did have to live, and needed an income for that;-)

I do think JA is proably being a little too defensive of Edward's position here,and forgetting the practicalities for Mrs Knight,who often was a financial benefactor of JA herself!.

Mrs Knight also did not have to do anything with the properties: she inherited them on a "life interest " basis in 1795. She could have kept living at Godmersham enjoying all its income till she died,when the estates would have passedto Edward.