Second Sight Quotes
"Science has always been dark at its edges, the border between the known and the unknown is extremely murky, to say the least."
"In light of my father's behavior, I had grave misgivings about the institution of marriage, in any event."
"By Society's standards, she was past the age when a lady could reasonably expect to contract a marriage."
"You have made excellent progress with your work here," he said. He went to stand in front of the windows, looking out into the moonlit night.
"The truth is, she had never encountered any man who was worth the risk of an illicit affair."
"The society plans to issue the photographs in the form of albums that can be dispersed to the members?"
"When it comes to certain things, Society sets down a different set of rules for men than it does for women."
"I think," he said, "that you owe me an explanation."
"That will alert the servants. They have their instructions for this sort of emergency."
"I doubt very much that those two are ordinary, garden-variety thieves."
"The very last thing we need is for you to be dragged into a murder investigation, especially now that our financial situation is starting to appear solid and stable at long last."
"It was your decision to employ me to photograph the collection at Arcane House. The generous fee that I received for that project allowed us to open our gallery here in London. I thought that taking your name would be a fitting tribute, as it were."
"Trust me when I tell you that I sincerely regret this entire situation, I am very much aware that I had absolutely no right to appropriate your surname."
"I would have thought that going after villains was a job for the police."
"We are man and wife, after all. There should be no secrets between us."
"I am a scholar and researcher by training, not a detective."
"It cannot be too large. I doubt if there is a vast number of people who even know about your alchemist, let alone that his laboratory was discovered and excavated. Even fewer would give a penny for a two-hundred-year-old notebook."
"I cannot afford to become enmeshed in a scandal involving alchemy, murder and a dead husband who has shown the extremely poor taste to come back from the grave."
"I give you my word that I will do my best to protect your reputation until this matter is concluded."
"Because you chose to present yourself to Society as the widow of Gabriel Jones."
"The photographer who recorded the relics at Arcane House."
"I did not want to get you involved in this affair."
"You were the one who said that you did not want anyone to know of our night together at Arcane House."
"This is ridiculous. I cannot believe we are arguing over the fact that you are alive."
"Play the role that you have invented for yourself. Present me to the world as your husband."
"The laws of nature seemed so dazzlingly clear and straightforward when one considered them in the abstract but in practice there were so many variables."
"One would have thought that such an obviously healthy, evidently virile gentleman who had been forced to forgo the natural affections of a loving spouse for an extended period of time would have experienced a strong desire to spend his first evening here in London at home."
"It is perfectly reasonable to expect that a certain natural awkwardness might exist between married persons who have been forced apart for so long."
"Mrs. Jones's work exerts a certain, subtle power over the viewer, doesn't it?"
"My wife's pictures reveal even as they conceal."
"Light and shadow reversed. The corridor became a negative image."
"Fear lanced through her. Over the years she had seen many different auras, but none had alarmed her the way this one did."
"She knew in that moment that she was viewing an erratic, raging energy given off by some strange, abnormal lust."
"To her overriding relief, the figure plunged down the stairs and disappeared."
"There was no point delaying any longer. She knew deep down that something terrible had occurred inside the darkroom."
"Someone had pulled aside the heavy drape that usually covered the small window of the darkroom."
"He did not die of natural causes," Gabriel said.
"There is a reason why photography has long been known as one of the black arts."
"It remains a staple in many darkrooms. Certainly, no one will think it odd that it was conveniently on hand."
"I think," he said, "that you had better tell me exactly what you are doing in this room."
"The ability to take good pictures is only part of what is required to establish a reputation that attracts fashionable clients."
"I was determined to demand an explanation from him."
"He was a conniving, unethical schemer who moved in the lower ranks of the photographic community."
"Every man must see to his own honor, and you will see to yours."
"It does not matter whether your father was ever legally married to your mother. You are not responsible for what he did."
"There is little activity in the lane. The shops on either side of Burton's Photographic Gallery were open but there were no customers. The few hearty souls who had ventured out in the heavy fog wandered like lost ghosts."
"One became quite handy with tools and mechanical devices when one took up a career as a photographer, she reflected. It seemed one was always having to improvise."
"She was quite certain that Burton had invested in the shoes for the same practical reason that had led her to buy three pairs that were too small for anyone in her family. Delicate, elegant footwear proved extremely useful when one was confronted with a female client who desired a full-length portrait that did not display her own large feet."
"No need to mince words with me, Mrs. Jones." Rosalind gave a throaty chuckle. "I was married myself at one time. I do not mind telling you that I am enjoying my widowhood vastly more than I did my marriage."
"To be successful as a mistress a woman must be clever, charming and fascinating at all times," Beatrice said. "She may fool herself into believing that she is the one manipulating the relationship but deep down there lurks the knowledge that if she does not satisfy her lover in every way. she can be replaced."
"The profession of photography contained a number of hazards, Gabriel thought. Well-connected clients who could destroy one's status with malicious gossip was obviously one of them."
"She isn't just angry, Venetia thought, shaken. She hates me."
"We can only hope the threat works." "How can it fail?" Amelia widened her hands. "Even if she were to refuse to accept the picture, she would know that we possessed the negative. We could do anything we liked with it, including creating an unflattering portrait to display in the gallery for all the world to see."
"I have discovered that sometimes photographers walk around with cameras disguised as hats."
"You really are going to have to start calling me by my given name one of these days, my sweet."
"You must know that when we were at Arcane House, I did my best to seduce you."
"The trick is to make certain that the client does not discover that the final result is an illusion, of course."
"I would be interested to know some of the techniques you used to produce spirit photographs."
"I prefer that you answer my questions, instead."
"I do not rely upon Mr. Jones or any other man to get rid of obnoxious competitors."
"A woman is so much freer when she goes about as a gentleman."
"In her former line of work Mrs. Fleming was obviously very adept at ferreting out a person's most closely held confidences."
"The future of my professional career," she said.
"Your prey escaped. Did you feel an impulse to find another victim?"
"You did not fear that you would harm Mr. Montrose while you were still in the grip of this predatory lust you described?"
"Your fears are groundless," she said. "You are not a wild beast that succumbs to a savage bloodlust. You are a guardian at heart."
"You are called to hunt because you are compelled to protect that which is in your charge."
"Damn it to hell and back," he said. "You say you want the truth? Then you shall have it."
"He may or may not be in the pay of Rosalind Fleming but either way it is safe to say that he will have his own private objectives and his own strategy."
"What did you expect us to do after we got the telegram from your aunt Elizabeth informing us that you had eloped? I know you were occupied with that affair of the missing formula, but surely you could have found time to send your parents a note or a telegram at the very least."
"You cannot know how I have longed for Gabe to find the right woman. We had almost given up hope."
"Imagine our surprise when we discovered that you and your lovely bride had already settled down into married life."
"The staff is opening up the town house as we speak. We haven't used it in years but it shouldn't take too long to make it comfortable."
"Trust me, my father is very keen on recovering the missing formula. He will accept whatever strategy is necessary."
"The thing is, Venetia, although I was taken by surprise by my father's scheme, I have come to the conclusion that he was right."