Andie’s Comments (group member since Jun 26, 2014)

Andie’s comments from the Austen August: A Pride and Prejudice Read-A-Long group.

As soon as the Bingley and Darcy have left Longbourn, Elizabeth's thoughts are instantly on Darcy and his recent behaviour. Wondering why he bothered visiting at all if he only intended to be silent and not acknowledge her throughout the entire vist.

Jane catches up with her and reassures her that she was fine with Bingley visiting. She is glad to have it over with and is looking forward to their visiting again. Jane tells Lizzie not to feel like she is in any danger from being hurt by Bingley's visits and Lizzie replies that she thinks Jane “is in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.”

Between then and Bingley's next visit, Mrs Bennet is constantly scheming- nothing changes.

During dinner the next time they visit, Bingley sits next to Jane and he pays her a lot of attention, although Lizzie considers their manner somewhat formal and cold, whereas Darcy sits at the other end of the table to her, meaning the two of them can't talk. He carries on ignoring her and keeping a distance from her at all times. Lizzie interprets this as confirmation that there is no hope of Darcy proposing to her again, after being refused the first time.

I am shocked Lizzie didn't smack him! then again, place and time and all that

i honestly lost what little sympathy I had for her when she opened her mouth ugh.

He is basically the original slime=ball fictional character, ugh.

So many fuzzy feels X3

Definitely, shows an example of how parenting needs to be more hands on in some situations! Just rolling your eyes and sighing at your "silly" daughter sometimes won't be enough to protect her or the rest of the family.

Wickham and Lydia leave Longbourn for the north of England, and we all breathe a sigh of relief.

The Bennets receive news that Bingley is returning to Netherfield Park for a few weeks (CROWD CHEERS), Mr Bennet refuses to visit them despite the girl's protests.

Shortly after arriving, Bingley visits the Bennets at Longbourn, with Mr Darcy in tow. Mrs Bennet is all politeness and nice to Bingley but rude to Darcy, as she has no idea how much he had to do with tracking down Lydia.

Mrs Gardiner writes back to Lizzie.

She tells Lizzie that it was actually Darcy who tracked down Lydia and Wickham.

It was Darcy who paid Wickham the money to convince him to marry Lydia.

Darcy told them that he felt it was his responsibility as he believes because he kept Wickham's past a secret, no woman could have avoided Wickham. He confessed it was his own pride's fault because he thought that telling about Wickham and his sister would damage his own family name. He believed it was his duty to take care of the mess he created.

She drops the hints throughout the letter that Darcy did this because of his love for Elizabeth. She compliments Darcy's behaviour and character and writes: “He wants nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife may teach him. I thought him very sly- he hardly ever mentioned your name. But slyness seems the fashion. Pray forgive me, if I have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me so far, as to exclude me from P. I shall never be happy til I have been all around the park.”


Mrs Gardiner! Hinting that will be living at Pemberly in a way that she could ban her aunt from it, as if she owned it ;3

Unfortunately this little lovely bubble is soon popped by Wickham approaching Lizzie to talk to her (ugh god. Go away.)

Favourite lines:-

“He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem. Her heart did whisper, that he had done it for her.”

Lydia's wedding day arrrives. Mrs Bennet is thrilled to see Lydia but everyone else is understandably on edge.
During this stay, frustration is everywhere- Lydia is completely clueless to the grief she caused her family and Wickham doesn't think he has done anything wrong at all!!

Elizabeth observes that, as she suspected, Wickham's affection for Lydia is nowhere near equal to Lydia's affection for him.

Lydia tells Elizabeth that Mr Darcy was present at the wedding, this shocks Lizzie and she writes to her aunt asking for details.

Elizabeth arrives at the realisation that her feelings towards Darcy have changed so much that if he were to propose again, she would likely accept. However, she isn't exactly holding her breath- if her family were considered an embarrassment to him before, which is what he said, originally they certainly will be worse in his eyes now after all this drama with Lydia and Wickham.

Mr Gardiner updates Mr Bennet, telling him that Wickham has accepted a post in the north of England, Lydia asks to visit her family before they move there, and after some disagreement on the subject, the Bennets allow the Wickhams (ugh) to come and stay at Longbourn for a little bit before they leave.

If I were Wickham, I would tread * very * carefully.

After Mr Bennet has returned home, they hear from Mr Gardiner that he has managed to track down Lydia and Wickham. Wickham the sleezeball has agreed to marry Lydia IF the Bennets will provide him with “a small income” (see: five thousand pounds HAH). Mr Bennet begrudgingly agrees to this condition, because Lydia being married is better than Lydia having her reputation ruined (and thus that of the whole family ruined.)

The Bennets suspect Mr Gardiner would already have paid Wickham a sum of money to get him to even agree to marrying Lydia in the first place when he clearly had no intention of doing so- Mr Bennet guesses it would have at least been ten thousand pounds worth. (I mean bloody hell!!! and then to further ask for more money from the Bennets for it!) Jane, still wanting to believe the best in Wickham despite everything, insists that Wickham would not marry Lydia if he did not have some sort of feelings towards her, money or not.

Mrs Bennet is absolutely thrilled that Lydia is to be married, but this soon dies down once Mr Bennet lays down the law that Lydia and Wickham are never to visit Longbourn. (Probably because Mr Bennet would punch Wickham on sight!)

I almost feel sorry to Lydia here now, because she really is just a foolish young girl, who may have no idea that the man she believes she loves has been paid to put up with her, to save her from a ruined reputation.

basically, sex and then flounces off and leaves her without her virginity which will ruin her future, literally.

good ol' mr collins being his usual extremist self!!

Mr Gardiner leaves Longbourn to follow Mr Bennet to London in search of Lydia.

A few days later, the Bennets receive a letter from him, telling them they have had no luck so far.

Meanwhile, a lovely patronising letter arrives from Mr Collins, accusing the Bennets of bad parenting skills and notes to them that, in case they weren't aware, Lydia's behaviour reflects poorly on the rest of the family (I really feel this calls for a “no shit sherlock” comment).

After a while, a few more letters arrive, with no new progress on finding Lydia, and Mr Bennet is returning home without her. Mrs Bennet is not amused.

During this time, Elizabeth has heard nothing from or of Darcy, and being “tolerably well acquainted with her feelings” feels that knowing something of him would have made her worry a little bit less, in a way.

Mr Bennet blames himself for this mess, although Elizabeth tries to tell him not to. He apologies to Lizzie for not taking her warnings about Lydia's behaviour seriously when she tried to warn him in May.

Kitty promises that if she ever goes to Brighton, she will behave better than Lydia. Her dad tells her he isn't risking it and that she will never go anywhere, basically. All balls are forbidden, no officers are ever to enter Longbourn again and unless she proves she can spend ten minutes a day as a rational being, she cannot leave the house. He tells her “if you are a good girl for the next ten years, I will take you to a review at the end of them.” (I must admit, that made me laugh, a lot.)

On the way back to Longbourn, Lizzie's uncle tries to reassure her that Wickham will have to marry Lydia if only to save his own career and reputation (although in my own opinion, his reputation is already a very negative one- but I know he means his reputation as an Officer). She tells him that Lydia has absolutely no idea about any of Wickham's history.

Elizabeth tells her uncle of Wickham's history, but does not tell him about the connection between Wickham and Georgiana Darcy.

When Elizabeth arrives at Longbourn, she learns her father has already gone to London with Colonel Forster. Mrs Bennet is absolutely hysterical (in the original sense of the world. Not funny ha-ha), blaming Colonel Forster for not taking proper care of Lydia while in his care.

Jane discusses the matter with Lizzie in private and reassures her that nobody could have known Lydia had formed any type of attachment to Wickham while she was away in Brighton.

They find that in a letter written to Colonel Forster's wife, Lydia writes that she is looking forward to signing her name in the future as “Lydia Wickham”

Elizabeth wishes to hear from Jane, but hasn't received any letters since they arrived. On the third day, Lizzie receives two letters from Jane at once, apparently they had been sent to the wrong address due to Jane's bad handwriting on the front of them.

The first letter had been written five days before Lizzie received it.

The first half of the letter seems normal, but the date changes mid-way through and it seems something isn't right as Jane seems agitated as she writes...

It's Lydia dramatic sigh.
Lydia Bennet has ran off with Wickham (come on, is anyone really shocked or surprised at this?)

Mr Bennet seems to be taking it better than Mrs Bennet, apparently. Lizzie quickly opens the second letter which was written and sent the day after the first letter-

Lydia and Wickham have eloped to Scotland, the Bennets are assuming that is what they have in mind, anyway (marriage, I mean.) It was expressed to Colonel Forster when he investigated the issue that Wickham, however, never had any intention of going to Scotland or to marry Lydia at all. Colonel traced their journey from Brighton to Clapham but couldn't get any further than that.

“My father and mother believe the worst, but I cannot think so ill of him”- (REALLY JANE? Good god. I honestly don't know what to think of Jane's good nature sometimes, maybe I am too cynical)

Colonel Forster warns them that he doesn't not think they should hang their hopes on Wickham and Lydia actually getting married and he fears that Wickham is not a man to be trusted.

Mrs Bennet has locked herself in her room, and Mr Bennet, for lack of a better word, is pissed off.

Kitty is getting a lot of anger from them both for keeping this whole thing a secret. Jane begs Lizzie to return to Longbourn ASAP. Mr Bennet is going to travel to London with Colonel Forster to try and track Lydia and Wickham down.

Elizabeth panics and goes to look for her uncle, but she barely has a chance to leave the room before Darcy enters it, shown in by a servant. Lizzie's appearance and behaviour immediately causes him concern “Good God, what is the matter?” (haha brilliant, the most uncomposed we ever see Darcy in this whole book!). He insists that either he or a servant should go and get Mr Gardiner because Elizabeth doesn't look well enough to do it herself. Darcy calls back the servant to go and get her uncle, while he stays with Lizzie, who has sat down from shock. He tries to ask if there is anything he can get her because he nervous and awkward and doesn't like seeing her look ill (awwwwwh).

Lizzie breaks down into tears and Darcy waits quietly for her to tell him what happened. “You know him too well to doubt the rest. She has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt to to- she is lost for ever.” Lizzie takes the blame upon herself, thinking she could have prevented this had she told her sisters what had really gone on between Wickham and the Darcy family.

Darcy is shocked and asks what is being done to recover Lydia, Lizzie tells him her dad is going looking for her with Colonel Forster, but she has no hope that anything can be done by now to fix this. Darcy goes into a silence and paces the room while thinking. Darcy says that he is aware she probably wants to be alone with this issue “nor have I any thing to plead in excuse of my stay, but real , though unavailing, concern” (awwwh). He tells her he wishes there was something more he could do. He will apologise to his sister on her behalf, so that she can go home to Longbourn that day. He also swears his secrecy on the matter, and after telling her how sorry he is for her pain and wishing his best to her family, he leaves her alone in the room.

Randomly, Elizabeth is struck by thinking that she may never see Darcy again on any light hearted terms and while she originally would have celebrated this, she now hates that feeling.
Lizzie reflects that she has never had any hope of Wickham actually marrying Lydia since she first read Jane's letter.

We have a description of Lydia's “wild” character, from Lizzie's point of view, which shows that she never believed that Lydia would have had any means of saving herself from this fate because she is too reckless, and while the Gardiners were never very fond of Lydia, they are still upset by the news.

They leave Pemberley for Longbourn.


With all that being said, what do you think of Lydia's actions? and Wickham's? Should Lizzie have betrayed Darcy's confidence and told her family of Wickham's reputation? and do you think that would have actually spared Lydia from running off with an officer in the end?

Elizabeth wonders how much of an annoyance her visit to Pemberley must be to Caroline Bingley and is intrigued to see how Caroline reacts to her after not seeing her for a while.

Georgiana greets them warmly, but shyly- whereas Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, they are barely acknowledged until the silence is broken by someone else. Elizabeth soon notices that she is being watched by Caroline, like a hawk, and every time she talks to Georgiana, it seems to especially draw Caroline's attention. While she wouldn't let this stop her from talking to Darcy's sister, it does put some limits on what she would like to say.

Caroline asks after Elizabeth's family with a cold indifference, and Elizabeth answers back in the same manner- they say no more (meow!)

Lizzie had spent a lot of this time feeling nervous about whether Darcy would appear, and couldn't decide if she wanted to see him again or not- she has to make up her mind pretty quickly because he does actually join them after a while. He has resolved to join them because he was made aware the girls were visiting his sister, knowing she may struggle because of her shyness (awh!) Caroline Bingley does her usual party trick of fawning over him.

With Darcy entering the room, Georgiana becomes a lot braver in getting involved in the conversation (aaaaawh!) . Elizabeth knows he is anxious for herself and his sister to become friends, so she makes every effort to involve Georgiana in conversation (I just want them to become best friends okay.) Caroline is less than amused and decides make some sneering comments to Lizzie about how the military moving on from town must be considered “such a loss” to her family.

Elizabeth manages to hold her tongue and rise about it, not wanting to mention Wickham in front of either Darcy or especially his sister. Caroline, of course, is ignorant about the matter and only means to try and make Elizabeth uncomfortable in front of Darcy and his opinion, not realising the amount of pain the comment will be causing Georgiana. Because of Elizabeth's smooth and indifferent reaction, and also in her not telling Caroline by correcting her comment and thus embarrasing Georgiana, “the very circumstance which had been designed to turn his thoughts from Elizabeth, seemed to have fixed them on her more, and more cheerfully”. Take that, Caroline- HAH!

The Gardiners and Elizabeth soon leave after this, and while Darcy walks them out to their carriage, Caroline goes on a lovely rant about Elizabeth to Georgiana, criticising her behaviour, her wardrobe and her character. Lovely. Georgiana is not amused. When Darcy returns, she even tries to repeat parts of her rant to him (as if he is actually going to agree whut?! Caroline, just stahp.)

Caroline continues (good lord) to rip apart Lizzie's appearance, claiming her to be ugly and too tanned and changed by the weather...

“Persuaded as Miss Bingley was that Darcy admired Elizabeth, this was not the best method of recommending herself” you see, even Austen could call out the bullshit that is slut shaming, way back when!! Can we teach this to the script writers of Hollywood movies please?


Darcy, however, replies by saying that only at first did he think she was “pretty” with “fine eyes” after he started to agree with Lizzie, after talking to her. But now “for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.” (That should shut you up, Caroline!)

On their way home, there is an Elephant in the carriage- Both Lizzie and her aunt want to discuss each other's opinion of Darcy, but instead they talk about anything but.

The next day, Darcy and his sister visit the Gardiners and Elizabeth at the inn where they are staying.


When she is actually introduced to Miss Darcy, Elizabeth is relieved to find she seems as embarrased as herself. She reflects that her reputation is also that she is very “proud” but realises now that Miss Darcy, like her brother, is just very shy.

On seeing Bingley again, all her negative thoughts of him are long gone, and she wishes could find out if he still thought of Jane at all. This is soon remedied by Bingley commenting that he hasn't seen or heard of Jane since he last saw her, specifically on the 26th November, when they danced at the Netherfield Ball (which means Caroline's letters were full of BS after all!). He asks Lizzie quietly when they are talking alone whether “all of her sisters” are still living at Longbourn or not.

When the Darcys leave the inn, they invite the Gardiners and Lizzie to dine at Pemberley with them. By this point, the Gardiners are very aware that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth spends some time reflecting on what her current opinion of Darcy is, and she realises she doesn't hate him, and is actually feeling more positive about him...she is grateful that despite how horrible she has treated him, that he is still being nice to her and her family, and also it would appear that she is grateful generally that he doesn't hate her after her rejection of him- maybe she is hoping for a second chance, eh?

Grab a cuppa and some biscuits guys, because this chapter is a long one- but SO good!

Elizabeth and the Gardiners arrive at Pemberley.

Elizabeth is awed by the beautiful grounds and house, just from the first look at it and finds herself wondering that “and at that moment she felt, that to be mistress at Pemberley might be something!”

As they approach the house, Lizzie begins to feel anxious again at the thought of bumping into Darcy while wandering around his grounds, and hopes it doesn't happen (yes, panto crowd. I hear you)

They are given a tour of the house by the housekeeper, an elderly looking woman named Mrs Reynolds, who seems nice enough. While wandering around the house, she marvels over the fact that if she hadn't refused Darcy, she would technically be an owner of the house by now- but then she manages to think that if that had happened, she would not have been able to see her Aunt and Uncle, and finds that stops her from regretting (too much, anyway).

Elizabeth wants to ask the Mrs Reynolds if Darcy is at home but doesn't have the guts. Her uncle happens to ask after him, and they find out- to Lizzie's relief, that he is expected back the next day.
Her aunt calls her over to look at pictures on the wall, one of which is of a young Wickham. Mrs Reynolds comments that “unfortunately he has turned out very wild” and while her aunt smiles at the comment, Lizzie can't bring herself to.

Her aunt also insists on hearing Lizzie's opinion on whether Darcy is handsome or not, since his picture is hanging up there as well. The housekeeper tells her that these miniatures are of the late masters and there is a larger portrait of Darcy in another room. They ask her about Miss Darcy, and more questions about her masters in general, which she is happy to answer “either from pride or attachment” (awh!)

The more positive remarks the housekeeper makes regarding Darcy, the more Lizzie wonders just how wrong her opinion of him actually is, and finds herself embarrassed. “Elizabeth listened, wondered, doubted and was impatient for more. Mrs Reynolds could interest her on no other subject.”.

We are told that he made alterations to the house just to please his sister when she visits during the summer months. It's almost like you can literally hear the cogs in Lizzie's head churring away, changing her opinion about Darcy bit by bit.

They leave the house, and as they walk to leave, they spot Darcy himself walking towards them from the stables. (No, BBC drama lovers, he isn't in a soaked through shirt- I never did personally understand the need for that but okay.)

“They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party and spoke directly to Elizabeth” - I just love that paragraph.

They have a painfully awkward conversation where Darcy embarrassingly asks her the same questions over and over again “in so hurried a way, as plainly spoke the distraction of his thoughts”. He soon realises his failed attempts at a decent conversation, and walks off. #sociallawkwarddarcy

When he leaves, the Gardiners – who were listening to everything that was said while loitering in the background- join Lizzie to comment on what a fine figure Darcy has, but Lizzie is off in her own little world “Elizabeth heard not a word, and, wholly engrossed by her own feelings, followed them in silence.” Except it isn't exactly nice feelings- she is embarrassed and shamed that Darcy saw her there, especially after what happened at Rosings. “How strange it must appear to him! In what a disgraceful light might it strike so vain a man! It might seem as if she had purposefully thrown herself in his way again!”.... “And his behaviour so strikingly altered- what could it mean? That he should even speak to her was amazing!- but to speak with such civility , to enquire after her family! Never in her life had she seen his manners so little dignified, never had he spoken with such gentleness as on this unexpected meeting”

(Basically, if you weren't already in love with Darcy, you probably are now because despite her horrid opinions of him – which as far as he is aware is still true- he clearly still cares about her to some degree, d'aaaaaw!)


And because I'm feeling quote-tastic for this chapter, I will continue:-

“Lizzie longed to know what at that moment was passing through his mind; in what manner he thought of her, and whether, in defiance of every thing, she was still dear to him”

They continue to tour the grounds and before long, they once again spot Darcy making his way over to them. Lizzie is grateful she was able to spot him while he was still a distance away so she could try to compose herself before he met up with them. Lizzie begins by telling him how nice she finds the place but stops herself in case Darcy interprets it in some weird way.
Darcy asks her to introduce him to the two people she is travelling with, and she reckons it will be amusing to see his reaction, because his pride would have revolted upon knowing the Gardiners, but upon introducing them and she doesn't get the reaction she was expecting, he immediately starts up a conversation with her uncle. She finds that she is relieved that Darcy now knows that all of her relations aren't actually embarrasing and some are even intelligent (ouch, a bit harsh on your parents but you know...)

They walk in a four, winding up with Darcy walking next to Lizzie. They walk in silence until Lizzie tells him that she had been told my Mrs Reynolds he wouldn't be around until tomorrow (hinting that she had no intention of being on his property at the same time as him).. Darcy tells her that the rest of the party, including Bingley and his sisters will be arriving tomorrow, and wants to know if he can introduce her to Georgiana who “particularly wishes to be known to you” (yeah Darcy, you've probably be fawning over Lizzie to your poor sister left, right and centre!)

As they leave Pemberly grounds, her aunt and uncle are baffled that Lizzie's original description of him was so harsh and cruel considering what they just witnessed. Lizzie is basically in shock herself. She tells them about what really happened between Darcy and Wickham and explains that her original story, told by Wickham, was wrong in every way.


I basically really, really love this chapter, you guys.

This chapter opens with Austen basically saying that Mr Bennet should not have married his wife, but did so because her youth and beauty at the time made her have “an appearance of good humour”, and very soon after marriage, he found that appearance to be fake. “Respect, esteem and confidence had vanished for ever and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown”. Ouch.

Elizabeth has always noted the way her father's “behaviour as a husband” and often disagreed with it but due to his affectionate behaviour for herself, she allowed herself to overlook it.

While Lizzie was happy for Wickham to go away, she is a little sad that the regiment has left, because there are no parties being held and because of this, her mother and sisters spend the days complaining about how dull every thing is.

She begins to think of her aunt's invitation from earlier this year to visit the lakes with them.

Lydia has began to write home, as she promised when she left, but they are short letters, basically describing which officers had paid her attention, the new gowns she got etc- typical Lydia stuff. She writes longer letters to Kitty but they are so heavily underlined they cannot be read to the rest of the family.

Slight timehop. A month passes along, and with the summer weather returning, the Bennets seem to have returned to their usual spirits now. Lizzie receives a letter from her aunt saying that due to time restrictions, they must give up the lakes and instead tour a shorter plan, just around Derbyshire instead. Lizzie is disappointed she won't be seeing the lakes, which she had set her heart on, but the thought of Derbyshire immediately made her think “of Pemberley and its owner..”

Another month passes, and the Gardiners arrive at Longbourn, stay one night and then take Lizzie with them on their trip.

And despite Lizzie being anxious in hoping that she doesn't bump into the owner in question: we are off to visit Pmeberley!

[END OF VOLUME 2!]