Quotes from Rhys Bowen

England. A long way away. A heathen land where they do not have the true faith.

Belinda laughed. "Darling, if only true virgins were allowed a white wedding, church organists would die of starvation.

When the world has gone mad, we must help each other when we can. Most of my neighbours are good and share what little they have. When Benito snared a rabbit, he gave us some of it to make the good broth you are eating. And when I came home this morning, I passed Signora Gucci and she saw the mushrooms I had found.

I have a grand piano in my living room, can you imagine the absurdity? I don't even play. Perhaps they know I might entertain dear Noël." She spoke of her friend Noël Coward.

The war is over. They just signed the armistice. Eleven o'clock this morning, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

I'm not completely sure yet whether I want to marry at all," I said. "To tell you the truth, I don't like the thought of being under the thumb of some man for the rest of my life. It seems to me that women are expected to surrender all freedom and individuality when they become wives.

we had mulligatawny soup, followed by steak and kidney pudding, followed by a rather grand version of bread pudding with custard.

Lucky Devon Pixies, said the sign. I'm a lucky Devon pixie, from the legend old and true, Kiss me once and turn me twice and I'll bring luck to you. The pixies were silver charms in pretty little boxes with the verse on the lid,

The Society of Saint George," she said. "A devotional society of the men of this town. It is an honour to be invited to join.

Bob's yer uncle, miss," she said.

in some ways I feel that my ability to love and to be passionate died on that battlefield in the war. I sort of shut off who I had been before and became an observer rather than a participant.

We had a creamed turnip soup followed by a terrine that was composed of delightful layers of goodness knows what. Then a poached fillet of sole with pommes dauphine and finally a baba au rhum and coffee. All this was accompanied by a crisp white wine, and I was frankly ready for a nap when we returned to the Rue Cambon.

Lord Kilhenny's gaze moved from me to Darcy and back again. "A friend from London, eh?" There was almost the hint of a smile. "Didn't fool me for a second. You were the thing that was important to him, weren't you?

Well, I've had enough. I can't trust you, Darcy O'Mara. I don't want to see you again.

Life seemed to be one succession of good news and then bad. Ups followed by downs. But there was always enough hope to keep on going.

It is, right enough," Nan agreed. "He's not the sort of man who can sit there puffing away at his pipe and reading the newspaper. Always has been a goer, my Alf. He'll be a goer until the day he drops dead.

Freshen up? Is that some horrible transatlantic slang? If you mean for a rest, a wash, a change of clothes, then please say so. People always said what they meant in my day.

For anxiety and the uncalm spirit, for a peaceful sleepe without evil dreames. Make an infusion of hoppes, skullcap, vervain, valerian, wild lettuce and passion flower. To these can be added lavender, lemon balm and chamomile to sweeten the potion and to infuse the air with calming sweetness.

Her Majesty's daughter Princess Helena and her granddaughter Princess Thora are visiting. Here's the menu: consommé aux fines herbes, cheese croutons, poached fillet of sole with parsley sauce and potatoes à la crème, puree of squab à la chasseur, creamed celery, pork chops with apples, red cabbage and duchesse potatoes, iced pudding à la Prince Albert, canary pudding with vanilla sauce, anchovy toast.

You can't go around killing people who insult you or disagree with you or society would be a highly dangerous place.

Nobody made the sign of the cross, indicating that this was entirely a Protestant gathering. Nobody cried or wailed, indicating that it was entirely non-Irish.

Next thing we know you'll be teaching Podge to say 'mirror' instead of 'looking glass' and 'serviette' instead of 'napkin.

Come on, old duck," he coaxed.

I looked up to see my mother entering the room.