Her obvious consolation was
in the presence of Henrietta, though she had little companionship to
give her aunt, and no suspicion that Rose, almost unawares, began to
transfer her interests to the girl, to set her mind on Henrietta's
happiness. She would take her abroad and let her see the world.
Caroline sniffed at the suggestion, Sophia sighed.
'The world's the same everywhere,' Caroline said. 'If you know one man
you know them all.'
'But if you know a great many, you will know one all the better.
However,' she smiled in the way of which her stepsisters were afraid,
'I wasn't thinking of men.'
'That's where you're so unnatural.'
'I was thinking of places--cities and mountains and plains.'
'You'll get the plague or be run away with by brigands.'
'I think Henrietta and I would rather like the brigands. We must avoid
the plague.'
'Smallpox,' Caroline went on, 'and your complexions ruined.'
'I wish you would stay at home,' Sophia said. 'Caroline and I are
getting old.'
'Nonsense, Sophia! I'd go myself for twopence. But I'd better wait
here and get the ransom money ready, and then James Batty and I can
start out together with a bag of it.' She laughed loudly at the
prospect of setting forth with the respectable James. 'And it wouldn't
be the first elopement I'd planned either. When I was eighteen I set
my mind on getting out of my bedroom window with a bundle--no, of
course I never told you, Sophia.
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