The Money Master, Volume 2.

"The Money Master, Volume 2" by Gilbert Parker is a story set in the French-Canadian community of St. Saviour's focusing on Jean Jacques Barbille, a miller, moneylender, and farmer who is married to Carmen. Thirteen years into their marriage, the novel illustrates the widening gap between Jean Jacques and Carmen, highlighting her growing unhappiness and the emotional distance between them, especially as Jean Jacques becomes deeply occupied with his business and philosophical pursuits. The story hints at future conflicts through conversations between the Clerk of the Court and Judge Carcasson who discuss Carmen's changing attitude and her father's impact on her life, while the introduction of George Masson, a carpenter who captures Carmen's attention, suggests an impending emotional crisis that could disrupt Jean Jacques' life.