it strikes me as odd that a fifteen-year-old girl would be sent from her family to protect her
This is only the case because her family is basically one bachelor brother. If her parents were alive, or even just the father, or even if there was an older unmarried sister, there would be no question of Georgiana staying on her own (but then I am of the opinion that "establishment" does not mean a separate house, just a semi-separate household). The implication was that Darcy's visitors would be mostly other bachelors, which would be inappropriate society for Georgiana.
By the way, I don't think there was any question of "protection"; it's not as if anyone was expecting Darcy's friends to assault his sister. It was a matter of observing the proprieties.
This is only the case because her family is basically one bachelor brother. If her parents were alive, or even just the father, or even if there was an older unmarried sister, there would be no question of Georgiana staying on her own (but then I am of the opinion that "establishment" does not mean a separate house, just a semi-separate household). The implication was that Darcy's visitors would be mostly other bachelors, which would be inappropriate society for Georgiana.
By the way, I don't think there was any question of "protection"; it's not as if anyone was expecting Darcy's friends to assault his sister. It was a matter of observing the proprieties.