A little over a week has passed since David has started to work as Doctor Strong’s secretary. During this time, Mr. Dick profitably continues with his copying work, while David’s aunt, who has become good friends with Peggotty, gets a handle on Mrs. Crupp’s overbearing ways to the extent of intimidating Mrs. Crupp into submission. As to Peggotty, she returns to Yarmouth to attend to business which she has promised to take care of on behalf of Ham. As David sees her off, Peggotty insists that if David is ever in financial need that he must apply to Peggotty first and foremost; David promises that he will.
It is about at this time when David gets word from Miss Mills that David may meet Dora at Miss Mills’ residence when Miss Mills’ father will go out to attend a club meeting. Thus, on the appointed Saturday, David repairs to Miss Mill’s residence, where after for what seems an interminable wait for Mr. Mills to depart for his club meeting, David finally gets a chance to see his beloved.
At once, David tries to have Dora come to grips with David’s state of hardship but to no avail. Frightened at the mention of David being a beggar, Dora begins to cry, asks David to leave her side, and asks for Miss Mills. Somehow David manages to soothe Dora, but as he begins to persuade Dora of the their need to work and be industrious if they are ever to get married, Dora again cries, asks David to leave her side, and ask for Miss Mills, to the extent of fainting.
Presently, as Miss Mills arrives on the scene, Dora is revived, and David confesses that he is the cause of Dora’s prostration. David explains to Miss Mills why and how Dora has reacted the way she has to which Miss Mills reminds David that Dora is of a delicate nature, and that she isn’t someone who is cut out to handle a dose of reality however necessary the measure. True to Miss Mill’s words, as David and Dora reconcile, Dora refutes David’s arguments, the need to work and be industrious, with simple minded aplomb.