To escape Longbourn after her refusal of Mr. Collins’s proposal and her mother’s dismay, Elizabeth is sent by her father to London. Along the way, her carriage stops at a strange disturbance—Mr. Darcy, injured, lying in the road! He is barely conscious but insists on being taken to London, not Netherfield Park.
Elizabeth takes him to London, but since he is unconscious and cannot give her his direction, she takes him to the Gardiners’ house. A physician is summoned, and Mr. Darcy wakes. He is grateful for her help and willing to obey the physician’s orders to remain where he is, but he asks for his sister to be summoned. Elizabeth tries, but Miss Darcy is not at home.
While helping with her cousins at the park, Elizabeth sees a familiar face from Meryton—Mr. Wickham! He asks about Mr. Darcy, and she tells him about dancing at the ball but does not mention finding Mr. Darcy on the road.
Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss Darcy arrive at the Gardiners’ and are horrified to hear what happened to Mr. Darcy but are pleased that he is recovering. They will both stay at the Gardiners’ house to be with him during his recovery.
Miss Darcy leaves the house alone against Aunt Gardiners’ advice, concerning the women. Miss Darcy returns home and is scolded by her brother for leaving alone. He orders her not to do it again.
Elizabeth asks Mr. Darcy more about what happened, and he tells her that he was not attacked on the road to London but on Netherfield grounds. She realizes that he may be suspicious of Mr. Bingley and the Netherfield Party.
Against her brother’s orders, Miss Darcy goes out again the following day. Elizabeth speaks to Mr. Darcy, who confides in her about Mr. Wickham and his worries for his sister.
The Bingleys come to visit as they have heard from Miss Darcy that Mr. Darcy was injured. They are invited to return to dinner the following night.
Elizabeth asks Aunt Gardiner what she knows about the Darcy family. Aunt Gardiner says that the elder Mr. Darcy was believed to be having an affair with Mrs. Wickham, and that many believe George Wickham is his son, especially considering the resemblance between the two young men.
Upon arrival at the dinner, Miss Bingley tries out her barbs on Elizabeth, but Elizabeth responds with only a mild retort, pointing out that Mr. Darcy is spending all of his time at the Gardiners with Elizabeth.
During the dinner, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Hurst, and Mrs. Hurst are all away from the rest of the party at some point.
The next morning, Mr. Darcy cannot be roused. The physician is caused, and everybody believes he has relapsed. However, Elizabeth notices that he bears symptoms similar to a laudanum overdose. She is concerned and, after considering sending her cousin Andrew in to search his room for laudanum, she instead chooses to speak to Mr. Darcy about her suspicions that he was poisoned.
After dinner, Andrew is discovered to be missing! They find him at last in Colonel Fitzwilliam’s room, but he is unconscious and cannot be wakened. Elizabeth realizes that he was exploring and found chocolate in Mr. Darcy’s room, which he tasted. The chocolate was how Mr. Darcy was dosed.
Uncle Gardiner goes to speak to the gentlemen and orders Elizabeth to go to help her aunt with Andrew.
Andrew survives and begins to recover, relieving everyone. But Uncle Gardiner is furious. He wants to catch the poisoner who almost killed his son, and he’s ready to work with the others to find a way to stop this once and for all.
Elizabeth receives a letter from Jane, and decides to read the letter from Jane before going to make a plan with the gentlemen.