I have some questions about the ball in chapter 2:

1) Why would Mrs Allen and Catherine Moreland take so long to dress that they would be late? They didn't have to put on their makeup or anything, which is what takes girls so long these days to get ready. What aspect of getting ready in the regency era took a long time?

2) Mrs Allen complains about not knowing anyone, yet Mr Tilney had the same problem, only he solved it by asking the MC to introduce him to someone. Why wouldn't Mr Allen stay with the ladies briefly, and ask the MC to introduce them to someone and find a partner for Catherine? I don't think it's that he doesn't care, because he took pains to discover who Henry was when Catherine danced with him.