In Chapter 48 Mr Gardiner, in London with Mr Bennet, writes to his wife to report the lack of progress in the search for Lydia. (More than Mr Bennet bothers to do for his wife or daughters). In a postscript he says he has written to Colonel Forster to ask him to try to find out from Wickham's friends in the regiment whether he has any relations or connections who might know where in London he is hiding. The he adds "But, on second thoughts, perhaps Lizzy could tell us what relations he has now living, better than any other person."

The ON tells us that "Elizabeth was at no loss to understand from whence this deference for her authority proceeded; but it was not in her power to give any information of so satisfactory a nature as the compliment deserved."

In his annotation to this passage David M Shaphard says:

"The "compliment" concerns Elizabeth's earlier intimacy with Wickham; of course, it is more an insult than a compliment to bring up now the subject of that intimacy, and of her impulsive championing of Wickham's supposed virtues."