Puck and Prejudice

by Lia Riley

It was the idea of completing something and discovering it wasn’t very good.

“We didn’t cook this meal.” Jane turned toward him sharply. “Georgie can afford staff.” She didn’t tack on the phrase “you idiot,” but it hung in the air. Something seemed to amuse her because she repeated, “Excellent boiled potatoes” under her breath to no one in particular.

‘Hey, look out the window at this masterpiece we’ve got on display today. A perfect blend of gray and, uh, grayer. It’s like Mother Nature took her palette and went, Let’s keep it simple, but make it fashionable.’” “There is a fine line between mockery and wit,”

“Hundreds of years in the future and women still can’t enjoy what a man can.” Her laugh was forced, like someone replaced the real thing with a cheap plastic imitation. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

women. Are you obtuse about women, Mr. Taylor?” “I think the women around me would be best equipped to answer that question.”

No, it’s because you trust yourself, and that takes a special kind of strength.”

He paused, watching her. “Your face is an open book.” “Or perhaps you’re my ideal reader.”

“Real hearts aren’t happy all the time. And they aren’t perfect. They get angry, envy, hunger for more, and still crave. But we are all beautiful in our ugly little ways as well.

“Were you horrible to her?” Henry made a face. “I think the real concern should be how horrible they were to me. After I went to sleep with the stated intention to begin pursuing you in the morning, she and her wretched friend Jane locked me in my bedroom. It appears they thought that would trap me, but I climbed down the drainpipe. I got my horse and was en route before dawn.”

“It’s hard to notice pitfalls when you hold the advantage.

Nice is when you’re coming from a place that is all about pleasing others, trying to be likable, doing the crowd-pleaser thing. It’s self-centered, all about you. Now, kind is a different story altogether. It’s about putting others first. Nice is trying to act in a certain way to get something.

Nothing scares the mediocre like watching someone step into their power.

“Don’t do that. Apologize if you’ve done something wrong and you want to make it right. But don’t say sorry because you think I’m getting annoyed; that’s not who I am, and that’s not what we are. I respect you too damn much to need you to make yourself small in the hopes that I’ll listen.”

The most intimidating moment is prior to initiating.

don’t love my people in halves.

“Fate may bring people into our lives, but we’re the ones who choose who we refuse to part with.”