The Wentworths had been growing cooler both in business and in social life.
In the former it had cost him a good deal of money to have the Wentworth interest against him; in the latter it had cost Mrs.Wickersham a good deal of heart-burning.

And Aaron Wickersham attributed it to the fact, of which rumors had come to him, that Ferdy was paying young Mrs.
Wentworth more attention than her husband and his family liked, and they took this form of resenting it.
"I do not know what business engagement you can have more important than a matter in which we have invested some millions which may be saved by prompt attention or lost.

What engagements have you ?" "That is my affair," said Ferdy, coolly.
"Your affair! Isn't your affair my affair ?" burst out his father.
"Not necessarily.

There are several kinds of affairs.

I should be sorry to think that all of my affairs you had an interest in." He looked so insolent as he sat back with half-closed eyes and stroked his silken, black moustache that his father lost his temper.
"I know nothing about your affairs of one kind," he burst out angrily, "and I do not wish to know; but I want to tell you that I think you are making an ass of yourself to be hanging around that Wentworth woman, having every one talking about you and laughing at you." The young man's dark face flushed angrily.
"What's that ?" he said sharply.
"She is another man's wife.