Posted by John on February 25, 2008 at 16:49:10 from 165.91.197.54 user Mcneacail.
Income:
The Blackett family obvously had a reasonable income. The source of the income is of course obscured, as it is not germane to the story. The type of lifestyle AR has makes him free to assist the children, as the other Fathers are not.
He is of course the black sheep of the family, with all the consequent images of the time.
The story without CF or Mrs Barrable would not be as lively.
I have often seen germane spelt germain, which is modern and which is old.
JMN