She fits perfectly in Asia’s lap, her head on Asia’s knees, her toes digging into Asia’s collapsed stomach. When a fever lays Asia low for a few weeks, she misses that dimly lit time in the rocking chair. Becky, the nursemaid, takes over the nighttime shift, feeding Dolly with a bottle, and by the time Asia recovers, her milk is gone.

She celebrates her wedding anniversary. So much has changed in a year. Asia’s a wife and a mother now and her role as sister is relegated to her lesser tasks. This might not have happened if she and Edwin hadn’t grown so cold, if John weren’t always so far away.

The Booths are all moving about these days. Edwin is on tour, as usual, and Joe is accompanying him, performing the tasks Edwin once performed for Father. This is a temporary arrangement as Joe will soon be leaving for Charlotte, South Carolina, where he’s enrolled in medical school.

Edwin rents a place in Philadelphia for himself and Mary, though they’re not even married yet. Mother and Rosalie move in immediately, which makes Asia suspicious that Rosalie asked Edwin for a house. She can just imagine the way Rosalie and Edwin must whisper about her behind her back.

Rosalie and Asia have been sniping at each other over trivial, daily annoyances for weeks. Even Mother’s legendary patience has been tried. Asia is glad when they leave. And also hurt. She doesn’t mind so much for herself—no truer expression than familiarity breeds contempt. But she’s surprised they’re willing to leave Dolly.

She’s hurt that they’re willing to miss even a day of the Dolly show.

This evidence that Mother plans to keep house with the despicable Mary Devlin is another blow. Obviously, Asia’s the only one who cares about the family name. She can’t, all by herself, protect the great reputation of the Booths.

But she’ll also soon be moving. Sleeper’s found a place in the country, which he’s in the process of enlarging. Asia looks forward to living with frogs and bees and rabbits again. She hopes that she’ll be able to ride by then. It will be like being back on the farm only without the horrid farming.

Meanwhile, John is tiring of the Marshall Theatre. He tells Asia the city is too easily pleased by his performances and he’s come to believe their enthusiasm is once again for the memory of Father and not for his own accomplishments. There are additional considerations he doesn’t share with Asia. He’s entangled himself with more than one young woman—actresses and prostitutes. He’s made proposals he won’t honor, promises he won’t keep. And he has debts. He’s unwilling to live on his income and too proud to ask Edwin for an allowance.