Quotes from Dorothy Dunnett

She said, on a spurt of unusual temper, 'If you say I look hot once again, I shall die of boredom, I think.' 'Don't die,' said Lymond pleasantly; and swinging into his own saddle, gathered the reins. 'Have a fit.

There he goes. What do you think he will do?' 'What you want him to do,' Adam said dryly. 'Doesn't he always?' 'No,' Lymond said.

He's s o damned moral that he ought to be standing rear up under a Bo Tree.

This man Jerott,' said Danny Hislop accusingly. 'You said he was middle-aged.' Jerott turned. 'I didn't,' said Adam Blacklock indignantly. 'I said he was stinking rich and cut his old allies dead in the street. I did not say he was middle-aged.

What will you not achieve next time? You should be relieved. A lifetime of desertion, and you are still her favourite son.

Does anyone—Jerott?—know a nice clean strumpet who doesn't have the pox and will sleep in my room tonight to discourage Richard? She needn't stay beyond half an hour, and I don't want to meet her.' 'And that's a bloody waste,' said Jerott belligerently. 'And it's going to stay a bloody waste,' said Lymond tartly. 'I want a little privacy, not to work up a joint reputation as Hophni and Phinehas.

I grant," said Lady Buccleuch with a certain grim amusement, "that the pure springs of chivalry may be a little muddy in the Hawick area, but that's no proper excuse for calling his father an unprincipled old rogue, and every other peer in Scotland a traitorous scoundrel.

Music, the knife without a hilt.

She said peevishly, 'Do you consider I'm old enough to stop calling you Mr Crawford?' 'No,' said Mr Crawford shortly. 'What alternatives would you suggest? Master? Uncle?' 'That would certainly unsettle the Maréchale, for one,' said Philippa more cheerfully.

Don't you think they would all have been happier if Francis Crawford had never existed?

I showed you your face in the mirror. It was not only the face of one who loves, but the face of one whose love is returned.

His lawté maid him presoner to be, And for the commoun proffet of the land He chesit him as presoner to stand. NICHOLAS DE FLEURY, immured with his charge on the English border at Upsettlington, had by this time no heavenly credit left, unless his state of mind was proof against angels.

I should rather, Philippa, marry where there is no love than marry and find love turn to jealousy.

You are not being badgered; you are being invaded.

How nice to be married with … how many children, Richard? You don't have quite this problem. You don't have any problems really, do you, sitting there in your lordship pontificating? It seems to be beyond you even to get yourself decently drowned.

A reluctant watchdog, Culter held a post of small dignity, vulnerable to a thousand shafts of wit … which did not arrive. Francis at his most quiet, his most responsible showed his elder brother the face, Adam thought, his friends sometimes saw. And from that realized that Francis, in those final days, was drawing from obscurity an old friendship, to be remembered later maybe, and recognized.

Oh,' said Philippa. 'Checkmate,' Lymond said.

I take back the more personal insults if you will take back your arm without putting it to impious uses.

If you're going to marry the youth, I shan't touch him.' 'But you will be nasty to him,' said Philippa gloomily. 'You know you can't help it.' 'I shall probably be nasty to him,' Lymond agreed firmly. 'But I shan't touch him.

How about that, my own brother, my own bright light, thou Igor?

It was odd, Adam thought, that Lymond's harshest opponent should be his brother, and that each man had such power to hurt the other.

What had you expected? A viper, or a devil, or a ravening idiot; Milo with the ox on his shoulders, Angra-Mainyo prepared to do battle with Zoroaster, or the Golden Ass? Or didn't you know the family colouring? Richard hasn't got it. Poor Richard is merely Brown and fit to break bread with …

To the devil with your pearldrops and your parroty manners. A filled mind and an apt wit will earn you all the respect any man has the means to deserve.

I have nothing to lose,' Marthe said. 'So nothing can harm me.