There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others.
Elizabeth plants a flag for personal agency. The slightly exaggerated “never” sells her strength of will, even when social pressure swells. Austen admires this independence but also tests it—stubbornness can shield or blind. The line explains why she rejects proposals that would make life easier but smaller. It’s bravery in plain clothes: the courage to disappoint people you love. Freedom here means the right to choose a life that fits one’s mind.