Kerrigan Byrne

“Alison’s gaze gentled. “Tell me, Samantha, have you ever been to Scotland?”

“Samantha imagined that in another life, she and Alison could have, indeed, been friends. Had she not been about to rob the train.”

“Still pleasant as a cornered hedgehog, and as well mannered as a badger, I see.”

“There was something more than a little satisfying about ripping the heart out of someone the moment before they expected to do the same to you.”

“Sometimes I feel that I could stand in the middle of the square and scream and thrash about like a wildling, and no one would notice.”

“Love is quite like reading, I expect. Once you know how, you can't ever imagine not doing it.”

“A jewelry box? Ballerinas? She'd been such an active girl that any jewelry she'd been given would have been lost or broken right away. It was Faye Marie who'd loved-"My sister," she gasped, then louder. "My sister!" She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. "My lord, I beg pardon of you, but you're mistaken. I believe you gifted that treasure box to my older sister, Faye Marie. She's the one who loved ballerinas. I was obsessed with-""Pegasus." The old justice's eyes melted from cold to kindness. "It was a trick question. I'd forgotten your birthday was so close to mine, and shared my spice cake out of pure guilt." His lined face wrinkled as he smiled with a fond memory. "You were a kind little soul, unspoiled for a girl raised in such wealth. You forgave me instantly and informed me that spice cake was, indeed, your favorite present ever received.”