He never showed himself at Robert Bolton's office, nor when they met in the street did they speak to each other.
Indeed at this time no gentleman or lady held any intercourse with Caldigate, except his father and Mr.Bromley the clergyman.

The Babingtons were strongly of opinion that he should have surrendered the care of his wife; and Aunt Polly went so far as to write to him when she first heard of the affair at Chesterton, recommending him very strongly to leave her at the Grange.

Then there was an angry correspondence, ended at last by a request from Aunt Polly that there might be no further intercourse between Babington and Folking till after the trial.
Caldigate, though he bore all this with an assured face, with but little outward sign of inward misgiving, suffered much,--much even from the estrangement of those with whom he had hitherto been familiar.

To be 'cut' by any one was a pain to him.

Not to be approved of, not to be courted, not to stand well in the eyes of those around him, was to him positive and immediate suffering.