"Ah--help!" Charlotte Cooper struggled desperately as water flowed into her mouth and nose, attacking her senses.
As Grace Taylor watched Charlotte struggle in the water, her own discomfort significantly subsided. Seeing Charlotte afraid and in pain brought her joy. She wished that Charlotte could drown in this river.
They were both in the water, but Grace's swimming skills surpassed Charlotte's substantially. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to drag Charlotte into the water. However, she had to pretend that they had fallen in during a scuffle, so she also pretended to be drowning.
Just then, a man's frantic voice entered Grace's ears.
"Charlotte!"
It was Henry Russell!
And then there was a "splash."
Hearing his voice made Grace feel even worse.
Compared to the pain Charlotte caused her, the discomfort caused by the river water was nothing!
Why did Charlotte, with no particular merits, receive so much affection from others?