She was trusted and valued by her father, loved and courted by all dogs, cats, children, and poor people, and slighted and neglected by everybody else   As a young woman, Helen Graham, is blinded by love and marries Arthur Huntingdon, flawed character. She sets in her heart to reform her husband with gentle persuasion and good example. But she fails. Their marriage is not happy but a son is born, Arthur.   I see that a man cannot give himself up to drinking without being miserable one-half his days and mad the other   Tragedy sets in as her husband begins to drink heavily, abuse her and becomes a depraved and brutish man. In order to spare her son from his destructive father, she leaves her home in secret. She disguises herself as a widow and support herself with her artistic talents. Helen and the young Arthur settles in the remote Wildfell Hall, and is reluctanty drawn into the local society. She becomes as source of curiosity for the small community and puzzle everyone with the mystery around her person.   If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world, you must not attempt to clear the stones from his path, but teach him to walk firmly over them - not insist upon leading him by the hand, but let him learn to go alone   She befriends the local Gilbert Markham, who falls in love with her. Slowly her secret is revealed...