When Luicious Appleby writes his letter to Phyllida, he made it look as if he struggled to write it, although that was not the case. Why? Do you think that this was an important detail?

What significance does Horatio's garden have? Do you think that it held the same meaning when it was tended by Martha?

When Lucifer accompanies Phyllida to the revenuer's office, he decides that they could be of help to each other professionally. Explain why. If the novel had been set in the present, would the benefits to each other be of the same value? Explain why or why not.

Phyllida states that she has nothing to gain from marriage. Explain why she feels this way.

Do you think that Phyllida's behavior and position throughout the novel is characteristic of the average woman in the 1820s? Discuss the reasons for your...