And then he called her father absurd to her face.

For a moment she thought that she would defend her father; but she could not as yet bring herself to question her husband's words even on such a subject as that.
He did write to Mr.Wharton, but in doing so he altogether laid aside that flighty manner which for a while had annoyed her.

He thoroughly understood that the wording of the letter might be very important to him, and he took much trouble with it.

It must be now the great work of his life to ingratiate himself with this old man, so that, at any rate at the old man's death, he might possess at least half of the old man's money.

He must take care that there should be no division between his wife and her father of such a nature as to make the father think that his son ought to enjoy any special privilege of primogeniture or of male inheritance.