Bel Lamington Quotes

“You still miss her?"

"Yes, I still miss her frightfully. It's two years since she died, but I haven't got used to doing without her. I still keep on wanting to tell her things."

"I know the feeling," said Louise. "I miss Mummy like that. It comes and goes. Sometimes I forget about it—and then the tide rises and I'm almost drowned. It happens quite suddenly—I never know when it's going to happen.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“By this time Miss Lamington knew a good deal about her “boss”. She knew that he was thirty-six (which was “quite old” in her estimation); he lived with his mother at Beckenham and travelled to the office every day”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Ye talk Bibby Cee,” explained Effie. “I talk Bibby Cee!” asked Bel in bewilderment. “Ugha,” said Effie. (By this time Bel had discovered that “Ugha” meant yes. When she asked Effie to peel the potatoes Effie said “Ugha” and peeled them forthwith). The mystery was intriguing. Bel puzzled over it all morning and finally asked Rhoda about it. “Effie says I talk Bibby Cee,” said Bel. “She says that’s why she can understand me.” “Oh yes,” said Rhoda. “They’ve got a wireless. They listen in every evening.” “B.B.C.!” exclaimed Bel. “How silly of me!”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Bel let her talk—as a matter of fact it would have been difficult to stop her—and there was no harm in listening as long as she did not allow herself to believe a word Louise was saying. It’s a dream, thought Bel. It’s a fairy-tale. Fairy-tales don’t happen.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Dr. Armstrong did not say much, but watched and listened with a good deal of interest. Like most doctors he had studied psychology and it seemed to him that it would be difficult to find two girls so utterly different in their outlook upon life. That was why they were so good for each other, he thought. Louise was used to having her own way and, apart from his professional duties which were sacred to him, he was perfectly willing that she should “arrange” his life. There was not a grain of selfishness in his beloved Lou; her arrangements were made for the benefit of others and were usually wise. Bel was different—utterly different, thought Dr. Armstrong. Life had dealt her some hard blows; she accepted the blows and made the best of it. She did not expect Fate to be kind.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Dr. Forrester got lost in the snow and staggered into the hall and collapsed on the floor. If the door had been locked he would probably have died. So ever since then Uncle Jock and Aunt Mamie have never allowed the door to be locked.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“The Johnstones’ farm was called Mureth and was about five miles from Drumburly.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Humility was not just an absence of pride, it was not a negative virtue, it was a definite “fruit of the spirit”. False humility was horrible of course (vide Uriah Heep) but real humility, growing from within, was beautiful.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“The painter was pleased with her work. She had managed to catch her sitter's characteristic expression—the look of a good child, a wondering sort of look, innocent and serious.

It was humility, thought Rhoda. That was the keynote of Bel's character. Rhoda had never prized this virtue—she had thought it overrated—but now she realised that she had been mistaken. Humility was not just an absence of pride; it was not a negative virtue; it was a definite 'fruit of the spirit.' False humility was horrible, of course (vide Uriah Heap), but real humility, growing from within, was beautiful.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Unfortunately Bel was unable to enjoy these days whole-heartedly. There was a cloud upon her spirits. She had agreed with Louise that the best thing to do was to forget all her troubles, but it is one thing to know what is the best thing to do and quite another thing to be able to do it.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Life has dealt her some hard blows; she has accepted them and made the best of things. She does not expect Fate to be kind.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“It was humility, thought Rhoda. That was the key-note of Bel’s character. Rhoda had never prized this virtue—she had thought it overrated—but now she realised, that she had been mistaken. Humility was not just an absence of pride, it was not a negative virtue, it was a definite “fruit of the spirit”. False humility was horrible of course (vide Uriah Heep) but real humility, growing from within, was beautiful.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“You’re Mrs. Dering Johnstone!” “Goodness! How did you guess?” Bel had not guessed. She had known quite definitely the moment she saw Mrs. Dering Johnstone that this was Louise’s cousin’s wife, for Louise had said that James’s wife, Rhoda, was perfectly beautiful—just like an angel—with wonderful golden hair. There could not be two people in Drumburly to fit this description, so obviously this was she.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“The fatigue from which she was suffering was not really physical. She was spiritually exhausted by all she had been through. She felt dazed; it had all happened so suddenly. This day last week she had been doing her work at the office with absolutely no idea that anything would ever change her usual routine—and now here she was at Drumburly! No wonder she felt dazed.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“She turned and leant upon the wall. She did not want to show him her face. It was the sort of face that expressed its owner’s feelings much too openly. If Bel were happy, if she were sad, if she received a sudden shock it was written in her face for all the world to see. She had often wished for a “poker face” but never more than now.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“The drive to London was uneventful. Mr. Darley did not talk much and showed no signs whatever of bounderism—if there be such a word. He was intent on driving his car. If Bel had not been so taken up with her own thoughts she might have been considerably alarmed for Mr. Darley was the type of driver whose sole object is to get from one place to another in the least possible time regardless of the other traffic on the road. A vehicle in front was a vehicle to be overtaken and passed—no matter where. Mr. Darley gritted his teeth and passed it. He squeezed between buses with scarcely an inch to spare; he overshot traffic lights whenever there was the slightest opportunity. In fact he committed every offence against the good manners recommended to road-users by the Highway Code. Mr. Darley’s progress was pursued by curses from his fellow motorists but the curses never seemed to catch him up and blight him—or at least they did not catch him up that Sunday evening.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“The drive to London was uneventful. Mr. Darley did not talk much and showed no signs whatever of bounderism—if there be such a word. He was intent on driving his car. If Bel had not been so taken up with her own thoughts she might have been considerably alarmed for Mr. Darley was the type of driver whose sole object is to get from one place to another in the least possible time regardless of the other traffic on the road.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Lonely!” exclaimed Mark in surprise. “There’s no chance of being lonely in town. There are far too many people knocking about. Sometimes I wish I didn’t know so many people; there would be more time for work. It’s simply sickening when you’re painting to have people battering at your door.” “You needn’t open your door.” “No,” he agreed. “But then it might be somebody I wanted to see. It might be you, for instance.” “I don’t batter at your door,” said Bel, smiling.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Look here, Bel,” he said. “I’ve got a car. Peter said I could have his car for the day. Where shall we go? Where would you like to go?” “You mean today?” asked Bel. She felt slightly dazed for she was not a “sudden” person. She had envisaged a quiet day doing various odd jobs for which she had no time during the week.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Some people make mistakes too often——” The atmosphere was becoming sultry and Bel hated unpleasantness so she was delighted when Mr. Brownlee’s bell rang and she was able to escape. She seized her notebook and made off as quickly as she could. “There goes the private secretary—so keen!” exclaimed Miss Goudge with a nasty laugh. Bel had been private secretary to the junior partner of the firm for three months now (previously she had been one of the typists and had shared a room with the other girls); unfortunately her appointment had caused a good deal of ill-feeling. Helen Goudge was furious; she had been with the firm for five years and thought the appointment with its increase of salary should have been hers. Why should Bel Lamington be chosen?”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Spring had invaded the office of Copping, Wills and Brownlee but here its invasion was not so welcome. The office had been bearable during the winter for it was well-warmed and well-lighted (it had been quite pleasant to arrive here and escape from the cold dark streets) but today it felt like a prison, everyone in the place was longing to get out, and this unsettled feeling interfered considerably with the routine. There were stupid mistakes in the typing of letters and tempers were short. “I don’t know what’s got into everyone this morning,” said Helen Goudge crossly. “It’s Spring,” said Bel.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington

“Presumably people lived in these other flats but Bel had lived in her flat for eighteen months—and she knew nobody. Sometimes she met people on the stairs but they passed by as if she were invisible. It was very different from Southmere where she knew everyone and everyone knew her and where, even if you did not know a person, it was correct to say “Good morning” as you passed.”
― D.E. Stevenson, Bel Lamington