He was amazed, and stood a while telling upon his fingers, but said
nothing. At last he began thus: 'Hold, let's see,' says he, telling
upon his fingers still, and first on his thumb; 'there's #246 in money
at first, then two gold watches, diamond rings, and plate,' says he,
upon the forefinger. Then upon the next finger, 'Here's a plantation
on York River, #100 a year, then #150 in money, then a sloop load of
horses, cows, hogs, and stores'; and so on to the thumb again. 'And
now,' says he, 'a cargo cost #250 in England, and worth here twice the
money.' 'Well,' says I, 'what do you make of all that?' 'Make of it?'
says he; 'why, who says I was deceived when I married a wife in
Lancashire? I think I have married a fortune, and a very good fortune
too,' says he.
In a word, we were now in very considerable circumstances, and every
year increasing; for our new plantation grew upon our hands insensibly,
and in eight years which we lived upon it, we brought it to such pitch,
that the produce was at least #300 sterling a year; I mean, worth so
much in England.
After I had been a year at home again, I went over the bay to see my
son, and to receive another year's income of my plantation; and I was
surprised to hear, just at my landing there, that my old husband was
dead, and had not been buried above a fortnight. This, I confess, was
not disagreeable news, because now I could appear as I was, in a
married condition; so I told my son before I came from him, that I
believed I should marry a gentleman who had a plantation near mine; and
though I was legally free to marry, as to any obligation that was on me
before, yet that I was shy of it, lest the blot should some time or
other be revived, and it might make a husband uneasy. My son, the same
kind, dutiful, and obliging creature as ever, treated me now at his own
house, paid me my hundred pounds, and sent me home again loaded with
presents.
Some time after this, I let my son know I was married, and invited him
over to see us, and my husband wrote a very obliging letter to him
also, inviting him to come and see him; and he came accordingly some
months after, and happened to be there just when my cargo from England
came in, which I let him believe belonged all to my husband's estate,
not to me.