As they drove from the town, Elizabeth’s uncle, Mr. Gardiner, tried to be positive. "I have been thinking about it again, Elizabeth," he said. "I agree with your sister Jane. It seems very unlikely that a young man would do something so terrible to a girl who has a family to protect her. He was staying with Colonel Forster’s family! If he doesn't marry her, he will lose his reputation and his job in the army. The risk is too great."
"Do you really think so?" Elizabeth asked, feeling hopeful for a moment.
"I agree with your uncle," said Mrs. Gardiner. "I cannot believe Wickham is that bad. Can you really believe he would do something so dishonest, Lizzy?"
"He might not want to ruin his own life," Elizabeth replied, "but I believe he is capable of anything else. If they intended to marry, why didn't they go to Scotland?"
Mr. Gardiner suggested they might be hiding in London because it was cheaper to get married there. But Elizabeth did not believe him. She knew Wickham’s character. She knew he needed money, and Lydia had none.
"Lydia has no money and no power," Elizabeth said sadly. "Why would he marry her? And he knows my father is lazy and would not chase him. I am afraid Lydia is in great danger."
"But do you think Lydia would stay with him without being married?" asked her aunt.
Elizabeth had tears in her eyes. "It is shocking to say this about my own sister, but she is very young and very silly. She has never been taught to think about serious things. For the last year, she has thought of nothing but flirtation and officers. And we all know that Wickham is very charming."
Elizabeth then told her aunt the truth about Wickham. She explained that he was a liar and a person without honour. She felt guilty that she hadn't told everyone about his true character sooner. If she had, this might never have happened.
The journey was long and full of worry. They reached Longbourn the next evening. The younger children ran out to meet the carriage, and Elizabeth hurried inside to find Jane.
"Have you heard anything?" Elizabeth asked immediately.
"Not yet," Jane replied. "But now that our uncle is here, I feel better."
Jane told her that their father was in London searching for Lydia. Their mother, Mrs. Bennet, was in her room, feeling very ill and upset.
When they went upstairs to see Mrs. Bennet, she was crying. She blamed everyone except herself. "If I had gone to Brighton with the whole family, this would not have happened!" she cried. "Why didn't the Forsters watch her? Now Mr. Bennet is in London, and I am sure he will fight Wickham and be killed! Then the Collins family will take our house, and we will have nowhere to live."
Mr. Gardiner tried to calm her down. He promised to go to London the next day to help Mr. Bennet.
Later, Elizabeth and Jane talked privately. Jane showed Elizabeth the note Lydia had left for Mrs. Forster. In the note, Lydia sounded very happy and silly. She wrote that she was going to Gretna Green to get married and joked about the "good joke" they were playing on her family.
"Oh, thoughtless Lydia!" Elizabeth cried. "The letter shows she really thought she was getting married. But what will happen when she realizes the truth?"