Amelia Quotes

“I have a big hole in my heart," I said. "But it'll close over."
I don't want to sound all Dr. Phil," she said. "But don't let the scab seal the pain in, okay?"
That's good advice," I said. "I hope I can manage it.”
― Charlaine Harris, Definitely Dead

“It might do wonders for your marriage,” Amelia continued. “It’s lovely to talk to your husband after you’ve been to bed together. They just lie there feeling grateful and say yes to everything.” - Amelia to Poppy”
― Lisa Kleypas, Tempt Me at Twilight

“To Cam surprise, she was smiling up at him steadily, her eyes midnight.
His expression turned quizzical. "What's so amus­ing?"
Amelia toyed with a button on his coat. "I was just thinking . . . tonight those two old hens will probably go to their beds, cold and alone." An impish grin curved her lips. "Whereas I will be with a wicked, handsome Rom who will keep me warm all night.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Seduce Me at Sunrise

“I, too, have felt that the war goes on and on. When my son, Ian, died at El Alamein-- side by side with... visitors offering their condolences, thinking to comfort me, said, "Life goes on." What nonsense, I thought, of course it doesn't. It's death that goes on; Ian is dead now and will be dead tomorrow and nexe year and forever. There's no end to that. But perhaps there will be an end to the sorrow of it. ”
― Mary Ann Shaffer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I don't think she realized how much she cared for him, or he for her, until the end. Hasn't someone said a woman may be known by the men who love her enough to die for her? (If they haven't, I claim the credit myself.)”
― Elizabeth Peters, The Ape Who Guards the Balance

“Her skin is pale as watermelon sucked free of its juices.”
― Jaclyn Moriarty, The Ghosts of Ashbury High

“He wrapped his hand around hers, pressed a kiss to the heart of her palm, and held her gaze. “I’ve got a one-room cabin, a few horses, and a dream that’s so small it won’t even cover your palm. But it sure seems a lot bigger when you’re beside me.”

The moonlight streaming through the window shimmered off the tears trailing along her cheeks. “I’ve always wanted a dream that I could hold in the palm of my hand,” she said quietly.

-Houston and Amelia”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Destiny

“Forgive me for speaking frankly, but after the past quarter-hour's conversation, I am unconvinced that any of you possess the sense or sensitivity to impart the news in any respectful fashion”
― Tessa Dare, One Dance with a Duke

“We southerners worship our ancestors.”
― Amanda Stevens, The Restorer

“Amelia and Poppy both glanced at their younger sister quizzically. “Do you know what we’re talking about, Bea?” Amelia asked.
“Yes, of course. Merripen’s in love with her. I knew it a long time ago, from the way he washed her window.”
“Washed her window?” both older sisters asked at the same time.
“Yes, when we lived in the cottage at Primrose Place. Win’s room had a casement window that looked out onto the big maple tree— do you remember? After the scarlet fever, when Win couldn’t get out of bed for the longest time and she was too weak to hold a book, she would just lie there and watch a birds’ nest on one of the tree limbs. She saw the baby swallows hatch and learn to fly. One day she complained that the window was so dirty, she could barely see through it, and it made the sky look grayish. So from then on Merripen always kept the glass spotless. Sometimes he climbed a ladder to wash the outside, and you know how afraid of heights he is. You never saw him do that?”
“No,” Amelia said with difficulty, her eyes stinging. “I didn’t know he did that.”
“Merripen said the sky should always be blue for her,” Beatrix said. “And that was when I knew he … are you crying, Poppy?”
Poppy used a napkin to dab at the corners of her eyes. “No. I just inh-haled some pepper.”
“So did I,” Amelia said, blowing her nose.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“He pulled her mirror out of his other pocket. “You left your mirror on my table.” He extended it toward her.

“You can keep it,” she said quietly. “We have lots of mirrors here.”

“I’ll keep it, then.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

He’d never rushed headlong into a battle, but he figured this time, it might be the best approach. “I spent a lot of time studying it. The back is real pretty with all the gold carving. Took me about an hour to gather up the courage to turn it over and look at the other side.”

“And what did you see?”

“ Aman who loves you more than life itself.”

Closing her eyes, she dropped her chin to her chest.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me. I haven’t held your feelings as precious as I should have.”

“I don’t hate you,” she whispered hoarsely. “I tried to, but I can’t.”

-Houston and Amelia”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Destiny

“Mr. Rohan,” she heard Beatrix ask, “are you going to marry my sister?”
Amelia choked on her tea and set the cup down. She sputtered and coughed into her napkin.
“Hush, Beatrix,” Win murmured.
“But she’s wearing his ring—”
Poppy clamped her hand over Beatrix’s mouth. “Hush!”
“I might,” Cam replied. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he continued. “I find your sister a bit lacking in humor. And she doesn’t seem particularly obedient. On the other hand—”
One set of French doors flew open, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass. Everyone on the back terrace looked up in startlement, the men rising from their chairs.
“No,” came Win’s soft cry.
Merripen stood there, having dragged himself from his sickbed. He was bandaged and disheveled, but he looked far from helpless. He looked like a maddened bull, his dark head lowered, his hands clenched into massive fists. And his stare, promising death, was firmly fixed on Cam.
There was no mistaking the bloodlust of a Roma whose kinswoman had been dishonored.
“Oh, God,” Amelia muttered.
Cam, who stood beside her chair, glanced down at her questioningly. “Did you say something to him?”
Amelia turned red as she recalled her blood-spotted nightgown and the maid’s expression. “It must have been servants’ talk.”
Cam stared at the enraged giant with resignation. “You may be in luck,” he said to Amelia. “It looks as if our betrothal is going to end prematurely.”
She made to stand beside him, but he pressed her back into the chair. “Stay out of this. I don’t want you hurt in the fray.”
“He won’t hurt me,” Amelia said curtly. “It’s you he wants to slaughter.”
Holding Merripen’s gaze, Cam moved slowly away from the table. “Is there something you’d like to discuss, chal?” he asked with admirable self-possession.
Merripen replied in Romany. Although no one save Cam understood what he said, it was clearly not encouraging.
“I’m going to marry her,” Cam said, as if to pacify him.
“That’s even worse!” Merripen moved forward, murder in his eyes.
Lord St. Vincent swiftly interceded, stepping between the pair. Like Cam, he’d had his share of putting down fights at the gambling club. He lifted his hands in a staying gesture and spoke smoothly. “Easy, large fellow. I’m sure you can find a way to resolve your differences in a reasonable fashion.”
“Get out of my way,” Merripen growled, putting an end to the notion of civilized discourse.
St. Vincent’s pleasant expression didn’t change. “You have a point. There’s nothing so tiresome as being reasonable. I myself avoid it whenever possible. Still, I’m afraid you can’t brawl when there are ladies present. It might give them ideas.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Her delicate brows drew together. “As a rancher, surely he knows how to ride a horse.”

“He can ride just fine. He took it into his head that he could break this rangy mustang, and it broke him instead.”

-Houston and Amelia”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Destiny

“Boys,” said Amelia as she and Patrick stepped forward with the last gift, “Can you never give anyone anything useful?”
At the same time Danny and Mason broke out into grins and said, “But those are useful.” Amelia shook her head, her blond curls cascading beautifully around her.”
― Micalea Smeltzer, Forbidden

“Pro medicina est dolor, dolorem qui necat.”
“The pain that kills pain acts as medicine,” Win translated.
“That would make sense only to a Roma,” Amelia said, and Cam grinned.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Poppy was busy with needlework, stitching a pair of men’s slippers with bright wool threads, while Beatrix played solitaire on the floor near the hearth. Noticing the way her youngest sister was riffling through the cards, Amelia laughed. “Beatrix,” she said after Win had finished a chapter, “why in heaven’s name would you cheat at solitaire? You’re playing against yourself.”
“Then there’s no one to object when I cheat.”
“It’s not whether you win but how you win that’s important,” Amelia said.
“I’ve heard that before, and I don’t agree at all. It’s much nicer to win.”
Poppy shook her head over her embroidery. “Beatrix, you are positively shameless.”
“And a winner,” Beatrix said with satisfaction, laying down the exact card she wanted.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Walking around the ragged exterior of Ramsay House, Amelia talked animatedly with John Dashiell, asking about his past projects, his ambitions, and whether there were difficulties in working with one’s brother.
“We knock heads quite often, I’m afraid,” Dashiell replied, squinting against the afternoon sun. A quick grin illuminated his face. “We both hate to compromise. I accuse him of being set in his ways, and he accuses me of arrogance. The pity of it is, we’re both right.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Poppy wiped his sweating face with a dry cloth. “Poor Merripen.” She brought a cup of water to his lips. When he tried to refuse, she slid an arm beneath his head and raised it insistently. “Yes, you must. I should have known you’d be a terrible patient. Drink, dear, or I’ll be forced to sing something.”
Amelia stifled a grin as Merripen complied. “Your singing isn’t that terrible, Poppy. Father always said you sang like a bird.”
“He meant a parrot,” Merripen said hoarsely, leaning his head on Poppy’s arm.
“Just for that,” Poppy informed him, “I’m going to send Beatrix in here to look after you today. She’ll probably put one of her pets in bed with you, and spread her jacks all over the floor. And if you’re very lucky, she’ll bring in her glue pots, and you can help make paper-doll clothes.”
Merripen gave Amelia a glance rife with muted suffering, and she laughed.
“If that doesn’t inspire you to get well quickly, dear, nothing will.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“God help anyone who stands in your way. You do like to manage other people's lives, don't you?"
"Only when it's obvious I can do a better job of it than they can.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Ami sniffed, then cooed at the baby. “You are the mostest beautiful, aren’t you? So precious, my darling. Where’s Ash? Ash, I need to have another baby.”
Ash, still wrestling Astar the bear cub while Stella clung to his back, her arms wrapped around his neck, throttling him as she chattered merrily, called back. “Right this minute? Because I’ll need to get undressed.”
― Jeffe Kennedy, The Fate of the Tala

“I don’t want to go back,” Beatrix moaned. “It’s so dreadfully dull, and I don’t like all that rich food, and I’ve been sitting beside the vicar who only wants to talk about his own religious writings. It’s so redundant to quote oneself, don’t you think?”
“It does bear a certain odor of immodesty,” Amelia agreed with a grin, smoothing her sister’s dark hair. “Poor Bea. You don’t have to go back, if you don’t wish it. I’m sure one of the servants can recommend a nice place for you to wait until supper is done. The library, perhaps.”
“Oh, thank you.” Beatrix heaved a sigh of relief. “But who will create another distraction if Leo starts being disagreeable again?”
“I will,” Cam assured her gravely. “I can be shocking at a moment’s notice.”
“I’m not surprised,” Amelia said. “In fact, I’m fairly certain you would enjoy it.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“I’m tired of sitting. I’m tired of watching everyone else work. I can set my own limits, Amelia. Let me do as I wish.”
“No.” Incredulously Amelia watched as Win picked up a broom from the corner. “Win, put that down and stop being silly!” Annoyance whipped through her. “You’re not going to help anyone by expending all your reserves on menial tasks.”
“I can do it.” Win gripped the broom handle with both hands as if she sensed Amelia was on the verge of wrenching it away from her. “I won’t overtax myself.”
“Put down the broom.”
“Leave me alone,” Win cried. “Go dust something!”
“Win, if you don’t—” Amelia’s attention was diverted as she saw her sister’s gaze fly to the kitchen threshold.
Merripen stood there, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. Although it was early morning, he was already dusty and perspiring, his shirt clinging to the powerful contours of his chest and waist. He wore an expression they knew well—the implacable one that meant you could move a mountain with a teaspoon sooner than change his mind about something.
Approaching Win, he extended a broad hand in a wordless demand. They were both motionless. But even in their stubborn opposition, Amelia saw a singular connection, as if they were locked in an eternal stalemate from which neither wanted to break free.
Win gave in with a helpless scowl. “I have nothing to do.” It was rare for her to sound so peevish. “I’m sick of sitting and reading and staring out the window. I want to be useful. I want…” Her voice trailed away as she saw Merripen’s stern face. “Fine, then. Take it!” She tossed the broom at him, and he caught it reflexively. “I’ll just find a corner somewhere and quietly go mad. I’ll—”
“Come with me,” Merripen interrupted calmly. Setting the broom aside, he left the room.
Win exchanged a perplexed glance with Amelia, her vehemence fading. “What is he doing?”
“I have no idea.”
The sisters followed him down a hallway to the dining room, which was spattered with rectangles of light from the tall multipaned windows that lined one wall. A scarred table ran down the center of the room, every available inch covered with dusty piles of china … towers of cups and saucers, plates of assorted sizes sandwiched together, bowls wrapped in tattered scraps of gray linen. There were at least three different patterns all jumbled together. “It needs to be sorted,” Merripen said, gently nudging Win toward the table. “Many pieces are chipped. They must be separated from the rest.”
It was the perfect task for Win, enough to keep her busy but not so strenuous that it would exhaust her. Filled with gratitude, Amelia watched as her sister picked up a teacup and held it upside down. The husk of a tiny dead spider dropped to the floor.
“What a mess,” Win said, beaming. “I’ll have to wash it, too, I suppose.”
“If you’d like Poppy to help—” Amelia began.
“Don’t you dare send for Poppy,” Win said. “This is my project, and I won’t share it.” Sitting at a chair that had been placed beside the table, she began to unwrap pieces of china.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Uneasily Amelia drew her hand away and told her brother, “Mr. Rohan saved my life twice today. First I nearly fell out the window, and then I found the bees.”
“This house,” Leo muttered, “should be torn down and used for matchsticks.”
“You should order a full structural inspection,” Rohan said. “The house has settled badly. Some of the chimneys are leaning, and the entrance hall ceiling is sagging. You’ve got damaged joinery and beams.”
“I know what the problems are.” The calm appraisal had annoyed Leo. He’d retained enough of his past architectural training to assess the house’s condition accurately.
“It may not be safe for the family to stay here.”
“But that’s my concern,” Leo said, adding with a sneer, “isn’t it?”
Sensitive to the brittle disquiet in the atmosphere, Amelia made a hasty attempt at diplomacy. “Mr. Rohan, Lord Ramsay is convinced the house poses no immediate danger to the family.”
“I wouldn’t be so easily convinced,” Rohan replied. “Not with four sisters in my charge.”
“Care to take them off my hands?” Leo asked. “You can have the lot of them.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“What happened?” she asked, dropping to the damp ground beside Win. “Has Merripen been burned?”
“Yes, on his back.” Win ripped a makeshift bandage from the hem of her own gown. “Beatrix, would you take this, please, and soak it in water?”
Without a word, Beatrix scampered to the trough at the handpump.
Win stroked Merripen’s thick black hair as he rested his head on his forearms. His breath hissed unevenly through his teeth.
“Does it hurt, or is it numb?” Amelia asked.
“Hurts like the devil,” he choked out.
“That’s a good sign. A burn is much more serious if it’s numb.”
He turned his head to give her a speaking glance.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“You have all you need. A home, children, work that satisfies you. What do you need with a man?”
― Nora Roberts, Black Rose

“Love is the biggest lie. He will fuck you, and use you, and cheat and lie. He will give you pain until you are hollow and empty, until you are dried up and ugly. And dead.”
― Nora Roberts, Black Rose

“Love’s a lie, an illusion created by weak women and conniving men. An excuse for the middle class to breed and their betters to ignore so they can marry within their own station and build more wealth.”
― Nora Roberts

“The act of rebellion is seeded in doubt that SAFER-U is what it claims to be, and the search for some satisfaction outside of us. We can see what life without SAFER-U, lived in rebellion and fear, does to areas where people have not let SAFER-U gain control. The rebellious and non-conforming choose their poverty by rejecting the safety and riches of our U-City’s.”
― J.S. Jacob

“SAFER-U only taught me fear and hate, but Amelia taught me love.”
― J.S.Jacob

“So, you would go down on your knees before me?

Whenever you want me to, and with pleasure,”
― Astrid Morino, Spellbound Embrace: A Witch's Dance with Darkness