[Grammar] Lucinda had not been able to obey her

[hhtt21]

"Start from the beginning my love," Lady Bevil said, realizing as she spoke that Lucinda had not been able to obey her because she, too, had no handkerchief."

Would you explain why the past perfect is preferred instead of the simple past?


Source: The Unexpected Bride by Barbara Cartland.

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Note that I have changed your thread title. Titles should include some/all of the words/phrases you are asking us about.

The past perfect was used because the "not obeying her" came before the events in the rest of the sentence.