They obviously apprehended Darcy's affection for their niece. They also sensed Elizabeth was more familiar with Darcy than she had let on.. (I assume this speaks of her encounters with Darcy at Hunsford). Are they just waiting for the right moment to ask Lizzy? Or does it not matter that Lizzy may not share Darcy's love? Is the fact that Darcy loves Lizzy (and they were sure of his feelings) all that matters??

In otherwords, looking at the situation from the point of view of the Gardiners, was Darcy's love of Elizabeth the greatest hurdle to their niece's prosperity? I imagine they were not immune from the sentiments of their day. A prosperous man of high position appeared to be ardently in love with Elizabeth. Was it a forgone conclusion in their mind that Elizabeth would marry him if asked??

Thoughts?