- William Buxton: Have you seen the gorse?
- Peggy Bell: There was not a flower to be had. I should not have plucked it otherwise. The poor twigs look so stark. Miss Matty once told me that there was a saying... "When gorse is out of blossom, then kissing is out of fashion."
- William Buxton: This room is so warm that they mistake the month for spring. And one of them bears a single golden bud.
- William Buxton: You don't want to marry me, do you, Erminia?
- Erminia Whyte: No, I do not. I was orphaned young and went to school in Brussels. I think that I have been unfortunate enough.