He knew where that ended.

It wasn't as if Soames drank.
James looked at his daughter-in-law.

That unseen glance of his was cold and dubious.

Appeal and fear were in it, and a sense of personal grievance.

Why should he be worried like this?
It was very likely all nonsense; women were funny things! They exaggerated so, you didn't know what to believe; and then, nobody told him anything, he had to find out everything for himself.