven minutes before Michael‟s.The most critical seven minutes in Michael Stirling‟s life, and he hadn‟t even been alive for them.”

“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.”

“Eloiseis getting married as well.”“Eloise?” Michael asked with some surprise. “Was she even being courted by anyone?”“No,” Francesca said, quickly flipping to the third sheet of her mother‟s letter. “It‟s someone she‟s never met.”“Well, I imagine she‟s met him now,” Michael said in a dry voice.”

“And I hope you will not think me foolish when I also extend my thanks.Thank you, Michael, for letting my son love her first.—from Janet Stirling, dowager Countess of Kilmartin, to Michael Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin”

“and he stopped going to church entirely, because there seemed no point now in even contemplating prayer for his soul. Besides, the parish church near Kilmartin dated to 1432, and the crumbling stones certainly couldn‟t takea direct strike of lightning.And if God ever wanted to smite a sinner, he couldn‟t do better than Michael Stirling.Michael Stirling, Sinner.He could see it on a calling card. He‟d have had it printed up, even—his was just that sort of black sense of humor—if he weren‟t convinced it would kill his mother on the spot.Rake he might be, but there was no need to torture the woman who‟d borne him.”

“There were only so many ways a man‟s heart could break, and he had a feeling his couldn‟t survive another puncture.”

“Michael wondered what the legal ramifications were for strangling a knight of the realm. Surely nothing he couldn‟t live with.”