WhenCarolinewastwenty-fourshemarriedHowardNoble，thenawidowerofforty，whohadbeenfortenyearsapowerinWallStreet。Then，forthefirsttime，shehadpausedtotakebreath。
Ittookasubstantialnessasunquestionableashis；hismoney，hisposition，hisenergy，thebigvigorofhisrobustperson，tosatisfyherthatshewasentirelysafe。Thensherelaxedalittle，feelingthattherewasabarriertobecounteduponbetweenherandthatworldofvisionsandquagmiresandfailure。
CarolinehadbeenmarriedforsixyearswhenRaymondd’Esquerrecametostaywiththem。HecamechieflybecauseCarolinewaswhatshewas；becausehe，too，feltoccasionallytheneedofgettingoutofKlingsor’sgarden，ofdroppingdownsomewhereforatimenearaquietnature，acoolhead，astronghand。Thehourshehadspentinthegardenlodgewerehoursofsuchconcentratedstudyas，inhisfeveredlife，heseldomgotinanywhere。Shehad，ashetoldNoble，afineappreciationoftheseriousnessofwork。
Oneeveningtwoweeksafterd’Esquerrehadsailed，Carolinewasinthelibrarygivingherhusbandanaccountoftheworkshehadlaidoutforthegardeners。Shesuperintendedthecareofthegroundsherself。Hergarden，indeed，hadbecomequiteapartofher；asortofbeautifuladjunct，likegownsorjewels。Itwasafamousspot，andNoblewasveryproudofit。
“Whatdoyouthink，Caroline，ofhavingthegardenlodgetorndownandputtinganewsummerhousethereattheendofthearbor；abigrusticaffairwhereyoucouldhaveteaservedinmidsummer？“heasked。