Top 100 Georgette Heyer Quotes
#1. Probably every book I read influenced me in some small way. Authors like Jan Westcott, Kathleen Winsor, Catherine Cookson, Georgette Heyer, and even Barbara Cartland taught me to write character-driven stories.
Virginia Henley
#2. History was my favourite subject at school and in my spare time I read historical novels voraciously from Heidi to the Scarlet Pimpernel and from Georgette Heyer to Agatha Christie.
Sara Sheridan
#4. Ah, but I'm not a gentleman," said the Marquis. "I have it on the best of authority that I am only a
nobleman."
"Good gracious, Vidal, who in the world dared to say such a thing?" cried his cousin, instantly
diverted.
"Mary," replied his lordship, pouring himself out a glass of wine.
Georgette Heyer
#5. If it comes to that," retorted Frederica, with spirit, " I am continually shocked by the
things you don't scruple to say to me,cousin! You are quite abominable!"
He sighed. "Alas, I know it! The reflection gives me sleepless nights.
Georgette Heyer
#6. You have no knowledge of me. You are to be pitied.'
'Envied, more like,' said his undutiful son.
Georgette Heyer
#7. After all, life was not made up of moments of exaltation, but of quite ordinary, everyday things
Georgette Heyer
#8. But where is my son? Where is the beautiful Miss Merriot?
Georgette Heyer
#9. Nothing makes one so cross as knowing one is in the wrong, does it?
Georgette Heyer
#10. Upon her butler's announcing the arrival of Mr Ravenscar, Lady Mablethorpe, who had been dozing over a novel from the Circulating Library, sat up with a jerk, and raised a hand to her dishevelled cap.
Georgette Heyer
#11. You're only a man! You've not our gifts! I can tell you! Why, a woman can think of a hundred different things at once, all them contradictory!
Georgette Heyer
#12. Eggs I must instantly have!" she announced. "And Lope de Vega I will not have, though in general a fine poet, but not in the kitchen!
Georgette Heyer
#13. The end of the idyll was implicit in the beginning: I at least knew that, though you might not. And also that the more enchanted the idyll the greater must be the pain of its ending. That won't endure. Hearts don't really break, you know.
Georgette Heyer
#14. Who is he, the ill-disposed gentleman in pink?" inquire the Comte, when they were out of earshot.
"A creature of no importance," shrugged Philip.
"So I see. Yet he contrives to arouse your anger.?"
"Yes," admitted Philip. "I do not like the color of his coat.
Georgette Heyer
#15. The landlord was trying to explain that there were a great many English people in his house, all fighting duels or having hysterics.
Georgette Heyer
#16. I'll tell you something else too; by the time we're through we shall have had all we can stand of this North woman. I wouldn't mind betting she thinks we have nothing better to do than run around in circles while she gets on with this three-act problem play of hers.
Georgette Heyer
#18. He has probably gnawed his nails down to the quick, or murdered poor Mr. Orde.
Georgette Heyer
#19. Mr Warboys, without putting himself to the trouble of deciding which of the more ferocious animals his friend resembled, stated the matter in simple, and courageously frank terms. "Y"know, old fellow," he once told Martin,"if you had a tail, damme if you wouldn't lash it!
Georgette Heyer
#20. My house seems remarkably full of people," he observed. "Is it possible we were expected.
Georgette Heyer
#21. My lord, when I first encountered you the suspicion crossed my mind that your intellect was disordered. I am now certain that this is so!
Georgette Heyer
#22. Yes, Nicky, but you think I know everything because I never tell you anything I am not quite certain of
Georgette Heyer
#23. Of a certainty Madame has died," Leonie said wickedly. "Tiens, c'est bien drole!
Georgette Heyer
#24. If I were a man I would kill you!"
"If you were a man we wouldn't be having this conversation!
Georgette Heyer
#25. The devil you have! There, it is off at last! You may have perceived that I have been tugging at your ring for the last ten minutes. It should, of course, have been cast at your feet some time ago, but the confounded thing was always too tight. Take it!
Georgette Heyer
#27. You're Beau Wyndham! Well, I'll be damned!'
'The prospect,' said Sir Richard, bored, 'leaves me unmoved
Georgette Heyer
#28. I have never met the man who had vision large enough to appreciate my genius," he said simply. "Perhaps it was not to be expected.
Georgette Heyer
#29. This, said Damerel wrathfully, is the second time you have walked in just as I am about to propose to your sister!
Georgette Heyer
#30. After all, when one approaches Middle Age ... "
"Middle Age? Has anyone ever boxed your ears Miss Thane?"
"No, never," said Miss Thane, looking blandly up at him.
"You have been undeservedly fortunate," said Sir Tristram grimly.
Georgette Heyer
#31. Morals and medicine warred within his breast, and medicine won the day- but I dare say morals may give him a sleepless night.
Georgette Heyer
#32. He bowed, still holding her hand, and then, without a word, released it, and marched out, very dignified. It was another fine tragic effect, but Cleone, when the door closed behind him, broke into an hysterical laugh. She was rather amazed, and a little apprehensive.
Georgette Heyer
#33. Bustle about Noddy, or we shant be in time to snabble any of the lobster patties.
Georgette Heyer
#34. I am selfish, father? Because I will not become the thing I despise?"
"And narrow, Philips, to despise what you do not know."
"I am to be a painted popinjay! I tell you, sir, Cleone may take me as I am!"
"Or leave you as you are," said Sir Maurice gently.
Georgette Heyer
#35. Do you forget that I am your sister?"
"No; I've never been granted the opportunity to forget it.
Georgette Heyer
#36. Well, it is very odd of you to threaten to throw your friends out of the window, I must say," remarked Juliana.
He smiled. "Not at all. It is only my friends that I would throw out of the window."
"Dear me!" said Juliana, finding the male sex incomprehensible.
-Chapter XIII
Georgette Heyer
#37. There is always a thought of marriage between a single female and a personable gentleman, if not in his mind, quite certainly in hers.
Georgette Heyer
#38. Miss Grantham gave a shriek. 'You have trifled with me!' she said, into the folds of her handkerchief. 'You promised me marriage, and now you mean to cast me off for Another!
Georgette Heyer
#39. Why, her father would turn in his grave
well, as a matter of fact, he was cremated, but what I mean is, if he hadn't been he would have. [Ermyntrude]
Georgette Heyer
#40. Lady Denville replied with dignity that she had never felt the smallest preference for either of her twin sons.
'Of course not! How should you, when you can't tell us apart?' said Mr Fancot
Georgette Heyer
#41. There is nothing so mortifying as to fall in love with someone who does not share one's sentiments.
Georgette Heyer
#42. My dearest goose, why didn't you trust me, when I assured you that you might?' he countered. 'I have cherished throughout the believe that you would confide in me, and you see I was quite right.
Georgette Heyer
#43. There was nothing in store at Undershaw for his lordship but a set-down, but it was disappointing to be granted no opportunity to deliver this.
Georgette Heyer
#44. She had herself been sadly disappointed, for she had thought him a man of sense, certainly not one to be succumbing to childish ailments at inopportune moments.
Georgette Heyer
#45. I didn't smuggle the dog into the country; I merely caused him to be smuggled out of Baluchistan.
Georgette Heyer
#46. No one had ever looked at her just like that before, and it had the effect upon her of making her feel, for perhaps the first time in her life, a strong desire to lay the burden of her cares upon other shoulders. Captain Staple's were certainly broad enough to bear them.
Georgette Heyer
#47. Eccentricity may be diverting, Mama, but it is out of place in a wife: certainly in my wife!
Georgette Heyer
#48. Do you like pets better than toys and books? I always did, so I thought very likely you would too.
Georgette Heyer
#49. What I mean is, like you to have everything you want. Wished it was me, that's all
Georgette Heyer
#50. Do you know, I think that of all your idiosyncrasies that choke you give, when you are determined not to laugh, is the one that most enchants me.
Georgette Heyer
#51. In a nobler age one could have answered such impertinence by jostling his lordship as he stood holding open the door, so that he would have been obliged to demand a meeting. Or did one, even in that age, refrain from jostling people in doorways when a lady was present? Before
Georgette Heyer
#53. This is my cousin, by the way. I dare say you know of him. He is very wicked and kills people in duels. Vidal, this is Frederick.' His
Georgette Heyer
#54. As for the fan, she agreed that it was a most amusing trifle: just what she would wish to buy for herself, if it had not been so excessively ugly!
Georgette Heyer
#55. Let me tell you, my girl, that I'm swallowing no more of your insults! And if I hear another word from you in disparagement of the Corinthian set it will be very much the worse for you!
Georgette Heyer
#56. I will not listen to your verse on an empty stomach!" declared the Vicomte.
"You have no soul," said Philippe sadly.
"But I have a stomach, and it cries aloud for sustenance."
"I weep for you," said Philip. "Why do I waste my poetic gems upon you?
Georgette Heyer
#57. Your strength lies in being precisely the kind of man who can procure one a chair when it has come on to rain.
Georgette Heyer
#59. And now I wish I hadn't been civil, because he says he shall not despair! He is as stupid as Endymion!"
"No, no!" said Alverstoke soothingly. "Nobody could be as stupid as Endymion!
Georgette Heyer
#60. is my very ardent desire to be permitted to pay my addresses to you
Georgette Heyer
#61. I wish you did return my regard," he said. "More than I have ever wished anything in my life! Perhaps you may yet learn to do so: I should warn you that I don't easily despair!
Georgette Heyer
#62. I think myself I ought to be shot for writing such nonsense ... But it's unquestionably good escapist literature and I think I should rather like it if I were sitting in an air-raid shelter or recovering from flu.
Georgette Heyer
#63. The thought flashed into her mind that she beheld the embodiment of her ideal. It was as instantly banished;
Georgette Heyer
#64. And don't you say that it is very kind and obliging of him, sir, like Jessamy, because if you don't like a person, you don't wish to be obliged to him!
Georgette Heyer
#65. He was not at the moment in very good odour at Bow Street. Such epithets as Blockhead and Blunderer had been used in connection with his last case. 'Jeremiah Stubbs, miss,' said the Runner. 'I am here in the execution of my dooty.
Georgette Heyer
#67. Judging from the letters I've received from obviously feeble-minded persons who wish I would write another These Old Shades, it ought to sell like hot cakes.
Georgette Heyer
#68. There is a corpse somewhere on the road to town. Mr Fox does not wish it there. Remove it!' The
Georgette Heyer
#69. May I have a workshop at Alver? For experiments? If I promise faithfully not to blow the house up? If you please, Cousin Alverstoke ... ?
Georgette Heyer
#70. So off had gone John to the wars again. But he had not remained for long in the position of a humble volunteer. Colonel Clifton, commanding the 1st Regiment of Dragoons, no sooner heard that Crazy Jack was back then he enrolled him as an extra aide-de-camp.
Georgette Heyer
#71. My heart aches for you! But don't despair! I am persuaded you will come about! Recollect what the poet says! I'm not sure which poet, but very likely it was Shakespeare, because it generally is, though why I can't imagine!
Georgette Heyer
#73. No one could have called Mr. Standen quick-witted, but the possession of three sisters had considerably sharpened his instinct of self-preservation.
Georgette Heyer
#74. He did not defy convention: when it did not interfere with whatever line of conduct he meant to pursue he conformed to it; and when it did he ignored it, affably conceding to his critics their right to censure him, if they felt so inclined, and caring neither for their praise nor their blame.
Georgette Heyer
#75. It was like a bad dream, in which people one knew quite well behaved fantastically, and one was powerless to escape from some dreadful doom.
Georgette Heyer
#76. I'm not talking nonsense, lass. I'd give you the whole of the moon if I could, and throw in the stars for good measure,' he said, taking her hand, and kissing it. 'You couldn't be content with less?
Georgette Heyer
#77. Depend upon it, you are just the sort of girl a man would be glad to have for his sister! You don't even know how to swoon, and I daresay if you tried you would make wretched work of it, for all you have is common sense, and of what use is that, pray?
Georgette Heyer
#78. I may have said that I wanted to have an adventure," replied Miss Thane. "But I never said that I wanted to be murdered in my bed.
Georgette Heyer
#79. There is a worse tyranny than that of ill-treatment. It is the tyranny of tears, vapours, appeals to feelings of affection and of gratitude!
Georgette Heyer
#80. You know what I think? Fate! That's what it is fate! There's a thing that comes after a fellow:got a name,but I forgot what it is. Creeps up behind him, and puts him in the basket when he ain't expecting it.
Georgette Heyer
#81. [ ... ]my memory is reasonably good - unlike yours, dear sir!"
"Mine is erratic," he said imperturbably. "I remember only what interests me.
Georgette Heyer
#82. It is so stupid to say, as Edward does, that Aubrey ought to like what he detests, because other boys do. Aubrey is himself, and no one can alter him, so what is the use of saying he ought, when he won't?
Georgette Heyer
#83. I don't think I am green. It's true I only know what I've read in books, but I've read a great many books
Georgette Heyer
#84. If you had not done such a shabby thing to me I would not have had you kidnapped.
Georgette Heyer
#85. How is this?" she demanded "I had thought a Marquis must always be acceptable!"
"That, Miss Merriville, Depends on the Marquis!
Georgette Heyer
#86. Eugenia never wears modish gowns. She says there are more important things to think of than one's dresses.'
'What a stupid thing to say!' remarked Sophy. 'Naturally there are, but not, I hold, when one is dressing for dinner.
Georgette Heyer
#87. It was seldom that Mr Standen, a peace-loving young gentleman, was conscious of a wish to come to blows with his fellow-men, but a wistful desire to land his cousin a facer did for an instant flicker in his mind.
Georgette Heyer
#88. Raoul felt suddenly impatient. 'Heart of a man, if the Lady Elfrida will trust herself to me I will have her in spite of every customary usage!'
'There spoke the Norman,' Edgar said softly. 'Marauding, grasping, marking his prey!
Georgette Heyer
#89. What brings you here, Kit? No wish to offend you, but not quite the thing, you know!'
Her lip trembled. She replied with a catch in her voice: 'I am running away!'
'Oh, running away!' said Mr Standen, satisfied.
Georgette Heyer
#90. I shan't ask you how you do, ma'am: to enquire after a lady's health implies that she is not in her best looks. Besides, I can see that you are in high bloom.
Georgette Heyer
#91. Charles' driving, skilful though it might be, kept his passengers in a constant state of breathlessness.
Georgette Heyer
#92. Well, you have the right to make a sacrifice of yourself, but I'll be damned if I'll let you sacrifice me!
Georgette Heyer
#93. Does it ever occur to you, Mama, that my grandfather is a lunatic?
Georgette Heyer
#94. Queer creatures, females," mused Mr. Standen, shaking his head. "Fellow's only got to be a rake to have 'em all dangling after him. Silly, really, because it stands to reason
Well never mind that!
Georgette Heyer
#95. She bowed her head, clasping her hands tightly before her upon the arm of his chair, for her heart yearned towards him, yet could not reach him, and it made her throat ache with unhappiness to meet that look of his that rested on her face without seeing it.
Georgette Heyer
#97. Tell me,is my grey hall an insuperable bar to matrimony?
Georgette Heyer
#98. How very awkward places we do choose in which to propose to one another!' remarked Mr. Beaumaris
Georgette Heyer
#99. You have had Ravenscar murdered, and hidden his body in my cellar!" uttered her ladyship, sinking into a chair. "We shall all be ruined! I knew it!"
"My dear ma'am it is no such thing!" Deborah said amused. "He is not dead I assure you!
Georgette Heyer
#100. Yes, but we do not know that he snores, my love,' Lady Ombersley pointed out. 'Indeed, we may be almost certain that he does not, for his manners are so very gentleman-like!' 'A man who would contract the mumps,' declared Cecilia, 'would do anything!
Georgette Heyer
Famous Authors
Popular Topics
Scroll to Top