Y.S. Lee Quotes

“Stop shining your lantern in my face."
"It's such a lovely face.”

— Y.S. Lee

“He smiled. "I suppose I thought we'd have a madly impractical, terrifyingly modern sort of marriage. One based on love. Not to mention dangerous undertakings and hair's-breadth escapes from burning buildings, high ledges and exploding sewers."
"And bickering."
"Always that, yes."
"Assuming I want to marry at all."
"True. I know of no good way of forcing you to do anything."
"And you're mad enough to think it could work - one day?"
He cupped her face in his hands. His smile was so brilliant it seemed to illuminate the room. "I think it would be heaven."
She trembled, then. "You have a very strange idea of heaven."
"Kiss me and see.”

— Y.S. Lee

“Read as widely and as deeply as you can. You have to be a reader before you can be a writer.”

— Y.S. Lee

“It's terrifying, to be on the verge of finally getting what you want.”

— Y.S. Lee

I'm so sorry. I don't think the etiquette manuals cover this sort of situation." He leaned in close, his lips all but grazing her neck, and inhaled. "Mmm. You smell good, too."
She nearly choked. Took a step backwards, until her back met cold stone. "Th-thank you."
"That's better. May I kiss you?" His finger dipped into her shirt collar, stroking the tender nape of her neck.
"I d-don't th-think that's a good idea."
"Why not? We're alone." His hands were at her waist.
Her lungs felt tight and much too small. "Wh-what if somebody comes in?"
He considered for a moment. "Well, I suppose they'll think I fancy grubby little boys.

— Y.S. Lee

“I am madly, ridiculously, passionately in love with you. I don't care about your past. Your race does nothing to change my feelings. I love you, you stubborn little fool. Is that clear enough for you?”

— Y.S. Lee

Calmly, slowly, she reached behind with her left hand and came up against - yes, fabric. Fine linen, to be precise. So far, so good: she was inside a wardrobe, after all. The only problem was that this linen was oddly warm. Body warm. Beneath the tentative pressure of her palm, it seemed to be moving ...
With terrifying suddenness, an ungloved hand clamped roughly over her nose and mouth. A long arm pinned her arms against her sides. She was held tightly against a hard, warm surface.
"Hush," whispered a pair of lips pressed to her left ear. "If you scream, we are both lost.

— Y.S. Lee

Her Majesty Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, had a lamp shade on her head. Again.

— Y.S. Lee

“For several moments, Mary couldn't hear anything over the violent pounding of her pulse.”

— Y.S. Lee

“She hesitated for a moment longer, then tentatively placed her fingers in his. Her hand was hot and dry and so fragile-seeming that James cradled it gingerly. The next moment, she squeezed so hard his eyes widened.
Fragile lady be damned. He squeezed back spitefully. Vicious minx.”

— Y.S. Lee

He looked at her for a moment, amazed. "How did you know that? How can a servant girl like you understand so much?"
Because self-absorbed man-children are common as weeds, thought Mary. But she said, "I don't know, sir. I only guessed.

— Y.S. Lee

“Are you quite certain you don't want to come up to my flat for tea and toast and scandal?”

— Y.S. Lee

“Only the greedy and stupid attempt the White Pass. They try by the hundreds each week.”

— Y.S. Lee

“Mr. Ching claims the superiority of Chinese hand-and-foot fighting, and promises ocular proof of such.”

— Y.S. Lee

They plodded on, contemplating the faithlessness of modern love and marriage.

— Y.S. Lee

“He stopped in a seedy alley in Holborn where he jumped down from the carriage, held a muttered conference with a dirty, one-eyed old woman, and climbed back in, his arms full of grubby cloth.
She wrinkled her nose. "Phew. What the devil is all that?"
"It's a dress."
"Oh, no. I'm not putting that on. It stinks of last week's washing up."
"It smells of the people.”

— Y.S. Lee