The Beautiful Pretender Quotes

“If you die fighting, I want to die fighting with you.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“We shall dedicate this battle to the woman who freed us.” Sir Klas turned from halfway up the stairs. “She is the bravest of us all.” “Ja!” the other soldiers shouted. “She is our lioness! We shall fight for her!” They”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Magdalen, who was by far the best choice for Lord Thornbeck. Except me. Avelina would be good for him. She could make him stop scowling, could make him believe in love and goodness. She could love him out of that dark thought pattern he seemed to be in, thinking about his lame ankle and about his poor dead brother and how he could not save him. But”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“I should like the woman I choose to be very honest, generous, and to have a sincere faith in God, rather than mindlessly following the rules.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She closed her eyes, since he was behind her and couldn’t see her anyway, and seared this last kindness into her memory, this feeling of warmth and safety. For a moment in time she had been a lady, someone who was wanted . . . by the Margrave of Thornbeck, a man who was easy to talk to, even when she was trying not to talk to him, a man who would risk his life to rescue a woman who had made a fool of him and who was only a servant. He would have married her. She was wanted. But”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Avelina raised her hand to her face, the one Lord Thornbeck had squeezed a moment ago, and was overcome by his familiar scent—the smell of evergreen trees and mint leaves the servants put in his laundry. Warmth washed over her as she remembered how he had held her tight, much tighter than necessary, sitting on the balcony floor. Surely”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“When she was with Lord Thornbeck, it was so difficult to keep from talking to him. She was so drawn to him, to his opinions, his deep-brown eyes, and his rich, rumbly voice—which was exactly why she needed to stay away”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She was so lovely, it hurt his chest to gaze at her, especially knowing she was courageous and clever too.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Why could he not have chosen some other woman? Why Avelina? But he knew why. It was because she had seemed good and kind and had expressed her thoughts without any false pride or pretense. He had admired her forthrightness and her compassion. And although he had never thought of a wife with strong opinions was a good thing, he actually found he liked her opinions-or at least admired her for having them. He wanted to get to know her, to know everything that was in her heart. He wanted to marry her and, surprising even himself, to love her.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“And what is it you want?” Her breath caressed his lips. Her eyes were nearly closed, and she leaned her body closer to his. “I want to see you laugh and smile every day. I want to hear you tell me you love me. I want to kiss you . . . every day.” He pulled her body against his. “Now tell me you love me.” “You are very impertinent,” she said, her voice breathless and her cheeks turning pink,”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She had no right to enjoy his touch. She was a terrible friend in that moment, because she wanted him. Oh, how she wanted him to love her! To always be near to hold her and protect her.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She clung to him without even opening her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as he sat back on the floor of the balcony. Her breath was coming hard. She pressed her cheek against his chest. His heart beat in her ear, thumping nearly as fast as her own. “You are safe now. I have you. You are safe.” He held her even tighter. Avelina”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Lord Thornbeck lifted her onto the saddle. He looked her in the eye, and her breath stilled in her chest. There was such an intense expression on his face, but there was also something else . . . tenderness. He”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“But she could make the margrave fall in love with her if she wished. She could. She felt it in the way he looked at her and spoke to her. And what was just as bad was, she could fall in love with him too.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Had his chancellor and his wife become enchanted by Lady Dorothea? He was not enchanted. He only wanted to delve deeper into her temperament. In truth, she was the only lady whose answers had piqued his curiosity. But she was not at all what he had thought he wanted—a docile, quiet, simple maiden. Besides,”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“A woman wishes to be swept up by a man’s fervent feelings for her, by love and longing and depth of feeling. She does not wish to be married for her father’s coin or her noble birth or because she is a sensible choice. She wants to be wooed, even after she is married, to be cherished and loved for her very self, not just because she has a beautiful face, long after she has passed the age of freshness and youth.” She”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“I am sure you know that a woman of good character, modesty, and prudence would not make her wish to marry you very obvious. She will not be hovering around you, trying to force your attention to her every moment." She spoke carefully, hoping he would see the contrast in her description between Lady Magdalen and Lady Fronicka. "She would not try to make you look unfavorably upon another woman to make herself look good. She might seem quiet and reserved, but that is only her Christian meekness and sobriety shining through.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Magdalen's eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. She was so sweet and beautiful. She would make a wonderful margrave's wife. Avelina had already made up her mind that the margrave had not killed his brother. She simply could not believe anyone who was so particular about who he was going to marry, and who seemed so concerned about orphans, could have done such a despicable thing. At least, she hoped not.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“You picked the lock.” The king was staring at her again. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He suddenly burst out laughing, then nodded. He leaned forward, staring at Lord Thornbeck. “She passed all your tests, better than the other ladies, did she not?” “Yes, sire.” “Would you say you found her to be the most noble of all the ladies who were here for your bride selection?” “I would.” “She is obviously very clever. She is the one you chose, and therefore I give you my blessing to marry her. And after all the clever, courageous things she has done, I shall commission my troubadours to write a song lauding the deeds of Avelina of Plimmwald, the wife of the Margrave of Thornbeck. She is a jewel among the women of the empire, and you could not do better, Thornbeck.” Had”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“I enjoyed talking to you,” she whispered softly. “I wanted to talk to you. But I was afraid if I drew your attention to me, you might . . . that is . . . I knew I could not marry you.” Could he hear regret in her voice? No, he didn’t want to hear that, did not want to believe the best about her or to think about her pain.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Reinhart rubbed his face with his hand. He could still smell her light, flowery scent, like springtime and lilacs, could still feel her in his arms, and his heart skipped a beat. Seeing her dangling from the balcony, hanging over that deep ravine, knowing she was one moment away from death, sent a bolt of lightning through his veins. Thank You, God. He had arrived in time. He”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“And if Magdalen was waiting for her at the balcony, then she must already be with Lord Thornbeck. A pang of jealousy attacked her like a bird of prey, its talons gripping her heart. No. She stomped her foot to force her heart to listen. I will not allow jealousy to get hold of me. Magdalen was her friend, and Avelina could never have Lord Thornbeck anyway. She hurried toward the balcony. She would be joyful for Lord Thornbeck and Magdalen. So why did she have to blink away tears as she walked? When”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“A person’s heart should be what she was judged by, rather than whose blood ran in her veins.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Reinhart tried to concentrate on the numbers and lists on his desk, of the expenses of the previous month, but his mind kept wandering, mostly to Lady Dorothea.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She closed her eyes for a moment and it flooded back to her—how Lord Thornbeck had rushed to save her, how he had pulled her off the horse with one arm, her body pressed against his as he carefully lowered her to the ground. Instead”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Suddenly Lord Thornbeck rode straight up beside her and grabbed the reins. “Hold on to me!” While Lord Thornbeck forcefully pulled back on the reins and leaned on the horse’s neck, Avelina clutched Lord Thornbeck’s shoulders. His arm encircled her waist as he lifted her out of the saddle. He held her tight against his side until the stable workers were able to take the reins. Then he lowered her. Her feet touched the ground and her knees crumpled.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“She had never been in love before. She'd tried to save herself the pain, but all her pretending and hiding the truth from herself had not saved her at all. And even though this love was painful, it was worth it to remember how the sight of him and the sound of his voice had made her heart beat faster, that feeling of wanting what was best for someone else, even if it broke her own heart.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“Precisely. You are a man of great character yourself, are you not? Wishing to show kindness to the poor, a man of godly ideals in every way of your life?"
"I try to be."
"Then a woman of good character will be very attracted to you, will consider you a wonderful potential husband, even if she does not show it."
Avelina had to swallow the lump that rose in her throat. " She will count herself fortunate to have secured your good opinion.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“But in her heart she truly believed she was a better lady than Lady Dorothea ever was. Was it wrong to think she was nobler in her heart than the true nobleman's daughter?”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender

“As it turned out, the reality of her love story with Lord Thornbeck was much more satisfying than any of her romantic stories and imaginings. She no longer had to dream about love. God had given her a love all her own, one that the troubadours would sing about for years to come.”
― Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender