Courtship

"And taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who, though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back" (27)

Following the fourteen steps of intimacy (see link at bottom), as most traditional romances tend to do, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth start out on the right foot, beginning by observing and making eye contact, and even conversing. However, when Mr. Darcy is paired with Elizabeth by Mr. Williams, Elizabeth "drew back," indicating that she is not ready to continue on to the fourth step of intimacy, despite having completed the first three. Also, an interesting change in dynamics has occurred between the two, as now Mr. Darcy is prepared to move on the the next level in their relationship, despite his initial objections. It will be interesting to see which of the pair will pursue further advancement in the fourteen steps as their relationship develops.