It was during his absence that George Wickham had made his first appearance in Meryton, and in that short time, Wickham, a man without scruples, had managed to convince Elizabeth that Darcy was someone who could not be trusted and who did not keep his promises. But Darcy did not know that at the time and was caught unawares when Elizabeth had remarked during the Netherfield ball that Wickham had lost his friendship “in a manner for which he was likely to suffer from all his life.” That remark, and the general consensus that Bingley would shortly make an offer of marriage to Miss Jane Bennet, spurred him to action.

The next morning, he wrote a letter to George Bingley, in which he informed Charles’s eldest brother that there were expectations within the neighborhood that Charles would soon become engaged to Miss Jane Bennet, and he outlined his objections to the match. With all of his being, he believed that such a marriage would be a disaster. It was not just a matter of the lady’s inferior position in society or the lack of propriety displayed by her family; Darcy believed the lady did not love his friend. But because it would be financially beneficial to her and her family, she would agree to an offer of marriage.

However, George Bingley’s intervention was not required as Charles yielded on the matter the day after they had reached London. He relied heavily on Darcy’s superior knowledge of such affairs, and considering his sisters’ emphatic opposition to the match, he had allowed himself to be convinced that any such union was doomed to failure.

The next day, Charles left London to attend a horse fair in Surrey. Although he valued his friendship with Darcy above all others, Charles resented his role in separating him from Miss Bennet, and because Darcy was a reminder of what he had lost, he decided he could do without his company for a while and sent word to his sisters that he would remain in the country.