There are items in the meat larder that are older than your relationship with Pandora. You can't expect eternal love and devotion from a woman after a mere two weeks' acquaintance." She had laughed affectionately at his disgruntled expression. "Oh, I forgot. You're Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent- of course you would expect that.

I wonder how Merripen is faring,” Win said, her blue eyes soft with concern. Merripen, the cook-maid, and the footman had gone to the house two days earlier to prepare for the Hathaways’ arrival. “No doubt he’s been working ceaselessly day and night,” Amelia replied, “taking inventory, rearranging everything in sight, and issuing commands to people who don’t dare disobey him. I’m sure he’s quite happy.

Sophia drifted closer to Nick, employing her fan to mask the movement of her lips as she murmured to him, "I told you so."Nick smiled wryly, recalling his sister's claim that Lottie would prove to be a great asset to him. "Those are without doubt the four most irritating words in the English language, Sophia.""She is a dear creature, and far too good for you," his sister informed him with amusement dancing in her eyes."I've never claimed otherwise.

Phoebe, the fact that I asked you to be a chaperone should have made it obvious that I didn't want a chaperone at all.""I have no desire to be one," Phoebe retorted. "However, the children are asking why you're taking so long, and I can't very well explain that you're a libidinous goat.""No," Gabriel replied, "because then you would sound like a parsimonious prig."Pandora was perplexed by the quick, fond grins the siblings exchanged after the sharp words.

He gave his sister a narrow-eyed glance. "One could almost infer that the house means more to you than my future happiness.""Not at all. Your future happiness means at least as much to me as the house.""Thank you," he said dryly.

Besides, I'm not going to let you go anywhere alone- you'll have every male in the vicinity pouncing on you.""Don't be silly," Annabelle muttered.Her brother grinned suddenly. His gaze swept over her fine-boned face, her blue eyes, and the swath of pinned-up curls that gleamed brown and gold beneath the tidy brim of her hat. "Don't bother with false modesty. You're well aware of your effect on men, and, to my knowledge, you don't hesitate to make use of it.

Swallowing back her bitterness, Amelia glanced up at her brother and managed a rueful smile. “Thank you, but at this advanced stage of life, I have no ambitions to marry.” Leo surprised her by bending to brush a light kiss on her forehead. His voice was soft and kind. “Be that as it may, I think someday you’ll meet a man worth giving up your independence for.” He grinned before adding, “Despite your encroaching old age.

Amelia wondered why, when there was so much to be done, Beatrix would be so troublesome. But a smile rose to her lips as she reflected that fifteen-year-old girls didn’t choose to be troublesome. They simply were.

If you intend to drink yourself to death,” Amelia had told Leo calmly, “I wish you would do it at a more affordable place.” “But I’m a viscount now,” Leo had replied nonchalantly. “I have to do it with style, or what will people say?” “That you were a wastrel and a fool, and the title might just as well have gone to a monkey?” That had elicited a grin from her handsome brother. “I’m sure that comparison is quite unfair to the monkey.