Elizabeth becomes acquainted with Mr Wickham and his history involving Mr Darcy as Wickham chooses to tell it before the Netherfield Ball. Elizabeth does not doubt Wickham’s story because it is backed up with particular details which make is seem unlikely that it is false. Elizabeth's prejudice is highlighted even further at the Netherfield Ball, which Wickham has chosen not to attend. In spite of the fact that Mr. Darcy is quite cordial to her and even invites her to dance, she is barely civil to him and even brings up the topic of Wickham, letting him understand in barely veiled language that she believes Darcy has acted unjustly. During the dance she says she is unable to figure out his character because she has received such contradictory accounts. After the dance they part in silence but Darcy forgives her questioning and blames Wickham. Even after being given further reason to doubt Wickham's sincerity from the accounts of Miss Bingley and Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth refuses to reconsider her opinion. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, seems to be increasingly infatuated with Elizabeth, and is willing even to excuse her insolence with regard to Wickham, blaming it on him for having deceived her rather than on her for her rash judgment. It is ironic that Elizabeth criticizes Miss Bingley for her prejudice against Wickham when in fact Miss Bingley is correct and Elizabeth is the one who is prejudiced toward Wickham and against Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth and Darcy have had time to reinforce their first impressions of each other before they meet again at Rosings. Elizabeth sees nothing there to be intimidated about, being unimpressed by "the mere stateliness of money and rank." Austen presents Lady Catherine de Bourgh as an extremely arrogant, egotistical and dictatorial woman. For the entire evening, Lady Catherine does nothing but remind her guests of their inferior rank. After dinner she speaks about her "opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted." Her means of giving advice is nothing short of despotic, and her impertinent questioning of Elizabeth reveals an utter lack of respect for the Bennet family.
A short time after the start of Elizabeth’s stay at Hunsford Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrive at Rosings. When they meet for dinner Mr. Darcy looks ashamed at his aunt's impertinence and ill breeding in treating Elizabeth as an inferior. At Rosings Austen uses dramatic irony to make it increasingly clear that Darcy is falling in love with Elizabeth and that Elizabeth has no suspicions whatsoever that this is happening.
When Elizabeth is at Hunsford alone, Mr Darcy calls and proposes. This is a prime example of Austen's abilities to bring the characters to life and reveal their personalities through dialogue. Elizabeth's lively character and her disregard for considerations of rank show through clearly in her reaction to Darcy's proposal. Her pride is also evident, for the lack of civility in her refusal is due primarily to injured pride resulting from Darcy's frank explanation of his reservations about proposing to her because of her inferior connections. Elizabeth explains her reasons for turning him down. These reasons are, first, the arrogant manner of his proposal; second, his actions to separate Bingley and Jane; and third, his actions toward Wickham. She states that his manner of proposal had no influence on her other than to "spare me the concern of refusing you, had you acted in a more gentlemanlike manner."
Darcy's pride and prejudice are also shown. As he is proposing to her, Elizabeth can tell that he has "no doubt of a favourable answer." In spite of the fact that Elizabeth has not shown any partiality or affection toward him at all, he assumes that she will accept his proposal simply because of his great wealth and rank. His strong class prejudices are shown in the way in which he speaks at length about the inferiority of her connections and his desire to avoid proposing to her because of them. Even worse is his insensitivity to her in spelling out these objections in such a tactless manner. Elizabeth's comment to him - "had you acted in a more gentlemanlike manner" has a profound effect on him.
Darcy knows himself to be misrepresented through Elizabeth’s refusal of his proposal. In response to Elizabeth’s charge that he has injured Mr Wickham and the accusation that he took Bingley away from Jane he wrote a letter. In the letter Darcy tells Elizabeth what really happened between himself and Wickham and his reasons for separating Jane and Bingley. After reading Darcy’s account of his dealings with Wickham Elizabeth does not know how to react. She begins to realise she judged Darcy wrongly and that she has been “blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd”. She realises that her vanity has been the cause of her prejudice. Rereading the part of the letter that dealt with her sister she now sees that he had reason to be suspicious of Jane's attachment. Elizabeth also admits that Darcy's criticisms of the impropriety of her mother and younger sisters is just, and is ashamed and depressed. Austen makes it clear that pride and prejudice are not really two separate problems in the novel, but that they are intimately connected. It is Elizabeth's pride that leads to her prejudice.
Elizabeth meets Darcy again by accident when she is viewing his estate. She is surprised by his civility and kind enquiries about her family, he is more gentlemanlike and civil since the proposal. Her regard for Darcy seems to be increasing daily, though she is not quite aware of it. Her extreme nervousness and desire to make a good impression when Miss Darcy comes to visit belies the fact that she now wants to impress and please Mr. Darcy.
Having returned home from Derbyshire Elizabeth has to cope with Lydia’s elopement with Wickham and tries to comfort her family. It is at this time, when she hears that Lydia and Wickham are to be married that she realises that Darcy is the man that would most suit her: “he was exactly the man, who in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temperament, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes”. It is from Lydia’s conversation that Elizabeth learns that Darcy was present at the wedding and learns that Darcy had a major part in making Wickham marry Lydia.
Mr Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield soon after Lydia and Wickham have left for the north and Elizabeth begins to hope that Darcy’s feelings for her have not changed and Elizabeth is mortified by her mother’s cold reception of Darcy considering what he has done for Lydia showing her further embarrassment of her mother. Darcy's accompanying Bingley to Netherfield seems to have no other object but a chance to renew his offer of marriage to Elizabeth. Elizabeth's prejudice has been slowly removed by her reflection on Darcy's letter, and Darcy's treatment of Elizabeth and the Gardiners demonstrates that his pride has been considerably abated as well. All that remains is for the two of them to become aware of each other's changes in attitude and mutual regard for one another.