d up for with George. In a letter to her father, she writes: I am weary of my life here, and wish,if I can, to find a new one. I go out into the world, dissevered from every link which binds me t thehateful past, to seek another home and another fortune (Braddon 248). Instead of accepting her lot,Helen Talboys decides to reinvent her identity once again and bury her old self. 3.3 Lucy GrahamBy use of her intellect, Helen Talboys wanted to find a home away from all the people she hadever known (Braddon 235), and becomes Lucy Graham, a young girl with no past. She came to Mrs.Vincent and made use of the resource available to her: beauty. Lucy was only ornamental; a person tobe shown off to visitors, and to play fantasias on the drawing-room piano (Braddon 235).Understanding what her role should be, she embraced the proper qualities of femininity as Mr. Dawsonsgoverness. After the misery she had known as Helen, Lucy played the part of an amiable and gentlenature always to be light-hearted, happy, and contented under any circumstances... everyone loved,admired, and praised her (Braddon 11-12). Again, she does not conceal her intentions. When SirAudley proposes marriage, Lucy outright tells him that such a marriage would be advantageous for herby proclaiming, I have never seen anything but poverty... I cannot be disinterested; I cannot be blindto the advantages of such an alliance! (Braddon 16). At first she refuses, but as soon as Sir Michaelenters into her discourse of economics by calling it a bargain (Braddon 17), Lucy accepts. This is thesame circumstance we see with Claras acceptance of Roberts proposal. Disguised as Lucy Graham,she marries Sir Michael Audley and says to herself: No more dependence, no more drudgery, no morehumiliations... every trace of the old life melted away every clue to identity buried and forgotten(Braddon 17). As long as she is financially secure, Lucy embraces the prospect of becoming thedomestic wife, ...
