I also thought this was an interesting relationship! I kind of liked them together, to be honest, and didn't really care one way or the other for Mr. Woodcourt. The 2005 version was smart not to include the carriage scene, probably, because it does make it seem a lot more predatory. Nice story!

This makes perfect sense to me. Poor Mr. Jarndyce, trying to keep the creepiness out of an inherently creepy situation.
(Although, my literature professor once said that maybe Esther refused the food because she just didn't like it. How many eight-year-olds eat foie gras anyway? In a moving carriage, no less.)

I like this.