Miss Marjoribanks · Character

Tom Marjoribanks

Lucilla's hapless cousin, a young man whose genius for missing trains and arriving at the wrong hour makes him a permanent comic complication in the Marjoribanks household.

supporting

Also known as Thomas, Tom, Mr. Tom, the unlucky Tom, Mr. Thomas Marjoribanks, The unfortunate Tom

First appearance: ii

As a supporting figure in Miss Marjoribanks, Tom Marjoribanks is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as an unexpected hindrance to Lucilla's plans, likely to make love to her.

In the storyChapter IVOpen this moment free

Tom arrives from India by the nine o'clock train just as the kitchen has been put to rights, hungry, apologetic, and utterly incapable of adapting to circumstance. His blunders are so reliable that Lucilla treats them as a fixed feature of the landscape, sending conciliatory messages downstairs while Nancy mutters about cold pie. He matters because he is the one person in the novel who cannot be managed, and his presence tests whether Lucilla's system can absorb the genuinely unabsorbable.

See Tom Marjoribanks in Chapter IV Book page

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Character Web

23 connections

A slice of how Tom Marjoribanks sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Other

Character groups

Core Carlingford Society
Extended Social Circle
Protagonist

+18 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Mrs. Woodburn,…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Lucilla Marjoribanks
family · positive
Tom is Lucilla's cousin and a close companion, often supporting her social schemes with… How this plays out →
Lucilla Marjoribanks
family · positive
Tom is Lucilla's cousin and a close companion, often supporting her social schemes with… How this plays out →
Lucilla Marjoribanks
family · positive
Tom is Lucilla's cousin and a close companion, often supporting her social schemes with… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Tom Marjoribanks in ii

In the story

Tom Marjoribanks appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter IV
Mentioned as an unexpected hindrance to Lucilla's plans, likely to make love to her.
V
Mentioned as arriving at an inconvenient time for Lucilla's plans.
Chapter VI
Awkwardly measures the room for Lucilla and breaks a table, showing his clumsiness.
VII
Disconsolate after being dismissed by Lucilla; brings an 'amusing' companion to luncheon.
Chapter VIII
Lucilla's awkward cousin, who she ignores at breakfast and who appears in her nightmare as a rival groom.
Chapter IX
On his last day in Carlingford, he works himself up to propose to Lucilla, but is rebuffed and advised to go to India.
Chapter XXVII
Writes from India about being wrecked and losing his boxes; asks his uncle to sell out funds; Lucilla finds comfort in his belief in her.
XXXVIII
Aunt Jemima's son, in India; his mother suspects he was once fond of Lucilla.
Chapter XLII
Mentioned by the Doctor as a 'stupid fellow' who will never be rich; Lucilla briefly considers him as a candidate for her social experiment.
XLVII
Tells Lucilla about Mr. Cavendish's visit and is sworn to secrecy in exchange for the hearth-brush.
LI
Shows tender devotion to Lucilla but is taken aback by her proposal to buy an estate.
Chapter the Last
Returns to Carlingford, buys Marchbank, fits up the drawing-room in pale green, and wins over the community with his gifts and straightforwardness.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Tom Marjoribanks unlock in the free preview.

See Tom Marjoribanks in ii

See Tom Marjoribanks in Chapter IV