Journal

that his visits were rather more frequent than is usual for a landlord, imagine
some sort of clandestine romance.
Gilbert Markham becomes jealous of him and at one stage he knocks
Lawrence off his horse. But when Helen returns to her husband at Grassdale
Manor Gilbert discovers that Lawrence is her brother and mutual interest in
Helen’s welfare brings them, somewhat uneasily, together. Lawrence goes
away unexpectedly and Gilbert, having heard rumours of an impending
Hargraves-Lawrence wedding, believes that he has gone to his sister’s
wedding. However it is Frederick’s own, as he marries Esther Hargraves.
Mr & Mrs (Peggy) Maxwell: Helen’s uncle and maternal aunt
Arthur Huntingdon: Arthur is the somewhat wild, but interesting suitor to
Helen who becomes her husband. He is the son of a late friend of Mr
Maxwell. He has laughing blue eyes, but is prone to every vice that is
common to youth and lacks principles.
Helen is conscious of his somewhat dissolute nature but believes that
she can lead him into the paths of righteousness. However she is no match
for his circle of friends who encourage his intemperance, both in the narrow
sense of his taking more wine than is good for him, and in the wider sense.
It is not so much the fact that living with him has become intolerable
for herself, but the fact that she fears that he will lead young Arthur down a
similar path, that brings her to secretly run away. But later she dutifully returns
when she hears that he is gravely ill and nurses him patiently till he dies. He is
ungrateful and unrepentant to the last.
Master Arthur Huntingdon: Arthur is Helen and Arthur’s son and is about
5 years old when they come to Wildfell Hall. Although very attached to his
mother he shows signs of being adversely influenced by “devil Daddy”. In
an attempt to protect him from a love of strong drink, Helen forces young
Arthur to drink small amounts when he is sick, as a “medicine”. At Wildfell
Hall she is fiercely protective of him and believes that by sheltering him from
temptation she can best avoid him becoming like his father.
Mr Wilmot: A friend of the Maxwells, considered a possible catch for Helen.
Annabella Wilmot/Lowborough: Mr Wilmot’s niece. She is a fine dashing
girl of about 25. Greatly admired by the gentlemen she is considered too
much of a flirt to marry. However she does marry — Lord Lowborough.
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