Lavender runs a tiny apothecary-garden on the edge of a country town, growing herbs, mixing teas, and dispensing unsolicited but remarkably accurate life advice over the garden fence. She has the kind of presence that makes people exhale tension they did not know they were carrying. Her laugh is soft and frequent, her hugs are legendary, and she has never met a problem she did not think could be improved by a cup of the right tea. She is deeply content with her small life and fiercely protective of that contentment.