Snowdrops and Winterberry Quotes

“I think we made them feel happy,” Adam said. “Anytime a man can do something to make the women he cares about happy, that is a fine thing.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“You have to promise you will come visit this garden too,” Lord Jonquil said, resting a hand on Adam’s shoulder.
The boy’s gaze dropped to the dirt at his feet. “This isn’t my house. I’m not part of your family.”
Lord Jonquil knelt in front of him, setting his hands on the boy’s arms. “Family is who you choose, Adam Boyce. Julia and I, we have chosen you. That makes you family to us. When you are away at school, we will be family. When we travel to Nottinghamshire to see our parents, you and Lady Jonquil and I will be family. Every time you visit us, be it here or anywhere else, we will be family.”
“I would like that,” he said with a little break in his voice.
“And your dear Nurse Robbie, she is your family, no matter where she is and no matter where you are. You are family because you choose to be.”
Howard heard the little boy take a deep, trembling breath, the sort one took when trying not to cry.
“Family doesn’t stop being family just because they aren’t together,” Adam said.
Lord Jonquil gently touched his sweet, scarred face. “That is exactly right.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“I understand about challenges,” Adam said. “My father told me that sometimes we have to do things that are difficult, but it’s the difficulty that gives us pride in accomplishing it.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“Adam gave a very regal dip of his head. He was the most duke-like eight-year-old Howard had ever met. Once the boy was grown, he would be formidable.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“The most important thing a person can do when he feels the need to cry is to cry.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“No matter where life might take you, he will benefit from having been loved by you. Over the years, when he wonders if people care about him, he’ll remember that you did. He’ll trust that you do. That will make a great difference.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“Sometimes. My grandfather was ill, so we lived at his house in Notting-hamshire most of the year.”
“Did he die?”
“He did.”
Adam tugged his hat a little lower on his head, not wanting to look up at Lord Jonquil. “My father died.”
“There’s sadness in the heart when a person dies.” Lord Jonquil didn’t tell him to stop being sad; people were forever telling him that. Maybe he understood about people dying and feeling sad about it. “Lady Jonquil’s sister died when she was your age. Her mother died not long after that. I remember how sad her heart was.”
“She doesn’t seem sad.” Maybe the sadness got better with time.
“She is happy to have you visiting,” Lord Jonquil said.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“Being kept waiting by a patron was not an unusual thing. Having a patron express regret at the inconvenience most certainly was.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry

“Dukes were supposed to be called Your Grace. That was one of the rules. And yet the idea of choosing something else caused a little bubble of something to push on his heart. Adam looked down at his feet for just a moment. “My father used to call me Adam.”
Lord Jonquil said, “My father calls me Lucas, even though I have a title. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone remember who you are and not merely what you are.”
― Sarah M. Eden, Snowdrops and Winterberry