JA does bring Tom Lefroy up four times and I believe he is the most talked of person in the letter and he takes up a significant portion of the most talked of subject: the ball. No one else is brought up so frequently. FYI: A quick and very unscientific count of the sentences of the letter is 37 of which ten concerns TL.

“Mr. TL’s birthday…” (Second sentence of letter) Important news and she favorably compares him to CEA in a humorous way but could this be significant to showing affection as she is linking him to CEA who we know she adored.

“You scold me…” (I wish I could read that that scold!) Does this comment suggest that CEA has already been witness to this attachment, perhaps through JA’s letters? I do not know if CEA is acquainted with TL (in person) before this letter? “I can expose myself…” (act in a way she usually does not) and “he is so excessively laughed at about me at Ashe…” seem to show that they displayed an obvious preference for each other in company, so much so that he is teased about it by others. She also pokes some fun at herself and the comments seem to be lighthearted but are they just an attempt to seem more reserved (able to joke about it) than she feels?

“I wish Charles…” This could be telling as it seems JA wishes for her own observations to be confirmed by another to CEA.

“After I had written…” This turns into more than just a report on a visit, what was said and done, but she compares TL’s coat to Tom Jones’ coat (a slightly heroic figure I am told), is this some proof of a little fanciful daydreaming about TL?