Lydia quickly goes to Brighton, where she has a wonderful time flirting with all the officers before running off with Wickham. We follow her to London, where she bemoans their lack of money but nevertheless enjoys herself, shopping and flirting with all of Wickham's friends. We're in no doubt that she and Wickham spend a lot of their time in bed but there's nothing graphic and the mentions of their connubial-like bliss are humorous. Then Darcy turns up and a wedding follows.

The action moves to Newcastle where slowly Lydia begins to realise that Wickham is having affairs and, although she continues as lively as ever, her journal entries show her to be upset about it. She's determined to put a brave face on it, however, and off she goes to Derbyshire to stay with Elizabeth, and then to Netherfield to stay with Jane.

With her sisters' marriages before her, Lydia starts to realise that her marriage was a bad idea and she envies her sisters' happiness. However, she's stuck with the situation so she enjoys herself as much as she can by dancing and shopping.

And then something happens which I won't say too much about, because I don't want to spoil it, even with spoilers. But it's very funny and completely in character and it changes Lydia's life. Then she finds herself drawn to a new man, a brother of her friend Colonel Forster's wife, and finally Lydia grows up.

It's a funny book, written with a detailed knowledge of Pride and Prejudice, and I enjoyed it immensely.