Austen August: A Pride and Prejudice Read-A-Long discussion

Lizzie writes to her mother asking for the carriage to take Jane and herself home as soon as possible. Mrs Bennet wants them to stay out the rest of the week at Netherfield Park and insists that she cannot spare the carriage until that Tuesday. Lizzie asks Jane to see if they can borrow Bingley's carriage instead to go home. The Bingleys worry that something has upset them and ask them about it- Caroline however regrets insisting they delay their stay at Netherfield Park longer because “her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the other.”

Darcy is relieved that the Bennet sisters are leaving, as in the previous chapter mentioning he “began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention”, he has began to acknowledge to himself that “she attracts him more than he liked”. This concerns him a lot and as a result, on her last day at the house, he makes it a job of his to actually avoid her like the plague.

Mrs Bennet isn't very happy to see them arrive home, but their father is because he has felt the conversations around the dinner table have been lacking without them. Meanwhile, Lydia and Kitty have all of the militia gossip about the officers.

Favourite Quotes:-

“She attracted him more than he liked- and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teazing than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested, his behaviour during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it”

"and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her."

How much do you want to bet he didn't get very far in that book?

I bet he didn't even read the first sentence