Catherine Martell

Catherine Martell (played by Piper Laurie), is the sister of Andrew Packard. She married lumberjack Pete Martell, but their happiness was short-lived. Though they remained married, Catherine holds her more simple and naive husband in contempt. After Andrew's death in a boating accident (actually brought about by his young Chinese wife Josie and Hank Jennings), Catherine runs the Packard Mill, though Josie is the legal owner.

Catherine is having an affair with local businessman and landowner Ben Horne, with whom she is plotting to burn down the mill. Unknown to Catherine, Ben is also in cahoots with Josie, and the two of them are plotting to cut her out of the picture entirely, with the intent to eventually shut down the mill and develop the land for their own profit. A highly devious and narcissistic person, Catherine later cons everyone by poising as a Japanese businessman who buys the shares of the land and manages to destroys Horne's business.