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I was a bit too brief earlier, as I meant to say more, but it was time to go out with the pooch.
I think the various points made above are good ones, and we understandably but wrongly look at the behaviours and attitudes of the characters through modern eyes.
It does seem to me though that Arthur would have been able to get that agreement he signed overturned by law, had he recovered. It is appalling to think just how unprotected by law women were back then. Saudi Arabia still seems to be like that, to give one modern example, but fortunately for us, things are much improved in our various countries, even though there are still some inequalities.
I think that Helen did appreciate and value Rachel very much. We see Rachel at first through Gilbert’s eyes, and of course to him she is “just” a servant. Though as issybird pointed out, Gilbert did work alongside his farm labourers, so he was a bit more egalitarian than many at the time.
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