Quotes from Georgette Heyer

Your strength lies in being precisely the kind of man who can procure one a chair when it has come on to rain.

Are you well? You look a trifle peaked." "If I do, it is because black doesn't become me. I mean to lighten my mourning, and have ordered a charming gray gown." "You are mistaken." "What, in going into half-mourning?" "No, in thinking black does not become you.

The Reverend William Trent, whose mind was of a serious order, had several times warned his elder sister that too lively a sense of humour frequently led to laxity of principle. She now perceived how right he was; and wondered, in dismay, whether it was because he invariably made her laugh that instead of regarding the Nonesuch with revulsion she was obliged to struggle against the impulse to cast every scruple to the winds, and to give her life into his keeping.

nothing makes one so cross as knowing one is in the wrong, does it?

Charles' driving, skilful though it might be, kept his passengers in a constant state of breathlessness.

As for the fan, she agreed that it was a most amusing trifle: just what she would wish to buy for herself, if it had not been so excessively ugly!

And that reminds me, Mama! I have just intercepted another of that puppy's floral offerings to my sister. This billet was attached to it." (Charles)

Miss Darracott, an intelligent girl, now perceived that in harboring for as much as an instant the notion of marrying a man who fell so lamentably short of the ideal lover she was an irreclaimable ninnyhammer. Ideal lovers might differ in certain respects, but in whatever mold they were cast, not one of them was so unhandsome as to make it extremely difficult for one not to giggle at their utterances. This hopelessly overgrown and unromantic idiot must be given a firm set-down.

I didn't smuggle the dog into the country; I merely caused him to be smuggled out of Baluchistan.

You will be a widow before the morning.

Oh, 'tis not my qualities they object to! 'Tis my lack of vice.

Yes, love, responded his sister cheerfully, but it wasn't of the least consequence, and in any event I answered for you. You would be astonished, I daresay, if you knew what interesting conversations I enjoy with myself.

The truth is that I told Lucius Kennet and Silas to kidnap you for me, but I thought they could do it without using any horrid stratagems! That was fair enough! There could be no possible objection, for how could I kidnap you myself?

Yes, but we do not know that he snores, my love,' Lady Ombersley pointed out. 'Indeed, we may be almost certain that he does not, for his manners are so very gentleman-like!' 'A man who would contract the mumps,' declared Cecilia, 'would do anything!

Well, I must own that you are not at all goodnatured to your sisters, she said frankly. Not that I blame you for that - at least, not altogether! They seem positively to take delight in setting up your back! I wonder they shouldn't know that pinching at one's brothers is fatal! But whatever you may say you are not a monster of selfishness. You wouldn't be so kind to Jessamy and Felix if that were so.

I shan't ask you how you do, ma'am: to enquire after a lady's health implies that she is not in her best looks. Besides, I can see that you are in high bloom.

With the aid of the baluster-rail and Mr Goring's stalwart arm she arrived, panting but triumphant, on the first floor, and paused to take breath. Observing that Lybster was about to throw open the door into the drawing room she stopped him by the simple expedient of grasping his sleeve. Affronted, he gazed at her with much hauteur, and said in freezing accents: Madam? Looby! enunciated Mrs Floore, between gasps. You wait! Trying to push me in - like a landed salmon!

I daresay Freddy might not be a great hand at slaying dragons, but you may depend upon it none of those knight-errants would be able to rescue one from a social fix, and you must own, Meg, that one has not the smallest need of a man who can kill dragons!

It is possible," said Miss Marling stiffly, "that Frederick and not Mary will have the ordering of the journey." Vidal chuckled. "Not if I know my Mary," he replied

After all, life was not made up of moments of exaltation, but of quite ordinary, everyday things

Yet, after all, Jenny thought she had been granted more than she hoped for when she married him. He did love her: differently, but perhaps more enduringly; and he had grown to depend on her. She thought that they would have many years of quiet content: never reaching the heights, but living together in comfort and deepening friendship.

may I have a workshop at Alver? For experiments? If I promise faithfully not to blow the house up? If you please, Cousin Alverstoke … ?

I do not like your name, sir," she answered. "There was no thought of pleasing you when I was christened." he quoted lazily.

If a man gives a party, he ought to know what kind of party it is,' argued the Viscount. 'If you don't know, how are we to know? It might be a damned soirée, in which case we wouldn't have come. Let's go home, Pom.