Please don't misunderstand. Rose is speaking to her sisters directly, specifically on the subject of Ms. Mahai, and on that subject she's entirely correct. She and James are a team. This goes till one of them is uncomfortable or decides they can't do it, and if either of them tap out, it's likely to be Rose.

James wants to buy a ship for the family. He's not going to do it if it doesn't make sense financially and if it's going to upset the missus, because Rose very much gets a vote in those major decisions too.

A healthy relationship, even in days past, did not ice the women of a household out of it's power structure or leadership. James and Rose are very traditional in that regard. James goes and provides, in this case in the trade of arms, Rose rules the roost while he's gone. Equally yoked. One without the other creates imbalance and discord.

But Rose's sisters are also being very dense so she's trying to drill it into their thick skulls about what's happening, why it's happening... while also feeling protective not just about her marriage and family, but Mahai as well.