The three ladies went on outings together, took walks in the park, cooed over young Master Pearson when his nursemaid brought him in to see them, and took tea together several times a week. Mrs. Pearson was the second daughter of a wealthy ship magnate and had married into the gentry. Her large dowry had attracted Mr. Pearson and his failing estate. She was given entry to the quality through marriage; he was saved from destitution and humiliation. Mrs. Pearson had refused to give up her familial ties when she married, and so straddled the line between tradesman and gentry.

More importantly, Mrs. Pearson had an elder brother, Mr. Walker, who had been very attentive to Jane on the few occasions he had met her. The last time she took tea at Mrs. Pearson’s, he had unexpectedly dropped by, just to say hello to his sister, and stayed for half an hour, talking almost exclusively to Jane.

Mr. Walker was pleasant and very gentlemanly in his address, always kind to Jane and to everyone she saw him interact with. After three weeks in town, Jane had danced with him twice at two balls, attended two dinners at his sister’s—one only a small family party, and attended a musical soiree at his father’s home. She found his family to be genteel and kind, and all seemed disposed to like her a great deal.

It was quite refreshing to be surrounded by genuine people, which she was shocked at herself for noticing, but after sending three letters unanswered to Caroline Bingley and calling on her only to be told the lady was not at home when Jane could clearly hear her talking to Mrs. Hurst in the drawing room, she was less sure of her friendship in that quarter. It seemed quite clear that Miss Bingley was ending the acquaintance and Jane could not think of why, unless it was that Miss Bingley simply did not like her.

Poor Jane felt very misused, after Miss Bingley had made such a fuss over her in Hertfordshire and gone on about what great friends they were. Why would she suddenly change her mind when Jane had done nothing at all? Or had Miss Bingley never truly been her friend and only acted as if she was? But if so, to what purpose?