David asks Mr. Spenlow permission to take a few days off and is granted his request. As David makes his way to Highgate, he ruminates on a case involving two churchwardens whose dispute revolves around the alleged shove of one against the other which causes the other to bump against a pump handle. It’s an interesting case, and David is reminded of Mr. Spenlow’s pronouncement that law and order in England would cease to be were lawyers deprived of their clerks to which profession David and Mr. Spenlow belong.
By and by, David’s arrival at Highgate pleases both Mrs. Steerforth and Rosa Dartle. Indeed, Miss Dartle takes the opportunity to ask David the cause of his prolonged absence from Highgate; she wonders if David’s job as a proctor is so fascinating that he couldn’t tear himself from it even if he tried. David assures her that it’s not that fascinating. Then, as if David knew, Miss Dartle plies David about Steerforth’s prolonged absence, insinuating that Steerforth has fallen in love with someone. When David assures her that he hasn’t a clue, Miss Dartle strongly urges David to keep her speculation a secret.
During dinner, Steerforth is unusually kind and solicitous of Miss Dartle who can’t help but be charmed. Indeed, later at the drawing room, at Steerforth’s behest, Miss Dartle sings an Irish song, which David finds haunting. Subsequently, Steerforth cozies up to Miss Dartle, and, draping his arm around her, playfully declares that they will henceforth love one another as opposed to being their usual selves, i.e. being at one another’s throats. Angrily Miss Dartle hits Steerforth, gets up, and storms out of the room. When Mrs. Steerforth asks about it, Steerforth replies that Rosa had been so unusually happy and lighthearted that it was only a matter of time before she reverted to her usual cross, unhappy self.
Later, before he falls asleep, Steerforth tells David that in the future, no matter what happens, that David should remember Steerforth at his best. Recalling how Agnes’ words made him think otherwise, David vows to do exactly that.