" Silence cleared her throat, fearful her voice would come out a croak. “Is she asleep?”

He blinked as if he, too, were waking from a dream, and glanced down at Mary Darling. “Aye, I’m a-thinkin’ she is—she’s stopped fussin’ at me.”

Silence felt a huge smile of relief spread over her face. “She was fussing? Oh, how wonderful!”

He shot her a look, one eyebrow arching. “Ye’ve taught the child to bully me, too, now?”

“Oh, no,” she said hastily, embarrassed. Did he really think she bullied him? What a silly notion! "

― Elizabeth Hoyt , Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane, #3)