“Oh!” He blinked. “Well, there’s no time now. Good evening, Miss Mallett.” He pulled himself out of his chair.
“Good evening, Charles. I’m glad you’re here to keep Henrietta company. The doctor has been, Henrietta—”
“Oh, has he? I didn’t hear him.”
“Sophia is settled for the night, and I’m going to her now.”
“But she’ll want me!” Henrietta cried.
“No, she asked me to stay with her. Good night. Good night, Charles.”
“But did you say I wanted to be with her?”
Rose, smiling but a little pitiful, said gently, “I gave her the choice and she chose me.”
She disappeared, and Henrietta turned to Charles. “You see, she gets everything. She gets everything I ever wanted and she doesn’t try—” Her hands dropped to her side. “She just gets it.”
“But what have you wanted?”