After failing to persuade Lydia to leave Wickham, Darcy proceeds to blackmail and bribe Wickham into marrying her, assuring Wickham's future good conduct by buying his many debts. This carries the implicit threat that Darcy will have Wickham sent to debtors' prison if he misbehaves. Darcy also purchases for him a commission in an obscure army regiment whose home barracks are in Newcastle upon Tyne, over two hundred miles from Lydia's family. Wickham is forced to agree, and after Darcy has approached the Gardiners with this plan (on the condition that his own role in the affair be kept secret), Wickham and Lydia are married. Soon after, Bingley decides to return to his estate at Netherfield, to which he invites Darcy; upon seeing Jane Bennet and Bingley reunited, Darcy guiltily confesses his role in keeping the two separate. Bingley is angry, but quickly forgives Darcy; after straightening out the misunderstanding, Bingley and Jane are soon engaged. After hearing a false report that Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy are also to be married, an outraged Lady Catherine arrives at Darcy's London home having attempted to bully Elizabeth into promising to never enter into an engagement with Darcy. Darcy is elated when he learns that Elizabeth refused, realizing that her feelings towards him might have changed, and he returns to Netherfield. Once again, Darcy proposes to Elizabeth; this time she happily accepts, and the two are married. Relationship to Pride and Prejudice These Three Remain quite closely follows the plot of the last chapters of Austen's novel, primarily because Elizabeth Bennet is once again in the picture. Unique to this book are its vivid glimpses of Regency London's high society, underworld, and political scene. Some compelling characters are new creations (Lady Monmouth and Lord Brougham, for example), while others (like Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne de Bourgh) are given much more color and depth. Anne de Bourgh reveals herself to be a budding writer of novels and not at all interested in becoming mistress of a great country house, as Lady Catherine intends. In doing so, she relieves Darcy of any obligation to consider marriage to her, allowing him to propose to Elizabeth. References to historical people, places and events The author chose to set the novels in the trilogy in a definite historical time, namely late 1811 to late 1812. Letters between characters are dated appropriately. Contemporary events are referenced, and in some