[Letters missing between letter #10 and letter #11]
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "Saturday, November 17, [*1798]
"My dear Cassandra, If you paid any attention to the conclusion of my last letter, you will be satisfied, before you receive this, that my mother has had no relapse, and that Miss Debary comes. The former continues to recover, and though she does not gain strength very rapidly, my expectations are humble enough not to outstride her improvements. She was able to sit up nearly eight hours yesterday, and to-day I hope we shall do as much. ...So much for my patient-" - Jane Austen, Saturday 17-Sunday 18 November 1798
*Jane Austen did not usually add the year to her letters. This was probably added by Lord Brabourne.
There were twenty days between letters ten and eleven and Mrs. Austen was still ill, but recovering it seems.
Miss Debary was going to Deane to manage the household while Mary Lloyd Austen was recovering from childbirth. The Debary's were from Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants. The Reverend Peter Debary (1725-January 1814) married Ann Hayward (1727-1809) and had six children, two sons and four daughters: Ann (1763-1834); Reverend Peter Debary, jr. (1764-1841); Mary (1766-1854); Richard (1767-1829); Susannah (1768-1852); and Sarah (1770-1823). Jane does not say which Miss Debary, except that if you go by the protocol she used for Jane and Lizzy, it would seem that Ann would be Miss Debary and all the other daughters would be Miss Mary, Miss Susannah, and Miss Sarah.
This link is to some information about Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants. It is so pretty.
http://www.hbt.org.uk/
I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie
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