Cousin Kate Part IV

Kate's feelings of isolation continue.. when after a dinner party, she hears noises outside and finds that she can't get out of her bedroom. She tries to talk to her aunt about it, but for once her Aunt Minerva is rather sharp tongued towards her. Torquil seems restless and difficult.. Kate wonders if he has been drinking or if there is something more serious going on. At this stage, the Broomes have a visitor, Sir Timothy's nephew Philip. He is the son of Julian, Sir Timothy's younger brother. His parents were away on diplomatic business when he was a child so he spent a lot of time at Staplewood. Philip has a small estate some distance away, and is close to his uncle but it becomes clear that Lady Broome dislikes him very much and he dislikes her. Kate feels uneasy in his presence.. because she thinks that he suspects her of scheming to marry Torquil for ambitious reasons. Philip is the heir to the title and to the Staplewood estate, after Torquil. He is also good friends with Gurney Templecombe, their neighbour. Kate's maid tells her that everyone likes Mr Philip and wishes that he was the heir, more than Mr Torquil. However Lady Broome is very proud of the fact that all through the Broome family history, the heir has been the son of the previous baronet, and she wants that to continue.