“It seems melancholy weather.”“I prefer to think of it more as weather designed for reflection.”“You are the eternal optimist.”

“But in the moonlight they werelittle more than silhouettes. A reflection of her life. Amere shadow of what she’d expected it to be.”

“Expectations were never inshort supply.“Do you want to know?” he asked.“I suppose it depends on the answer.”“Which answer would you prefer?”“I’m not really sure. Both leave a lot to be desired.”

“Fascinating. He’d never known a woman who didn’t take upresidence in front of a looking glass. “Why have you an aversion togazing in the mirror?”“Because within a mirror I can’t avoid looking into my own eyes. Thelife I’ve lived is reflected in my eyes and there are parts of it that I wishto forget.”“Yet, it has made you the fascinating woman you are.”

“I know you don't think he's good enough for me, but then you don't think any man is good enough for me.”

“When Sterling’s eyesight did finally fail him completely, we wereup in years, content to sit in our garden and reflect on what awondrous and exciting life we’d led. He did not see my hair fade intosilver. For him it was always a vibrant red. I watched him agegracefully and with dignity. He leaned on me much more than hedid his walking stick, which was how it should be, because when Ineeded him most, he was always there for me. Each day I thought Icould love him no more than I already did—and the followingmorning I was always proven wrong, for I awoke loving him just alittle bit more.”

“You think the only battles fought are done so with rifles, and the only wounds that kill draw blood. You think courage is loud, boisterous, and proud. Mrs. Warner, I don't think you have a clue as to what this memorial truly represents."-Clay to Meg”