"The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which tuned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend"
At the ball at Netherfield, Elizabeth is unhappy because she finds herself dancing with Darcy. Their conversation is awkward, especially when she mentions Wickham, a subject that Darcy clearly wishes to avoid.
Darcy, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth are invited to Rosings, Lady Catherine’s estate. Darcy tells Elizabeth that Bingley is unlikely to spend much of his time at Netherfield Park in the future. The rest of their conversation becomes awkward, and when Darcy departs, Charlotte declares that he must be in love with Elizabeth, or he would not have called in such an odd manner. In following days, both Darcy and his cousin visit frequently.
“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Alone at the parsonage, Elizabeth is still thinking about what Fitzwilliam has told her when Darcy enters and suddenly declares his love for her. He proposes to her and Elizabeth rejects him, first politely, but then it turns into an angry accusation. She demands to know whether he sabotaged Jane’s romance with Mr. Bingley, and Darcy admits that he did. She then repeats Wickham’s accusations and declares that she thinks that Darcy is proud and selfish and that getting married to him is unthinkable.
“Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent.”
The next day, Elizabeth takes a walk and runs into Darcy, who gives her a letter. He walks away, and Elizabeth begins to read it. In the letter, Darcy admits to attempting to break Bingley’s romance with Jane, but then argues that Jane’s attachment to his friend was not strong enough to break hearts. He also says that in relation to Wickham, he did provide for Wickham after his fathers death and that the root of the argument was when Wickham tried to elope with Darcy’s sister in hope of obtaining her fortune.
“Elizabeth was delighted [With Pemberley]. She had never seen a place where nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!”
Elizabeth goes to the beautiful estate of Pemberley. As she tours the estate, she imagines what it would be like to be mistress there, as Darcy’s wife. While Elizabeth and the Gardiner’s are exploring the grounds, Darcy suddenly appears. He joins them in their walk, proving to be very polite. Darcy tells Elizabeth that he has just arrived to prepare his home for a group of guests that include the Bingley’s and his sister. He asks Elizabeth if she would like to meet his sister, Georgiana, and Elizabeth says that she would.
"But that was only when I first knew her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance."
Elizabeth realises that after seeing Darcy, her opinion of him has changed so much that if he were to propose to her again, she would accept.
Wickham and Lydia get married and Elizabeth finds out that Darcy paid for the wedding.
Elizabeth hides her surprise at this news and acts very coolly towards Lady Catherine. She says that she is not engaged to Darcy, but refuses to promise not to accept his hand in marriage. Lady Catherine claims that Elizabeth is bound to obey her by “the claims of duty, honour and gratitude”. To Lady Catherine’s surprise, Elizabeth does not stand for what she thinks. This leads Lady Catherine to leave, furious and frustrated.
A short time later, a letter arrives from Mr. Collins that suggests that an engagement between Darcy and Elizabeth is imminent. The letter comes for Mr. Bennett. A little while after Lady Catherine’s visit, Darcy again comes to stay with Bingley at Netherfield. The two visit the Bennett’s and they all take a walk together. Elizabeth and Darcy lag behind to talk. Darcy tells Elizabeth that his feelings for her have not changed since his proposal. Elizabeth tells him that her own feelings have changed and that she is now willing to marry him.
The next day, Darcy and Elizabeth again walk together, and that night Darcy goes to Mr. Bennet to ask him for his consent to marry his daughter. Darcy and Elizabeth discuss how their love began and how it developed. Darcy writes to Lady Catherine to tell her about their engagement.
After the weddings, Bingley buys an estate near Pemberley and Elizabeth moves in with Darcy. Darcy and Elizabeth still consider the Gardiner’s good friends, grateful because they brought Elizabeth to Pemberley the first time and helped to bring the two together.
