(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

S: I cannot tell you how annoyed I am with Mr. Bennet! I know that he doesn’t want to hear his daughter whining about not going to Brighton, but my goodness me, he is just being lazy. He doesn’t appear to really hear what Elizabeth is saying about Lydia’s behaviour, nor about Kitty’s. I wonder if he’s in denial about his life course.

R: I agree! This is probably where I dislike Mr. Bennet the most. In general, I enjoy his sarcasm and humor, except when he’s mocking his own family, but in this case he has completely failed in his duties as a father. He is meant to protect and guide his children, and in Lydia’s case in particular, he fails to do either. 

S: As a side note, I wish I could be more like Elizabeth and not fret about things I cannot change, but acknowledge I’ve done my duty and leave it alone.

R: I like that Elizabeth tried to take care of her sister by going to their father. Of course, some of it is just not wanting to expose the family to further embarrassment, but the effect would have been the same. Though I’m sure Lydia could have found ways to get into trouble even if she’d stayed at Longbourn.

S: I was a bit smug as I read the part where Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham speak again. He seems to know that something’s going on, that she knows more than she’s letting on, and will no longer allow him to manipulate her feelings and thoughts with his words. It gave me great satisfaction.

R: I wonder whether Wickham knows that Elizabeth must know something, or is just worried that she does. I do love how Elizabeth essentially confesses her own prejudice here and essentially repents of it. She knows that she was wrong about Mr. Darcy, her opinion largely influenced by Wickham’s lies, and she’s subtly informing Wickham that she knows better now, while at the same time shutting down his attempt to renew his attentions to her. 

S: I think the most difficult part for me to read was the part when Elizabeth really assesses her father’s behaviour as a husband. That was so sad! I was annoyed with him at the beginning of the book, yet thought that he might perhaps still love his wife, but according to Elizabeth’s observations, he has been angry at himself for marrying Mrs. Bennet and just doesn’t care anymore how he or the family is viewed.

R: It’s sad that Mr. Bennet’s imprudence in his choice of a wife should cause his family such difficulties. He made his bed – and regretted the making ever after. He’s the poster boy for the phrase: marry in haste, repent at leisure.

I think the Gardiners are my favorite secondary characters. Poor Elizabeth, fretting over the shortened trip and even more, worrying over running into Darcy. It’s too bad that she can’t talk to her aunt about what had happened. Aunt Gardiner probably would have had the best advice and at least as sympathetic a reaction as Jane did.

S: I had forgotten all about Elizabeth’s holiday with the Gardiners! When it is decided they will go to Pemberley, I must say I had some trepidation on Elizabeth’s part. It’s interesting to see how her feelings toward Mr. Darcy have changed. She doesn’t want to see him, but not because she despises him; rather, because she’s embarrassed of her and her family’s conduct after having received his explanatory letter. 

S: The walkabout Pemperly’s house and grounds is a soothing one; it just feels homey and peaceful. 

I can’t tell if Mrs. Gardiner thinks Elizabeth still likes Wickham, or if she’s just teasing; perhaps it’s a little of both. 

I was very surprised by the housekeeper’s estimation of Mr. Darcy; though this is not at all what others say his character is, I think it’s not too difficult to believe, based on what we’ve so far observed. 

R: This is one of my favorite chapters in the book. The accidental meeting with Mr. Darcy is so adorable, and I think we finally see his true personality. Certainly he seems to have rethought his behavior when he proposed to Elizabeth. The moment when Elizabeth introduces him to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner is one of the best scenes in the story. For one thing, I think it shows Austen’s propensity for poking fun at the British upper classes. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are portrayed as more polite and genteel than Elizabeth’s own family and Darcy himself (as was), who are members of the gentility. I believe it also shows that Darcy either doesn’t think as badly of the lower classes as he seemed to, or that he’s being on his absolute best behavior in this unexpected encounter with Elizabeth.

I don’t know how true it is, but Regency novels and movies are always portraying the men of the nobility and upper classes as being inundated with women who want to snag them – an almost literal meat market. It’s possible that Darcy could have had the view that Elizabeth was a gold-digger precisely because of her ‘low’ connections. 

S: I was surprised that they met with Mr. Darcy, and surprised by Elizabeth’s reaction. She has very much tempered in the few weeks since they last met, and I think for the better. She finally seems to understand that he did love her, and might still do, though she can hardly believe it. One is always more comfortable at one’s home, and I think this is also part of what Elizabeth is observing in Mr. Darcy, but I’m convinced that he still at least likes her and wants to have a friendship with her since he wants to introduce her to his sister. I’m strongly reminded of the saying, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover.’ 

R: We get to see that both Elizabeth and Darcy have somewhat repented of their earlier attitudes and actions. I think the clearest evidence that Darcy has changed or recovered his equanimity is his easy politeness when introduced to the Gardiners and his offer to introduce Elizabeth to his sister. The fact that Georgianna wants to meet Elizabeth shows that Darcy must have spoken of her in some capacity. 

S: Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s observations of the unfolding friendship/possible romance are subtle, but oh, so cute! They have certainly become some of my favourite characters in the story. I very much like the fact that they do not pepper Elizabeth with questions, nor pry into her relationship with Mr. Darcy, but quietly take note of all the things unfolding before them. Elizabeth has no impropriety to fear from her aunt and uncle in any way. They exude peace.

R: I’m glad that Elizabeth figured out a way to inform Mrs. Gardiner of the truth about Wickham without betraying Darcy’s confidence. While her intentions to not declaim him publicly are noble, I don’t think it’s wrong to disabuse her immediate family of the man’s falsehoods as appropriate.

I love how the Gardiners’ subtlety contrasts with Mrs. Bennet’s usual behavior. If Elizabeth’s mother had had the slightest idea that an extremely wealthy gentleman was interested in her daughter, she wouldn’t have stopped nagging Elizabeth about it and making inappropriate comments. 

S: I agree!

I’m excited we’ve finally met Georgianna. She seems such a sweet girl, and with Elizabeth’s tempered countenance, she is better able to judge her character. Perhaps, had Elizabeth been more tempered earlier on, she would have seen Mr. Darcy as shy, rather than smug. Mr. Darcy is in his element, it seems – so confident and relaxed; he really does seem like a different person!

R: Georgiana was always a little bit of a surprise and enigma to me. She apparently really wanted to meet Elizabeth, according to Darcy’s words in the previous chapter, but when confronted with the person herself, Georgiana is too shy to really engage. I do understand how Darcy’s behavior when he first came to Hertfordshire could be seen in a similar light. They probably both need some practice.  

S: True! Unfortunately, sometimes shyness can be misconstrued as haughtiness.

Finally, Elizabeth, and the reader, seem certain that Mr. Bingley has not forgotten Jane (such an accurate memory of when he last saw her!). I daresay that Mr. Darcy could be trying to make amends? 

By the end of Chapter 44, the reader, as seen through the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, is convinced that Mr. Darcy is truly in love with Elizabeth. 

Something I’m enjoying about Austen’s work – she doesn’t tell you how a character acts; she shows you by their conduct so you can make your own observations and judgements.

R: I love that we get Bingley back! It’s obvious that he’s still thinking about Jane and just biding his time, impatiently, until he can ask Elizabeth about her.

I also enjoyed Elizabeth’s working through her own feelings, and realizing that Darcy must really still love her.  

S: In Chapter 45 we are greeted once more by Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, and I still do not like them (well, more so Miss Bingley). We are reminded of just how nasty Miss Bingley’s words are. She reminds me of the woman in Proverbs 21:19: ‘It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman’ (NKJV). (Come to think of it, this verse can also be applied to Mrs. Bennet.) It shows just how self-centered she is, how improperly she behaves. I cringed for Georgianna’s sake when she mentioned Mr. Wickham. Of course, Miss Bingley knows nothing of that affair, but it does point to her ignorance and foolishness. If anyone is prideful and prejudiced, it’s her. Suppose she had had a ‘meek and quiet spirit’ – perhaps it would have been her Mr. Darcy would have pursued (1 Peter 3:4). I wonder if this is part of the reason Mr. Darcy allows himself to be more civil with Elizabeth and her family – he is starting to see that all families have some members who act improperly. (Oh, the literary genius when Austen through Miss Bingley refers back to Mr. Darcy’s comment about Elizabeth’s eyes in earlier chapters!)

I love how, after Elizabeth leaves, Mr. Darcy shuts down Miss Bingley. He sees through what she is doing and isn’t going to stand for it, especially since her words are attacking both of the women he loves. His words don’t surprise me, though. He did the same thing in the earlier chapters, even when we didn’t quite know where he stood with Elizabeth. 

I suppose I do feel a bit of remorse for Miss Bingley – Austen reminds us that she really only hurt herself.

R: I can’t bring myself to feel the least bit sorry for Miss Bingley. When Darcy shuts her down, I think it’s one of the best mic drop moments in classical literature. He says of Elizabeth in response to Caroline’s comment that Darcy once thought Elizabeth was maybe a little pretty: ‘Yes,’ replied Darcy, who could contain himself no longer, ‘but THAT was only when I first saw her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.’ If that isn’t a declaration of love, I don’t know what is! Okay, that’s a rather shallow standard, but for the purposes of the novel, it will do.

S: The final scene in this section is adorable – both Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner want to talk about Mr. Darcy’s attentions towards Elizabeth, but neither wants to bring up the subject!

R: That is a cute moment. Mrs. Gardiner is too polite to embarrass Elizabeth by bringing up a subject that obviously causes her some kind of distress; and Elizabeth is too embarrassed (maybe?) to start the conversation either.

S: I’m very much looking forward to future chapters – there seems like there could be quite a bit of excitement ahead!