--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when…" description: "\"“Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when she was standing beside him. “Our coachman.” “Better the coachman than your brother,” Ian mocked, handing her ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/judith-mcnaught-687_duel_who-taught-you-to-shoot-he-asked-when-sh_1913283.png" --- # Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when she was standing… ![“Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when she was standing beside him. “Our coachman.” “Better the coachman than your brother,” Ian mocked, handing her the loaded gun. “The target’s that bare twig over there—the one with the leaf hanging off the middle of it.” Elizabeth flinched at his sarcastic…” quote by Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/judith-mcnaught-687_duel_who-taught-you-to-shoot-he-asked-when-sh_1913283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/judith-mcnaught-687_duel_who-taught-you-to-shoot-he-asked-when-sh_1913283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/judith-mcnaught-687_duel_who-taught-you-to-shoot-he-asked-when-sh_1913283.png) > ““Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when she was standing beside him. “Our coachman.” “Better the coachman than your brother,” Ian mocked, handing her the loaded gun. “The target’s that bare twig over there—the one with the leaf hanging off the middle of it.” Elizabeth flinched at his sarcastic reference to his duel with Robert. “I’m truly sorry about that duel,” she said, then she concentrated all her attention for the moment on the small twig. Propping his shoulder against the tree trunk, Ian watched with amusement as she grasped the heavy gun in both her hands and raised it, biting her lip in concentration. “Your brother was a very poor shot,” he remarked. She fired, nicking the leaf at its stem. “I’m not,” she said with a jaunty sidewise smile. And then, because the duel was finally out in the open and he seemed to want to joke about it, she tried to follow suit: “If I’d been there, I daresay I would have—” His brows lifted. “Waited for the call to fire, I hope?”” [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tense duel scene reveals characters' insecurities, sarcasm, and the pressure to perform under scrutiny. **In simple terms:** A duel shows sarcasm and pressure. Key Takeaway Focus on your own aim, not others' expectations. Themes confidence insecurity competition Mood tense reflective Type narrative dramatic When to use this quote - duel - training - relationship tension - personal growth Key Concepts psychology performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How does sarcasm affect performance? - Can humor defuse tension? A Different Perspective Sarcasm can undermine confidence and distract from skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duel/) ## Related quotes > [“Are you proposing to challenge Lady Vannes to a duel?’ said Laurent. Blue”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/are-you-proposing-to-challenge-lady-vannes-to-a-duel-said-laurent-blue/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [“The last shot wasn’t bad,” he said, dropping the subject of the duel. “However, the target is the twig, not the leaves. The end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-last-shot-wasn-t-bad-he-said-dropping-the-subject-of-the-duel/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“You know how to fire this?" he asked. Thomas took Ulysses's gun. It looked absurdly large in his thin hands, but he released the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-stracher/you-know-how-to-fire-this-he-asked-thomas-took-ulysses-s-gun-it/) [Cameron Stracher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-stracher/) > [“The Masons may not have taught me much about how to treat a guest, but they taught me not to shoot at them unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/the-masons-may-not-have-taught-me-much-about-how-to-treat-a-guest-but/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [My father had been in the military and he was a weapons specialist, so he had an affinity for weapons but also for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/my-father-had-been-in-the-military-and-he-was-a-weapons-specialist-so/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [War is nothing but a duel on a larger scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-duel-on-a-larger-scale/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“Some young man has wronged you, hasn't he?' From a person who renounced on principle the possibility of transcendental morality, she thought, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/some-young-man-has-wronged-you-hasn-t-he-from-a-person-who-renounced/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-a-duel-to-the-death-which-no-man-of-honour-should-decline/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What do you want, MacGuffin, a duel?” “No.” Julian held out both hands, one palm flat, the other held over it in a fist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/what-do-you-want-macguffin-a-duel-no-julian-held-out-both-hands-one/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [I'm not going to accept your challenge. There will be no duel." "Why not? Because I'm a woman?" "No, because I've seen the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/i-m-not-going-to-accept-your-challenge-there-will-be-no-duel-why-not/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“Today I have come for a duel. Let's see which is greater - your depth or the depth of my sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-shirsat/today-i-have-come-for-a-duel-let-s-see-which-is-greater-your-depth-or/) Akshay Shirsat > [Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-a-bad-shot-is-dignified-when-he-accepts-a-duel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-formed-in-early-life-two-purposes-to-which-i-have-inflexibly/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/i-wish-we-lived-in-the-day-where-you-could-challenge-a-person-to-a/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [“The time of testing, and of playing, was over. This was the final duel for one of them. Now they were fighting for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/the-time-of-testing-and-of-playing-was-over-this-was-the-final-duel/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) ## More by Judith McNaught > [“What, may I ask, does your one truck contain if not gowns?” Inspiration struck, and Elizabeth smiled radiantly. “Something of great value. Priceless value,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/what-may-i-ask-does-your-one-truck-contain-if-not-gowns-inspiration/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“When she was turning the bacon, he came up behind her, his hands settling on her waist as he peered over her shoulder. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/when-she-was-turning-the-bacon-he-came-up-behind-her-his-hands/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“At five minutes to five,Jim walked into Mary's office, wearing his gray sweater and balancing four pieces of birthday cake on two plates. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/at-five-minutes-to-five-jim-walked-into-mary-s-office-wearing-his/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“To have him look at her as if she was a piece of office equipment whose presence offended him but whom he was obliged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/to-have-him-look-at-her-as-if-she-was-a-piece-of-office-equipment/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“Am I to assume the Valerie I was introduced to earlier was the Valerie of our greenhouse notes?” He realized his mistake the instant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/am-i-to-assume-the-valerie-i-was-introduced-to-earlier-was-the/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“How ‘bout some coffee?” Jake said as he hurried over to the coffee pot on the stove and filled a mug with the remainder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/how-bout-some-coffee-jake-said-as-he-hurried-over-to-the-coffee-pot/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“He bowed politely to Hortense, who tipped her head toward the elderly gray-haired lady beside her, who seemed to be dozing, her head drooping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/he-bowed-politely-to-hortense-who-tipped-her-head-toward-the-elderly/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“He finished his meeting a few minutes later and almost rudely ejected his business acquaintances from his library, then he went in search of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/he-finished-his-meeting-a-few-minutes-later-and-almost-rudely-ejected/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“When I’m under stress,” he emphasized, sliding the magnificent emerald onto her finger, “I buy everything in sight. It took my last ounce of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/when-i-m-under-stress-he-emphasized-sliding-the-magnificent-emerald/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [Some people feel love in their hearts, Julie. Some of us feel it all way into our souls. We're the ones who can't forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/some-people-feel-love-in-their-hearts-julie-some-of-us-feel-it-all/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“Lady Thornton, how very good of you to find the time to pay us a social call! Would it be too pushing of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/lady-thornton-how-very-good-of-you-to-find-the-time-to-pay-us-a/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“The truth is that I want you. I have always wanted you, and you know that.” “I hate that word,” she burst out, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-truth-is-that-i-want-you-i-have-always-wanted-you-and-you-know/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“In some ways it seemed wrong that he lived here now, in this solitary place. At least part of the time he ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/in-some-ways-it-seemed-wrong-that-he-lived-here-now-in-this-solitary/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“We need to straighten out some personal matters between us. Why don't we do it over dinner tonight?" he suggested. Lauren courteously refused with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/we-need-to-straighten-out-some-personal-matters-between-us-why-don-t/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [she kissed him with all the aching longing that being this close to him evoked; she kissed him in all the ways he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/she-kissed-him-with-all-the-aching-longing-that-being-this-close-to/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) [Explore all 405 Judith McNaught quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) ## More Duel quotes > [“The time of testing, and of playing, was over. This was the final duel for one of them. Now they were fighting for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/the-time-of-testing-and-of-playing-was-over-this-was-the-final-duel/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) > [I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/i-wish-we-lived-in-the-day-where-you-could-challenge-a-person-to-a/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-formed-in-early-life-two-purposes-to-which-i-have-inflexibly/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-a-bad-shot-is-dignified-when-he-accepts-a-duel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Today I have come for a duel. Let's see which is greater - your depth or the depth of my sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-shirsat/today-i-have-come-for-a-duel-let-s-see-which-is-greater-your-depth-or/) Akshay Shirsat > [I'm not going to accept your challenge. There will be no duel." "Why not? Because I'm a woman?" "No, because I've seen the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/i-m-not-going-to-accept-your-challenge-there-will-be-no-duel-why-not/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“What do you want, MacGuffin, a duel?” “No.” Julian held out both hands, one palm flat, the other held over it in a fist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/what-do-you-want-macguffin-a-duel-no-julian-held-out-both-hands-one/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-a-duel-to-the-death-which-no-man-of-honour-should-decline/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some young man has wronged you, hasn't he?' From a person who renounced on principle the possibility of transcendental morality, she thought, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/some-young-man-has-wronged-you-hasn-t-he-from-a-person-who-renounced/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [War is nothing but a duel on a larger scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-duel-on-a-larger-scale/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open raft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/in-the-duel-of-sex-woman-fights-from-a-dreadnought-and-man-from-an/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“it was a duel in which two participants got up at crack of dawn, one armed with a rapier, the other with a blunderbuss,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-gordon-rupp/it-was-a-duel-in-which-two-participants-got-up-at-crack-of-dawn-one/) E. Gordon Rupp > [To be the equal of one's opponent-this is the first condition of an honourable duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-be-the-equal-of-one-s-opponent-this-is-the-first-condition-of-an/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I just love things that serve a duel purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/i-just-love-things-that-serve-a-duel-purpose/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [Marriage is a duet or duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-augier/marriage-is-a-duet-or-duel/) [Emile Augier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-augier/) [Browse all 79 Duel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who taught you to shoot?” he asked when she was standing beside him. “Our coachman.” “Better the coachman than your brother,” Ian mocked, handing her the loaded gun. “The target’s that bare twig over there—the one with the leaf hanging off the middle of it.” Elizabeth flinched at his sarcastic reference to his duel with Robert. “I’m truly sorry about that duel,” she said, then she concentrated all her attention for the moment on the small twig. Propping his shoulder against the tree trunk, Ian watched with amusement as she grasped the heavy gun in both her hands and raised it, biting her lip in concentration. “Your brother was a very poor shot,” he remarked. She fired, nicking the leaf at its stem. “I’m not,” she said with a jaunty sidewise smile. 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