Elizabeth had been waiting anxiously for a letter from Jane. On the third morning, two letters finally arrived together. Her aunt and uncle went out for a walk, leaving her alone to read them.
The first letter, written five days earlier, started with ordinary news. But the second half, written a day later, sounded much more worried.
"Dearest Lizzy, something serious has happened. Please don't worry too much — we are all safe. It's about Lydia. Colonel Forster sent an urgent message saying she has run off with one of his officers — Wickham! I'm shocked, though Kitty doesn't seem surprised. I hope his character has just been misunderstood. Mother is very upset; Father is handling it better. I'm glad we never told them what we'd heard about Wickham before. They left Saturday night and weren't noticed missing until the next morning. Colonel Forster hopes to visit us soon."
Elizabeth immediately opened the second letter, written one day later.
"Dear Lizzy, I have worse news. We are now afraid Lydia and Wickham never actually went to Scotland to marry. Colonel Forster followed their trail only as far as a town near London, where they suddenly changed carriages, and after that, no one knows where they went. Father and Mother fear the worst, but I still hope for the best. Mother is too upset to leave her room, and I've never seen Father so distressed. He has gone to London with Colonel Forster to search for them. Please come home as soon as possible — Uncle's help and advice would mean everything right now."
"Where is my uncle?" Elizabeth cried, jumping up. Just then, the door opened, and Mr. Darcy walked in. Seeing her pale, panicked face, he asked with real concern, "What's wrong?"
"I must find my uncle immediately," Elizabeth said breathlessly. Darcy quickly sent a servant to fetch Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner instead, worried Elizabeth was too unwell to go herself.
Elizabeth sat down, shaking, and finally explained through tears: "My youngest sister has run away with Mr. Wickham. She has no money and nothing to offer him — I fear she's ruined forever."
Darcy looked stunned. "If only I had warned my family about Wickham's true character," Elizabeth said miserably. "This might never have happened."
"Is it certain?" Darcy asked seriously.
"Yes. They left Brighton together and were traced only partway to London. They definitely didn't go to Scotland to marry."
Darcy said little, pacing the room with a troubled expression. Elizabeth understood immediately — surely this scandal would end any chance of his continued interest in her. Strangely, this thought made her realize just how deeply she now cared for him.
Setting her own feelings aside, Elizabeth focused again on Lydia's situation. Darcy gently offered his sympathy, apologizing that this news would prevent his sister from seeing Elizabeth that day as planned. Elizabeth asked him to apologize to Georgiana and to keep the scandal secret for as long as possible. Darcy promised he would, expressed his sincere concern once more, and quietly left.
As he left, Elizabeth doubted they would ever again meet on such friendly terms.
Soon, her aunt and uncle rushed back, having heard (mistakenly) that Elizabeth had fallen ill. Once she explained the truth, they immediately offered their full support. Within an hour, everything was arranged for their journey home, letters of apology were sent to friends in Lambton, and the three of them set off at once for Longbourn.
Vocabulary List
- anxiously — in a worried or nervous way.
- urgent — needing immediate attention or action.
- run off — to leave suddenly and secretly, often to avoid others finding out.
- upset — feeling unhappy or troubled.
- distressed — suffering from extreme worry or sorrow.
- trail — a path or series of clues showing where someone has gone.
- panicked — overwhelmed with sudden, uncontrollable fear.
- breathlessly — in a way that shows a person is out of breath, often from excitement or fear.
- ruined — completely destroyed, especially one's reputation.
- stunned — extremely surprised or shocked.
- scandal — a shocking event that damages someone's reputation.
- sympathy — a feeling of care or sorrow for someone's trouble.
- apologize — to say sorry for something.
- mistakenly — because of an error; incorrectly.
- support — help or assistance given to someone in need.
True or False
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Jane's letters explain that Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham.
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By the second letter, it seems more and more likely that Wickham and Lydia never actually went to Scotland.
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Mr. Darcy happens to walk in just as Elizabeth is rushing to find her uncle.
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Elizabeth believes this scandal will likely end any chance of a future with Darcy.
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Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner refuse to help once they hear what has really happened.
Fill in the Blanks
- Colonel Forster loses the trail of Lydia and Wickham near a town close to .
- Elizabeth says she should have warned her family about 's true character.
- Darcy sends a servant to fetch instead of letting Elizabeth go herself.
- Elizabeth asks Darcy to apologize to his sister for missing their visit.
- Within an hour, Elizabeth and the Gardiners leave for .