I assume he wants to marry eventually, if only to have an heir. How much has he restricted his choice of potential wives, by setting up Mrs. Clay under his protection?

I assume some respectable women -- members of the "good society" Mr. E now values so much -- would not be willing to marry a man who has set up a mistress, especially so openly. But would it only be a small number of respectable women who were so scrupulous, or would it be most of them, at that time? Of course we know there was a double standard, but I understood there would be some (though milder) social consequences for the male participant in these relationships.