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

S: Although Elizabeth and Jane are surprised, frightened, and angry at Lydia’s and Mr. Wickham’s conduct, does it really surprise the reader? Austen has dropped hints throughout the story of Lydia’s improprieties, and there is even a scene where Elizabeth implores her father to put his foot down in not letting Lydia go to Brighton but instead deal with her tears and complaints.

When Mr. Darcy entered the scene again, my hopes rose some. He doesn’t reprimand or remind Elizabeth of her family’s shortcomings; he just stays with her and listens. Also, it occurs to me that he now knows she didn’t expose Georgianna’s and Wickham’s story to anyone. I would have liked Mr. Darcy to remain with her longer, and was saddened when he left. I know Elizabeth thinks that there’s certainly no more affection in his heart for her after this, but I have my doubts. Austen doesn’t tell us that he left angry; she simply implies that he left sadly and seriously. He’s been very contemplative throughout this interaction.

R: This chapter is almost heart-breaking. Lydia’s behavior comes to a head, and the results are just as bad as Elizabeth had predicted. I have to laugh a little at Jane, still trying to smile and give it a good spin, but Elizabeth knows that this is the end of all her hopes, if she’s begun to have any. 

When Darcy comes in, she’s devastated not only by her sister’s actions but by the fact that it has, yet again, put before Darcy all the reasons he’d had for thinking her a bad match. I love how kind he is in this moment, though. I’m sure he knows exactly how Elizabeth feels. He’d probably felt similarly when Georgiana ran off with Wickham, and he likely understands where her thoughts have gone in regard to him and his previous behavior. I hope that he’s learned his lesson enough to not let this incident color his feelings for Elizabeth.

S: Again, we see that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are so sweet. Without a moment’s hesitation, they end their holiday and head off to Longbourne. I am glad that Elizabeth gives at least a little information regarding Mr. Wickham’s character so that her aunt and uncle understand a bit more, but it is to her credit that she doesn’t gossip. She continues to honour the unspoken request for respect of Georgianna – it is her story to tell, when and if she chooses to tell it.

As a side note, the Gardiner’s children seem like they must be adorable! It’s obvious that they are a loving family.

I have tried to find some redeeming quality in Mrs. Bennet, but I’m afraid this part has mostly ended that quest. She is so blinded by her favouritism toward Lydia and for herself that it doesn’t even occur to her that she is partly responsible for Lydia’s conduct. (Honestly, she reminds me a little of Aunt Petunia Dursley from the Harry Potter series, the way they both dote on their children!)

I still don’t quite know what to make of Kitty and Mary. I can’t tell if Kitty is jealous or resigned, and Mary is so…pious (not in a good way). 

R: The Gardiners are amazing! Though I think they are a little too like Jane in trying to believe the best of Wickham. Since they don’t have the full background, I suppose that’s understandable. 

Mrs. Bennet really is awful. Indulging children does them no good and can lead them into worse situations. They may not like you much when you discipline them, but they will be much better for it in the long run. To me, Kitty definitely seems jealous, but it’s good for her to be removed from Lydia’s influence. It says a lot about the strength of Lydia’s personality that she was the leader of their little gang despite being the youngest. Mary is pedantic. She doesn’t seem to have an original thought, and her words of ‘wisdom’ are certainly unhelpful.

S: Lydia’s letter to Mrs. Forster is very childish. I’m surprised they were such friends! Perhaps Mrs. Forster thought her amusing and full of life, but really she’s a very selfish girl. She makes things difficult for everyone else in a way that they almost can’t refuse helping her. Frustration abounds toward her.

R: I think that Mrs. Forster is closer to Lydia’s age than her husband’s, so their being friends seems reasonable to me. Well, as reasonable as two silly young women can be. 

As Elizabeth points out, while Lydia is foolish and thoughtless, she seems to have had good intentions in running off with Wickham. She isn’t malicious.

S: Good points, all!

I would agree with Elizabeth regarding the reactions of other people toward her family – though it was kind of Lady Lucas to visit and offer assistance, sometimes it’s best to let people work out things as a family and not get involved. Then again, I suppose it depends – if you know the person helping is one who will not gossip about what’s going on, their help would be invaluable. It’s when you don’t really trust the other person, or don’t truly know their intentions, that you don’t want others around. Unfortunately, we know little about Lady Lucas, although if it had been Charlotte who had come around to offer support, I think Elizabeth would have welcomed the help and sympathy.

R: I think that was a difficulty of the times. The lifestyles of the nobility and gentry left them little to do but socialize and gossip about one another. There was also competition for marrying into the best families, and the necessity of remaining above reproach. When a family failed to do so, it was big news if they didn’t manage to quash the gossip immediately. 

S: That’s a good point; what a frustrating way to live! One would be hard pressed to find out who one’s true friends were. 

I hate to say it, but knowing that Mr. Bennet was shocked made me a little happy, simply because I think he thought his girls were just silly and stupid, but now he sees the enormity of the situation and all the ways Lydia’s choices will impact their family. I wonder if he is shocked by how inattentive he really has been as a father and husband. I hope we will see his character tempered by the end of the book.

R: Mr. Bennet certainly seems to have seen the light in regard to how he’s mismanaged his family and finances. He believes that Mr. Gardiner has paid a great deal of money to Wickham, and to Wickham’s creditors, to get him to marry Lydia, a huge debt that Mr. Bennet doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to repay.

S: I suppose I do feel rather sorry for Mr. Bennet. He had wanted to spend time enjoying his wealth in the moment, rather than planning for the future. He also took for granted that he and Mrs. Bennet would produce at least one son. As much as I don’t like his attitude toward most of his family, I can understand how disappointed he is in life and why he acts the way he does. Still, I can’t help but sigh that he goes back to his fairly selfish ways.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Mrs. Bennet really got on my nerves in this section – she’s so excited about Lydia’s marriage that she makes herself appear foolish. I do understand, though, her frustration when Mr. Bennet tells her he will not allow Mr. and Mrs. Wickham at Longbourn. It would be very difficult to think of never again seeing your youngest daughter in your home.

R: I think the whole idea of his continuing to pay for Lydia’s upkeep after her marriage is foreign to readers today when marriage usually means financial independence from parents, except in unusual circumstances. The fact that she’s marrying someone who obviously can’t support her plays into that, I suppose. I can’t decide how I feel about his initial refusal to allow Lydia and Wickham into his home and then relenting under the pressure of his wife and daughters. Even Elizabeth and Jane thought it would be better for them to stop at Longbourn before being banished to another regiment in the North.

S: I was having difficulty with that as well. I can understand his frustration and refusal to want to see the two, but there’s also the idea of forgiveness and Christian love that Jane and Elizabeth seem to be trying to show. If you view the world in such a way as to think that we all are guilty of something that would be cause for judgement, forgiveness is more easily granted, even if you don’t agree with the guilty party’s choice(s). Jane and Elizabeth are very kind toward their sister, as they help change their father’s mind about admitting Mr. and Mrs. Wickham to Longbourn.

Elizabeth is the only one, it appears, with a truly level head. She is seeing the future for her sister and it’s not a pretty picture, or one that screams ‘independent’, and it would appear that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner think similarly. They are such kind people! I’m sure gossip had already spread about Lydia, to which she is immune, but the Gardiners still decide to give her a place to stay until the marriage can be formalised.

R: To bookend this group of chapters, poor Elizabeth has realized that she does care for Mr. Darcy, and that she would have been happy with him if he’d renewed his suit. But in her mind, this scandal must have put him off for good. She doesn’t believe that there’s any chance that she’ll ever see him again, though she trusts him implicitly not to spread their misfortune abroad. Of everyone in the family, Lydia’s behavior has hurt Elizabeth the most.

S: Very true! Her views toward Mr. Darcy are rapidly changing and it’s fun to see that she thinks of him more often, with what appears to be a wish of being able to talk with him. And based on what we’ve seen of Lydia’s behaviour in previous chapters, it’s possible that she will always remain blissfully unaware of what she’s done and whom she’s hurt. There’s a very melancholic sense at the end of these chapters.