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| Link | Quote | Stars | Tags | Author |
| 8d586c9 | I would rather face the devil himself than that man," Elizabeth said with a repressed shudder. "I daresay," Lucinda agreed, clutching her umbrella with one hand and the side of the cart with her other. The nearer the time came, the more angry and confused Elizabeth became about this meeting. For the first four days of their journey, her tension had been greatly allayed by the scenic grandeur of Scotland with its rolling hills and deep vall.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| acb8c06 | How 'bout some coffee?" Jake said as he hurried over to the coffee pot on the stove and filled a mug with the remainder of the steaming brew. When he got to the table with it, however, he stopped and looked helplessly from Lucinda to Elizabeth, obviously not certain who ought properly to be served first. "Coffee," Lucinda informed him dampeningly when he took a step toward her, "is a heathen brew, unfit for civilized people. I prefer tea." .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 85f2247 | If it will reassure you that I'm not a coward, I suppose I could rearrange his face." Quietly he added, "The music has ended," and for the first time Elizabeth realized they were no longer waltzing but were only swaying lightly together. With no other excuse to stand in his arms, Elizabeth tried to ignore her disappointment and step back, but just then the musicians began another melody, and their bodies began to move together in perfect ti.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 5757762 | Why should he treat Elizabeth as if he harbored any feelings for her, including anger? Elizabeth sensed that he was wavering a little, and she pressed home her advantage, using calm reason: "Surely nothing that happened between us should make us behave badly to each other now. I mean, when you think on it, it was noting to us but a harmless weekend flirtation, wasn't it?" "Obviously." "Neither of us was hurt, were we?" "No." "Well then, the.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 1240dcd | In the weeks that followed, Elizabeth discovered to her pleasure that she could ask Ian any question about any subject and that he would answer her as fully as she wished. Not once did he ever patronize her when he replied, or fend her off by pointing out that, as a woman, the matter was truly none of her concern-or worse-that the answer would be beyond any female's ability to understand. Elizabeth found his respect for her intelligence eno.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 67e0ea6 | I have an-odd ability-to read very quickly." "Oh," Elizabeth replied, "how lucky you are. I never heard of a talent like that." A lazy glamorous smile swept across his face, and he squeezed her hand. "It's not nearly as uncommon as your eyes," he said. Elizabeth thought it must be a great deal more uncommon, but she wasn't completely certain and she let it pass. The following day, that discovery was completely eclipsed by another one. At I.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 8dd2ae3 | Elizabeth?" Ian said in a clipped voice. She whirled around, her heart slamming against her ribs, her hand flying to her throat, her knees turning to jelly. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You-you startled me," she said as he strolled up to her, his expression oddly impassive. "I didn't expect you to come here," she added nervously. "Really?" he mocked. "Whom did you expect after that note-the Prince of Wales?" The note! Crazily, her first thoug.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 729439a | The name is somewhat familiar, but I can't recall a face to go with it." Obviously disappointed in her reaction, her uncle said irritably, "You apparently have a poor memory. If you can't recall a knight or an earl," he added sarcastically, "I doubt you'll remember a mere mister." Stung by his unprovoked remark, she said stiffly, "Who is the third?" "Mr. Ian Thornton. He's-" name sent Elizabeth jolting to her feet while a blaze of animosit.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| d796981 | He sent messages to all fifteen of my former suitors, asking if they were still interested in marrying me-" "Oh, my " Alex breathed. "-and, if they were, he volunteered to send me to them for a few days, properly chaperoned by Lucinda," Elizabeth recited in that same strangled tone, "so that we could both discover if we still suit." "Oh, my " Alex said again, with more force. "Twelve of them declined," she continued, and she watched Alex .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 45491fc | By the time the Camerons, along with Lucinda and the necessary servants, arrived in London for Elizabeth's debut, Elizabeth had learned all that Mrs. Porter could teach her, and she felt quite capable of meeting the challenges Mrs. Porter described. Actually, other than memorizing the rules of etiquette she was a little baffled over the huge fuss being made. After all, she'd learned to dance in the six months she was being prepared for her .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 6822823 | Turning, she smiled with genuine affection at Lord Marchman and offered him her hand through the open window of the coach. "Thank you," she said shyly but with great sincerity, "for being all the things you are, my lord." His face scarlet with pleasure at her compliment, John Marchman stepped back and watched her coach pull out of his drive. He watched it until the horses turned onto the road, then he slowly walked back toward the house and.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 501eac5 | That only leaves the third contender to discourage," Alex said happily. "Who is he, and what do we know of him? Do I know him?" It was the moment Elizabeth had been dreading. "You never heard of him until a few weeks ago, when you returned." "What?" she asked, nonplussed. Elizabeth drew a steadying breath and nervously rubbed her hands against the sides of her blue skirts. "I think," she said slowly, "I ought to tell you exactly what happen.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| eb4be4f | In the entire endless evening his serenity received a jolt only a few times. The first was when someone who didn't know who he was confided that only two months ago Lady Elizabeth's uncle had sent out invitations to all her former suitors offering her hand in marriage. Suppressing his shock and loathing for her uncle, Ian had pinned an amused smile on his face and confided, "I'm acquainted with the lady's uncle, and I regret to say he's a l.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| ca6ba2d | Realizing that the footman was still glowering at him, Ian looked down at the short man and said, "Your mistress is expecting me. Tell her I've arrived." "I'm here, Aaron," Elizabeth's voice said softly, and Ian turned. One look at her and Ian forgot the footman, the state of the house, and any knowledge of architecture he'd ever possessed. Garbed in a simple gown of sky-blue gauze, with her hair twisted into thick curls bound with narrow b.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 2661054 | I'll give the girl a few minutes of my time and then send her packing. We don't have a position for anyone with a college degree in music. Even if we did, I wouldn't hire Lauren Danner. I've never met a more irritating, outrageous, ill-mannered, homely child in my life.She was about nine years old, chubby, with freckles and a mop of reddish hair that looked as if it was never properly combed. She wore hideous horn-rimmed eyeglasses, and so .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 1f1136e | Standing at the window overlooking the lawn, Jordan and Alexandra Townsende watched the couple heading toward them. "If you'd asked me to name the last man on earth I would have expected to fall head over heels for a slip of a girl, it would have been Ian Thornton," he told her. His wife heard that with a sidewise look of extreme amusement. "If been asked, I rather think I would have named " "I'm sure you would have," he said, grinning. .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 79740a7 | When a little of his strength returned he moved onto his side, taking her with him, still a part of her. Her hair spilled over his naked chest like a rumpled satin waterfall, and he lifted a shaking hand to smooth it off her face, feeling humbled and blessed by her sweetness and unselfish ardor. Several minutes later Elizabeth stirred in his arms, and he tipped her chin up so that he could gaze into her eyes. "Have I ever told you that you .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| ede6b00 | Behind her, where Tony had been standing, shadows moved, then a hand gently grasped Elizabeth's elbow, and a deep, husky voice said near her ear, "Dance with me, Elizabeth." Shock stiffened her body, slamming against the barricade of numbness that Elizabeth was trying to keep intact. Still gazing straight ahead, she said very calmly and politely, "Would you do me a great service?" "Anything," he agreed. "Go away. And stay away." "Anything,".. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 545743b | By the way," he said, so casually that Lauren was instantly on guard, "a magazine reporter called me this morning. They know who you are and they know we're getting married. When the story breaks, I'm afraid the press will start hounding you." "How did they find out?" Lauren gasped. He shot her a glinting smile. "I told them." Everything was happening so quickly that Lauren felt dazed. "Did you happen to tell them when and where we're getti.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 2a30b53 | We are late, Alexandra," said the dowager duchess as she stood in Alex's drawing room idly examining a magnificent fourteenth-century sculpture reposing on a satinwood table. "And I don't mind telling you, now that the time is upon us, I have a feeling about this now than I did earlier. And my instincts are never wrong." | Judith McNaught | ||
| 2a8e415 | Have you stopped the trial?" the duchess said. "Stopped the trial!" he expostulated. "My dear duchess, it would take the prince or God to stop this trial." "They will have to settle for Lady Thornton," the dowager snapped." | Judith McNaught | ||
| d292f25 | Why on earth didn't you say in the papers what had happened to my brother? Obviously my husband and Mr. Delham knew it. And you must have known you could provide the captain and crew to prove it." Reluctantly, the assistant tore his gaze from the bench and said softly, "It was your husband's idea to wait until the trial was under way before springing his defense on them." "But why?" "Because our illustrious prosecutor and his staff showed n.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 77d7cac | Are-are you leaving?" She saw his shoulders stiffen at the sound of her voice, and when he turned and looked at her, she could almost feel the effort he was exerting to keep his rage under control. " leaving," he bit out. In silent, helpless protest Elizabeth shook her head and started slowly across the carpet, dimly aware that this was worse, much worse than merely standing up in front of several hundred lords in the House. "I wouldn't do.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| b8b2296 | Lauren had hoped to make him notice her as a woman, and he was certainly noticing her. Now she rather hoped he would say something nice. But he didn't. Without a word he turned on his heel, strode over to the bar and dumped the ocntents of one of the glasses into the stainless steel bar sink. "What are you doing?" Lauren asked. His voice was filled with amused irony. "Adding some gin to your tonic." Lauren burst out laughing, and he glanced.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 11ad8d9 | Has anyone ever told you that you have incredibly beautiful eyes?" "Yes, and you're prevaricating!" "And that you're extremely well-spoken, too?" he continued, ignoring her remark." | Judith McNaught | ||
| dde05c5 | At that moment Elizabeth would have said or done anything to reach him. She could not believe, actually could not comprehend that the tender, passionate man who had loved and teased her could be doing this to her-without listening to reason, without even giving her a chance to explain. Her eyes filled with tears of love and terror as she tried brokenly to tease him. "You're going to look extremely silly, darling, if you claim desertion in c.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 0522fbb | What does it take to make you stop?" Elizabeth flinched from the hatred in the voice she loved and drew a shaking breath, praying she could finish without starting to cry. "I've hurt you terribly, my love, and I'll hurt you again during the next fifty years. And you are going to hurt me, Ian-never, I hope, as much as you are hurting me now. But if that's the way it has to be, then I'll endure it, because the only alternative is to live with.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| dbd27de | Elizabeth's breakfast had cured Ian's hunger, in fact, the idea of ever eating again made his stomach churn as he started for the barn to check on Mayhem's injury. He was partway there when he saw her off to the left, sitting on the hillside amid the bluebells, her arms wrapped around her knees, her forehead resting atop them. Even with her hair shining like newly minted gold in the sun, she looked like a picture of heartbreaking dejection... | Judith McNaught | ||
| 3f0ae96 | Firmly, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger,Nick turned her face up to his, forcing her to look into his teasing gray eyes. "If I'm so beautiful, why won't you look at me?" "That was a silly thing for me to tell you," Lauren apologized with quiet dignity, "and..." "It was definitely a gross exaggeration-" he smiled, taking his hand away from her chin "-but I liked it.And, in case you're interested," he added, his voice turning .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 6933617 | Toward the end of the summer, they went to London, although the city was still somewhat deserted, the Little Season having not yet begun. Elizabeth agreed because she thought it would be convenient for him to be nearer the men with whom he invested large sums of money in complex ventures, and because Alex would be there. Ian went because he wanted Elizabeth to enjoy the position of prestige in society she was entitled to-and because he enjo.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 79a65e9 | I had wonderful grandparents, and I promise you that I don't have any emotional scars from what happened with my mother." "Of course you do-anyone would! She walked out on you, then practically before your eyes lavished her attention on her next son..." "Stop it," he teased, "or you'll have in tears." With quiet gravity Lauren said, "I was crying for the boy you were then, not for the man you are now. Despite everything that happened-no, .. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 0f37855 | To have him look at her as if she was a piece of office equipment whose presence offended him but whom he was obliged out of neccessity to have nearby. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 6ca8a48 | Speaking of 'things,' Mary tells me that Nick is like a keg of dynamite ready to explode at the first spark. She says you're bearing up under the strain marvelously. You've won her wholehearted approval," he added quietly. "I like her too," Lauren said, her eyes clouding at the mention of Nick. Jim waited until she had left to go upstairs,then he picked up his telephone and punched four numbers. "Mary, what's the atmosphere like up there th.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 5973851 | I understand that you have an urgent task for me." "I do." "What is it?" "I want you to go to the coffee shop and get me something to eat." "That-" Lauren choked. "That's your idea of urgent?" "Very urgent," Nick replied imperturbably. "I happen to be starved." Lauren clenched her hands into fists. "To you I may mrely be some frivolous, amusing sexual object, but downstairs I have an important job to do, and Jim needs me." " need you,honey.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| d2bc389 | In the middle of his rapid-fire dictatioin he said softly, without pausing, "When the sun is on your hair, it shines like spun gold," and launched back into his letter. Lauren, who had inadvertently taken half of the compliment down in shorthand, gave him a killing glance, and he chuckled." | Judith McNaught | ||
| d0bffc2 | The call was already under way when Lauren walked into his office. Nick gestured toward his chair and got up so taht she could sit at his desk and take notes.Two minutes after Lauren sat down, he leaned over her from behind, braced his hands on the desk on either side of her and brushed his lips across her hair. Lauren's self-control snapped. "Damn you, stop it!" she burst out. "What?" "What?" "What?" three masculine voices chorused. Nick l.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| df70ff1 | Anderson!" he snapped murderously, "if you can tear your attention from Miss Danner's bust, the rest of us will be able to finish this meeting." Lauren flushed a vivid pink, but the elderly Anderson turned a purple hue that might be indicative of an impending stroke. As soon as the last staff member had filed out of the conference room, Lauren ignored Mary's warning look and turned furiously on Nick. "I hope you're satisfied!" she hissed fu.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| e095ede | Ricco will take care of you," he said. "Ricco thinks you are beautiful-he blushes when your name is mentioned." Ricco took their order and blushed when he put a glass of wine in front of Lauren. Mary's eyes twinkled, but when he left she looked directly at Lauren and said without preamble, "Would you like to talk about Nick?" Lauren choked on her wine. "Please,let's not ruin a lovely lunch. I already know more than enough about him." "What,.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 2b3d3eb | Hayat her kesin kendine dusen rolu oynadigi bir tiyatro sahnesidir,. | julie-mathison zachary-benedict | Judith McNaught | |
| 24ba98e | You damn fool!" one of the men grated in angry concern as they both squatted down on their haunches and peered anxiously at her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bracing herself on her forearms, Lauren lifted her chagrined gaze from the man's shoes to his face. "Auditioning for the circus," she told him dryly, "And for an encore, I usually fall off a bridge." A rich chuckle sounded from the other man as he took her firmly by the s.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 2688386 | Lauren was still studying the mobile line of his lips when they quirked suddenly, as if amusement was lurking tere.Her gaze shot up, and to her utter horror she discovered that his gray eyes had shifted to her. Lauren was torn between laughing at his dry observation and blushing because she hadn't fooled him in the least. She did neither, and instead carefully kept her eyes on the elevator doors until they opened on the eightieth floor. | Judith McNaught | ||
| ca401e1 | It doesn't feel swollen," he commented, bending his head torward her ankle again. "Does it hurt at all?" "Very little. Not nearly as much as my dignity." "In that case, by tomorrow your ankle your dignity will probably be fine." Still crouching, he cupped her heel in his left hand and reached over to pick up her sandal with his right. Just as he was about to slip the sandal onto her foot, he glanced up at her and his lazy smile sent Laure.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| 7fbb5a9 | Did you know that you're very relaxing company?" he asked softly. She was not particularly pleased to hear that while she found him electryfying, he found her relaxing. "Thank you-I'll try not to put you to sleep before we get to Harbor Springs." "You can put me to sleep we get there," he said suggestively. Laruen's heart slammed into her rib cage. "What I meant was, I hope I'm not boring you." "Believe me, you haven't bored me." His voic.. | Judith McNaught | ||
| aa6b1ce | Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" she asked softly. A slow boyish smile spread across his features. "What would you think if I told you no?" Lauren laughed. "I'd think you were trying to appear modest." "Then what am I supposed to do now?" he teased. "I suppose you should try to look a little flustered and embarrassed by the flattery." "I don't fluster or embarrass very easily." "In that case, you could try to fluster me by .. | Judith McNaught |