He had the vague sense of standing on a threshold, the crossing of which would change everything.

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but little girls usually fared much better.

So much in life came down to timing.

Oh, there was harm indeed for a young lady flattered by the brief attentions of a handsome man.

...She's understood the power of stories. Their magical ability to refill the wounded part of people.

Nighttime is different. Things are otherwise when the world is black. Insecurities and hurts, anxieties and fears grow teeth at night. p493

Better to lose oneself in action than to wither in despair.