The collection / 28 fragments

The living archive

Passages, proverbs, and questions carried across the ages.

SearchTypeTopicEraCulture / collection labelCountry attributionTraditionOrder

Author

Leave empty for every voice. Browse all authors ↗

Reset

Culture labels and country attributions follow the source collections; earliest origins may be unknown.

28 results · Page 1 of 2Play this collection ▷

01Undated

It wasn’t often he met someone who had her emotions so on display. Most of the women he knew were interested in more material things and kept their emotions well hidden beneath a mask of sophistication. It was refreshing to find someone who was so natural – so passionate.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

02Undated

Rosa had achieved the sort of serene and confident happiness that Tamsin had never really known. She was connected to Roberto in a way that made Tamsin long for something similar. A man with whom she could share all parts of her life, someone to be her equal and her inspiration.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

03Undated

It was a perfect moment and she was shocked to feel a tear roll slowly down her cheek. The warm droplet reached his finger where it lay against her skin, and even though it was far too dark to see anything clearly, she sensed that he was bringing it up to his mouth.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

04Undated

Perhaps it was the darkness and secrecy that lent an extra layer of excitement to their meeting? Certainly, all of her other senses felt heightened to an almost unbearable extent. She couldn’t see, but she could hear the distant strains of dance music as the steady beat thrummed through her body; and she could feel so much with just one touch.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

05Undated

Sometimes it is worth taking a risk, no matter what the consequences.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

06Undated

She hated him – she hated everything he stood for. But when they said hate is akin to love they were certainly right. Because she needed him with every fibre of her being. And hard as it was to admit it, that need was only part of what she felt for him. The whole was love – a love which recognised how wrong he was for her, but still clung to him. To everything about him.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

07Undated

The first time he wrapped his arms around her and bent his head to caress her lips with his, she was caught by surprise and felt a breathless tingle shoot through her. Was this it, she wondered?

Emily Arden / quote

↗

08Undated

She’d been feeling pleased with a couple of moves, had thought she was gaining the upper hand. But she’d been overconfident. She’d failed to notice his stealthy approach until he turned the tables on her with a move she hadn’t expected and now she was fighting for her life.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

09Undated

He was looking at her with that intense blazing gaze – the one that made her feel she was the only woman in the world. Oh God, don’t let him get to her. She’d tried to raise her defences against him, but he was so very attractive – almost irresistible. It would be easy to admit defeat…

Emily Arden / quote

↗

10Undated

As soon as the torch went out the atmosphere of the forest intensified. As her eyes slowly became accustomed to the darkness she started to notice the outlines of canopies above them where trees were silhouetted against the pale moonlight.The sounds around them became more noticeable; the shuffling of an animal through the undergrowth, the whistling of the wind through the trees, and now and then the cry of some creature being captured in the darkness.As they sat quietly, the noises seemed to become louder still until both visitors felt absorbed into the forest world.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

11Undated

She made him feel guilty at times. The problem was that she was so honest herself, almost transparent. It seemed criminal to be deceiving her.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

12Undated

Roberto knew that he now had the power to influence the future. He needed to send a message back, and whatever he chose to say would affect Rosa and would help to guide her future choices. He felt a strong sense of guilt and responsibility about the situation in which he found himself, but he knew that he had to make it work. Somehow he needed to find a way to do the best that he could by his Rosa.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

13Undated

Benedict’s hand clenched by his side, still tingling where it had touched her. He wished she’d let him do more. It was so romantic out here in the darkness; the cool breeze rustling through the trees and the moonlight showing faintly through cloud. They were completely alone and it felt like the sort of night where anything could happen. It was a pity that Tamsin didn’t seem to feel the same way.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

14Undated

If he spoke, he knew that he would break the spell. As soon as she knew her Romeo wasn’t coming she would be disappointed. She would doubtless be angry with him, perhaps even sense that it was somehow his fault.But at this moment she was happy and breathless with anticipation. Tonight was her night and she wanted to be loved.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

15Undated

Just at that moment she glanced towards him and saw him smiling at her, his eyes lingering on her with warmth and an indefinable something else. Her heart caught in her chest

Emily Arden / quote

↗

16Undated

Ironically, just when she needed to get as much sleep as possible to prepare her for the next few days, her excited anticipation kept her awake long into the night.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

17Undated

He looked at her and could see she was trembling, her face even paler than usual and her eyes wide and vulnerable. His heart went out to her and he reached towards her, gathering her much smaller hand into his.“It’s OK Rosa. Whatever you have to say to me, it’s OK. Don’t be afraid – nothing will come between us now.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

18Undated

Another tear appeared and then another, trailing silently down her cheeks. This was so much harder than she’d thought it would be. She was usually so articulate, yet at the moment her brain seemed to have turned to mush.He turned his head to kiss the tears from her cheek, and it was as though his act of tenderness finally unleashed the truth that was struggling to emerge.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

19Undated

It was wonderful to see the sparkle back in her eyes. He wanted to keep it there. For the first time in years he’d found himself actually caring about how someone else felt. He’d been spending so much time being a tough successful businessman that he’d almost forgotten how pleasurable it was to help make other people happy.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

20Undated

You may not mean to, but you do seem to look down your nose at many of us mere mortals muddling along down here. I feel as though you think everyone should be better than they are. I certainly think you expect me to behave like some sort of perfect princess. But I’m just an ordinary girl who wants to grow up and find out where I belong in the world.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

21Undated

Fate was cruel to play this trick on her, although if she were honest she knew she only had herself to blame. She had taken the chance and now she had to pay the price.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

22Undated

He felt torn. He wanted her to feel safe with him, but he also wanted her to feel the sort of heady excitement that any young girl should feel when they fall in love. He wanted to give her everything she craved, and he was not quite sure he could do it.

Emily Arden / quote

↗

23Undated

For you, it’s all about money, money, money. But what about the forests I say? Some of those trees have been there for hundreds of years. What right have you to destroy that?

Emily Arden / quote

↗

24Undated

Do you know how many acres of beautiful forests and moors have been destroyed by your company? How many animals have lost their homes and how many trees have been murdered? I am sick of being bothered by you people.

Emily Arden / quote

↗