Pride and Prejudice — Chapter Forty-Two (Abridged)

If Elizabeth had only her own parents' marriage to judge by, she would not have had a very hopeful view of married life. Years earlier, her father had fallen in love with her mother's youth and beauty, but he soon discovered that she lacked good judgment and understanding. His respect and affection for her disappeared early in their marriage. Still, Mr. Bennet was not the type of man to sink into misery over his own mistake. He loved the countryside and books, and these simple pleasures became his main source of happiness. As for his wife, the only real benefit he got from her was amusement at her foolishness — not exactly the kind of comfort a husband should look for, but he made peace with it.

Elizabeth had always noticed how inappropriate her father's behavior toward her mother truly was. It always saddened her, though she respected her father's intelligence and appreciated his kindness toward her personally, so she tried not to dwell on it too much. But now, more than ever, she understood how much this unhappy marriage had hurt the whole family — how differently things might have turned out if her father had used his good sense to guide his wife and children, instead of simply mocking them for his own entertainment.

Although Elizabeth had been relieved when Wickham and the regiment finally left, she didn't feel as satisfied as she had expected. Life at home felt duller without the parties and social events, and her mother and Kitty complained constantly about how boring everything had become. Kitty, at least, seemed likely to calm down eventually now that the soldiers were gone. Lydia, however, worried Elizabeth more — a summer near soldiers and the seaside seemed likely to make her behavior even worse. Elizabeth realized, as people often do, that something she had wished for didn't bring the happiness she expected. So she turned her hopes toward her upcoming trip to the Lakes with her aunt and uncle, deciding this new trip would finally bring her the joy she wanted — especially if only Jane could come too.

Lydia had promised to write often, but her letters were always short and full of empty details — new dresses, parties, and officers, with barely a personal thought included. As the weeks passed, though, life at Longbourn slowly returned to normal. Mrs. Bennet's mood improved, and by June, Kitty could walk through town again without crying over the missing soldiers.

Just before their trip was set to begin, a letter arrived from Mrs. Gardiner explaining that the family's travel plans had to change. Because of work commitments, they could no longer travel as far as the Lakes. Instead, they would only go as far as Derbyshire — a smaller trip, but still full of interesting places to see, especially for Mrs. Gardiner, who had once lived nearby.

Elizabeth was disappointed, but she quickly accepted the change, since she generally preferred to stay cheerful rather than dwell on disappointment. Still, she couldn't hear the word "Derbyshire" without immediately thinking of Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate.

When her uncle and aunt finally arrived, they set off together, eventually reaching a small town near Pemberley itself. Mrs. Gardiner suggested visiting the estate, since she had seen it years before and remembered its beautiful grounds. At first, Elizabeth pretended not to be interested, worried she might accidentally run into Mr. Darcy there. That night, she quietly asked a hotel maid whether the Darcy family was currently staying at Pemberley for the summer. When she learned they were not, her fears disappeared completely — and she happily agreed to go see the famous house the next day.