the little gir's food while she slept? That made no sense to me at all.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
I'm pretty sure they showed Hyacinth eating little Molly's food to demonstrate how selfish and fake her character is. She appears to be kind and genteel, but her true self is very self-absorbed and vain, and not at all as classy as she pretends to be.
I agree with the above answers and also contribute that at the point in the story when Claire and Molly meet, Claire is a governess. Usually, they had the same food as the children and other staff. Special treats like cookies and the like, wine, chicken, etc... that Molly had on the tray, would not have been something Claire would normally have available to eat. She was very poor, outside this role of governess also.
shareyes, it is actually pretty normal in a poorer household to make sure food never goes to waste. A sleeping Molly wasn't going to eat the cake. But of course, there are boundaries of behaviour, and it is symbolic that Claire will suit herself and cross them if she will benefit directly by taking what really isn't her's if she can get away with it. I think in a way it is initially her who discourages Roger/Molly and promotes Roger/Cynthia for example, purely for financial concerns. It seems completely heartless - and although it is pretty hardheaded, it comes from her long period of feeling deprived access to the 'goodies'. When she can see them, she'll take them, even if they aren't technically her's by right.
shareWow........great answers, all of you! Thank you very much!
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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I think even more so she took her in and "forgot" her on purpose. Perhaps to win favor/attention of the Dr.
Anyone else think she was scheming? Why not just walk the child back to her party?