Pride and Prejudice Volume 2, Chapter 3

Mrs. Gardiner, because of her fondness for Elizabeth, takes it upon herself to warn Elizabeth not to become too romantically attached to Wickham because neither of them have any money and would be completely poor if they were to marry. Elizabeth is surprised by such a notion and assures her aunt that her fondness for Wickham does not mean loves. She agrees to her aunt's request to distance herself from him for safety's sake.

Charlotte and Mr. Collins marry, and Charlotte makes Elizabeth promise to come visit when Sir William and his other daughter make the journey in March. There is nothing Elizabeth can do but agree. The Gardeners return to London.

A letter from Jane arrives and tells Elizabeth that although Jane had paid a quick visit to Miss Bingley, and she felt that Bingley's sisters behaved differently than they had at Hertfordshire. Jane expected that the women would return her visit, but it took six weeks for Miss Bingley to show up at the Gardiners' home on the side of town where merchants lived and conducted business. Jane feels slighted and realizes that Elizabeth had been right about Miss Bingley. Although Elizabeth feels bad for her kind sister, she is glad that Jane can see Miss Bingley as the two-faced snot that she is.

Mrs. Gardiner wants to know the word on Wickham and Elizabeth tells her that he has moved on to chase an unattractive girl whose grandfather just died, leaving her a large inheritance. Elizabeth is not angry or jealous at the shift in Wickham's attention, and so she knows that she never loved him.