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Yes, the whole thing of the letter-writing was a bad way to tell the story, for all the reasons issybird and others have mentioned.
In the Wikipedia article on the book, there is reference to a Mrs Collins, the wife of a local curate, coming to Haworth in 1840 to appeal for help from the rector, Anne’s father. The husband was an abusive alcoholic. Patrick Brontė advised her to leave her husband, which she did. So the requirements of society and the church might not have had such an influence on Anne in terms of Helen’s return to her husband, unless Anne thought the readership would expect such unbelievable behaviour.
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