The Fruit of the Tree Book 3 Chapter 26

In which Amherst finds sanctuary in woodland explorations with his step-daughter and Miss Brent, yet domestic tensions subtly encroach upon his quiet pleasures, as his wife’s tacit resentments and social intrigues stir beneath the placid surface of their lives. Confronted with whispered scandals and the murky complexities of society’s evasions, Amherst grapples with his yearning for order within his household, only to meet the delicate, inscrutable protests of his wife’s allegiance and nature.