“I will find her.""And when you do?" Roger asked."I will make her mine," the warrior answered in a hard, determined voice. "She will be mine."The vow was made.”

“Isabelle is like a warrior going into battle and she needs… you said yes? You'd really choose an inexperienced squire?" she asked, her voice incredulous.He laughed. "I would."She smiled. "You're lying to me to make me feel better. It's all right. It's working. Now tellme another lie.”

“Papa, do you like my new friend?" Frances Catherine asked when they were halfway across the field."I surely do.""Can I keep her?""For the love of...No, you can't keep her. She isn't a puppy. You can be her friend, though," he hastily added before his daughter could argue with him."Forever, papa?"She 'd asked her father that question, but Judith answered her. "Forever," she shyly whispered.Frances Catherine reached across her father's chest to take hold of Judith's hand. "Forever," she pledged.”

“Every man has a weakness," he patiently explained. "I'll find theirs, I promise you.""Every man?""Yes," he answered emphatically.His hand moved to the back of her neck. Twisting her curls around his fist, he jerked her head back. His face loomed over hers, his breath warm and sweet as he stared down into her eyes."What is your weakness, Brodick?" she asked."You.”

“You wouldn't let him do it, would you, Jamie?"Jamie's expression was very serene. She stared at Andrew when she spoke to her husband."With your permission, I would like to answer him.""You have it," Alec replied."Andrew," she called out in a voice as cold and clear as a frigid winter morning, "myhusband does whatever he wishes to do. I am sometimes allowed to help, though. If hedecides to cut off your feet, I will, of course, offer him my assistance.”

“He shrugged. "I was...thinking.""About what?""The fires of purgatory."She had to sit down. He wasn't making any sense now. "What does that mean?" she asked."Patrick told me he would walk through the fires of purgatory if he had to in order to please his wife."She went over to the bed and sat down on the side. "And?" she prodded when he didn't continue.He stripped out of his clothing and walked over to her. He pulled her to her feet and stared down to her."And I have only just realized I would do the same for you.”

“She didn't have any intention of crying. The tears caught her by surprise. She knew she was behaving like a child, that she was being terribly foolish and emotional, but she didn't know how to stop herself."Judith?" His thumb brushed away one of the tears on her cheek. "Tell me why you're crying.""There weren't any flowers. Iain, there should have been flowers."Her voice had been so soft, he wasn't certain he understood her. "Flowers?" he asked."Where weren't there any flowers?"He waited for her to explain, but she stubbornly remained silent. He squeezed her."In the chapel.""What chapel?""The one you don't have," she answered.”