A warm welcome back to our second discussion. Things have developed since we last met, so adjust your bonnet and polish your magnifying glass. Let's get to it.

Chapter 11

Gilbert-not-Blythe and Witness Protection Helen stay friends, which is hardest for Gilbert. As he gets ready to go visit her, Rose informs him of the old gossip against Helen. Then Reverend Squidward (Millward) visits to glug some ale. He had called on Helen and felt it his duty to talk down to her about her "conduct," i.e. existing as a mysterious single independent woman. Helen was pissed off! Gilbert stormed out when Rev Squidward suggested the Markhams ghost her.

Chapter 12

Gilbert stalks off to Wildfell Hall. The vicar's visit is the elephant in the room which is finally broached when Gilbert offers to defend her honor if she'll only let him love her. Helen claims she has a headache. (isn't that the way! Like women everywhere to get out of "intercourse," double entendre intended.) She blames herself for leading him on. He defends her actions, saying she was strict and tried to keep it platonic, but he can't help himself.

Helen will tell all tomorrow if he meets her on the moors. Gilbert leaves but turns to gaze upon the house rather than return home to slanderers. He sneaks back to her window (stalker!) and hides in a holly bush. Helen calls to someone about the moon, and Mr Lawrence is beside her which makes Gilbert jealous. They talk of keeping secret and being near each other. Gilbert races away in despair.

His mom berates him when he gets home. He can't even pace in his room in peace. The next morning, he mopes on the moors.

Chapter 13

Gilbert inflicts his bad mood on others. Fergus taunted him with a love song, ans Gilbert dashed his brother against a wall. It's back to real life with farm duties and business with the Wilsons. Jane and Eliza tease him about Helen. He barely holds it together during the visit. He sees Helen and her son on the way back but avoids them.

Chapter 14

Gilbert travels on a road and encounters his rival Mr Lawrence. They exchange words, and Gilbert is so enraged that he hits Lawrence with a whip which causes him to fall off his horse and pass out. Gilbert rides away. His conscience makes him return to give Lawrence his hat and horse. Lawrence refuses help. Gilbert believes Lawrence will keep quiet about the cause of the assault to protect Helen.

Lawrence was gone when Gilbert rode back. Word traveled to his family that he fell off a horse and is sick in bed. Gilbert got Fergus to go visit him.

Chapter 15

Arthur tells Gilbert his mother wants to see him. Helen appears and asks why he didn't meet her on the moors. He thinks he already knows all anyway. Curiosity gets the better of him, and he visits her the next day.

A boom owned by Lawrence is on her desk. He tells her that he saw her with Lawrence. Helen seizes her diary, rips out some pages from the back, and gives it to him. He must read it and tell no one else. It will explain her life.

Chapter 16

Helen's diary started in 1821. Her aunt asked if she thought of marriage. She gave her advice since Helen was eighteen and of age. Helen was homesick. London stressed her out. Mr Boarham/Bore'em kept bothering her. Mr Huntingdon rescued her. He's the son of her uncle's friend. Her aunt warned her he was "a bit wildish."

Mr Bore'em asks for her hand in marriage. Aunt Peggy saw no reason why she should refuse. He was boring, bigoted, and forty years old! He wouldn't listen, so she kept rephrasing no.

Chapter 17

Helen attended a party at Mr Wilmot's because Huntingdon would be there. She got stuck sitting next to Mr Grimsby. She met Annabella, Mr Wilmot's niece, and Milicent Hargrave who was Annabella's cousin. Mr Huntingdon paid attention to Annabella first. He carelessly looked at Milicent's artwork.

Huntingdon asked what Helen thought of him, but Aunt Peggy cockblocked him.

Aunt Peggy: He better not be proposing! You promised me you'd be prudent and not look at men like him.

Helen: But I can fix him!

Her uncle had a flare-up of gout, so they left for the country before Helen could see him again.

Chapter 18

Helen still thought of Huntingdon. She believed he was good inside. Her uncle invited him to hunt pheasants along with Wilmot, Bore'em, Lord Lowborough, Annabella, and Milicent. After dinner, Huntingdon turned one of Helen's drawings over and found a sketch of him and kept it. How embarrassing! She thought she erased them all. He inspects the backs of all her drawings.

He paid more attention to Milicent and made her jealous. Later in a private moment, he called her a vixen and kissed her without her consent. The indignity!

The next day, the men leave to hunt except for Bore'em. Helen snuck off to paint. Huntingdon jumped in from the window and interpreted her painting to benefit him. He pawed through her unfinished sketches (like Gilbert) and tried to steal a miniature portrait of himself. She threw it in the fire.

Chapter 19

Huntingdon slighted Helen when he asked to hear Annabella sing. (Anne Bronte wrote the poem she sang.) Helen left the room to hide her tears. Huntingdon threw himself at her feet. He proposed and asked if she loved him. Helen said yes but would have to ask her uncle and aunt first. Her aunt caught them kissing. Huntingdon flattered her, but she had none of it.

Volume 2: Chapter 20

Helen went for a walk alone. Huntingdon caught up with her and was overly familiar. Her aunt thought he was a prodigal cad. He'll go to church for appearance's sake if it made her aunt happy.

Helen's uncle and aunt were her guardians. Her dad pretty much abandoned her to them. Her mom died when she was young.

Her aunt attempted to get her to see reason with Bible quotes and guilt to no avail. He behaved like a fidgety child in church. Her uncle was more lenient and contacted her dad about the proposal and financial aspects.

Chapter 21

Her father agreed, and they will be married near Christmas. Milicent wished she had married her brother Walter (who Helen has never met) instead. Annabella felt sorry for her because he's not rich or titled. Huntingdon's friends sent reproachful letters that he'll be a boring killjoy after he's married. Huntingdon will leave soon. What will Helen do without him?

Extras

Marginalia

My Penguin edition has a picture of artist Anne Mary Newton on the cover.

John Wilmot is the inspiration for Mr Wilmot.

Vandyke paintings

Ignis fatuus

Anne Bronte's art mentioned in the footnotes: What You Please, 1840

This concludes the summary. The questions are in the comments. Join me next Thursday, November 16, for chapters 22-32. Ta-ta!