How ghastly for her, people actually thinking, with their brains, and right next door. Oh, the travesty of it all.
The ill-informed masses included her own family among their ranks, a family that specialized in being both inconvenient and asinine.
I think we seldom regret the risks we take as much as the times we did not try at all.
I suspect it may be like the difference between a drinker and an alcoholic; the one merely reads books, the other needs books to make it through the
Highland werewolves had a reputation for doing atrocious and highly unwarranted *things*, like wearing smoking jackets to the dinner table.
And I find perfect beauty excessively boring, don’t you?
There was a pleasantness to the air and a spirit about the town that did not come from its color, but from some inner, tasty citrus quality. It made Alexia wonder fancifully if cities could have souls.
Just because history says it isn’t possible doesn’t mean that there aren’t exceptions.
Alexia figured, delightedly, that this meant he did, in fact, tend to traipse around his private apartments in the altogether. Marriage was becoming more and more of an attractive prospect.
We like the shadows. That’s where all the power is.
Oh, Major, you do so love to annoy, don’t you?””It is the stuff of living, my lady.
Where were the scientific pamphlets that taught a woman how to listen to herself die?
…you have been fraternizing with warewolves overmuch! Military men can be terribly bad for one’s verbal concatenation!
But I don’t want to be a vampire drone.’ Sophronia winced. ‘They’ll suck my blood and make me wear only the very latest fashions.
I like fish,” chirruped Tunstell.”Really, Mr. Tunstell? What is your preferred breed?””Well”–Tunstell hesitated–“you know, the um, ones that”–he made a swooping motion with both hands–“uh, swim.
Sophronia felt bound to object. “I, for one, should prefer not to shoot at someone I like.””Admirable scruples, Miss Temminnick. Get over them. For you will do it anyway.
The Earl of Woolsey was indeed completely nude. He did not seem particularly perturbed by this fact, but Miss Tarabotti felt the sudden need to close her eyes tight and think about asparagus or something equally mundane.
He has been mad for you these many months, ever since you prodded him in the nether regions with a hedgehog.
Great, Alexia thought, I have gone from soul sucker to electrical ground. The epithets just get sweeter and sweeter.
Felicity was horrible and snide, but then Felicity had been a repulsive earwig ever since she first grew a vocabulary.
Ivy was particularly adept at being ignorant but could cause extensive havoc with the smallest scrap of information.
We’re a team like tea and milk, or cake and custard, or pork and apple.
Having delivered the expected daily miracle, Floote stood in his usual stance and warily watched the Templars work.
Alexia wondered what it said about her character that Ivy had genuinely believed she would intentionally go climbing about the side of a floating dirigible.
One could not blame a people for disliking vampires. Vampires were like brussels sprouts – not for everyone and impossible to improve upon with sauce.
[She] lost her patience, a thing she was all too prone to misplacing.
It is a valuable thing for an intelligencer to be forgotten.
The vampire’s eyes were open, and he was staring at her intently. It was as though he were trying to speak to her with simply the power of a glare.Alexia did not speak glare-ish.
It didn’t feel sporting to shoot at a crazy person, even if that person was a vampire who’d agreed to the job.
Lyall’s face went deadpan as he relayed the details, as those who are tortured or raped will become when they retell the pattern of abuse
I suppose that saves us from having to determine what to do with a butler who goes around killing people. It certainly reflects badly upon our domestic staff. Still, I shall miss him. There was a man who knew how to brew a good cup of tea.
But we were talking about me and my problems.”Sophronia looked Monique up and down gravely.”I don’t think we’re going to solve those in the space of one carriage ride.
It had taken her a good deal of time before she believed that she was worth all that fierce affection he lavished upon her. To have it stolen away unjustly was that much more cruel.
Here, I stole it for you. Why don’t you tell me what it’s for.”“Aw, Sophronia, how thoughtful. You brought me a present!
His eyes are peculiar. There is nothing in them, like an eclair without the cream filling. It’s wrong, lack of cream.
After every unladylike action, there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Consider the necessary, analyze the consequences, clean up the mess.
Cats were not, in her experience, an animal with much soul. Prosaic, practical little creatures as a general rule. It would suit her very well to be thought catlike.
Madame Lefoux accepted a cup of tea and sat on another little settee, next to the relocated calico cat. The cat clearly believed Madame Lefoux was there to provide chin scratches. Madame Lefoux provided.
Sophronia and Dimity took a vacant love seat at the front, Sophronia dislodging a large, fluffy cat with a scrunched-up face. The cat gave her a disgusted look. Or seemed to; it was hard to tell with that face.
Most girls recently out of finishing school are like soufflés: puffed up, not very substantial inside, and prone to collapsing at the slightest provocation.
After four marriages, and four deaths, she had everything in life a woman might desire: titled position, swollen coffers, the freedom to travel, and a world that accepted her because it was afraid of her.
Gavin tried not to stare at the lobster. He decided not to inquire further. Whatever Jack’s reasoning, best to accept that crustaceans were necessary to his view of the world.
What do you want?” Sophronia was moved to exasperation.”Me? Stockings and breeches to come back in fashion. I do miss seeing a man’s calves.
She took a moment to lament her lack of parasol. Every time she left the house, she felt keenly the absence of her heretofore ubiquitous accessory.
He might have lost his mind, but never his fashion sense.
Mortals trotted about in shoes and corsets made to limit movement, fashion for prey.
Consider the necessary, analyze the consequences, clean up the mess.
That’s a very murky position,” objected Felix.”So’s the weather. But this is England, we must learn to live with uncertainty.
The important question is, what will your wear for a wedding dress, Alexia? You look horrible in white.
The monkeys, she explained, were considered reincarnated politicians, which made Rue laugh and the stick entirely understandable.
I never gossip. I observe. And then relay my observations to practically everyone.
I hate missing everything. That’s why I want to marry well and be a grand lady. Then I can host all the parties, all the time, and see everything that is going on always. How can you stand not knowing?
When all else fails, dress beautifully and throw your food.
I don’t want my writing to be work to read. My main goal is completely shameless entertainment. I want people to smile and giggle and enjoy the book. I’m not trying to save the world through literature.