Quotes from the Cheney Duvall M.D books (which are the greatest!)

#1 "The Stars For a Light"

"I won’t say thanks, Doc!”
“You’re not welcome!”

“Sometimes a man gets something he can’t stand to lose, Cheney. And I guess that’s how I’m beginning to feel about you." -Shiloh

"Don't you have anything else to do but annoy women?"
Then Shiloh's voice touched her as he said, "I guess not."

"I know you only think of me as a nurse. But I'm telling you out flat, Cheney, I'll never be able to think of you as just a doctor!"
"How-how-will you think of me?"
"As a lovely woman, the finest one I've ever known.”

"Every step I took away from you – it seemed wrong.” -Shiloh

#2 "Shadow of the Mountain"

"Make a good pillow, don't I, Doc?"

"Stage doesn't have creature comforts- like water, air, and light, and an inch or so to move in. But it'll be real fun, Doc! You'll have an excuse to sit on my lap, instead of pretending like you're asleep!"-Shiloh

"Quaint," she pronounced carefully.
"Pituresque," Shiloh suggested.
"Distinctive-"
"Pastoral-"
"Rustic-"
"Foolishness," Rissy sniffed as Shiloh and Cheney grinned at each other.

Raising the gun with both hands she said in a monotone, "I am now pointing the gun. " With both hands she pulled back the hammer. "I am now cocking the hammer of the gun." Closing one eye, she intoned, "I am now sighting down the barrel of the gun. I am now-"
"I'm not sure this was such a good idea," Shiloh grumbled.
Cheney shot and Shiloh jumped. "I have now shot the gun," she announced with a grin, "and I am now out of bullets."

"You think those two are going to fight?" -Cheney
"I think everyone's going to fight." -Shiloh

"Sounds like we're going in the same direction, Doc." he grinned. "Might as well travel together."-Shiloh

#3 "A City Not Forsaken"

"Devlin Buchanan," he repeated with great emphasis. "You know, the superdoctor? The great love of your life? Your birthday present gone wrong?"
"Oh," Cheney said absently. "I wasn't thinking about that."
"You weren't?
"No."
"Well, what then?
"I was wondering what your business down at the docks was," Cheney said idly.

“Great heavens! I must quit using that accursed stuff! Turns people into blithering idiots! -Dev

"I do believe I shall get married and then widowed so I can be respectable too."-Cheney

“That’s all I need, for Shiloh to cause an embarrassing scene and pick a fight with this young swine. Shiloh would probably kill him with my luck." -Cheney

"What is that perfume?
"White Roses," the woman answered evenly, "and I'm never speaking to you again."
"Even if I win?" Shiloh taunted her.
Dabbing his eye carefully, the woman seemed to consider. The crowd held it's breath. "If you win-" she said and paused. The crowd seemed, as one, to lean closer. One man almost stumbled into Shiloh from the pressure of the people behind him straining forward. "If you win," she repeated, and they could hear the smile in her voice, "I suppose I'll speak to you again."
"Bet me a kiss," Shiloh demanded outrageously.
"No," she said and turned with flounce of her skirts.
"I wouldn't bet against you, Iron Man."

"I suppose that means I can't change my name to Cheney de Cheyne. Then, if we Americanized it, I would be Cheney Cheney.
Irene calmed down enough to giggle at Cheney's clowning, and Richared began speculating what Cheney's name would be.
"If you married our friend David Shane, you would be Cheney Cheney Shane. He murmured thoughtfully, "or if you married my foreman, Ian Meany, you would be Cheney Cheney Meany... Or what about the councilman, Jake Delaney?"

"Yes, I'll be there to sew you up or bandage you or bury you, whatever is necessary."-Dev

Cheney Duvall is the only woman I've ever met who has sincerely wished to be my friend. That's all. She knows, all of my dirty little secrets; she's seen me at my absolute worst; she's nursed me through crying fits, screaming tantrums, curses, reproaches, accusations...but still, she stayed just the same, and somehow managed to make friends with me."
Victoria picked up Cheney's hand again and smiled faintly.
"She's the only woman who's ever done that. In fact, she's the only person who's ever done that for me. I'll never, never, forget it, and I certainly will never, ever forsake her if she needs me."

For the rest of her life, Cheney Duvall could easily call to mind a vivid picture of that August day in a small park in the sprawling city of Manhatten: a picture of herself, and Shiloh Irons, and Laura Blue, laughing.

#4 "Toward the Sunrising"

"What would you do without me, Doc?"
"You don't know," Cheney said quickly and quietly.
Shiloh thought she had mispoken, that she had meant to say, "I don't know." Upon reflection, however, he decided that perhaps she knew what she said, after all.

Cheney was thoughly shocked on several accounts. First about the topic, second about the number of dead men involved in the topic, but mostly about Shiloh’s and Shadrach’s gleeful enjoyment of the topic.

"Girls," he pronounced with feigned disgust, then went on in a high falsetto, "How did you feel? What did General Forrest look like? Were you scared? What was General Forrest wearing? Did you cry? Was General Forrest wearing a sword?"
"So," Cheney said complacently. "What did he wear?"

"You know I always do what you tell me."-Cheney
"Joke, right?"-Shiloh

"I'm sorry, Shiloh, I know you must think I'm stupid."
"What?" Shiloh was startled, and he jerked his head around to stare at Cheney. "Never, Doc," he said firmly. "I never think that. You're one of the smartest women- no," he amended, "one of the smartest people I've ever known."

“Dr. Duvall, I too, am obliged to get for your assistance.”
”I’m not going to shoot at you, Mr. Manigault.”

"I'll do anything for you, Doc. You know that."-Shiloh

#5"Secret Place of Thunder"

The bayou certainly has a wild beauty of it's own, although it is undoubtedly hostile to man," Richard Duvall mused. "But then, many things that are quite beautiful are hostile to man."
"Like women?" Shiloh suggested.

"Elyse, you have no idea how absurd you are at times," Marye rasped.
"Oh, yes I do!" Elyse argued.

"Oh, I see," Shiloh said with exaggerated patience. "It's named 'The Blue Cat House' because of the dogs. I was going to guess that. Really."

"Oooh, luscious," Cheney teased. "Dev's luscious! Perfectly luscious!"
"I'd almost forgotten the singular joys of feminine company", Dev asserted with a touch of exasperation.

"You must marry only for love, Cheney." Softly, thoughtfully Cheney repeated, "Only for love..."

"Never mind," Cheney said with irritation. "You always know everything."
"Bout you I do." He said lightly. "Make it my business too."

"Something wrong with the cherries, Chloe?" he asked. "You're making faces like they taste funny."

"Hey, Doc, it's only Mardi Gras fun," he grumbled, "You know, smiling? Laughing?"
"Flirting," Cheney snapped.
"I'll only flirt with you," he murmured, suddenly grave, "if you want me to."

"Cheney, I'll never leave you," he said hoarsely.

He shrugged carelessly, "I just knew. I know stuff like that, somtimes...Something was wrong. So I went to find you, and I walked right out the door to where you were."

“Only way I’ve kept my sanity around here is to talk sense. ‘Course, I’ve been talkin’ it to myself, and answerin’ myself, so there is some doubt…”-Shiloh

This has to be the most…absurd, most…unreal conversations I’ve ever had the misfortune to be a party to.” -Gowan Ford

“Human powers of reasoning and analysis are at their lowest ebb after loss of an entire night’s sleep.” -Dev

"Oh! Men! You’re enough to give a woman a migraine!” –Cheney

“You think you have a fighting chance with them, but you never really do. They’ve always got you outsmarted and outgunned and out manned.” –Gowan Ford

"But I'm not certain that I would wish to publicly destroy a man's reputation---no matter how well-deserved---for revenge." -Richard
"I will," Shiloh again magnanimously volunteered. Now Cheney jammed him in the ribs. "Ow!" he scowled. "You sure got some sharp elbows, Doc!"
"Sharp tongue, too," Dev muttered.
"Sharp wit, I say," Cheney pronounced grandly. "Sharper than either one of you two. Two---men. Two---wits. Two's."
"Why are you talking about tutus, Cheney?" Tante Elyse demanded. "I seem to have lost the thread of the conversation."
"Me, too," Richard sighed.

# 6 “In the Twilight, In the Evening”

“Yes, sir. I gotta tell you, I only thought the war was exciting and dangerous. That was before I started working for Dr. Cheney Duvall.” Shiloh

“It’s your own fault Mrs. De Lancie, for keeping company with medical people. We’re all arrogant and over bearing and incorrigible, and we will talk about the most gruesome things we can think of. Preferable during a meal.” –Dr. Baird

Shiloh took a deep, long breath. “Doc,” he said in a cajoling voce, “please don’t tell me that you’ve decided you need to see a opium den. Please?”
“Well…” she dawdled, glancing at him with half closed eyes, “no I guess not. Unless you want to.”
“No, that’s okay,” he said hastily. “No. No opium dens today. We’ll save that for our next fun Sunday afternoon outing.”
“All right,” Cheney said impertinently. “Next Sunday afternoon, Opium den outing. Put it on my calendar.”
“I’d laugh,” Shiloh intoned, “if I was sure you were joking.”

“Spending money is always enjoyable, Cheney,” Victoria declared, her blue eyes sparkling. “You’ll see.”

“I’m not a lady, I’m a doctor.” –Cheney

“And it being a Thirteen Friday too-tch, tch, tch. She’d likely cut offen a leg, or fall and break her head.” –Mrs. Sisk

#7 "Island of the Innocent"

"It's not funny!" Cheney fumed.
"I’m not laughin'," Shiloh replied. "But I'm not cryin' either."
"I’m not either!" Cheney cried. Whirling, she swept to the window and turned her back toward the two men.
Shiloh watched her, then sat up alertly. "She's cryin'. Aw, man," he muttered in a low voice.
Walker looked uncomfortable. "Hate it when they cry. Makes you feel like a great big stupid bumpkin."

"Shiloh, you just don't understand..."
"So tell me, Cheney," he stated calmly. "I can help you. I'll do anything for you."

"Whaddya think she's gonna change into?" Shiloh wondered. "A buggy dress?"
"I don't know," Walker admitted. "I'm still wondering why she's got on a morning dress when it's afternoon."

"'Cause I'll put up with those people insulting me- for now, anyway. But they're not going to insult Cheney, not while I'm on this island."

"I had no idea you were such a horticulturist." Cheney teased.
"You shouldn't call people names." Shiloh said with mock indignation. "After all, I am trying to quit."

But I'll tell you one thing, Shiloh. You may not be 'received' by the Winslows, but I'll not stand by like a helpless little fluff and let them insult you. Not while I'm on this island."

"I know you must be seeing two of me. Catch us if you can!"
"Miss Doctor Cheney Duvall," he muttered under his breath as he kicked his poor horse's fat sides vehemently, "I'm gonna catch all of you- if I can!"

Shiloh grinned. "But it's so hard for me to get the right fit," he lisped in an affected manner. "The length you know, dearie."

"Shiloh, dear," she said with finality, "one of the things I've always liked about you is that you're alive. Stay that way, would you?"

"I got fired," he said.
"I got evicted," she said.
"I was asleep," Walker mumbled in confusion.
"What I want to know," he demanded of the world in general, "is who that woman thought she was, calling me a grinning idiot!"

"Hey, this sounds like fun! Go ahead, Doc. Do your worst. I mean, your best. But I gotta warn you, I'm a tough case to break. Might take a long time. Days, months...decades..."

"Be careful, Shiloh. I don't ever want anything to happen to you."

"Doc, you've got a headache, don't you?"
"No."
"Liar."
"It's getting better."
"It's getting worse"

"Well, excuse me," she declared in a sassy tone. "It's just that these crack-of-dawn catastrophes are really starting to annoy me."

"Is someone up there?" he inquired pleasantly. "Oh, hello. Would you help me up, please? Just realized it's awfully uncomfortable lying on the ground like this..."

"Don't worry, Doc. I can carry him."
"I'll carry him," Walker volunteered.
"That's ok, Walker," Shiloh said with a hint of amusement. "I'll carry him. You can watch."
"Watch for what?"

Walker said, "Hello, Mia. Mia? Meow?"

"Blasted know-it-all, fix-it-all doctors! Think they can save the world!"

"You're the stubbornest creature on this earth!" Cheney shouted.
"Naw," he bawled out. "That title belongs to you, ma'am!"

"You going now?" Shiloh demanded to Cheney. "You going to take care of him?"
"I...I can't," Cheney said, anguished. "Shiloh, I can't explain it to you - there's no time--"
He smiled down at her, touched her face. "Doesn't matter."
"It doesn't?" Cheney gulped.
"Naw," he drawled softly. "'Cause I already know."
Her eyes alight, she whispered, "You always have."
He nodded. "And, Cheney, my love, I always will."

"I came back for you."
"Thank you, Keloki," Cheney said. "But I had to come back for Shiloh, you see."
Keloki nodded, though it couldn't have made sense to him.
Right now, it only made sense to Cheney. And to Shiloh, who breathed.

"We won't say goodbye, Cheney. I'll never say goodbye to you."
It was spoken as a vow.
Through a soft mist of tears, she smiled at him. "Shiloh, you'll never have to say goodbye to me. That much I can promise you."
It would prove to be promises that they both, forever, would keep."