...if the Steele sisters had always had in mind that they must do whatever they could to secure wealthy husbands because their father could give them nothing. Mr. Steele is still living, although many readers get the impression that he is not because Lucy and Nancy spend so much time at their uncle, Mr. Pratt's.

With Mr. Pratt having a house full of rich men's sons most of the time, it's quite likely that they were "often staying" with their uncle at Longstaple in the hope of attaching some wealthy young man, especially since they were evidently NOT there for the purpose of becoming educated themselves. To make it worth her while, Lucy certainly would have set her sights on an eldest son of a wealthy family, and who better than one who was very self-deprecating, who did not have visions of a grand marriage for himself, and who would be susceptible to her brand of flattery, considering the mother, sister and brother he lived with!!