My Mother has heard this morn from Paragon. My Aunt talks much of the violent colds prevailing in Bath, from which my Uncle has suffered ever since their return, & she has herself a cough much worse than any she ever had before, subject as she has always been to bad ones. -She writes in good humour & chearful spirits however. The negociation between them & Adlestrop so happily over indeed, what can have power to vex her materially? Letter 51

The negotiations that JA alludes to above concerned the inheritance of Stoneleigh Abbey,which we discussed a little yesterday.

As we noted, it seemed likely that should he survive the Reverend Thomas Leigh, James Leigh Perrot would have a life interest in the estate.

But was possible to argue that under Lord Leigh's will the true intention of the testator was that the estate should evolve under the rules of primogeniture to James Henry Leigh ,the then owner of Adlestrop .

so......after much dispute and negoatiation, Mr Leigh Perrot resigned his claim to the Stoneleigh estate in exchange for a captial sum of £24,000 and an annuity of £2000: the right to receive this annuity passed to his widow on his death and lasted until the death of Mrs Leigh Perrot in 1836.

IN view of the amazing sums of money involved, no wonder JA felt the Leigh Perrots could have little to vex them...especially when she compared it to Mrs Austen situation( she was Mr Leigh Perrots sister, remember). Food for thought.....