Frederica Quotes

“Do you forget that I am your sister?”
“No; I’ve never been granted the opportunity to forget it.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“[...]my memory is reasonably good—unlike yours, dear sir!”
“Mine is erratic,” he said imperturbably. “I remember only what interests me.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“I was under the impression that I warned you that in London country ways will not do, Frederica!”
“You did!” she retorted. “And although I can’t say that I paid much heed to your advice it so happens that I am accompanied today by my aunt!”
“Who adds invisibility to her other accomplishments!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Do you mean to tell me that Mr. Trevor read my letter?” demanded Lady Buxted indignantly. “Your secretary?”
“I employ him to read my letters,” explained his lordship.(Alverstroke)
“Not those written by your nearest and dearest!”
“Oh, no, not them!” he agreed.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“And now I wish I hadn’t been civil, because he says he shall not despair! He is as stupid as Endymion!”
“No, no!” said Alverstoke soothingly. “Nobody could be as stupid as Endymion!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“The Marquis believed himself to be hardened against flattery. He thought that he had experienced every variety, but he discovered that he was mistaken: the blatantly worshipful look in the eyes of a twelve-year-old, anxiously raised to his, was new to him, and it pierced his defences.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“The youngest Merriville, bursting into the room some time later, found them seated side by side on the sofa. 'Buddle said I wasn't to disturb you, but I knew that was fudge,' he said scornfully. 'Cousin Alverstoke, there is someting I particularly wanted to ask you!' He broke off, perceiving suddenly, and with disfavour, that his Cousin Alverstoke had an arm round Frederica. Revolted by such a betrayal of unmanliness, he bent a disapproving look upon his idol and demanded: 'Why are you cuddling Frederica, sir?'
'Because we are going to be married,' replied his lordship calmly. 'It's obligatory, you know. One is expected to -er - cuddle the lady one is going to marry.'
'Oh!' said Felix. 'Well, I won't ask anyone to marry me , if that's what you have to do! I just say I never thought that you sir would have-' Again he broke off, as a thought struck him. 'Will that make her a - a She-Marquis? Oh, Jessamy, did you hear that? Frederica is going to be a She-Marquis!'
'What you mean is a Marchioness, you ignorant little ape!' replied his austere brother.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Perhaps,” murmured his lordship, “I yielded to a compassionate impulse.”
“A what?” gasped his best friend.
“Oh, did you think I never did so?” said his lordship, the satirical glint in his eyes extremely pronounced. “You wrong me! I do, sometimes—not frequently, of course, but every now and then!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“It has always seemed to me that if one falls in love with any gentleman one becomes instantly blind to his faults. But I am not blind to your faults, and I do not think that everything you do or say is right! Only—Is it being—not very comfortable—and cross—and not quite happy, when you aren’t there?” “That, my darling,” said his lordship, taking her ruthlessly into his arms, “is exactly what it s!” “Oh—!” Frederica gasped, as she emerged from an embrace which threatened to suffocate her. “Now I know! I am in love!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Then Frederica went towards him, holding out her hand, and he raised his eyes from Felix’s eager countenance, and smiled at her, causing Mr. Moreton to suffer a shock. It was not at all the sort of smile with which his lordship beguiled his flirts, but something warmer and more intimate. Good God! mentally ejaculated Mr. Moreton. Sits the wind in that quarter?”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“[...]if you talk any more flummery to me, Frederica, I shall give you one of my—er—icy set-downs!”(Alverstoke)”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Do you recall Fred Merriville?”
She stared at him. “Fred Merriville? Pray, what has he to say to anything?”
“The poor fellow has nothing to say: he’s dead, alas!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“She stretched out her hand, saying, “Vernon! My dear, what a delightful surprise!”
“What’s surprising about it?” he enquired, lifting his black brows. “Didn’t you ask me to come?”
The smile remained pinned to Lady Buxted’s lips, but she replied with more than a touch of acidity: “To be sure I did, but so many days ago that I supposed you had gone out of town!”
“Oh, no!” he said, returning her smile with one of great sweetness.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“If it comes to that," retorted Frederica, with spirit, "I am continually shocked by the
things you don't scruple to say to me, cousin! You are quite abominable!"
He sighed. "Alas, I know it! The reflection gives me sleepless nights.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“And don’t you say that it is very kind and obliging of him, sir, like Jessamy, because if you don’t like a person, you don’t wish to be obliged to him!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Do you have a husband concealed about you?”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“nothing makes one so cross as knowing one is in the wrong, does it?”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“How is this?" she demanded "I had thought a Marquis must always be acceptable!"
"That, Miss Merriville, Depends on the Marquis!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“You’ve no more for me than I have for you.”
Considerably disconcerted by this direct attack, she stammered: “How can you say so? When I am sure I have always been most sincerely attached to you!”
“You deceive yourself, sister: not to me, but to my purse!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Wretch! I shan’t allow you to take a rise out of me! I want to talk to you about Jane!”
“Who the devil is—Oh, yes, I know! One of your girls!”
“My eldest daughter, and, let me remind you, your niece, Alverstoke!”
“Unjust, Louisa, I needed no reminder!”
“I am bringing the dear child out this season,”[...]
“You’ll have to do something about her freckles—if she’s the one I think she is,” he interrupted. “Have you tried citron-water?”
“I didn’t invite you to come here to discuss Jane’s appearance!” she snapped.
“Well, why did you invite me?”
“To ask you to hold a ball in her honour—at Alverstoke House!” she disclosed, rushing her fence.
“To do what?”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“I didn’t smuggle the dog into the country; I merely caused him to be smuggled out of Baluchistan.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Well, I must own that you are not at all goodnatured to your sisters," she said frankly. "Not that I blame you for that - at least, not altogether! They seem positively to take delight in setting up your back! I wonder they shouldn't know that pinching at one's brothers is fatal! But whatever you may say you are not a monster of selfishness. You wouldn't be so kind to Jessamy and Felix if that were so.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“may I have a workshop at Alver? For experiments? If I promise faithfully not to blow the house up? If you please, Cousin Alverstoke … ?”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“You don’t understand!” she exclaimed bitterly.

“That,” said his lordship, with a touch of acidity, “is a foolish accusation which lacks even the saving grace of originality! Every generation, my child, has said, or thought, that the preceding one was devoid of understanding or experience.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“That *does* relieve my mind!'
'It might well - except that I fancy you don't care a straw how we may appear.'
'On the contrary! Think how much my credit would suffer!'
She laughed, but shook her head. 'You don't care for that either. Or - or for anything, perhaps.'
He was momentarily taken aback by this, but he replied without perceptible hesitation: 'Not profoundly.'
She frowned, turning it over in her mind. 'Well, I can understand that that must be very comfortable, for if you don't care for anybody or anything you can't be cast into dejection, or become sick with apprehension, or even get into high fidgets. On the other hand, I shouldn't think you could ever be *aux anges* either. It wouldn't do for me: it would be too flat!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“You know how comfortably you go on as a bachelor, and how very much you would dislike to be tied to a wife’s apron-strings.”

He laughed a little ruefully, but denied it. “I shouldn’t dislike being tied to your apron-strings.”
― Georgette heyer, Frederica

“I'm dashed if I can see why you should be in such a quake!'
'It ain't that,' growled Endymion. 'I mean, I'm not afraid of Cousin Vernon! It's - it's his sisters, and my mother, and Frederica! I daresay you don't know.'
This inarticulate appeal for understanding touched chord of sympathy. Harry had had no personal experience of the trials which Endymion so obviously feared, but he had the instinctive male dread of feminine storms. He said, in an awed voice: 'Jupiter! I hadn't thought of that! Lord, what a dust they would kick up!'
Endymion cast him a look of gratitude. 'Ay, that's it. Not my mother,' he added scrupulously. 'Never kicks up a dust, precisely.'
Well, it *that's* so -'
'Takes to her bed,' said Endymion simply. 'Spasms!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“That drew a laugh from Jessamy, but he said, after a moment: “You had better flay me. It was my fault—all my fault!”

“I was wondering how long it would be before you contrived to convince yourself that you were to blame,” said Alverstoke caustically. “I haven’t the slightest wish to know how you arrived at such an addlebrained conclusion, so don’t put yourself to the trouble of telling me!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Perhaps Charis did not realize that when one had passed through a time of terrible anxiety relief did not immediately restore the tone of one's mind. To be sure, she herself had not expected that after the first raptures she would find herself subject to fits of dejection, and much inclined to be crotchety; but still Charis should have known better than to have enacted a tragical scene within an hour of her arrival.”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica

“Well, I can understand that that must be very comfortable, for if you don't care for anybody or anything you can't be cast into dejection, or become sick with apprehension, or even get into high fidgets. On the other hand, I shouldn't think you could ever be aux anges either. It wouldn't do for me: it would be too flat!" She turned her head to survey him again, and suddenly smiled. "I daresay that is why you are so bored!"
"I am frequently bored," he acknowledged. "Nevertheless, I -er- contrive to keep myself tolerably well amused!”
― Georgette Heyer, Frederica