Living is a hazardous profession.

No, what Great Aunt Winifred was suffering from was the persecution every happily single woman suffers: the predictable social condemnation of her independence and childlessness. Dorothy reminded herself of what she'd learned during a university course on feminist history (with a strong Marxist slant): spinsters are a threat to patriarchy.

So many of man's actions appear to have no immediate consequence but, concealed, do their work until finally all catches up and forms a complex web of cause and effect.

Indeed, you become what you eat. In which case I am an onion. Layered, slightly sour and guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes.

It seems to me that women are freed from their responsibilities only when they are merry widows or eccentric old spinsters.

Believe, my child. Faith is the food of survival.

We cannot choose the times we live in. Just as, sometimes, we cannot choose whom we love.