In ch.17, we are told that "[Anne] had called on her former governess, and had heard from her of there being an old school-fellow in Bath". To my mind, a governess was someone who taught children privately in their own home, but here it sounds like Anne's former governess is also well-acquainted with Mrs. Smith. Was the word "governess" commonly used in JA's time to describe a teacher who (had) taught in a school?