(Mind you, when these 'best book' lists are compiled, who gets asked, and what are the criteria? Do they ask professors of literature which books should be read for their cultural and literary significance, or do they ask people who enjoy a good read what they have actually enjoyed?)
Anyway, to wrap up the story, just as things appear to be progressing at Pemberley, Elizabeth is called away by a family emergency. News reaches her that her errant sister Lydia has disappeared from Brighton with Wickham, Mrs Bennet has taken to her bed, and the household is in turmoil. Mr Bennet has gone to London in search, but without much hope of tracking them down. Elizabeth rushes back with her aunt and uncle, and Mr Gardiner is dispatched to London to assist Mr Bennet.
Mr Bennet, being fairly hopeless, comes back home, and leaves Mr Gardiner in charge of the search. Eventually news reaches them that Lydia and Wickham have been tracked down, and an arrangement has been made for them to be married in London. It seems as though Gardiner has done his family a massive favour by settling Wickham's debts, and clearing the way for them to be married.
Lydia, shameless one that she is, appears at Longbourn soon afterwards with her new husband, and makes as though nothing terrible has happened. They are passing through on their way to Newcastle, where Wickham is to be stationed, having joined the regular army. Lydia lets it slip to Elizabeth that Darcy was in London and at the wedding. Elizabeth is puzzled, and gets the secret out of her aunt that Darcy had come to London, and he was the one, not Gardiner, that had tracked down Wickham, and he was the one who'd cleared his debts. Elizabeth can't help but wonder why Darcy would do such a great favour, and without any credit, for her family.
Bingham returns to Netherfield (with Darcy), and Bingham and Jane sort out their star-crossed lover challenges and get engaged.
Then, oh happy day, we finally get to chapter 58.
Darcy and Elizabeth find themselves out for a walk together. All doubt is put behind us, and Elizabeth and Darcy finally share their true feelings.
From that point on, we are simply wrapping things up. In fact the last chapter (61) is very much an epilogue, letting us know what happened to the rest of the family, and some of the other characters. When it comes to the rest of the family:
- Mrs Bennet carried on being batty
- Mr Bennet missed his favourite daughter Elizabeth and liked to visit her at Pemberley
- Jane and Bingley moved to an estate not far from Pemberley
- Kitty improved, out from Lydia's bad influence
- Mary stayed stuck at home with her mother
- Lydia and Wickham struggled, trying and failing to sponge off Elizabeth.