Summary

Josephine and Constantia are interrupted at the dining table by Kate, who asks if they want their fish fried or boiled. The sisters have a difficult time deciding, and Kate announces that she will fry it. Josephine asks Constantia to come into the drawing room with her so they can discuss Kate in secret. They wonder if, now that their father is gone, they really have a need for Kate. She is rude and treats them with contempt. Constantia tells Josephine that she has never been able to make up her mind about whether they trust Kate.

In the past, Constantia had attempted to catch Kate going through the sisters' possessions. She would arrange her things in a particular way and observe if anything had changed when she returned. But she was always unable to tell for certain. In the middle of...