Like Helen, Milicent does not have the option of earning her own living, and her family views her single status as a burden on them. They must pay for her room and board, but if she marries, those expenses will be her husband’s. Selfless and timid, Milicent is reluctant to upset her mother or brother, so she sacrifices her own happiness for theirs. The fact that Mrs. Hargrave and Walter both view the match as advantageous says a great deal about their characters. The blustering Hattersley is obviously completely wrong for Milicent, but they’d rather she be off their hands than satisfied in life.