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“Richard was the kind of man who has two clean handkerchiefs on him at half past three in the morning.”
― Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore

“The barge anchors were unrecognisable as such, more like crustaceans, specimens of some giant type long since discarded by Nature, but still clinging to their old habitat, sunk in the deep pits they had made in the foreshore. But under the ground they were half rusted away. Dreadnought's anchor had come up easily enough when the salvage tug came to dispose of her. The mud which held so tenaciously could also give way in a moment, if conditions altered.”
― Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore

“Mothers were the measure of safety, which meant that I was safer than Maeve. After our mother left, Maeve took up the job on my behalf but no one did the same for her.”
― Ann Patchett, The Dutch House

“Tilda cared nothing for the future, and had, as a result, a great capacity for happiness.”
― Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore