I agree with what was already said (I didn't know that point about gothic novels Robbing made so it adds another dimension to the passage.) But I have also thought that it shows how caught up Mrs. Thorpe is in her affairs, and how she is probably willing to talk about all the ups and downs of her family at length if only she got the opportunity. I'm sure we've all met people who want to give us a play by play of whatever misfortune they have gone through no matter how tedious or inconsequential the details may be.