Welcome back to the squad! The alternate title of this book should be I Married a Manchild: A Horror Story. Let's fasten our bonnets and get on with the story.

TW: animal abuse, abuse in general

Summary

Chapter 22

Helen loves Arthur but sees more of his faults. They and Lord Lowborough/Lowbrow go for a ride. Lowbrow lost all his money to vices. Arthur claims he only drinks and gambles for "research."

Lord Lowbrow never gambled again after he lost money to Grimsby. His friends helped him cheer up by drinking. He quit for a week but came back. Helen was shocked at their enabling behavior. Lowbrow moped and used laudanum. He took too much along with booze. Annabella was only into Lord Lowbrow for his title. This offended Helen. Lowbrow proposed.

Chapter 23

Four months later, Helen and Arthur were married. They honeymooned in Europe, but Arthur rushed them through Paris and Rome. He was selfish and amorous. He was jealous of the attention she gave to the sermon at church and not worshiping him more. (Wtf? Jealous of God?)

Chapter 24

Helen couldn't even read because he needed her constant attention. He told her of his past lovers and assumed she was jealous. They quarreled, and Helen locked herself in her room for the night.

He threw a book at his dog out of anger. He planned on going to London, and Helen can go with him if she's a "good girl." (Yuck.) They reconciled.

Chapter 25

Helen stayed in London for a month and was shown off among his friends. He stayed while she returned to Grassdale. A month passed, and still no Arthur. He wrote to her and said his friend Ralph Hattersley would marry Milicent if she'd make no demands on him. Milicent wrote her a rambling letter justifying her choice.

Arthur returned tired and ill looking. Helen walked on eggshells around him. He was idle and lazy. She vowed not to spoil her own child.

Chapter 26

Arthur invited Lord Lowbrow, Annabella, Walter Hargrave, and Grimsby to stay and hunt pheasants. Annabella and Arthur flirted with each other to make their spouses jealous. (They should have married each other. A match made in hell.) Helen only talked to Walter, yet it made Arthur jealous. Walter's mother lived above her means and let Walter be selfish to keep up appearances.

Chapter 27

Helen saw Arthur holding Lady Lowbrow's hand and whispered to her. He said Helen couldn't take a joke. He used "I had too much wine" as an excuse. It's fine when he did it, but he would attack anyone who did the same to her.

Lady Lowbitch blamed Helen's lack of keeping her husband in order for his flirting with her. (But how can she keep him in order if she's supposed to "obey"?)

Chapter 28

It is Christmas, and Helen birthed Arthur, Jr. She was already worried for his future. Of course Arthur senior was jealous of the attention she gave Junior. (Now Helen has two sons.) He couldn't even hold him without panicking.

Chapter 29

Another year passed. Junior was loved by his father, but the marriage was rocky. Arthur left for London again and stayed for months. If Helen didn't write to him, he'd complain of neglect. She blamed herself for marrying him. Her income went into paying his debts. (He is useless dead weight.)

She spent time with her neighbor, fourteen year old Esther Hargrave. Walter visited while Helen walked on the grounds with Rachel and Junior. He saw Arthur in London and believed he squandered his good fortune. He wished to be friendly with Helen. He was Junior's godfather and Arthur's friend after all. She visited them a few times. Arthur was coming home. Walter wondered how she could be happy about that.

Chapter 30

Arthur returned looking worse than before. He complained of the food and blamed Helen for her lax supervision of the servants. He only drank wine and hadn't eaten anything. The butler Benson tripped on the carpet and dropped the dishes. It shattered poor Arthur's delicate nerves. Oh poor me, I expect unconditional love and indulgence like my wife is my mother. Milicent "let" Hattersley do whatever he wanted. Walter came over for dinner and wouldn't drink with him.

Arthur degraded the whole family with his actions. He went to Scotland with Walter and other friends to grouse hunt. Helen and Junior visited her uncle and aunt. The aunt inferred that all was not well in the marriage. Helen pretended all was well.

Chapter 31

Arthur left for his annual trip to London and to the continent. Helen spent a short time with her ill father and brother (Mr Lawrence?). She thought she'd accompany Arthur to Europe, but he snuck off while she was gone. (If she died before he did, she would want him to be her pallbearer so he could let her down one last time.)

Helen was weary of his actions and moods when he returned. Her father died, and all Arthur cared about was that he hated the color black of the mourning dress she would wear. She couldn't even attend the funeral.

The Lowbrows and Hattersleys visit. Helen couldn't stand Annabella. The men break out the wine on the second night. Annabella insisted Lord Lowbrow go with the men instead of sitting with the women. He left angry to pace outside. Walter could hold his liquor and told Helen she deserved better.

The drunk men burst into the parlor for tea. Hattersley tried to force Lord Lowbrow to drink, but he escaped. Hattersley hit Hargrave. (Why are there four H names in this book?) Hattersley asked why Milicent was crying and shook her. Helen answered it's because of your shameful drunkenness. Hattersley fought with Arthur who couldn't stop laughing. Helen left, fed up.

Chapter 32

Helen felt an affinity for Esther Hargrave. She wished Esther wouldn't make the same mistakes she did. Milicent told Helen to impress upon her never to marry for money but for mutual respect and affection. Milly still thought her husband would improve. Helen thought Hattersley could hold his liquor better (What? He just made Milly cry in the last chapter).

Speak of the devil, Ralph Hattersley came in and disrupted their peace. It shocked him that Milly might not complain but is still bothered by his bad behavior. (Duh, genius. And no, she couldn't tell you or you'd get mad and abuse her. Why do you make me hurt you?)

Walter only accepted Hattersley's apology because Helen was in the room. Walter had bad news for Helen, but she refused to hear it.

Extras

Marginalia

Rodomontade: boastful or inflated talk or behavior

Hellfire Club

"To Cowper" by Anne Bronte, "A Prayer" (applicable and mentioned in the footnotes. How she meant castaway.)

"Porno" by Arcade Fire. (A 2013 song made more ironic because there are allegations against singer for inappropriate behavior and cheating on his wife.) "And boys they like some selfish shit/ Until the girl won't put up with it."

"Epipsychidion" by Percy Shelley (described his wife as the Moon and his mistress Mary Godwin as the Sun)

Governor: father, how Hattersley described his father

Termagant: a harsh-tempered or overbearing woman

Please return to us on November 23 where my esteemed squad sister u/Amanda39 will lead the discussion for chapters 33 to 43. Questions are in the comments. I wish all dear readers a fond farewell!