I Married the Duke Quotes

“A beautiful woman needs no embellishments. But a prideful man may give them to her nevertheless.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“You did the right thing." "Yes, I did." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "But with you, Arabella Anne Westfall, I have done everything wrong, from the moment we met, at nearly every turn. I have been arrogant and overly confident and short-tempered and deeply, insatiably lustful"-a bystander gasped-"and afraid of this between us. I was everything that must have been abhorrent to you when all you wished was to find your prince charming. Instead you ended up with a blind, surly, autocratic fool. If I could turn back time, if I could so what I should have done-" "Before I fell in love with you?" "-b-before I stole your virtue." His brow cut down. "By God, woman, you will always say what I least expect, won't you?"

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Damn you, Cam." Bedwyr leaned against the sideboard negligently. "I don't suppose you recall damning me when you were shedding your life's force in the sand. Really, Lucien, you are repeating yourself tiresomely." "You deserve every moment of damnation you are wished." "Probably, but that is hardly to the point."

-Luc & Cam”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I am not in the habit of deflowering governesses." "I am not in the habit of being deflowered by pirates. Shall we consider it a draw?"

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I cared for you when I believed you dead.” Her voice quivered. “You were more interesting then.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Her lungs stung. “I came here to marry a prince,” she said nonsensically.

“My dear, in all things but title you already have.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I want you now. Always. Everywhere and as my everything-my lover, my friend, my sharp-tongued beauty, my drinking companion, my children's mother, my courage in the face of certain defeat. My sactuary." He captured her lips. "My duchess." He kissed her. She returned his kiss with great enthusiasm. "But at this specific moment," he said between kisses, "I just really want you in my bed." With eager compliance, she accepted his kisses on her throat. "I can oblige you in that, your grace." "Or your bed. Whichever we come to first." "You are all that is wise and efficient." "Or the carriage." She grabbed his hand. "Let's be off then, shall we?" Laughter bubbling from her, she dragged him toward the carriage. He snatched her back to him and with his hands around her face said, "Arabella, I love you."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I am lost without you, duchess." "Then you are found. Because you will not be without me ever again." She dipped her brow to his chest. "I will never leave you."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“He extended his hand to Arabella. "Duchess?" She reached for him and he drew her into his arms. He bent to nuzzle behind her ear as she slipped her palms over his shoulders. "Luc?" "Mm?" "Now that I am truly your duchess, what will you call me?" He brought his lips to hers. "My love."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Are you drunk?" she whispered. "Only on you, duchess. Only ever on you."

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“The earl looked down at him. "Will he die, Gavin?" "You..." The barest whisper. "...wish."

-Cam & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I don't know what cruel twist of fate brought you to me, duchess," he said roughly. "But I would rather a moment of madness with you now than the promise of sanity for a lifetime."

-Luc (to Arabella)”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I continually disappoint Miles in offering him little of variety in my clothing," he said. "The opportunity to manage yours has put him in alt." "He doesn't c-care for that g-gown," she mumbled. "Did he tell you so? The knave." "N-Not in so many words." "Nevertheless, for offending you I shall have him strapped to the yardarm for a thorough lashing." "Y-You won't." "I won't. It's true."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Now, little duchess, do follow me." He opened the door to his cabin. Another shudder grabbed her and Arabella's teeth clacked. "Y-You call me d-duchess yet you speak with greater respect to Joshua," she mumbled. "He complimented my ship." "If I w-waxed eloquent on the prodigious size of y-your...ship would you s-speak to me with deference too?" "Jade. How is it that you can taunt me so indelicately while soaked and frozen? It is truly remarkable." He pressed her into a chair.

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“The cornflowers shuttered. "This ring is none of your business." "It is if you intend to carry it aboard my ship. That's no mean trinket you have there. Where are you going with it?" She stuffed it back into her dress. "I am traveling to a house near Saint-Nazaire to take up a new position at which I must report before the first of September. And what do you think you're doing, reaching down a helpless woman's gown? You should be ashamed of yourself, Captain." "If you are helpless, madam, then I've something yet to learn about women."

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“My employers prefer me to dress modestly to depress the attentions of rapacious men," she said. "Are you one of those, Captain?" Her raspberry lips were beautifully mobile. He wanted a glimpse of the sharp tongue. If it were half as tempting as her lips, he might just take her on board after all. "Not lately," he said. "But I'm open to inspiration."

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I know about women," Luc grumbled. "And that one is trouble."

-Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“With that jaunty tick of her chin, she darted around a chair and moved directly into his path. "You cannot frighten me with your scowl, Captain." "I was not attempting to either frighten or scowl. It is this inconvenient affectation, you see." He tapped his finger to his cheek and stepped toward her. She remained still but seemed to vibrate upon the balls of her feet now. She was a little slip of a thing, barely reaching his chin yet erect and determined. He couldn't resist grinning. "You don't look any taller to me standing on your toes, you know. I am uncowed." Her heels hit the floor. "Perhaps you take pleasure in playing at notoriety with this pirate costume." "Again with the pirate accusation." He shook his head. "You see no hook on my wrist or parrot on my shoulder, do you? And I have all the notoriety I wish without pretending a part."

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke