Volume 1, Chapter 23
Sir William comes to Longbourn to announce his daughter's engagement to Mr. Collins and Mrs. Bennet is furious that Charlotte has taken a prospect from her daughters. She is no less insulted that Charlotte will become the lady of Longbourn when Mr. Bennet dies because she will be married to Mr. Collins, who will inherit the estate. Mrs. Bennet remains angry at Elizabeth for a long time because her refusal to marry Mr.
Collins sent him to Charlotte and now Longbourn will be lost. Mrs. Bennet is in such an ill humor that she is rude to the Lucases and Mr. Collins when he returns. She feels that everyone is conspiring against her to make her life miserable.
Elizabeth feels weird around Charlotte and grows closer to Jane, and in their closeness Elizabeth notices that her sister is sad about Bingley. A week has passed and he hasn't sent word to her or come back to Netherfield. Elizabeth grows worried that Bingley's plotting sisters have found a way to keep him from Jane and are trying to match him with Darcy's sister. It makes sense to Elizabeth that Miss Bingley would want such a match because that would put her that much closer to Darcy and improving her chances for marrying him.
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