I loved the marine metaphor employed by Jeffrey, and now that he is hiding behind a plotted PLANT, I was wondering if we could continue the tradition and employ a horticultural lexicon to describe the events of the novel so far:

Harriet: Has had a heart transPLANT: Robert Martin weeded out, Mr Elton imPLANTed. But there's a case of severe organ rejection, and could there be hope she would survive another transplant?

Emma: The flower of Highbury society is being supPLANTed by the creeper bride Mrs E. Will the weed win or will the rose?

Mr Woodhouse: The potted plant of course! This homeplant is very averse to travel, and wilts at the first sign of snow or draught.

Mr Elton: His heart does not find fertile ground to germinate in HartFIELD, but thinks Harriet is a weed. Finds the Bath foliage very attractive.

Mr Suckling's seat: has an extensive PLANTation on it ;)

Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill: the two seedlings uprooted from their native soil and re-planted in foreign climes. Lets see how their native air suits them now.

Miss Bates: the perennial talker. Her monologues are an overgrown garden full of weeds as well as orchids, and will an observant and fanciful gardener succeed in determining which is which?