The Elliots may still be living off more per year than Captain Wentworth. We are talking about the very upper reaches of Regency society here, and a rich person who finds their fortune has slipped from 10 million to 5 million pounds can still feel quite harshly done by, even though to our eyes they are still very rich. And in that case, would you feel bad about mentioning that you'd managed to earn a million pounds?

I have read some critics say of JA that she gives all the details of her families' fortunes - I sometimes wish she did so consistently.