[Blue Cadillac]

As someone else pointed out, it is all learned behaviour. We are not born knowing how to behave socially etc, we are shown. Caroline has adopted her scorn and vitriol from somewhere. Perhaps it is the company she keeps outside of the house (boarding school??), or perhaps indeed, it has been instilled (whether directly or indirectly) from her parents, or from their absence. I really do not believe Benedict would put himself on the line and create a web of lies about Caroline. He would have nothing to benefit by doing so. I was very pleased to see he took her down a peg or two before leaving the house. Someone needed to.