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I really enjoyed this chapter. Matty's friends reach out in numerous ways - buying some of her things and returning them to her as gifts, Mary helping to finance the opening of the shop, and even the local shop owner referring some of his customers to Matty's shop to help get her started.

Matty's sense of responsibility to the people hurt by the bank's failure was also amazing. I couldn't help but think of how little responsibility the people that created the problem took (then and now); yet here is a simple woman who wants to make it all right.

And lo and behold, Peter comes home. He has enough income to allow he and Matty to live together. Matty closes the shop and goes back to living as before.

I thought it was interesting that Miss Matty didn't want to carry green tea because she believed it was bad for you. I wonder if that was the accepted wisdom at the time, since today it is considered among the healthiest of teas.

Perhaps because green tea was thought to make you lose weight and people valued plumpness as a sign of wellbeing then? Also, green tea was mainly a Chinese beverage and there was a lot of prejudice against the Chinese, the British preferring to drink black tea from their colonies in India and Ceylon.

MadgeUK wrote: "..the British preferring to drink black tea from their colonies in India and Ceylon...."

Aha! Thanks for the tidbit of cultural and economic insight.

PETER RETURNED!!!!! I was as surprised as Matty! That was so cute, Peter returning and always talking to her as his little sister :3 I guess that in that time having to work wasnt a good thing but I thought that Matty was better with an ocupation (the benefits of a job).

Karel wrote: "PETER RETURNED!!!!! I was as surprised as Matty! That was so cute, Peter returning and always talking to her as his little sister :3 I guess that in that time having to work wasnt a good thing but..."

I think many of us think Matty would be better with a job because of our modern day viewpoints. In the time though, Matty would have a higher social status without the job.

If I had the money, I could live without a job too hehe, but not to expend my days preparing for visits, playing cards and gossiping with my neightbours ;)

Karel wrote: "If I had the money, I could live without a job too hehe, but not to expend my days preparing for visits, playing cards and gossiping with my neighbours ;)"

But there were no phones, no television, no movies, ..., none of the diversions and entertainments that help us stay in touch with the world around us. Meals still had to be made, homes tended, the ill nursed -- all the things mothers and women still do today alongside their jobs and careers or after they retire. Not but what to say many bigger projects are available, too, than the dear ladies of Cranford imagined could be within their province. For those opportunities, we can be glad for the barrier-breaking women between their time and ours.