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

Mr Gardiner leaves Longbourn to follow Mr Bennet to London in search of Lydia.

A few days later, the Bennets receive a letter from him, telling them they have had no luck so far.

Meanwhile, a lovely patronising letter arrives from Mr Collins, accusing the Bennets of bad parenting skills and notes to them that, in case they weren't aware, Lydia's behaviour reflects poorly on the rest of the family (I really feel this calls for a “no shit sherlock” comment).

After a while, a few more letters arrive, with no new progress on finding Lydia, and Mr Bennet is returning home without her. Mrs Bennet is not amused.

During this time, Elizabeth has heard nothing from or of Darcy, and being “tolerably well acquainted with her feelings” feels that knowing something of him would have made her worry a little bit less, in a way.

Mr Bennet blames himself for this mess, although Elizabeth tries to tell him not to. He apologies to Lizzie for not taking her warnings about Lydia's behaviour seriously when she tried to warn him in May.

Kitty promises that if she ever goes to Brighton, she will behave better than Lydia. Her dad tells her he isn't risking it and that she will never go anywhere, basically. All balls are forbidden, no officers are ever to enter Longbourn again and unless she proves she can spend ten minutes a day as a rational being, she cannot leave the house. He tells her “if you are a good girl for the next ten years, I will take you to a review at the end of them.” (I must admit, that made me laugh, a lot.)

In Mr. Collins's letter: "The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this"

REALLY!? I thought that was waaay out of line haha

good ol' mr collins being his usual extremist self!!