My Book Boyfriend: Lord Orville

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader, all about fictional boys who make us swoon. This week my book boyfriend is very vintage - Lord Orville from Evelina by Frances Burney. He's noble, lively, expressive, kind, caring, affectionate, chivalrous, handsome, rich... y'know, everything a true gentleman should be. He saves Evelina a number of times from iffy situations, and loves her in spite of (or perhaps because of) her often silly actions and social awkwardness. When I read the book a couple of years ago, I pictured Orlando Bloom as Lord Orville.


Swoon-Worthy Quotes

"'My lord,' cried I, endeavoring to disengage my hand, 'pray, let me go!'
'I will,' cried he, to my inexpressible confusion, dropping on one knee, 'if you wish to leave me!'
'Oh, my Lord,' exclaimed I, 'rise, I beseech you, rise! Such a posture to me! Surely your Lordship is not so cruel as to mock me!'
'Mock you!' repeated he earnestly, 'no, I revere you! I esteem and admire you above all human beings! You are the friend to whom my soul is attached as to its better half! You are the most amiable, the most perfect of women! And you are dearer to me than language has the power of telling!'"

"Pressing my hand affectionately to his heart, 'You are now,' (said he, in a low voice) 'all my own! Oh my Evelina, how will my soul find room for its happiness? It seems already bursting!'"