An Infamous Betrayal Quotes

“Recklessness is just stupidity pretending to be bravery. No one is fooled.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“I know it feels as though your heart is breaking into a million little pieces, but I swear to you it’s not. It’s merely bruised, and although this seems like the end of the world, it’s only infatuation. Trust me, my dear, I speak from experience: It cannot be love if it’s not returned. It’s something else and it’s just as painful, but it’s not love and you will get through it,”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“If by ‘discuss this rationally’ you mean talk me out of my current course of action, then, no, thank you, I’d rather not. And you will note, I hope, how I’m not assuming your words are limited to their surface meaning. I’m digging deeper to examine all possible interpretations. I say this as a way of demonstrating how you might approach all your negotiations in the future,” she explained with meticulous condescension. “It’s shocking to me that you’re a member of the House of Lords and don’t understand how slippery oaths can be.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“We have a very particular friendship,” she announced during dinner one night. Uncle Horace, somehow finding that claim to be credible, began to protest the propriety of the duke’s interest and sit in on the visits. The image of her uncle glaring at the Duke of Kesgrave in possessive jealousy over weak tea was the only thing that had made her smile in two weeks.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“The most fun I’ve ever had in my whole life was watching you climb over the counter in Mercer Brothers while instructing Mr. Hamish on how to make his sign. You have thoroughly corrupted me,” he admitted, “and like any reprobate worth his salt I’m a grateful participant in my own downfall.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“I cannot tell if you are disappointed the wrong man died,” the duke said as soon as they were outside, “or if you’re disappointed you’ve been denied a satisfying conclusion.” It was a fair question, and Bea did not take offense. Rather, she marveled at how easily Kesgrave could read her thoughts.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Well done, Kesgrave,” she said approvingly. “Very well done. You have the ability to learn from past mistakes, which is a very attractive and rare quality in a man. I believe there is hope for you yet.” Although she meant the comment merely as a distraction from his efforts to restrict her movements, she could not smother the admiration she felt for him, and whatever ruse he was expecting, he appeared too struck by the warmth and sincerity of her tone to recall it. Nonplussed, he stared at her for several long seconds before murmuring, “Is there? I think I might be too far gone.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Someone asked you to investigate a murder?” he said, thoroughly appalled. “Please assure me you did not advertise your services.” Advertise, Bea thought speculatively. That option hadn’t occurred to her when she was trying to devise ways to locate another mystery in need of solving.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“To be treated like just another person in his life when he was in fact the most important person in hers was simply unbearable. “No, I can’t dance with you,” Bea said frankly. “It’s out of the question.” Despite his claim to wounded vanity, Kesgrave seemed only amused by her rejection and calmly asked her why it could not be considered.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Do note, Miss Hyde-Clare, how quick I am to process new concepts and apply them to practical situations.” The glint of humor in his eyes revealed that he was enjoying one of his favorite pastimes: mocking himself as a way of teasing her.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Trust me, my dear, I speak from experience: It cannot be love if it’s not returned. It’s something else and it’s just as painful, but it’s not love and you will get through it,” she said and reached over to grasp her hand. The solemn intensity with which Lady Abercrombie spoke convinced Bea she believed every word she was saying.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Although the prospect of an existence entirely free of Kesgrave felt like a tragedy now, the truth was she’d known him for less than six months, which was really only a meager fraction of her life. She’d passed twenty-six mostly content years before him and would no doubt pass twenty-six mostly content years after him. For some reason, this thought, which had been calculated to put a little steel in her spine, deflated her completely, and as she crossed the floor, she had to resist the urge to drop to her knees and weep like a small child.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“One week to immerse yourself fully in the gloomy sensation that the world will never sparkle again. Then you will rise from your mourning couch and greet the new day,” Lady Abercrombie said firmly. “Do you have a mourning couch? Most people assume it’s merely a settee in a somber color, but it’s really more like a divan, with an open side to accommodate the lethargy of dejection. If you don’t have anything suitable, I can send one over. I keep several on hand, as I find it beneficial to my spirit to mourn the end of a relationship in a variety of environments.” The image of the Countess of Abercrombie going from room to room to lie languidly on each divan for a few minutes before rising to move on to the next one made her smile, which she assumed had been the widow’s goal in describing the absurd scene.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Yet even as Beatrice tried to convince herself that her anguish varied greatly from the disappointments the beautiful widow had endured, she recognized the act as a futile attempt to elevate her own suffering to something greater. She wanted to believe her sorrow transcended ordinary misery, that it was in some way hallowed, but in reality it was just sadness, as common as dirt and as familiar as the sky.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“His first interruption came immediately after she explained that she’d examined Mr. Wilson while he was still in bed. “In his nightclothes?” the duke gasped. Although he did not turn pink at the notion, his discomfort was plain and Bea had to squelch the laughter that rose in her throat. It was so impossibly funny that she, a spinster of advancing years, was less prudish than a duke who must have had several if not dozens of mistresses. “Yes, in his nightclothes. It didn’t strike me as prudent to have the butler dress him in his afternoon attire and arrange him in the sitting room. For one thing, it would have been ghoulish to see a dead man with the affect of an alive one. Furthermore, it would have ruined any opportunity for me to gather useful information from the scene itself. But that is just my opinion and you should of course feel free to attire and arrange the next corpse you examine in whatever way is least offensive to your sensibilities.” She’d meant to make him feel ridiculous for his scruples, but he merely thanked her for the suggestion and promised he would indeed keep it in mind should the situation arise.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“And to think I once foolishly believed I could desire your mind with every ounce of my being,” he said softly as he released her lips, “and not crave your body with every breath. We must get married at once, my love, for I am not accustomed to the sting of self-denial.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“She would propose the matter to the duke tomorrow after they met with Taunton. Naturally, he would have some objection about invading the private residence of a fellow peer, but she felt confident she could either overcome his scruples or ignore them entirely.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Despite how thoroughly and consumingly Bea knew Damien Matlock, Duke of Kesgrave, was not smitten with her, she still felt something inside her shrivel and die the moment she observed him waltzing with Lady Victoria.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Bea nodded and imagined this was true, as Mrs. Otley seemed particularly devoted to remaining as ignorant as possible about many things.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“It was almost enough to turn a foolish girl’s head. Fortunately, Bea wasn’t foolish. She was just imprudent enough to fall in love with him but too clever to believe for a moment that he could ever return her regard.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal

“Oh, indeed, it was remarkable, and Bea could barely breathe for the tumult it stirred in her body, from the pounding in her heart to even a slightly numb feeling in the tips of her fingers. He was so close to putting it all together. Only a minuscule distance—a hairsbreadth—remained between bewilderment and love, and yet it might as well have been a gaping canyon for all the likelihood he had of crossing it. He could say all these astonishing things, he could feel all these astounding emotions, and yet still walk the aisle of St. George’s with conscripted dignity.”
― Lynn Messina, An Infamous Betrayal