" It never occurred to young Evelina that possibly Thomas
Merriam's sense of duty might be strengthened by the loss of all her
cousin's property should she marry him, and neither did she dream
that he might hesitate to take her from affluence into poverty for
her own sake. For herself the property, as put in the balance beside
her love, was lighter than air itself. It was so light that it had no
place in her consciousness. She simply had thought, upon hearing the
will, of Martha Loomis and her daughters in possession of the
property, and herself with Thomas, with perfect acquiescence and
rapture.
Evelina Adams's disapprobation of her marriage, which was supposedly
expressed in the will, had indeed, without reference to the property,
somewhat troubled her tender heart, but she told herself that Cousin
Evelina had not known she had promised to marry Thomas; that she
would not wish her to break her solemn promise. And furthermore, it
seemed to her quite reasonable that the condition had been inserted
in the will mainly through concern for the beloved garden.
"Cousin Evelina might have thought perhaps I would let the flowers
die when I had a husband and children to take care of," said Evelina.
And so she had disposed of all the considerations which had disturbed
her, and had thought of no others.
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