Pride and Prejudice: Novel Summary: Chapters 9-12

Chapter 9: Mrs. Bingley and her two youngest daughters (Kitty and Lydia) come to Netherfield to visit Jane.  Although she is now much better, it is decided that she should not be moved yet. Lydia reminds Bingley that he said he would have a ball, and he agrees to have one when Jane is well. Mrs. Bennet and the others discuss town vs. country living, and Mrs. Bennet is made fun of later by the Bingley sisters. Darcy, though, cannot be made to join in making fun of Elizabeth
Chapter 10: Jane continues to get better.  Much of the day is spent in the drawing-room with reading, letter-writing and music.  While Miss Bingley is playing the piano, Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance, and she says no, thinking that he only wants to dance with her so he can "have the pleasure of despising [her] taste[s]." This makes Miss Bingley jealous, and the next day she teases Darcy more about his admiration for Elizabeth.
Chapter 11: Jane is feeling better, and after dinner she comes into the drawing-room for a few hours where she and Bingley spend much time talking over by the fire.  Miss Bingley asks Bingley if he is serious about having a ball at Netherfield, and he says that he is.  Miss Bingley notices that Darcy does not watch her walk about the room, so asks Elizabeth also to walk, and sees that Darcy admires her.  Elizabeth has a discussion with Darcy about pride and how he cannot "forget the follies and vices of others so soon as [he] ought, nor their offenses against [himself], and she states that his defect is "a propensity to hate everybody," while he states that hers "is willfully to misunderstand them."
Chapter 12: Elizabeth and Jane decide to return home, but when they send a note home asking for the carriage, their mother creates reasons why they cannot have it yet.  Elizabeth talks Jane into borrowing Bingley's carriage, but it is decided that they will not leave Netherfield until the next day.  Darcy realizes that he has paid too much attention to Elizabeth and tries not to speak to her too much.  When Elizabeth and Jane arrive home, their mother is not welcoming to them, as she wanted Jane to stay longer in Bingley's company.  Kitty and Lydia fill the sisters in on all of the happenings with the regiment in Meryton.