Mary Jo Putney Quotes

If he chose, he could help this girl, but what was the point of saving one little whore? It would make no difference to that vast, endless, tragic horde of broken children.
But as Jenny stared at him with great stark eyes, he knew that it would make a difference to her.

Once you can fake sincerity, you can fake anything.

He'd known the headland was undercut from years of waves and weather, but he hadn't expected to trigger its complete collapse. Shoving the wall over had been merely an attempt to complicate the situation. He'd never imagined ... this.

behind the anger, she saw that he loved her,

Something must be done about the food."
Seeing his speculative glance Clare laid down her fork and gave him a warning scowl. "Yes, I'm a good cook, but I will not have time to work in the kitchen. And don't try to convince me that a mistress also has to cook for her lover."
"I wasn't thinking of wasting your valuable time in the kitchen." He smiled mischievously. "But a mistress can do interesting thing with food. Shall I describe them?"
"No!"
"Another time, perhaps.

But I'm so very glad that my resistance was futile!

Parents and children were put on earth to give each other grief. You were my punishment for how I behaved to my own father. And I'll have my revenge when you have children of your own.

Heresy is just philosophy that the establishment doesn't approve of,

But she had never known that a man could want a woman and not take her because he did care. There was something very fragile and precious in the idea, though she didn't really understand it. Maybe someday she would.

A certain skill at billiards is the mark of a gentleman, but to play too well is the sign of a misspent youth.
Lucien Fairchild

Life is a good deal more comfortable if one doesn't expect it to be fair.

Because you loved, you promised. You must try harder to keep that promise.

Disdain for authority is the bedrock of my character.

Mikhal - ... most of all, I want to be the man that I am only when I am with you

And with the deftness of a thief, he was picking the lock of her willpower.

Like cats and ice cream, showers were among life's simple, uncomplicated pleasures.

My brother said that at Eton, students were told caning builds character. I suppose girls are caned less because we aren't thought to have much character."
"Which is the sort of thing males say when they don't know any women.

Books had been invented to salve human loneliness, and they were friends without peer, friends who never sneered or flinched or laughed behind a man's back. Books revealed their treasures to all who took the effort to seek.

Jack was unexpectedly moved when he swore allegiance to the king and country. He had served both for years, could easily have laid down his life. Yet it was different to pledge his loyalty and best efforts toward governing this nation. Dying was easier than making good laws.

Gentlemen do not work. Since I do not work, therefore I must be a gentleman.

bullet wound will do." Gordon

She always imagined the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Blessed Mother as points of light in the center of her heart, and as she prayed, the light expanded, flowing through her body and soul, smoothing away knots of guilt and sorrow and fear until her whole being glowed with harmony.

I was raised to assume that wealth and rank and privilege would be mine by right," he said painfully. "Through a combination of bad luck and bad judgment, most of those assumptions were beaten out of me. While other young gentlemen raced horses and chased opera dancers, I learned that the world grants no rights beyond the chance to struggle for survival." His mouth twisted. "In the army I was flogged, wore rags, and damned near starved to death. I was forced to face every flaw and weakness in myself, and to learn the harsh lesson that men born to whores and raised in the gutter could be stronger, braver, and more honorable than I

I've always thought of this city as Disneyland for adults ... There's no danger of Las Vegas expiring from an excess of good taste.

To love and be loved is the most powerful of human needs
Clare Morgan

[On New York City:] From a dating point of view, it's like a really large rummage sale - lots of strange items, but darned little that you'd want to take home.

The most we can ever do is our best," she said quietly. "If worry is interest paid on troubles we haven't had yet, guilt is pain wasted on what can't be changed."
"Please remind me of that regularly. I need to hear it.

I don't know what you hope for in a husband, but if it is to be loved ... well, I think it would be very easy to fall in love with you.

Form, not the crashing waves far below at the base of the cliff. She looked eerily like the sketch that Kenneth had drawn of

Competence is a great creator of confidence.

Enigmatic - the quality of keeping silent and making people wonder if one is stupid rather than opening one's mouth and removing all doubt.

Your precocity delighted everyone who met you even when you were behaving like a limb of Satan.

Don't need a knife or gun or poison to break a man's heart.

Worry is throwing good shillings at trouble that hasn't happened yet.

Principles are sometimes an unaffordable luxury.

There was deep truth in the fact that men spoke of Holy Mother Church, for the Church was the force of civilization and compassion among nations, just as women brought mercy and gentleness to men.

A witty vicar once said that a good marriage is like a pair of scissors with the couple inseparable joined, often moving in opposite directions, yet always destroying anyone who comes between them. The trick is for the blades to learn to work smoothly together, so as not to cut each other.

Not a savage - a barbarian. Savages know nothing of civilization. We barbarians know what civilization is, though we may have a low opinion of it. Peregrine's tone was distinctly ironic.

You don't have to be crazy to be a writer, but it certainly does help

Softly he continued, "You need to ask God for forgiveness. That's His job, isn't it? To forgive imperfect humankind. You are quick to forgive others and offer them kindness. Do the same for yourself.

And certainly unchristian, to hate someone for the color of his skin, yet such trivial things can change the pattern of a life.

If I have an ambition, it's to leave the world a little better than I found it.

If death is inevitable, one should try to die well.

But gratitude would not have me love you as I do. Love was inspired by what you are - the good, the bad, and even the foolish, which is what you're being right now.