Breaking News: Lydia Bennet Elopes with Mr Wickham!

To help understand the full effect of Lydia's surprise marriage and what effect it would have had especially on the Bennets reputation if Mr Darcy had not fixed the situation. Below is a modern mock newspaper article with the most likely reaction this news would have had.

Breaking News: Lydia Bennet Elopes with Mr Wickam!

By Miss Kate Burge 

Miss Lydia Bennet and Mr Wicham pictured above.

News has just come in that apparently Miss Lydia Bennet daughter of Mr. and Mrs Bennet has eloped with bachelor Mr Wickham. Miss Lydia Bennet who has apparently been living unmarried with Mr Wickham for 2 weeks now, and known for her terribly flirty attitude particularly towards the military officers that visit Netherfield. It is said that she was supposed to be staying with a relative in the country but instead stayed alone with Mr Wickham! To think what sort of family this rebelious child has come from, letting her spend 2 weeks with a single man alone and unmarried. One would hope this nature does not  run in the family and is not present in her fellow single sisters. Also what sort of person must this Lydia Bennet be to defy her parents like this whilst unmarried and in the care of them. Thankfully for her and Mr. Wickham however, the young Mr. Darcy (who is rumoured to have interest in one of Lydia's sisters Elizabeth) came to their rescue by convincing Mr. Wickham to do the only respectable thing and marry Lydia. Who agreed after some convincing and signed a marriage agreement ensuring that Lydia would be taken care of if something were to happen to Mr Wickham. In this agreement Mr. Wickham asked for a very reasonable price for Lydias dowry which was just above the amount Mr Bennet would spend on Lydia each year anyway. After this latest fiasco I myself must reassess my association with the Bennets' as if this is any indication of their family it may be unwise to continue any association with them.