I had not quite realized before what a risk the Gardiners were taking, and what Lizzy meant by that statement. And they have small children and a business to worry about. It's always been amazing to me that Lydia has the nerve to complain that she didn't have any fun while with the Gardiners, instead of realizing that if it weren't for them, Wickham would eventually have left her and she'd be living on the street.