Mr. Forester, Ferdinando’s elder brother on his mother’s side, comes to stay at the property until his house, 30 or so miles away, was ready for habitation after long disuse. Ferdinando tries to talk him out of visiting, as the two men do not get along and “scarcely [have] one point of contact in their characters” (221), but he is unsuccessful. Mr. Forester has an “acidic” demeanor and a short, angular figure with sunken eyes and bushy eyebrows (219). The two men quickly realize they are better off staying out of each other’s way.

Mr. Forester takes an interest in Caleb, impressed by his curiosity and malleable mind, and Mr. Forester’s rough personality of Forester appeals to Caleb (223). As the two men grow closer, Ferdinando notices and gets upset. Ferdinando tells Caleb that he must not speak to Mr. Forester anymore. Caleb is depressed, as he feels he has no freedom or privacy with Ferdinando constantly watching him; he initially ignores the order, but Ferdinando threatens to ruin Caleb if he doesn’t stop seeing Mr. Forester (225). Caleb complies, and Mr. Forrester leaves once his house was ready, still without answers as to Caleb’s new distance (226).