Beale Farange Timeline and Summary

Spendthrift playboy Beale is almost as hateful as Ida when James's novel begins. He's also irresponsible, preferring parties to a meaningful profession.
Beale has loud parties when Maisie is in the house and then starts seeing her governess, Miss Overmore, who is soon to be Mrs. Beale.
Maisie and Mrs. Beale discover Beale with another woman.
This is the mysterious Countess, who'll be taking Beale to America. The Countess is hideous but very rich.
James strongly implies that it's unmanly and altogether despicable for Beale to be in this kind of relationship with an ugly sugar mama willing to bankroll his high-flying lifestyle.
Beale offers to bring Maisie to America with him and the Countess, but the offer isn't made in good faith, and Maisie can't bring herself to accept.
Beale's departure for America—and his giving up of his claim to Maisie when he does—means one more abandonment that Maisie has to suffer.