Mary > Mary's Quotes

“This table is a pigeon trap. A dozen different forks and knives and spoons. Four different goblets. All of them just waiting to be knocked over or misapplied and mishandled. It’s a wonder anyone is ever tempted to eat.”
― Siri Mitchell, She Walks in Beauty

“Who has ever deserved anything they've been given? Love isn't about deserving,cara mia. It's about giving. And accepting. And sharing. The most worthy heart is also the most courageous.”
― Siri Mitchell, A Heart Most Worthy

“Why does it always have to be that way? Why do good men always have to sacrifice themselves for others?

Because they believe that the rest of us are worth it.”
― Siri Mitchell, The Messenger

“The problem wasn't drinking. The problem was people. And what they needed wasn't a new law; what they needed was a new heart.”
― Siri Mitchell, Love Comes Calling

“You don’t give up at the beginning just because you’re afraid of what might happen at the end. If it’s worth it, then it’s worth it,”
― Siri Mitchell, Love Comes Calling

“You can wish or you can do." That's what the dean always said. "You might have done the wrong thing in the first place, but you don't have to do the wrong thing in the second place." That's way I always said.”
― Siri Mitchell, Love Comes Calling

“Ho! Wise men say, 'He who hath not a good and ready memory should never meddle in telling lies.'"
Drew smiled. "I have a good and ready memory.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“He wants a fifteen thousand pound settlement."
"Fifteen thousand!"
"He says you're a great deal of trouble."
She hesitated for one startled moment before choking back a laugh.
"I am."
"I thought so." He leveled Drew a look. "If I pay you the fifteen thousand, do you swear to keep her?"
Drew reared back his head. "Forever?"
Her father scowled. "Forever."
"Oh, I suppose." He gave a long-suffering sigh. "If I must."
She bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing outright.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“That first scream, my lord, was indeed your daughter, my wife, and if you kill me, your grandchild will be quite without a father. Won't you come in?”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“She hated Mr. Meanie. But she'd gotten to know him and they'd reached an understanding of sorts. Now she was to have him for supper.
"Don't tell me you're feeling guilty?"
Breaking off a piece of the wing, she brought it to her lips and took a bite. It did taste good. Very good.
"I wonder if all grouchy males are this palatable."
Drew choked.
She looked up, tilting her head.
"Are you all right?"
He turned a dull red.
"Eat your supper, Connie.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“You were kidnapped not?"
"I was kidnapped."
"You were forced not into marriage?"
"I was forced into marriage."
"You want not an annulment?"
"I want not an annulment.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“You next," he said. "Out of those clothes and into bed."
She nodded but didn't move from Sally's side. The thought of undressing exhausted her. Where would she find the strength such a task would require?
"I'm filthy. I'll ruin the new bed."
"I'll bring you some fresh water."
"I've no clothes to change into."
His grin was downright wicked. "I know."
A short laugh escaped her.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Their daughter scrunched up her hands and legs, waving them wildly in the air. He opened his palm, allowing the babe to kick his hand.
"Is she like a puppy?"
Constance choked. "What!"
He looked up. "Will she get her spots later?"
Laughter bubbled up from within her as she playfully whacked him on the shoulder.
"Yes. Yes, I'm afraid she will. As soon as the sun touches her skin, the freckles will appear."
A delicious two-dimple grin spread across his face.
"Good. I find I'm rather partial to freckled redheads.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Thought you didn't like red hair."
One of Drew's dimples kicked in as he draped an arm about Grandma's shoulder.
"Must have me confused with someone else, but I'm not surprised. Seems to happen to most of the older set at some point or other.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Look. Isn't he beautiful?"
Drew's expression softened. "Ah, Nellie. He's bald, pink, and has no teeth. What's so beautiful about that?"
Nellie's laugh tinkled out like musical chimes while she covered the babe back up.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“You could have arrived atop a wildcat and no one would have said a word. They will adore you.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Where are you going?"
"To get my Bible."
"Right now? You can't get your Bible out right now! I'm, I'm, we're just about to..."
She'd never be able to go through with this if he got out his Bible. She wiped all humor from her face.
"I believe you. Proverbs 5:18. Rejoice, relish, and romp with your husband."
He chuckled. "I'm serious, Connie, and I won't have you feeling ashamed or unclean over anything we do in that bed, tonight or any other night."
"I won't. I feel unashamed and very clean. I promise. But please don't get out that Bible."
"What? Think you that God can't see us right now?"
Groaning, she slid off his lap and covered her face with her hands. He sunk to his knees in front of her, drawing her hands down.
"I love you. You love me. We are man and wife. God is watching, Connie, and He is very, very pleased.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Bitter disappointment pushed tears from her eyes.
"Now what's wrong? I said you could wear it."
She drew in a shaky breath.
"I w-wanted you to l-like my dreeessssss."
He moved his gaze over her.
"The gown makes my mouth water, love.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Lord Randall barreled inside, brandishing his cane in Drew's face.
"You beggarly knave, I was told this marriage was in name only! Who gave you permission to consummate the vows?"
"Theodore Hopkin, governor of this colony, representative of the kind, and it's going to cost you plenty, for that daughter of yours is nothing but trouble. What in the blazes were you thinking to allow her an education?"
Drew bit back his smile at the man's shocked expression. Nothing like landing the first punch.
Lord Randall furrowed his bushy gray brows.
"I knew not about her education until it was too late."
Drew straightened the cuffs of his shirt.
"Well, be prepared to pay dearly for it. No man should have to suffer through what I do with the constant spouting of the most addlepated word puzzles you could imagine."

-----------------------------------------
"I require fifteen thousand pounds."
Lord Randall spewed ale across the floor. "What! Surely drink has tickled your poor brain. You're a FARMER, you impudent rascal. I'll give you five thousand."
Drew plopped his drink onto the table at his side, its contents sloshing over the rim. A satisfied smile broke across his face.
"Excellent." He stood.
"When will you take her back to England with you? Today? Tomorrow?"
The old man's red-rimmed eyes widened.
"I cannot take her back. Why, she's already birthed a child!"
Drew shrugged. "Fifteen thousand or I send her AND the babe back, with or without you.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Oh, they'll never believe a woman could solve such puzzles. They'll just assume I'm humoring you by editing it myself and allowing you to put your name to it."
She raised her eyebrows. "But you wouldn't be."
He humphed. "They'll never hear me admit it."
"I will," she said, a smile curving her lips.
He shrugged. "They'll believe me, not you.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Sneezeweed, Drew?"
He grinned. "Jealous?"
"Surprised."
"Remind me, and I'll have a talk with Gerald. Give him a few tips."
"Promise?"
"Absolutely.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride Most Begrudging

“Judge Rountree holds half my property in the palm of his hand." Denton's growl broke the silence. "I'd appreciate if you didn't insult him at all, much less in his own home."

"He named his children One, Two, Three, and Four," she said. "He deserves to be insulted.”
― Deeanne Gist, A Bride in the Bargain

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision that something is more important than fear.”
― Lisa Tawn Bergren, Waterfall

“Sometimes the heart tells us to venture where the mind fears to tread.”
― Lisa Tawn Bergren, Waterfall

“I nodded, pretending to be a hundred times more courageous than I felt.
But that was the thing about courage. Sometimes you had to fake it to feel it.”
― Lisa Tawn Bergren, Waterfall

“Courage to win”
― Lois Walfrid Johnson

“Bree looked up at Mikkel. "Please," she said. "Just go away. Pretend you neve found us."
"No." He spit out the word.
"Sail on home. Leave us behind."
"No," Mikkel said again.”
― Lois Walfrid Johnson

“Leif had a heart of courage. Whenever someone spoke of his steady ways, Bree glanced at Thjodhild. As proud as any mother, she seemed to tuck the words away in her heart.”
― Lois Walfrid Johnson, Heart of Courage

“Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.”
― Ludwig van Beethoven

“I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald