She bowed her head in proud though sad acquiescence, saying:
“Be it so! I accept your version of the affair, Philip. I choose this confinement on the island.”
Mrs. Helmstedt’s immense wealth was for the present not only of no use, but of vexation to her; it was troublesome to manage, on account of her various estates being in places distant, or of difficult access, and some four or five times in the course of each year it became necessary for Mr. Helmstedt to make a journey of three or four weeks for the settlement of accounts.
These absences were so trying to the secluded woman, who had no companion but her husband, and could scarcely bear to lose him for a day, that she suggested to Mr. Helmstedt that they should avail themselves of the first favorable opportunity to dispose of Eagle Flight, her mountain farm, and of her house on Loudoun street, in Winchester. Whereupon Mr. Helmstedt, who desired nothing better, immediately advertised the property for sale, and soon found purchasers. When the transfer was made and price paid, Mr. Helmstedt consulted his wife in regard to the disposition of the purchase money.
“Invest it in your own name, and in any way you see fit, dear Philip,” she said.
And he probably took her at her word, for the subject was never renewed between them.
Plover’s Point, her most valuable estate, being but fifteen miles up the river, on the Virginia side, was so readily accessible that it had been permitted to remain under cultivation, in the hands of an overseer, subject to the occasional supervision of the master. But at last an opportunity was presented of selling the place for a very liberal price, and Mr. Helmstedt made known the fact to his wife. But Marguerite declined to dispose of Plover’s Point upon any terms whatever.
“It was my mother’s ancestral home, and my own birthplace, dearest Philip. As my mother left it to me, I wish to leave it to my daughter.”
“As you please,” said her husband, and dropped the subject.
A few days after that he came to her with an inquiry whether she would be willing to give a lease of the property for a term of years, and, glad to be able to meet his wishes at any point, Mrs. Helmstedt at once agreed to the proposition.