Rose felt more guilty about withholding the truth about Simon when her friend showed compassion. But when she thought about telling it, she imagined Pearl's face becoming hard and the girl telling her to leave the house and never come back. She couldn't do it. She nodded absently when Pearl said she was sorry for Alice. "I suppose in the long run it will be good. She has someone to claim the child, and she may yet come to love him, and she'll never have to worry about food or money again. He's very rich." That was relative. But in Rose's eyes he was very rich. He owned a farm, and apparently he had a maid, and he was dressed well. "Oh," she suddenly grasped. "I've put the mood down talking about 'em. I'm so sorry!"