Spot The Lizard Quotes

“All conversation had stopped. Following the guests’ collective gazes, Cam saw something—a lizard?—wriggling and slithering its way past sauceboats and salt cellars. Without hesitation he reached out and captured the small creature, cupping it in closed hands. The lizard squirmed furiously in the space between his closed palms.
“I’ve got it,” he said mildly.
The vicar’s wife half fainted, slumping back in her chair with a low moan.
“Don’t hurt him!” Beatrix Hathaway called out anxiously. “He’s a family pet!”
The assembled guests glanced from Cam’s closed hands to the Hathaway girl’s apologetic face.
“A pet?… What a relief,” Lady Westcliff said calmly, staring down the length of the table at her husband’s blank countenance. “I thought it was some new English delicacy we were serving.”
A swift wash of color darkened Westcliff’s face, and he looked away from her with fierce concentration. To anyone who knew him well, it was obvious he was struggling not to laugh.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Snuggling comfortably in her corner, Beatrix gave her older sister a perplexed glance. “Win? You have the oddest look on your face. Is something the matter?”
Win had frozen in the act of lifting a teacup to her lips, her blue eyes round with alarm.
Following her sister’s gaze, Amelia saw a small reptilian creature slithering up Beatrix’s shoulder. A sharp cry escaped her lips, and she moved forward with her hands raised.
Beatrix glanced at her shoulder. “Oh, drat. You’re supposed to stay in my pocket.” She plucked the wriggling object from her shoulder and stroked him gently. “A spotted sand lizard,” she said. “Isn’t he adorable? I found him in my room last night.”
Amelia lowered her hands and stared dumbly at her youngest sister.
“You’ve made a pet of him?” Win asked weakly. “Beatrix, dear, don’t you think he would be happier in the forest where he belongs?”
Beatrix looked indignant. “With all those predators? Spot wouldn’t last a minute.”
Amelia found her voice. “He won’t last a minute with me, either. Get rid of him, Bea, or I’m going to flatten him with the nearest heavy object I can find.”
“You would murder my pet?”
“One doesn’t murder lizards, Bea. One exterminates them.” Exasperated, Amelia turned to Merripen. “Find some cleaning women in the village, Merripen. God knows how many other unwanted creatures are lurking in the house. Not counting Leo.”
Merripen disappeared at once.
“Spot is the perfect pet,” Beatrix argued. “He doesn’t bite, and he’s already house-trained.”
“I draw the line at pets with scales.”
Beatrix stared at her mutinously. “The sand lizard is a native species of Hampshire—which means Spot has more right to be here than we do.”
“Nevertheless, we will not be cohabiting.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“As soon as the doors were closed, Amelia went to her sister with her hands raised. At first Cam thought she intended to shake her, but instead Amelia pulled Beatrix close, her shoulders trembling. She could barely breathe for laughing.
“Bea … you did it on purpose, didn’t you?… I couldn’t believe my eyes … that blasted lizard running along the table…”
“I had to do something,” the girl explained in a muffled voice. “Leo was behaving badly—I didn’t understand what he was saying, but I saw Lord Westcliff’s face—”
“Oh … oh…” Amelia choked with giggles. “Poor Westcliff … one moment he’s def-fending the local population from Leo’s tyranny, and then Spot comes s-slithering past the bread plates…”
“Where is Spot?” Twisting away from her sister, Beatrix approached Cam, who deposited the lizard in her outstretched palms. “Thank you, Mr. Rohan. You have very quick hands.”
“So I’ve been told.” He smiled at her.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Their conversation was checked by the reappearance of Beatrix. “Spot’s gone,” she reported. “He seemed quite happy to take up residence at Stony Cross Park.”
Seeming relieved by her sister’s return, Amelia went to her, brushed at the crumbs of soil on her sleeve, and straightened her hair bow. “Good luck to Spot. Are you ready to go back in to supper, dear?”
“No.”
“Oh, everything will be fine. Just remember to look chastened while I grimace in an authoritative manner, and I’m certain they’ll allow us to stay through dessert.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight