* Valancy decides to care for her dying childhood friend, Cecily, who has been ostracized by the town for her unwed mother status. In spite of her family criticizing her and warning that her reputation will be hopelessly ruined, it's more important to Valancy to comfort her friend and make Cecily's last days happy.
* Despite only feeling friendship for Valancy and being a bit wary of human relationships in general due to painful experience, Barney marries her and brings her to live on his picturesque island so Valancy can live her last year in happiness and not miserable with her emotionally abusive family.
* And then Valancy unwittingly returns the favor by loving Barney sincerely for who he is and not for his fortune, which restores Barney's faith in humanity after a scarring childhood and [[GoldDigger first romance]].
* On second read, the scene where Valancy nearly gets hit by a train. Valancy thinks that Barney is silent because he's realized that Valancy's heart condition must not be terminal and now thinks Valancy tricked him into marrying her. On reread, the reader knows that Barney is so quiet because he's [[LoveEpiphany just realized he truly loves]] Valancy, can't bear the thought of losing her and is contemplating medical options for her condition.
* As bumbling as Doctor Redfern is (who tells their just-met daughter-in-law that their husband's ex-fiancee was just widowed?) it is sweet that he immediately takes to Valancy because he trusts his son's judgement implicitly. His relationship with Barney is also heartwarming since even though he doesn't understand Barney, he knows this and loves him deeply anyway, and when Barney needs space, Doctor Redfern gives it to him. It's an interesting foil to Valancy's mother, who while to all appearance is more proper, doesn't even realize that she doesn't understand Valancy and wouldn't care if she did and is emotionally smothering of Valancy's independence.
* Barney's AnguishedDeclarationOfLove at the end where he assures Valancy that he does love her and that she is worthy of love, regardless of what her family may have told Valancy her whole life.