] Oh, just thought of something... in Ch. 9, John Thorpe abruptly asks Catherine to confirm that "Old Allen is as rich as a Jew--is not he?" And after establishing that he has no children says: "A famous thing for his next heirs. He is your godfather, is not he?" She denies it. "But you are always very much with them."

] So it sounds as if John Thorpe believes that Catherine will come into money from the Allens, though that does not explain why they think that James Morland has money. We shall have to wait and see... ;-)

Yes, I caught that as well, and knowing JT's gift of the hyperbole, it's not hard to imagine that he would come to that sort of conclusion. It'll be interesting to find out if that is the root of his notion.