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Eliza examined the two disparate plants, now connected at the stem It made her think of her relationship with Jasper "Beautiful I can see why you’re so pleased"

"Norrow best in a tropical climate, so I am doubly pleased by the success" He beamed with pride, then noted the letters she carried His sh

She handed the post to hi to those rite to you?"

His wince was answer enough

She shook her head "Do you never miss the coht here" He set thesoil scattered on the table

"Perhaps others need you Clearly they continue to extend their friendship to you, even though you don’t reply"

Melville’s well-being was a growing concern to her What would happen to hier shared a roof? She was his sole hue Would he soon becoazettes for news? It broke her heart to think of it

He returned his attention to watering his plants "Were you not detero? Content with quiet walks, good books, and uninterrupted tiers?"

"I have you"

"For how long? Eventually, I will move on to my reward"

Eliza dreirls in the soil with her fingertip "The tilanced at her, but blessedly did not continue to speak of his deardless, I am relieved to see you out of your ood to know you’ve found someone hom to share your life"

"My mother’s shadow," she repeated softly "Have I moved out of it? I resemble her, and I’ve chosen a man similar to my father Perhaps I have assumed her shadow and made it reed "But also a steadfastness she lacked Your footing is solid Georgina’s was often unsteady"

"You mean to say she was irresponsible"

"I mean to say she was unstable She could not maintain an even keel She listed fro off a plant leaf "Georgina is the reason I acquired an interest in horticulture My hope was to find some combination of herbal elements to tame the mercurial quality of her moods"

Eliza reiddy with happiness one week, then unable to rise from bed the next "You think her ailment was physical? I have always believed she si to consider any possibility I would’ve searched the world for the key to her happiness, just as I would do for you"

"Mr Bond makes me happy The only worry I have now is for you"

He reached over and patted the back of her hand "I’ll be well, so long as you are"

Turning her hand over, she squeezed his "Shall we retire to your study for tea?"

"Is it tier He set the watering pot down and dusted off his hands Then, he proffered his forearht you"

He groaned, but gathered up the post "You are certainly stubborn like your mother"

They exited the conservatory and strolled the distance to his study in companionable silence When they stepped into his private domain, Eliza took in the space where her uncle spent the majority of his day and knew she would miss these moments with him For all his idiosyncrasies and foibles, she loved hiht have to visit with him once she lived with Jasper When Melville retreated to the country, would he be alone for ht of it, she suspected Jasper spent all of the year in London due to his trade

Melville set the latest post atop the leaning pile of mail in the basket by the door Unable to bear the additional weight, the mass shifted to the side and dozens of letters tu to pick up the ardletters toward her idespread fingers