Faro's Daughter Quotes

“Miss Grantham's sense of humour got the better of her at this point, and, tottering towards a chair, she sank into it, exclaiming in tragic accents:'Oh Heavens! I am betrayed!' His lordship blenched; both he and Miss Laxton regarded her with guilty dismay. Miss Grantham buried her face in her handkerchief, and uttered one shattering word: 'Wretch!”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Miss Grantham gave a shriek. 'You have trifled with me!' she said, into the folds of her handkerchief. 'You promised me marriage, and now you mean to cast me off for Another!”
― Georgette Heyer , Faro's Daughter

“The truth is that I told Lucius Kennet and Silas to kidnap you for me, but I thought they could do it without using any horrid stratagems! That was fair enough! There could be no possible objection, for how could I kidnap you myself?”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“If Deb had only told me what was amiss I would have acted for her, and I hope I know how to protect my own sister! But to have you kidnapped is beyond anything! You are angry, and I cannot wonder at it, but –’
‘Go to the devil!’ said Ravenscar.
‘But – but shan’t I untie you?’ asked Kit, utterly bewildered. ‘You cannot mean to remain here all night!’
‘What I mean to do is no concern of yours! How did you come by that key?’
‘I took it from Deb,’ faltered Kit.
‘Then take it back to her – with my compliments! And don’t forget to lock the door behind you!’ said Mr Ravenscar.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“If you had not done such a shabby thing to me I would not have had you kidnapped.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Now, do listen, Deb! Seven hundred pounds for the bays and a new barouche! Well I can't think where the money is to come from. It seems a monstrous price.'
'We might let the bays go, and hire a pair of job horses,' suggested Miss Grantham dubiously.
'I can't and I won't live in Squalor!' declared her aunt tearfully.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“And let me tell you, Mr Ravenscar, that Lucius Kennet is downstairs, and if you have any notion of starting a vulgar brawl in my house, I will have you thrown out of it! There is Silas, and both the waiters, and my aunt’s butler, and my brother too, so do not think I cannot do it!’

‘This is very flattering,’ he said, ‘but I fear my fighting qualities have been exaggerated. It would not take all these people to throw me out of the house.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Your solicitude overwhelms me,’ returned Ravenscar. ‘I own I had expected at least a loaf of bread and a jug of water in my dungeon – until I learned, of course, that you had some idea of starving me to death.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“You have had Ravenscar murdered, and hidden his body in my cellar!" uttered her ladyship, sinking into a chair. "We shall all be ruined! I knew it!"
"My dear ma'am it is no such thing!" Deborah said amused. "He is not dead I assure you!”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Mrs Patch was all that she had hoped. She was an improbable blonde of uncertain years, with a very much painted face, a singularly penetrating voice, and a laugh which made Mablethorpe wince.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“I should like to strangle the abominable creature!’

‘Unfortunately, the laws of this lands preclude your pursuing that admirable course.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Upon her butler’s announcing the arrival of Mr Ravenscar, Lady Mablethorpe, who had been dozing over a novel from the Circulating Library, sat up with a jerk, and raised a hand to her dishevelled cap.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“I wish I had never laid eyes on you! You are rude, and stupid, and I was never so plagued by anyone in my life!’

'Permit me to return the compliment!' he said, following her along the passage.

`I will make you sorry you ever dared to cross swords with me!’ she flung over her shoulder. `I'll marry your cousin, and I'll ruin him.’

'To spite me, I suppose,' he said satirically.

`Be quiet! Do you want to bring the servants out upon us?’

'It is a matter of indifference to me.'

`Well, it is not a matter of indifference to me!' she said.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“I don't mean to hurt you,' she assured him. `In fact, I told Lucius I did not wish them to hurt you more than was needful, and I do hope they did not?'

`Oh, not at all, ma'am! I like being hit over the head with cudgels!' he said sardonically.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Let me tell you, Mr Grantham, that there would have been more hope of winning my consent to your suit if you had come here to quarrel with me!' said Ravenscar cuttingly. 'When my sister marries it will be to someone with more spirit in him! Why, you contemptible little worm, if you had a spark of pride or courage you would be calling me out, not offering to set me free! Your sister is worth a dozen of you! And she's a Jade!”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“His household was presided over by his sister, a colourless woman, prone to tears, which perhaps accounted for the fact of his lordship’s being so seldom to be found at home.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“There is no excuse for me. If I had not been crazy with jealousy I should never have said what I did to you. I love you!'

'No doubt I should be flattered, but as I can scarcely conceive of a worse fate than to be married to you, this declaration fills me with repugnance!”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Good God, my love, what is amiss?’
‘That man!’ choked Miss Grantham. ‘That devil!’
‘Oh, heavens, you have quarrelled with Ravenscar again!’ cried her ladyship. ‘Don’t tell me you have had him put in the cellar! I can’t bear it!”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“I must have forgotten the outcome of your previous encounter!’
Sir James continued to smile, with that air of patronage which made Adrian long to hit him. ‘But he matches his grays against a very different pair this time, you must remember.’
‘True, but you are driving them, are you not?’ said Adrian, with deceptive innocence.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Only Deb is so proud that she will not take a penny from anyone, so you may as well stop thinking of that twenty thousand."
He grinned. "And has Your Ladyship stopping thinking of it?" he enquired.
"No one," said her ladyship severely, "can stop thinking of such a sum all in a trice, but I assure you it does not creep into my mind now above once or twice a day.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Well, I am sorry if you were hurt, but it was quite your own fault,' said Miss Grantham defensively. `If you had not done such a shabby thing to me I would not have had you kidnapped. You have behaved in the most odious fashion, and you deserve it all!' A rankling score came into her mind. She added: `You did me the honour once, Mr Ravenscar, of telling me that I should be whipped at the cart's tail!'

`Do you expect me to beg your pardon?' he demanded `You will be disappointed, my fair Cyprian!’

Miss Grantham flushed rosily, and her eyes darted fire. `I you dare to call me by that name I will hit you!’ she said between her teeth.

`You may do what you please - strumpet!' replied M Ravenscar.

She took one hasty step towards him, and then checked saying in a mortified tone: `You are not above taking an unfair advantage of me. You know very well I can't hit you when you have your hands tied.'

`You amaze me, ma'am! I had not supposed you to be restricted by any consideration of fairness.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter

“Lady Mablethorpe shuddered. ‘Is she dreadful?’

‘She is an impudent strumpet!’ said Mr. Ravenscar coldly.”
― Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter