“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.”

“"What do you say, Miss Lyndon? Shall we have a go at it?"" 'Shall we have a go at it?' " Ellie choked out. Really, this was not the proposal of her dreams.”

“He shook his head in wonder. "You are magnificent.""I keep telling everyone that," she said with a nonchalant shrug, "But you seem to be the only one to believe me.”

“What are you up to?" she asked."Why would you think I'm up to anything?"Her lips pursed before she said, "You wouldn't be you if you weren't up to something."He smiled at that. "I do believe that was a compliment.""It wasn't necessarily intended as such.""But nonetheless," he said mildly, "that's how I choose to take it.”

“I am asking you to marry me because I love you,” he said, “because I cannot imagine living my life without you. I want to see your face in the morning, and then at night, and a hundred times in between. I want to grow old with you, I want to laugh with you, and I want to sigh to my friends about how managing you are, all the while secretly knowing I am the luckiest man in town.”“What?” she demanded.He shrugged. “A man’s got to keep up appearances. I’ll be universally detested if everyone realizes how perfect you are.”

“Ellie had a feeling he thought she was exaggerating. "I am not jesting. Yesterday she presented me with two lists. The first consisted of chores I must perform in addition to those I already do.""What, did she have you cleaning out the chimney?" Charles teased."Yes!" Ellie burst out. "Yes, and it was not a joke!"”

“Her hand tightened around the handle of the serving spoon."Don't do it," he warned."Do what?""Throw the spoon.""I wouldn't dream of it," she said tightly.He laughed aloud. "Oh,yes you would. You're dreaming of it right now. You just wouldn't do it."Sophie's hand was gripping the spoon so hard it shook.Benedict was chuckling so hard his bed shook.Sophie stood,still holding the spoon.Benedict smiled. "Are you planning to take that with you?"Remember your place, Sophie was screaming at herself. Remember your place."Whatever could you be thinking." Benedict mused, "to look so adorably ferocious? No,don't tell me," he added. "I'm sure it involves my untimely and painful demise."Slowly and carefully, Sophie turned her back to him and put the spoon down on the table. She didn't want to risk any sudden movements. One false move and she knew she'd be hurling it at his head.Benedict raised his brows approvingly. "That was very mature of you."Sophie turned around slowly. "Are you this charming with everyone or only me?""Oh,only you." He grinned. "I shall have to make sure you take me up on my offer to find you employment with my mother.You do bring out the best in me, Miss Sophie Beckett.""This is the best?" she asked with obvious disbelief."I'm afraid so.”