The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

It is now March, and Arthur is on his usual spring trip to London. Helen takes advantage of his absence to break little Arthur of the bad habits he learned from his father. It’s easy to break him of cursing—the consumption of wine is more difficult. She starts putting an expectorant in his brandy and wine, just enough to induce nausea. Eventually, he grows to hate the stuff.

While Arthur is gone, Helen devises another scheme for her freedom. She writes to her brother to see if he might fix up a few rooms in the house where they grew up, so she can live there with little Arthur. She thinks she can tell from her brother’s letters that he knows some of her situation, but he never forces her confidence. She admits she wishes she knew him better, but he is coming to Grassdale soon for a visit and she is excited to become more intimate with him.

In April, Helen writes of her brother’s visit, which was enjoyable and relaxing but too brief. She loved having Frederick’s company and watching him get better acquainted with little Arthur. They talked of her plan for escape, and while Frederick thinks her scheme foolhardy, he understands better now how miserable she is with Mr. Huntingdon and agrees to get his rooms ready in case of emergency.

It is the end of July, and Esther Hargrave has returned from her first season in London. She comes home unengaged, much to her mother’s consternation. Mrs. Hargrave had wanted her to marry Mr. Oldfield, but Esther refused. She thinks him not only old but ugly and tiresome. Helen tells her she was right not to accept him then, but warns her against marrying for love alone. She should also consider the man’s other qualities, and if she doesn’t find such a man, it is best to remain single. Esther disagrees. She fears becoming an old maid and being dependent on her mother and brother for the rest of her life.

Esther asks Helen if she’s happy. She asked Milicent and Milicent said she was, but Esther suspects she was lying. Helen doesn’t answer Esther’s question, and Esther tells her she knows she’s not as happy as she intends to be in matrimony. Esther wants to marry a man who will only take pleasure in being in her company—he will value it above all other things. Helen tells her she had better be very selective then, or else not marry at all.