His Forsaken Bride Quotes

“I really am going to try to be a better courtier, to match you,” she assured him.
“I forbid you to even try.”
“Why?”
He shrugged again. “I want you to direct all your efforts into other channels.”
“A better wife then?” she hazarded. “Less jealous and more understanding?”
He frowned. “Is that what you want from me? You’re not getting it.”
Fen gasped and then laughed. “No, that wasn’t what I meant…”
“You can be as jealous as you want. Not that I give you any cause.”
She just about forbore from pointing out that she didn’t give him any cause either. “What do you want me to direct my effort at then?” she asked in puzzlement.
“Loving me,” he said simply.
“Oh.” Fen found tears were pricking her eyes. “But that takes no effort at all.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Next time,” he said tightly. “I want you to simply tell me from the outset whatever is troubling you. I don’t like misjudging you.”
Fen thought about this a moment, weighing up his words. “Even if it’s beneath your notice?” she asked in a small voice.
“If it’s regarding you, then it isn’t beneath my notice,” he answered shortly.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“I’ve bought a town house,” said Oswald. “In Aphrany. A huge black and white timbered monstrosity. The kind a very rich merchant lives in.”
“Why in god’s name?” asked Mason.
“Because Fenella once said she likes them,” said Oswald. “In a purely throw-away conversation. But for some reason, every word she speaks is seared on my brain.”
Roland cleared his throat. “Bit impulsive for you, isn’t it?”
“A bit?” echoed Oswald. “I forced the King to sign annulment papers to an eight-year marriage. Simply because I feel sick to my stomach at the idea of her ever belonging to another man. And the worst of it is, that the annulment is the least drastic course of action that occurred to me. For the last three months, in my head I have been drawing up legal papers to sue Thane for the eight years he spent at my wife’s side, masquerading in my rightful place. In her life, in her heart and in her bed.” He heard his voice shake with anger and realized his brothers must too. Taking a deep breath, he continued more evenly. “Each time I mentally draft the petition, I request a more severe punishment befitting of his crime.”
“What kind of punishments?” asked Mason with interest, sitting back in his seat.
Oswald blew out a shaky breath. “In the latest version, it was beheading.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Mathilde mopped her eyes and sat back.  “I give them sweets and mend their hose, and they teach me their games, or tell me their woes.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Nothing you’ve just told us changes how I feel about you. You’re my brother, always were, always will be.”
Oswald flinched. “You still want me for Archie’s godfather?” he asked quietly.
“Don’t be a fool,” growled Mason. “Of course I bloody do!”
“You’re not getting out of that just by being a stone-cold killer,” muttered Roland. “In fact, that probably helps qualify you for the job.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Mason drew out a chair opposite him and sat down. “Linnet once cried because I told her I didn’t want to hear her every thought,” he confided.
“Really? Why did you do that?” asked Oswald warily.
“Because I was a stupid son of a bitch.”
Oswald considered this a moment. “Mason, Linnet never stops chattering at you.”
“I changed my mind,” said Mason smugly.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“He saw her fingers convulse in her lap. She still wore her rings, he noticed. She’d left the other jewelry laid out on their bed. Seeing his rings still on her fingers calmed him a little. Godsdamnit, Mason was right. He was a possessive bastard after all.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“I feel like there’s something corrosive inside my chest.” He said slowly, touching his fingers to his heart. “It’s going to eat its way out. You don’t have the first idea.”
“I do know,” said Mason simply.
“Indigestion?” hazarded Roland looking completely lost.
Mason rolled his eyes. “Jealousy.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Her body under his was a revelation. So, this was where his wife belonged.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“You want to know what I really feel?” asked Oswald. “I doubt it.”
“Try us,” said Mason, suddenly wading back into the conversation.
Oswald was silent a moment. Well, what the hell. He may as well .“I feel like there’s something corrosive inside my chest.” He said slowly, touching his fingers to his heart. “It’s going to eat its way out. You don’t have the first idea.”
“I do know,” said Mason simply.
“Indigestion?” hazarded Roland looking completely lost.
Mason rolled his eyes. “Jealousy.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Afterward, as they lay entangled and depleted, Fen drifted off into a dream about a small wooden bridge she could not cross because a man had hold of her hand and would not let go. She frowned in her sleep until she recognized the ring on his finger bore her family crest of the Bernard bear, and then she relaxed. For some reason, she could not raise her eyes to his face, but she was content to let him lead her away from the bridge, toward an oak tree that stood on a hill.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Fen,” he said awkwardly after a moment. “I want you to know that I did not forget because it was inconsequential to me.” He paused heavily before continuing. “After my injuries at Adarva, there was a chapter in my life that was lost to me. To my infinite regret, this is part of it.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“I’m sorry I kept over-reacting,” he said ruefully. “It’s the strangest thing, I’ve always considered myself the most even-tempered Vawdrey in existence. Then you came along and shattered my equanimity to a thousand pieces.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Did you not recognize yourself?” she asked. “You are the one with the pink roses all round your head.”
He looked confused. “That’s me? I thought that was an angel,”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Fenella’s more straightforward than most women,” he said obstinately. “She doesn’t misunderstand every little gesture or remark.”
“You mean she’s used to being treated like shit,” said Mason.
Oswald stopped in his tracks. “What?”
“That’s what you said, wasn’t it? By Thane and her brother.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“Better make sure Lady Eden Montmayne don’t lose her head and run off with a lute player,” said Cuthbert. “Or you’ll really be for it.”

Fen looked at him with horror, and he tipped her a wink. “You are not funny, Cuthbert,” she said, rallying herself.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“You been sleeping under an oak tree,” he said, startling her greatly. “Sleeping and waiting for a half-dead man.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride

“I'll need words to strike the bargain,” he said gently.
“Aye, my lord,” she said huskily and could have sworn his green eyes gleamed.
“There's my good girl.” He raised one of her hands and kissed it lightly on the back of her fingers.”
― Alice Coldbreath, His Forsaken Bride