] I was interested to read on p. 269-70 that in the 1740s, young Jane Pellet moved out of her stepmother's house and into rented rooms with just a woman servant to protect her, and that it apparently did her marriage prospects no harm. Of course, this was two generations before JA started publishing her books, but do you think standards became stricter with time?

Though I was very surprised to hear that, I don't think that the morals became stricter, regarding that particular point. It was probably only uncommon to do so, but think of Charlotte Bronte who travelled unchaperoned abroad! I think in some respects women were freer than many books led us believe.

Kerstin