The rivalry between Phineas and Bonteen grows increasingly bitter as questions of office and influence divide them, while Bonteen and Quintus Slide exploit Phineas's past and his connection with Lady Laura Kennedy to damage his political reputation, turning the society that once welcomed him into an increasingly cold and hostile world. Robert Kennedy's jealousy and mental instability also intensify until his suspicions of Phineas become genuinely dangerous, forcing Phineas to defend himself against accusations concerning actions and motives of which he is innocent. With intrigue spreading through the government and hatred between Phineas and Bonteen reaching an almost irreconcilable level, Phineas begins to fear that even his political allies distrust him, creating the conditions from which the coming tragedy will emerge.
