# Rose Lake — Miss Marjoribanks character guide

> Rose Lake in Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** poor little Rose Lake, Rose, Rose Lake, little Rose Lake, little Rose, Little Rose, sulky little Rose

**First appearance:** 0002-iii

## Snapshot

Plain, soft-eyed younger sister of the proud Barbara Lake, whose modest gift for making people comfortable quietly indicts her family's fierce social ambition.

## Who they are

Rose is the overlooked Lake daughter, packed off to Mount Pleasant by a sister who cannot bear to see anyone happy while she herself must drudge. Where Barbara burns with thwarted ambition and a fine contralto, Rose is plain, shy, and possessed of an odd, sometimes unsuccessful longing to please. Her gentle, unglamorous presence sharpens the contrast between genuine kindness and the Lake family's hungry self-regard, quietly testing Lucilla's grand social machinery.

## Relationships

### [Lucilla Marjoribanks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/lucilla_marjoribanks)

_friendship_

Rose Lake is a gentle friend of Lucilla, often caught between loyalty to Lucilla and her sister Barbara.

### [Barbara Lake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/barbara_lake)

_family_

Barbara and Rose are sisters, with Barbara dominating and manipulating the gentle Rose.

### [Mr. Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/mr_cavendish)

_social_

Mr. Cavendish is courteous to Rose Lake, but their interactions are largely superficial and tied to her sister Barbara.

### [Lucilla Marjoribanks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/lucilla_marjoribanks)

_friendship_

Rose Lake is a gentle friend of Lucilla, often caught between loyalty to Lucilla and her sister Barbara.

### [Lucilla Marjoribanks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/lucilla_marjoribanks)

_friendship_

Rose Lake is a gentle friend of Lucilla, often caught between loyalty to Lucilla and her sister Barbara.

### [Barbara Lake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/barbara_lake)

_family_

Barbara and Rose are sisters, with Barbara dominating and manipulating the gentle Rose.

### [Mr. Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/mr_cavendish)

_social_

Mr. Cavendish is courteous to Rose Lake, but their interactions are largely superficial and tied to her sister Barbara.

### [Barbara Lake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/barbara_lake)

_family_

Barbara and Rose are sisters, with Barbara dominating and manipulating the gentle Rose.

### [Mr. Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/mr_cavendish)

_social_

Mr. Cavendish is courteous to Rose Lake, but their interactions are largely superficial and tied to her sister Barbara.

## In the story

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/ii)

A poor drawing student at Mount Pleasant, talented in art, who designs a handkerchief for Lucilla and is seen as a useful instrument for Lucilla's plans.

### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/iv)

Heard singing a contralto melody in her home on Grove Street, prompting Lucilla to knock and recruit her.

### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xi)

Works at the School of Design, teaching female pupils with a small salary.

### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xiii)

Persuades her father to allow Barbara a new dress, arguing from an artistic perspective.

### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xvii)

Accepts Lucilla's invitation to attend the Thursday evening, viewing it as a duty to uphold the artist's principles despite her nervousness about what to wear.

### [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xviii)

Brings her brother's Preraphaelite sketches, attracts attention, but feels used by Lucilla; sympathizes with Barbara.

### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xix)

Persuaded by Lucilla to sacrifice her time for the community's social events and the advancement of art.

### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xx)

Returns home to find Mr. Cavendish with Barbara; she is protective and confronts her father about the situation.

### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xxvi)

Confides in Lucilla about Barbara's secret meetings and seeks her counsel.

### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xxviii)

Skeptical of Lucilla's motives; resists being a spy but is drawn into the scheme.

### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xxxiii)

Nearly knocked down by the Archdeacon as he strides through the crowd, but he is too absorbed to notice.

### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/chapters/xxxvi)

Relinquishes her Career with bitter tears, and Lucilla supports her.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters/rose_lake
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/miss_marjoribanks_se/characters