How we cite our quotes: (Volume.Book.Chapter.Line)
Quote #1
Why should a set of people [a family] have been put in motion, on such a scale and with such an air of being equipped for a profitable journey, only to break down without an accident, to stretch themselves in the wayside dust without a reason? (1.1.1.2)
Kate Croy's family has completely disintegrated. Her mother is dead, her father is absent, and her sister is widowed with four children to support. Kate is really the only one who's ended up okay by being taken in by her rich Aunt Maud. But Kate still assumes that family should give stability to life, not create chaos. She must have learned that one from a fairy tale rather from her own experiences.
Quote #2
When her father at last appeared she became, as usual, instantly aware of the futility of any effort to hold him to anything." (1.1.1.3)
Kate is in the unfortunate position of loving her father but not trusting him. The man has essentially spent his whole life lying about everything, and this causes severe long-term emotional issues for Kate. What a shocker, right? She responds to his dishonesty and shiftiness by developing a fairly cynical view of the world. This makes her a little unlovable at times.
Quote #3
The hitch here, of course, was that, with whatever beauty, her sister, widowed and almost in want, with four bouncing children, was not a sensible value." (1.1.1.6)
Kate Croy's father Lionel doesn't much like his other daughter, Marian. He more or less thinks that she's worthless because she's an aging widow with four kids. For Kate, though, there's still hope. But what kind of hope, you ask? Well for Lionel, it seems that his main idea of "value" is for his daughter to marry rich and send him some money.