Were the Austen’s more tolerant than others of this kind of social stigma or did they just follow the lead of the Harwood family? What about the famous guilt by association? (P&P)—no one would connect themselves to such a family! The only Scott family in the index (letters) is of Scott’s Hall, Smeeth, Kent, a family with financial problems—but I see no Sara listed. As Earl was a Marine maybe she had no visible means of support and was rumored to do business out and about the docks? Gasp!! Shocking!! Or maybe she was just some sort of laborer, previously a gentle woman or not. JA does say they live without servants, is Sara used to this? Just imagination run wild here!