I don't really understand why Edward doesn't break off his engagement to Lucy. OK, so engagements were much more serious during the Reagency period than now but they obviously COULD be broken. JA broke off hers. And doesn't Jane Fairfax break off her engagement to Frank Churchill in the end - but then he comes to his senses?

Or is it only something that was appropriate from the woman's side? I ask this question because of the following from chapter XXIV:

"... for self -interest alone could induce a woman to keep a man to an engagement, of which she seemed so thoroughly aware that he was weary."