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My Cousin Rachel. 20%

Rachel the mysterious.  Ambrose loves her, then writes saying she is ruining him.  He dies--a brain tumor? fever? or has Rachel killed him. Phillip (MC) goes to Italy only to find that A. is dead and Rachel is gone. He despises her.

But . . . upon his return he learns that, although she has his books and clothes, she is making no claim on his land. She then shows up in England, writes to his guardian, and explains that she has brought all the books and clothes and wants to give them to Phillip. Phillip remains suspicious, but he does invite her to his estate.

She arrives. He expects to hate her, but he is charmed.  She is 35, unpretentious, plain spoken--just the woman for him, though he doesn't quite know it yet. She has also arranged to have flowers and shrubs sent from Italy to England for Phillip's estate.  She knows just where Ambrose wanted them planted, but she of course won't be around to supervise as she is only a visitor.

To be continued

Book looks like it will thrive on the ambiguous nature of Rachel. Devil or angel?
I'm enjoying this very much, but plot does seem a little creaky unless something else comes along.

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