She was so smart in some ways and so dumb in others - not dumb, thats a rather cruel thing to say - but naive."
IMHO this was a collective state of naivity & lack of worldliness. As if HB was only a bunch of grief & emotions and not a businesswoman with significant financial assets. Her being a millionaire made her a target, but did anyone really warn her? If someone did, I must have missed it. All we heard is how HB wanted to protect IS in case she died before they were married, but did anyone consider protecting her? The bereavement counsellor made it all about love, even if the relationship was far to soon to be healthy. Whatever happened to the old feminist adagium that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle? Why would the first man to come around be Mr Absolutely Right? How unlikely is that? Statistically?
I have no idea who Janet Street Porter is, but let me advise her: You were not harsh enough. Yes she was naive. She had all the money in the world to call a plumber when she needed one. Or one of her many friends could have called that plumber for her. Even from a different continent.
If lessons are to be learned here, one major lesson should be about how IS managed to wiggle his way into HB's life. One cannot blame this solely on the internet.