A Well-Behaved Woman 5 (Pages 246 - 336)

 

Alva hears that Oliver Belmont is divorcing his wife. He suspected that the child she was expecting was not his. She went back to her family, and he sued her on acccount of desertion. 

Oliver's personality was affected by the absinthe and he had a violent and abusive argument with his wife, leaving her terrified. Oliver abandoned her in Paris and was later seen in Bordeaux traveling with a French dancer. Shamed and heartbroken, Sara and the Whiting family returned to America. In April, Sara realized she was pregnant with Oliver's child, but the two divorced and he was prevented from seeing the child.

Alva had a new son, Harold(July 6, 1884 – July 4, 1970) . 

Ward McCallister writes a book about his acquaintaces, which is to present to his friends. Yet, a sccathing article about him appears in the newspaper. William forbids Alva to go to the presentation, and even though she is adamantto go, he forbids the coachman to take her. McAllister's downfall came when he published a book of memoirs entitled Society as I Have Found It in 1890. The book, and his hunger for media attention, did little to endear him to the old guard, who valued their privacy in an era when millionaires were the equivalent of modern movie stars.

George Vanderbilt (November 14, 1862 – March 6, 1914) announces that he wants to build a mansion in Asheville, North Caroline. Vanderbilt decided to construct his own country mansion and estate in 1888. For this purpose, he acquired 125,000 acres of woodland in North Carolina, employing the architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a limestone house modeled on the Chateau de Blois and other chateaux of the Loire Valley.

The characters in the book mention some gossip of their circles. Charlotte Astor, who married James Drayton, had an affair with Hallet Borrowe. Her husband threw him and challenged Borrowe to a duel. 

The Drayton marriage was the subject of widespread public speculation and media scrutiny during a period when divorce carried significant social stigma.  In 1890, it was first reported that Drayton was considering divorce. Soon after, he and Charlotte traveled to Europe in an effort to reconcile, accompanied shortly afterward by Major Hallet Alsop Borrowe, who was rumored to be romantically linked to Charlotte. In 1892, Drayton challenged Borrowe to a duel, which was ultimately prevented by the intervention of friends. Charlotte's mother, Caroline Astor, also attempted to mediate the couple's differences, including bringing them to London. Drayton eventually returned to New York and filed for divorce on statutory grounds. Before the case was heard, Charlotte filed a counter-suit and was ultimately granted the divorce in 1896.

Consuelo writes from Europe saying how her husband blew her fortune and they are separated. He is dying of consumption. 

Her fortune was soon lost to her husband's habits in less than ten years. Viscount Mandeville spent so much cash on gambling and mistresses that his father the 7th Duke banished the couple to Tandragee Castle, the family seat in Ireland, until 1883.