--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Miles’s pause had lasted just a little…" description: "\"“Miles’s pause had lasted just a little too long. Genially taking his turn to fill it, Illyan turned to Ekaterin. “Speaking of weddings, Madame Vorsois..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_last-year_miles-s-pause-had-lasted-just-a-little-t_1736750.jpg" --- # Miles’s pause had lasted just a little too long. Genially… ![“Miles’s pause had lasted just a little too long. Genially taking his turn to fill it, Illyan turned to Ekaterin. “Speaking of weddings, Madame Vorsoisson, how long has Miles been courting you? Have you awarded him a date yet? Personally, I think you ought to string him along and make him work for…” quote by Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_last-year_miles-s-pause-had-lasted-just-a-little-t_1736750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_last-year_miles-s-pause-had-lasted-just-a-little-t_1736750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_last-year_miles-s-pause-had-lasted-just-a-little-t_1736750.jpg) > ““Miles’s pause had lasted just a little too long. Genially taking his turn to fill it, Illyan turned to Ekaterin. “Speaking of weddings, Madame Vorsoisson, how long has Miles been courting you? Have you awarded him a date yet? Personally, I think you ought to string him along and make him work for it.” A chill flush plunged to the pit of Miles’s stomach. Alys bit her lip. Even Galeni winced. Olivia looked up in confusion. “I thought we weren’t supposed to mention that yet.” Kou, next to her, muttered, “Hush, lovie.” Lord Dono, with malicious Vorrutyer innocence, turned to her and inquired, “What weren’t we supposed to mention?” “Oh, but if Captain Illyan said it, it must be all right,” Olivia concluded. Captain Illyan had his brains blown out last year, thought Miles. He is not all right. All right is precisely what he is not . . . Her gaze crossed Miles’s. “Or maybe . . .” Not, Miles finished silently for her. Ekaterin”” [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters navigate social expectations and hidden tensions during a wedding conversation, revealing power dynamics and personal insecurities. **In simple terms:** People hide feelings and test each other in social settings. Key Takeaway Observe cues and communicate clearly. Themes social dynamics power communication insecurity humor Mood tense playful wry Type dialogue humorous dramatic When to use this quote - wedding planning - team meetings - family gatherings - political negotiations Key Concepts courtship social pressure misdirection authority emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle unspoken expectations? - What signals reveal true intentions? A Different Perspective Assuming consent can lead to misunderstandings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courting/) [Courting Awarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courting-awarded-1481149/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Last year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-year/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Miles Courting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles-courting-1481148/) [Miles Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles-pause-1481151/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) [Weddings Madame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weddings-madame-1481150/) ## Related quotes > [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [With consumers having ever more choice, corporations must invest more and more in courting public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/with-consumers-having-ever-more-choice-corporations-must-invest-more/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [A kiss is the prize?’ he asked sadly. ‘Even more than giving me the rest of you? It should be the other way round,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/a-kiss-is-the-prize-he-asked-sadly-even-more-than-giving-me-the-rest/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“What I personally knew about courting women could comfortably fit into a thimble without taking it off your finger first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/what-i-personally-knew-about-courting-women-could-comfortably-fit/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Courting is like applying for a job, sometimes you knew you are not qualified but your willing to pursue hoping you'll be in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missyrie/courting-is-like-applying-for-a-job-sometimes-you-knew-you-are-not/) [Missyrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missyrie/) > [I don't like courting controversy because I don't like people not liking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-don-t-like-courting-controversy-because-i-don-t-like-people-not/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Wine, like food, is so emotional. If you think about it, so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/wine-like-food-is-so-emotional-if-you-think-about-it-so-much-of-the/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [“Careful,” he said. “If you keep blushing like that I may do more than just draw you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/careful-he-said-if-you-keep-blushing-like-that-i-may-do-more-than/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/when-you-are-courting-a-nice-girl-an-hour-seems-like-a-second/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [People will think you're courting me.' 'Nonsense, everyone knows I don't court respectable women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/people-will-think-you-re-courting-me-nonsense-everyone-knows-i-don-t/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [courting is for those who have not declared their love for one another- should not be considered a task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/courting-is-for-those-who-have-not-declared-their-love-for-one/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Courting a princess does come with a few perks. Such as an immortal madwoman chasing us to the ends of the realm." "Yeah… Sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-v-wilson/courting-a-princess-does-come-with-a-few-perks-such-as-an-immortal/) [K.V. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-v-wilson/) > [If you've been courting someone for a long time, what's the point in being engaged an additional 2 or 3 years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ve-been-courting-someone-for-a-long-time-what-s-the-point-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never chase a man. A gentleman will do everything in his power to do the chasing and courting after the woman of his dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-lianne/never-chase-a-man-a-gentleman-will-do-everything-in-his-power-to-do/) [Sophie Lianne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-lianne/) ## More by Lois McMaster Bujold > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Never do yourself, what you can con professionals into doing for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/never-do-yourself-what-you-can-con-professionals-into-doing-for-you/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“It reminded him of that definition of his father's. A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/it-reminded-him-of-that-definition-of-his-father-s-a-weapon-is-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I was imagining the most bizarre things befalling you.” “Did they include a six-hundred-pound ice bear and a pirate poet?” “No…” “Then they weren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-was-imagining-the-most-bizarre-things-befalling-you-did-they/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [There is a sad disconnectedness that overcomes a library when its owner is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-is-a-sad-disconnectedness-that-overcomes-a-library-when-its/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“No, amusing me only, I wonder if they realize how they are used?" "Not a bit. They think they are the emperors of creation."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/no-amusing-me-only-i-wonder-if-they-realize-how-they-are-used-not-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“You bastards are on the top of Imperial Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan's very own shit list now, you bet. But under what name? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/you-bastards-are-on-the-top-of-imperial-lord-auditor-miles-vorkosigan/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Anyway, if the Cetagandans really wanted to assassinate you, they'd hardly do it here. They'd slip something subtle under your skin that wouldn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/anyway-if-the-cetagandans-really-wanted-to-assassinate-you-they-d/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Endure pain, find joy, and make your own meaning, because the universe certainly isn't going to supply it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/endure-pain-find-joy-and-make-your-own-meaning-because-the-universe/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Your Reverence, I do not hate any man in this world enough to inflict the results of my prayers upon him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/your-reverence-i-do-not-hate-any-man-in-this-world-enough-to-inflict/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I always thought my parents could fix anything. Now it's my turn. Dear God, how did this happen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-always-thought-my-parents-could-fix-anything-now-it-s-my-turn-dear/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I think it is not so much the growth of virtue, as simply the replacement of prior vices with an addiction to one’s god.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-think-it-is-not-so-much-the-growth-of-virtue-as-simply-the/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Mark’s ideas tended to the bland, and there was no point in asking Miles, whose embittered suggestions all ran to things like Vomit Vanilla…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/mark-s-ideas-tended-to-the-bland-and-there-was-no-point-in-asking/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/the-dead-cannot-cry-out-for-justice-it-is-a-duty-of-the-living-to-do/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Gardens were meant to be seen, smelled, walked through, grubbed in. A hundred objective measurements didn't sum the worth of a garden; only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/gardens-were-meant-to-be-seen-smelled-walked-through-grubbed-in-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) [Explore all 392 Lois McMaster Bujold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## More Courting quotes > [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [If you've been courting someone for a long time, what's the point in being engaged an additional 2 or 3 years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ve-been-courting-someone-for-a-long-time-what-s-the-point-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Courting a princess does come with a few perks. Such as an immortal madwoman chasing us to the ends of the realm." "Yeah… Sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-v-wilson/courting-a-princess-does-come-with-a-few-perks-such-as-an-immortal/) [K.V. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-v-wilson/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [courting is for those who have not declared their love for one another- should not be considered a task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/courting-is-for-those-who-have-not-declared-their-love-for-one/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [People will think you're courting me.' 'Nonsense, everyone knows I don't court respectable women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/people-will-think-you-re-courting-me-nonsense-everyone-knows-i-don-t/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/when-you-are-courting-a-nice-girl-an-hour-seems-like-a-second/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Careful,” he said. “If you keep blushing like that I may do more than just draw you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/careful-he-said-if-you-keep-blushing-like-that-i-may-do-more-than/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Wine, like food, is so emotional. If you think about it, so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/wine-like-food-is-so-emotional-if-you-think-about-it-so-much-of-the/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I don't like courting controversy because I don't like people not liking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-don-t-like-courting-controversy-because-i-don-t-like-people-not/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Courting is like applying for a job, sometimes you knew you are not qualified but your willing to pursue hoping you'll be in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missyrie/courting-is-like-applying-for-a-job-sometimes-you-knew-you-are-not/) [Missyrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missyrie/) > [“What I personally knew about courting women could comfortably fit into a thimble without taking it off your finger first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/what-i-personally-knew-about-courting-women-could-comfortably-fit/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [A kiss is the prize?’ he asked sadly. ‘Even more than giving me the rest of you? It should be the other way round,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/a-kiss-is-the-prize-he-asked-sadly-even-more-than-giving-me-the-rest/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [With consumers having ever more choice, corporations must invest more and more in courting public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/with-consumers-having-ever-more-choice-corporations-must-invest-more/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Never chase a man. A gentleman will do everything in his power to do the chasing and courting after the woman of his dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-lianne/never-chase-a-man-a-gentleman-will-do-everything-in-his-power-to-do/) [Sophie Lianne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-lianne/) [Browse all 88 Courting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Miles’s pause had lasted just a little too long. Genially taking his turn to fill it, Illyan turned to Ekaterin. “Speaking of weddings, Madame Vorsoisson, how long has Miles been courting you? Have you awarded him a date yet? Personally, I think you ought to string him along and make him work for it.” A chill flush plunged to the pit of Miles’s stomach. Alys bit her lip. Even Galeni winced. Olivia looked up in confusion. “I thought we weren’t supposed to mention that yet.” Kou, next to her, muttered, “Hush, lovie.” Lord Dono, with malicious Vorrutyer innocence, turned to her and inquired, “What weren’t we supposed to mention?” “Oh, but if Captain Illyan said it, it must be all right,” Olivia concluded. Captain Illyan had his brains blown out last year, thought Miles. He is not all right. All right is precisely what he is not . . . Her gaze crossed Miles’s. “Or maybe . . .” Not, Miles finished silently for her. 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