Rosa is a beautiful servant girl whom Lady Dedlock hires. She becomes engaged to Watt, Mr. Rouncewell’s son. Lady Dedlock hires Rosa because Rosa bears some resemblance to herself, and Lady Dedlock likes to imagine that Rosa is her daughter, who Lady Dedlock thinks has died at birth. Lady Dedlock dismisses Rosa from her service when Mr. Tulkinghorn reveals to her that her daughter, Esther Summerson, is alive. Although Lady Dedlock is attached to her maid and wants her to be happy, she is worried that the scandal surrounding her will negatively affect Rosa’s reputation and she wants to protect her from this.