chief; main; principal; major
successor; replacement; second wife
younger brother; little brother; brother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband); (arch.) pupil; (arch.) apprentice
ominous; sinister; (arch.) annoying; (arch.) appearing to be true; (arch.) plausible
fate; destiny; connection; tie; pretext; justification
plot; intrigue; scheme; conspiracy
present continuous tense; present progressive form; ongoing; (currently) active; currently in progress
quarrel; dispute; argument
to sow; to plant; to sow (the seeds of; e.g. conflict); to sprinkle (gold or silver powder on lacquerware)
for a while; for some time; for a period
heroine; female protagonist; heroine; heroic woman; brave woman
father and mother; parents
to lose (through death; e.g. a wife, child)
backing; support; backer; shield that protects one's back
simple; plain; modest; frugal; reserved
wise; sagacious; intelligent; sensible
parsonage; rectory; vicarage
helper; assistant; help; assistance
to attend on; to wait on; to accompany; to escort; to chaperone
tediously (explain, complain, etc.); repeatedly; persistently; insistently; ad nauseam; at great length
to introduce; to compare; to check; to adjust; to pull into place
farm (livestock); stock farm; ranch; pasture; meadow; grazing land
injury; wound; mistake; accident; loss
life; life force; lifetime; lifespan; most important thing; foundation
in accordance with; according to
lawsuit; suit; (legal) action; litigation
in a whisper; in a low voice; in undertones; in secret; stealthily
to employ; to hire; to take on; to charter (a car, boat, etc.); to hire
soon; before long; in the near future
to conceive; to become pregnant; to get filled with (e.g. sails filled with wind); to be swollen with; to contain (a contradiction, danger, etc.); to carry (a problem, consequences, etc.)
to corner; to drive to the wall; to run down; to track down; to chase after
to carry on one's shoulder; to shoulder; to bear; to bear (a burden, responsibility, etc.); to take upon oneself
unforeseen; unexpected; sudden; accidental
accident; incident; trouble; circumstances; reasons
quarrel; brawl; fight; squabble; scuffle; argument
suspicion will raise bogies; once you suspect something, everything else will look suspicious; jumping at shadows
to have a certain mood or feeling; to have a hunch
to flicker; to quiver; to waver; to sway
kitchen door; back door; service door; host's entrance to a tea-ceremony room