Mr. Huntingdon now has complete power over Helen. If he misbehaves or engages in a casual flirtation with Annabella Wilmot, she blames herself. And, should Annabella end up winning Arthur Huntingdon for herself, Helen will blame herself for that, too. Regardless, Arthur wins and Helen loses. It is a cruel game and a natural result of a system that teaches women that they have no real agency from the moment they reach marriageable age.