Two days after Mr. Bennet came home, Jane and Elizabeth were walking in the garden when the housekeeper, Mrs. Hill, hurried toward them, hoping they had good news from London. Confused, the sisters realized a letter had already arrived for their father — and they hadn't even heard about it yet!
Excited, they ran through the house and found their father walking near a small wood outside. Elizabeth, breathless, begged him for news. He handed her a letter from their uncle, saying he barely understood it himself.
Dear Brother,
I finally have news of Lydia. I found her and Wickham in London. They are not yet married, and there was no plan to marry — until now. If you agree to my conditions, I believe they will marry soon. You must promise Lydia an equal share of the family's inheritance, plus one hundred pounds a year while you live. Wickham's financial situation isn't as bad as people think. Please send your approval quickly so we can arrange everything. There's no need for you to return to London — I'll handle it all. Lydia will marry from our house.
Your brother, Edward Gardiner
"Is it really possible he'll marry her?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief.
"He's not as bad as we thought," Jane said hopefully.
Mr. Bennet quickly agreed to the terms, though he seemed embarrassed that Wickham was asking for so little. "They must marry," he said. "But I wonder how much money your uncle really paid to arrange this — and how I'll ever repay him."
Jane was shocked to learn money had likely been involved. Elizabeth guessed that their kind uncle must have quietly paid off Wickham's debts himself, worried it might have cost him far more than they realized. Mr. Bennet joked darkly that Wickham surely wouldn't have agreed to marry Lydia for less than ten thousand pounds — a huge sum they could never fully repay.
Back at the house, Elizabeth and Jane discussed their mixed feelings. Elizabeth felt strange being thankful for such an unhappy situation, while Jane hoped Wickham genuinely cared for Lydia, believing this marriage might help him become a better person.
They soon realized their mother still didn't know the news. When they asked their father's permission to tell her, he simply replied, "Do as you like," without looking up from his writing.
Mrs. Bennet was overjoyed when she heard, completely ignoring the scandal and focusing instead on wedding plans. "My dear Lydia will finally be married!" she cried happily, immediately planning new clothes and visits to share the exciting news with everyone in town.
Jane gently reminded her mother of their uncle's generosity, but Mrs. Bennet barely seemed to notice, thrilled only that her daughter would soon become "Mrs. Wickham." She quickly began listing fabrics for a wedding dress, needing Jane's help to convince her to wait until Mr. Bennet could discuss finances first.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth, exhausted by her mother's excitement, retreated quietly to her room. Alone, she reflected that although Lydia's future looked far from perfect, at least the worst outcome had been avoided — and for that, she felt genuinely relieved.
Vocabulary List
- confused — unable to understand or think clearly.
- breathless — out of breath, often from running or excitement.
- conditions — requirements that must be met before something happens.
- inheritance — money or property passed on to someone, often after a death.
- disbelief — an inability or refusal to believe something.
- embarrassed — feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable.
- debts — money that is owed to someone else.
- repay — to pay back money that is owed.
- generosity — the quality of being willing to give freely.
- scandal — a shocking event that damages someone's reputation.
- overjoyed — extremely happy.
- thrilled — extremely excited and pleased.
- convince — to persuade someone to believe or do something.
- exhausted — extremely tired.
- relieved — feeling less worried after stress or fear has passed.
True or False
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Mr. Gardiner's letter says that Lydia and Wickham are already married when he finds them.
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Mr. Bennet suspects that Mr. Gardiner secretly paid much more money than the letter admits.
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Elizabeth feels simply happy and untroubled about the upcoming marriage.
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Jane hopes Wickham genuinely cares for Lydia and that marriage will help him improve.
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Mrs. Bennet is ashamed of the scandal and refuses to tell anyone in town about the wedding.
Fill in the Blanks
- Mr. Gardiner asks Mr. Bennet to give Lydia pounds a year while he lives.
- Mr. Bennet guesses Wickham would not marry Lydia for less than thousand pounds.
- Lydia will be married from Mr. Gardiner's house, since he lives in .
- Mrs. Bennet is thrilled that her daughter will soon be called "Mrs. ."
- After hearing the news, Elizabeth feels tired and retreats quietly to her .