How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"We haven't written him?" said Bramble, her ears red. "He hasn't written us!"
"Yes." Fairweller took a sip of the strong-smelling tea. "Your family is very interesting." (10.34-35)
It looks like the stubborn gene runs strong in the royal family. The girls are annoyed at their dad for leaving without saying goodbye, so they don't write to him; while their dad is probably too busy with the war (and grieving for his dead wife) to write to his daughters. When both sides are convinced that they're right, how do you break the standoff? Fairweller's dry comment—that their family is very interesting—is probably a way for him to not have to say anything condemning any single party in the conflict.
Quote #5
"We can't stop…dancing," she said, in a voice as sweet as honey. "It… reminds us of—of Mother." (12.62)
Clover's statement to the King might stand a chance at placating him, since Clover is so sweet and loveable that she hardly ever gets in trouble. But even this doesn't work, since the King can't stand to be reminded of his dead wife. Avoidance is one way of processing grief, sure, but it seems to be having a pretty negative effect on this family.
Quote #6
A crooked smile touched Lord Bradford's lips. "Your family has spirit […] I enjoyed the evening."
"Well, yes, you've just come from a war," said Azalea. (13.78-80)
After Mr. Bradford spends the evening being tortured by Azalea's younger sisters, who hold him accountable for stopping the tower clock they all loved, he… actually doesn't seem to mind it. Azalea attributes this to the fact that he was just at war, so even a hectic meal with a hostile family must seem nice in comparison. But let's be honest, sometimes a family feud can seem like a war, right?