“You're twisting my words.""I think you are doing a fine job of twisting them yourself.”

“Oh, very well, do you want to know why I really think you should keep a journal?"She nodded."Because someday you're going to grow into yourself, and you will be as beautiful as you already are smart.”

“Anthony sneezed and pushed them aside. "Mother, I am trying to have a conversation with the duke."Violet looked at Simon. "Do you want to have this conversation with my son?""Not particularly.""Fine, then. Anthony, be quiet.”

“I think you're going to break more hearts this spring than I'll be able to count.""It isn't your job to count them," he said, his voice quiet and hard."No, it isn't, is it?" She looked over at him and smile wryly. "But I'm going to end up doing it all the same, won't I?""And why is that?"She didn't seem to have an answer to that, and then, just when he was sure she would say no more, she whispered, "Because I won't be able to stop myself.”

“You might wish to revisit your understanding of the word everything.” Gregory turned to his mother.“Vocabulary and comprehension were never her strong suits.”Violet rolled her eyes. “Every day I marvel that the two of you managed to reach adulthood.”“Afraid we’d kill each other?” Gregory quipped.“No, that I’d do the job myself.”

“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.”

“Now I want you to listen to me," he said in a low voice, taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him. "And listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once. You are going to marry me before this week is out. Since you have conveniently run off to Scotland, we don't need a special license. You're just lucky I don't haul you off to a church right this instant. Get yourself a dress and get yourself some flowers, because, sweeetheart, you're getting yourself a new name.”