Cowperwood moves to Chicago with his new wife Aileen. He decides to take over the street-railway system. He bankrupts several opponents with the help of John J. McKenty and other political allies. Meanwhile, Chicago society finds out about his past in Philadelphia and the couple are no longer invited to dinner parties; after a while, the press turns on him too. Cowperwood is unfaithful many times. Aileen finds out about a certain Rita and beats her up. She gives up on him and has an affair with Polk Lynde, a man of privilege; she eventually loses faith in him. Meanwhile, Cowperwood meets young Berenice Fleming; by the end of the novel, he tells her he loves her and she accepts to live with him. However, the ending is bittersweet as Cowperwood has not managed to obtain the fifty-year franchise for his railway schemes that he wanted. This is Book 2 of Trilogy Of Desire. (Introduction by Wikipedia)
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Chapters
- Chapter 1
01 - The New City
10:57 - Chapter 2
02 - A Reconnotier
19:09 - Chapter 3
03 - A Chicago Evening
15:48 - Chapter 4
04 - Peter Laughlin & Co.
14:50 - Chapter 5
05 - Concerning A New Wife And Family
09:35 - Chapter 6
06 - The New Queen of the Home
20:36 - Chapter 7
07 - Chicago Gas
17:33 - Chapter 8
08 - Now This is Fighting
16:06 - Chapter 9
09 - In Search of Victory
30:26 - Chapter 10
10 - A Test
20:12 - Chapter 11
11 - The Fruits of Daring
18:56 - Chapter 12
12 - A New Retainer
25:23 - Chapter 13
13 - The Die is Cast
30:56 - Chapter 14
14 - Undercurrents
33:39 - Chapter 15
15 - A New Affection
16:21 - Chapter 16
16 - A Fateful Interlude
24:58 - Chapter 17
17 - An Overture to Conflict
10:56 - Chapter 18
18 - The Clash
29:36 - Chapter 19
19 - "Hell Hath No Fury--"
16:15 - Chapter 20
20 - "Man and Superman"
13:37 - Chapter 21
21 - A Matter of Tunnels
27:15 - Chapter 22
22 - Street-railways at Last
19:50 - Chapter 23
23 - The Power of the Press
34:22 - Chapter 24
24 - The Coming of Stephanie Platow
23:22 - Chapter 25
25 - Airs from the Orient
11:59 - Chapter 26
26 - Love and War
25:55 - Chapter 27
27 - A Financier Bewitched
17:06 - Chapter 28
28 - The Exposure of Stephanie
22:37 - Chapter 29
29 - A Family Quarrel
23:12 - Chapter 30
30 - Obstacles
19:17 - Chapter 31
31 - Untoward Disclosures
17:47 - Chapter 32
32 - A Supper Party
24:50 - Chapter 33
33 - Mr. Lynde to the Rescue
17:22 - Chapter 34
34 - Enter Hosmer Hand
22:27 - Chapter 35
35 - A Political Agreement
22:58 - Chapter 36
36 - An Election Draws Near
12:52 - Chapter 37
37 - Aileen's Revenge
27:54 - Chapter 38
38 - An Hour of Defeat
30:08 - Chapter 39
39 - The New Adminisrtration
23:26 - Chapter 40
40 - A Trip to Louisville
22:32 - Chapter 41
41 - The Daughter of Mrs. Fleming
12:38 - Chapter 42
42 - F. A. Cowperwood, Guardian
17:51 - Chapter 43
43 - The Planet Mars
25:27 - Chapter 44
44 - A Franchise Obtained
16:52 - Chapter 45
45 - Changing Horizons
21:16 - Chapter 46
46 - Depths and Heights
21:51 - Chapter 47
47 - American Match
29:36 - Chapter 48
48 - Panic
28:45 - Chapter 49
49 - Mount Olympus
32:51 - Chapter 50
50 - A New York Mansion
16:58 - Chapter 51
51 - The Revival of Hattie Star
29:34 - Chapter 52
52 - Behind the Arras
14:23 - Chapter 53
53 - A Declaration of Love
22:45 - Chapter 54
54 - Wanted--Fifty-year Franchises
30:58 - Chapter 55
55 - Cowperwoood and the Governor
22:54 - Chapter 56
56 - The Ordeal of Berenice
20:46 - Chapter 57
57 - Aileen's Last Card
31:19 - Chapter 58
58 - A Marauder Upon the Commonwealth
18:59 - Chapter 59
59 - Capital and Public Rights
18:46 - Chapter 60
60 - The Net
15:57 - Chapter 61
61 - The Cataclysm
36:27 - Chapter 62
62 - The Recompense
07:34 - Chapter 63
63 - In Retrospect
06:34