...preconceived notions that it was a prissy era are proven to be false :-) While scandal does exist in JA's novels, they are usually glossed over or presented rather vaguely so you have to read into the discussions to understand just how juicy the details really are. It can be a bit misleading at times. I always imagined it must have been exhausting (and to be honest, kind of boring) to keep up appearances and be so, well, wholesome all the time. JA's letters are giving me new insights into these worlds and I'm delighted to have been wrong :)