In keeping with my unintended focus on how NA gives us clues to JA's later work, I couldn't help but think of this from Lady Catherine in P&P when I read about the General forcing Catherine to travel without a servant:

"I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by themselves. It is highly improper... I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing. Young women should always be properly guarded and attended, according to their situation in life.... I am excessively attentive to all those things."