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d93553b
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Taken thus by surprise, it was several moments before she was able to decide whether to make herself known to him, or to await a formal introduction. The strict propriety in which she had been reared urged her to adopt the latter course; then she remembered that she was not a young girl any longer, but a guardian-aunt ... To flinch before what would certainly be an extremely disagreeable interview would be the act, she told herself, of a pu..
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Georgette Heyer |
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70abe16
|
Venetia had no guile, and no affectations; she knew the world only by the books she had read; experience had never taught her to doubt the sincerity of anyone who did her a kindness.
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Georgette Heyer |
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8e9d36b
|
I see," agreed Rule. "You are going to be the Sacrifice." She looked up at him rather shyly. "It c-can't signify to you, can it? Except that I know I'm not a Beauty, like L-Lizzie. But I have got the Nose, sir." Rule surveyed the Nose. "Undoubtedly, you have the Nose," he said. Horatia seemed determined to make a clean breast of her blemishes. "And p-perhaps you could become used to my eyebrows?" The smile lurked at the back of Rule's eyes...
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Georgette Heyer |
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3a3d6e8
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How came you to tumble down the stairs as soon as my back was turned?' ... The Earl slipped his arm behind her, and raised the hand he was still holding to his lips ... Miss Morville, finding his shoulder so invitingly close, was glad to rest her head against it ... Her overstrained nerves then found relief in a burst of tears. But as the Earl chose to kiss her at this moment, she was obliged to stop crying, the merest civility compelling h..
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Georgette Heyer |
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2e289b2
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Bouncer, recognizing a well-wisher, got up, and thrust his cold, wet nose under her hand, assuming as he did so the soulful expression of a dog who takes but a benevolent interest in cats, livestock, and stray visitors.
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humour
humor
dogs-in-regency-novels
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Georgette Heyer |
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6e0fd75
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She contrived, without precisely making so vulgar a boast, to convey the impression that she was escaping from courtships so persistent as to amount to persecution; and Mr Beaumaris, listening with intense pleasure , said that London was the very place for anyone desirous of escaping attention.
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wit
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Georgette Heyer |
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5a772a1
|
The supreme torture was to come. He discovered that it required the united energies of the three men to coax him into his coat. When at last it was on he assured them it would split across the shoulders if her so much as moved a finger. "Forget it, little fool!" "Forget it?" cried Philip." How can I forget it when it prevents my moving?"
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Georgette Heyer |
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e8c6932
|
Friday. Proposed to Cicely. Refused.
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Georgette Heyer |
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51169b1
|
Barham you may be, but there is one thing you have been which is certain!' He paused to let this sink in. My lord did not seem to be greatly impressed. 'Oh, a number of things!' he assured his guest. 'Of course, there are a number of things I have not been, too.
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Georgette Heyer |
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d0540d6
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It is customary, you know, to exchange polite conversation during the dance. I have now addressed no fewer than three unexceptionable remarks to you without winning one answer!
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Georgette Heyer |
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a038f91
|
And everything - but everything! - we did was quite useless!' said Eustacie, quite disgusted. 'I know,' said Miss Thane, sadly shaking her head. 'It does not bear thinking of.' 'I do not know why you should complain,' remarked Sir Tristram. 'You have had a great deal of adventure, which is what I understood you both to want.' 'Yes, that is true,' acknowledged Eustacie, 'but some of it was not very comfortable. And I must say that I am not a..
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Georgette Heyer |
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544dae0
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Yes, darling, that is quite a nice frock, but the hankerchief is not only the wrong shade of grey, but quite damnably tied. Let me show you, my sweet.
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Georgette Heyer |
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10c48ec
|
he disclosed that he had been set upon by two Bedlamites, both of whom had jumped out from behind a bush, roaring at him like a couple of ferocious wild beasts ... The Sergeant cast a doubtful glance at Lieutenant Ottershaw, for, in his opinion, this had a false ring. His men, as he frequently informed them, put him forcibly in mind of many things, ranging from gape-seeds, hedge-birds, slush-buckets, and sheep-biters, to beetles, tailless d..
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Georgette Heyer |
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5d460ac
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That drew a laugh from Jessamy, but he said, after a moment: "You had better flay me. It was my fault--all my fault!" "I was wondering how long it would be before you contrived to convince yourself that you were to blame," said Alverstoke caustically. "I haven't the slightest wish to know how you arrived at such an addlebrained conclusion, so don't put yourself to the trouble of telling me!"
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humor
fault
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Georgette Heyer |
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edb1af9
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Well, I warn you, love, that if you cast me out I shall build me a willow cabin at your gates - and likely die of inflammation of the lungs, for November is *not the month for building willow cabins!
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humour
rejection
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Georgette Heyer |
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b15001e
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Ferdy choked.It took a great deal of back-slapping to restore him, and when he was at last able to catch his breath again, his eyes were watering and his countenance was alarmingly flushed. 'Well, what the deuce!' exclaimed Sherry, eyeing him in surprise. 'Crumb' gasped Ferdy. 'Crumb? You weren't eating anything!' 'Must have been,' said Ferdy feebly.
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humour
regency
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Georgette Heyer |
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4eb5876
|
In all of this she was only partially successful, for although Nurse knew that once Miss Venetia had made up her mind she was powerless to prevent her doing whatever she liked, and was obliged to admit some faint resemblance in Damerel to the Good Samaritan, she persisted in referring to him as The Ungodly, and in ascribing his charitable behaviour to some obscure but evil motive.
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regency
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Georgette Heyer |
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ec28ac5
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even if there is a ghost it cannot possibly be more disagreeable to live with than your grandfather
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Georgette Heyer |
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0736f71
|
He didn't choose between me and you, Julia: it was between me and ruin.
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true-love
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Georgette Heyer |
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45350e3
|
You don't understand!" she exclaimed bitterly. "That," said his lordship, with a touch of acidity, "is a foolish accusation which lacks even the saving grace of originality! Every generation, my child, has said, or thought, that the preceding one was devoid of understanding or experience."
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generation
old
understand
child
foolish
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Georgette Heyer |
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589c89a
|
It was seldom that Mr Standen, a peace-loving young gentleman, was conscious of a wish to come to blows with his fellow-men, but a wistful desire to land his cousin a facer did for an instant flicker in his mind.
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Georgette Heyer |
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9b2044c
|
The end of the idyll was implicit in the beginning: I at least knew that, though you might not. And also that the more enchanted the idyll the greater must be the pain of its ending. That won't endure. Hearts don't really break, you know.
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tragic-love-story
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Georgette Heyer |
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18dd117
|
I dare say you would not be in the least moved if you came to-morrow, and found us all lying dead in our beds!' she said bitterly. 'On the contrary, I should be a good deal surprised.' She could not help laughing. 'Odious creature! Very well, I see you have a heart of stone, and I waste my time in useless entreaties
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Georgette Heyer |
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dced56d
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Sophia, with real nobility of character, then asked Papa to explain something she had read in Sir John Malcolm's History of Persia, which the Vicar, whose only personal extravagance was his purchase of books, had lately added to his library.
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Georgette Heyer |
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0de8893
|
I contrive,"' said Prudence softly. 'Do you know, sir, you puzzle me.' 'It has ever been my motto,' the old gentleman pointed out triumphantly."
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Georgette Heyer |
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b0d369e
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Mrs Patch was all that she had hoped. She was an improbable blonde of uncertain years, with a very much painted face, a singularly penetrating voice, and a laugh which made Mablethorpe wince.
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Georgette Heyer |
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63a7c44
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Lady Theresa prophesied disaster for all concerned, and hoped that when Serena was dying an old maid she would remember these words, and be sorry. Meanwhile she remained her affectionate aunt.
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Georgette Heyer |
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34a8c00
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Lord, if we were all to marry our first loves what a plague of ill-assorted marriages there would be!
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Georgette Heyer |
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eb4eb63
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Besides, it was a well-known maxim that maniacs must be humoured.
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romance
maniac
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Georgette Heyer |
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da7bcc2
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Men - witness all the histories! - were subject to sudden lusts and violences, affairs that seemed strangely divorced from heart or head, and often more strangely still from what were surely their true characters. For them chastity was not a prime virtue: she remembered her amazement when she had discovered that so correct a gentleman and kind a husband as Sir John Denny had not always been faithful to his lady. Had Lady Denny cared? A litt..
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Georgette Heyer |
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a0a1514
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You can't go about smelling of April and May, the pair of you, and then expect to gull people into thinking you don't mean to get riveted!
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Georgette Heyer |
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17b17de
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Mrs Grayshott was no tattle-monger; and since she had a great deal of reserve Abby knew that only a stringent sense of duty could have forced her to overcome her distaste of talebearing. What she knew, either from her own observation, or from the innocent disclosures of her daughter, she plainly thought to be too serious to be withheld from Fanny's aunt. At the same time, thought Abigail, dispassionately considering her, the well-bred calm ..
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Georgette Heyer |
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7962cfc
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Miss Taverner took the whip and reins in her hands, and mounted into the driving-seat, scorning assistance. "Take your orders from Miss Taverner, Henry," said the Earl, getting up beside his ward. "Me Lord, you are never going to let a female drive us?" said Henry almost tearfully. "What about my pride?" "Swallow it, Henry," replied the Earl amicably."
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humour
wit
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Georgette Heyer |
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0b11a64
|
Lady Cinderford,' said the Dowager, referring to her widowed sister-in-law in accents of loathing, 'will act as hostess at Stanyon over my dead body!' 'That would be something quite out of the ordinary way,' murmured the Earl.
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Georgette Heyer |
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476de2b
|
Do let me assure you that if ever Endymion should ask me to give a ball in his honour I shall take steps to have him placed under restraint!
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Georgette Heyer |
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7e3fd43
|
Of a certainty Madame has died," Leonie said wickedly. "Tiens, c'est bien drole!"
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Georgette Heyer |
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56e5e58
|
Surprise is the essence of attack!
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Georgette Heyer |
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16fe2f4
|
Gone Groupy, has she?' said Hugh. 'How rotten for Tom!' 'Well, it is rather, because Connie's started forgiving him for all sorts of things he never knew he'd done. We're hoping that she'll get over it quickly, because she's president of the Women's Conservative Association, besides running the Mothers, and the Village Club, and now that she's a God-guided citizen she simply hasn't a moment to attend to Good Works. I don't know why it is, b..
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Georgette Heyer |
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bdc6926
|
I love you, you know,' he said conversationally. 'Will you marry me?' The manner in which he made this abrupt proposal struck her as being so typical of him that a shaky laugh was dragged from her. 'Of all the graceless ways of making me an offer - ! No, no, you are not serious! you cannot be!' 'Of course I'm serious! A pretty hobble I should be in if I weren't, and you accepted my offer! The thing is that it is such a devil of a time sin..
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shakespeare-quotes
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Georgette Heyer |
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16c1d6c
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He took her face between his hands, turning it up, and looking down at her for a moment before he kissed her. "I do love you, Jenny," he said gently. "Very much indeed-- you are part of my life. Julia was never that-only a boy's impractical dream."
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regency-romance
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Georgette Heyer |
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4a4c182
|
If you mention Bella's name to me again, Gil, I am likely to do you a mischief!' Sherry warned him. 'I never cared the snap of my fingers for that wretched girl, and if you are not assured of that, ask her! Why, God save the mark, she may be a beauty, but give me my Kitten! Bella, with her airs and her graces, and her miffs, and her curst sharp tongue! No, I thank you! What's more, no man who had lived with Kitten would look twice at the Be..
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true-love
hero-and-anthony
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Georgette Heyer |
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17bbcda
|
Y'know, dear old boy- not my business- but she don't mean an ounce of harm! Only saying to George last night; dear little soul! Not up to snuff at all!' 'No, my God!' agreed the Viscount feelingly. 'Tell you what, Sherry: if I had a wife, which I'm deuced glad I haven't, I'd rather have one like your Kitten than all the Incomparables put together.' 'You would?' said Sherry, staring at him. 'I would,' said Mr. Ringwood firmly.
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hero-wantage
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Georgette Heyer |
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14a9707
|
She sighed and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. "How comfortable this is! she said. "And so delightfully vulgar! Does plain Mr Dash put his arm round ladies in hackney coaches?" "When not in gaol he does," the Duke responded."
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true-love
humour
regency
|
Georgette Heyer |
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36c7dfe
|
Frederica tells the park-keepers that Lufra is a purebred "Barcelona collie".
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dogs
comedy-absurd
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Georgette Heyer |