] Chawton - marriage prospects over. No money, and Frank, who had been housing them is heading back out to sea. So Edward offers Mrs A the choice of a fairly respectable house on the Godmersham estate, or a rather scruffy old former Inn/gatekeeper's house next to the duckpond in Chawton.

to take any of JA's writing strictly at face value; however, I found these two comments of hers from the Letters interesting.... (and I'm probably missing something, but...):

1) In a letter written 24/25 October, 1808, to Cassandra:
'Of Chawton I think I can have nothing more to say, but that everything you say about it in the letter now before me will, I am sure, as soon as I am able to read it to her, make my mother consider the plan with more and more pleasure.'
[Letter 60, page 152, in Le Faye]

2) Written to Cassandra, 9 December, 1808:
'Every body is very much interested at our going away, & every body is acquainted with Chawton & speaks of it as a remarkably pretty village, & every body knows the House we describe - but no body fixes on the right.'
[Letter 62, page 156, in Le Faye]