David has spent two days in his bachelor pad. Though he is thrilled with his independence, at the end of the day, the loneliness is unbearable. He wonders why Steerforth hasn’t paid him a visit. To find out, he goes to Highgate where Mrs. Steerforth welcomes David. Steerforth is away he is told, but if he would like, he may partake of dinner before leaving for London. His loneliness is so acute that David accepts the offer and finds himself falling in love with Miss Dartle, Steerforth’s cousin and adversary, as he and Mrs. Steerforth speak of their shared admiration of James.
Next morning, at breakfast, David readies himself for a day of work when, to David’s delight, Steerforth drops in unannounced. Steerforth explains his failure to pay David a visit due to his Oxford pals, Grainger and Markham, who wouldn’t hear of Steerforth doing anything else but to hang out with them. Indeed, Steerforth has to leave this very minute to have breakfast with one of his pals, and then there is a dinner engagement with the other. If he would like, David may join Steerforth and his friends for dinner. David has a better idea.
Come evening, Steerforth, Markham, and Grainger attend David’s house warming party. Thanks to Mrs. Crupp, David has two hired hands to attend to the waiting, the busing, and the doing of dishes. David doesn’t mind that the one doing the waiting is a tippler and the one doing the busing and washing of dishes is a clumsy, inquisitive wench. The wine renders everything moot. At Steerforth’s suggestion, the company relocates to a theater where David embarrasses himself before Agnes, who is in attendance.
David awakes the following morning with a migraine and the realization that he has made an utter donkey of himself. He seeks consolation with Mrs. Crupp who attends to him as a mother would her boy.