Shoujo85

“For some reason she found that Allan Harrington's attitude of absolute detachment made the whole affair seem much easier for her. And when Mrs. Harrington slipped a solitaire diamond into her hand as she went, instead of disliking it she enjoyed its feel on her finger, and the flash of it in the light. She thanked Mrs. Harrington for it with real gratitude. But it made her feel more than ever engaged to marry her mother-in-law.”
― Margaret Widdemer

“I don’t believe she’ll be available for the rest of the day,” Gabriel said.
“No? Is she in Velora, perhaps? I could go to the school and meet with her there.”
“No, she’s not in Velora.”
Raphael’s voice took on a note of concern. “Is she ill, then? I hope not. Is it a fever?”
“No, not a fever—I mean, she’s not ill at all. She’s just unavailable.”
“Raphael’s face took on a quizzical expression. “She has not been locked in her room, has she? Really, Gabriel—”
― Sharon Shinn, Archangel

“With no sums to keep his conscience at bay, the black book loomed large, creeping into his line of sight.
He scanned the room for something else to do. The harness still needed work. And he'd been meaning to fix that rickety shelf since last month. The pipe on his potbellied stove was dented. The windowsill needed dusting.
Dusting?
J.T. braced his arms on the desk and pressed his forehead into the heels of his hands.”
― Karen Witemeyer, A Tailor-Made Bride

“You got someone else courting you?"
"No." The fork she'd been scrubbing slid from her hand, returning to the murky depths. "But then, I wasn't sure I had you courting me, either. I seem to recall you expressing a number of objections to my suitability in the past.”
― Karen Witemeyer, A Tailor-Made Bride