David informs the reader that the source of his industriousness and positive attitude has always been Agnes. Thus with love and gratitude David spends some time with Agnes on the occasion of her and her father’s visit to Doctor Strong’s residence, which lasts a fortnight.
David isn’t surprised that Mrs. Heep, who persistently complains of rheumatism, has tagged along for the sake of treating her rheumatism, with a change of air. Neither is David surprised when a few days later Uriah Heep arrives at Highgate to keep his mother company at a nearby lodging.
Presently, Uriah who has managed to engage David in a conversation, at Doctor Strong’s residence, insinuates that there is something untoward going on between Jack Maldon and Annie, Doctor Strong’s wife who is also Jack Maldon’s cousin. Moreover, Uriah insinuates that David himself is wholly aware of the situation, and that David too disapproves. Disgusted with Uriah, David leaves Uriah to his own devices, as Jack Maldon is seen arriving in Highgate for one of his usual visits.
As David had proposed a meeting wherein Agnes would get to know Dora, as Dora’s aunts had approved of the meeting, and as Agnes had expressed her willingness to meet with Dora, David escorts Agnes to Putney on the appointed evening. David is anxious for Agnes to like Dora; his anxiety is unwarranted. Though at first Dora, who is afraid to make a bad impression, delays the meeting, Dora immediately takes a liking to Agnes and vice versa. Indeed, even Jip takes a liking to Agnes. At the meeting’s end, Dora has Agnes promise to keep up a regular correspondence, but not before she has a private moment with David during which Dora wonders how David had managed to maintain a sibling-like relationship with Agnes when they weren’t siblings per se.
When David and Agnes return to Highgate, David lauds Agnes for being the guardian angel of both he and Dora. His happiness is tempered, however, by Agnes’ situation vis-à-vis Uriah Heep, and when David implicitly refers to it, Agnes assures David that none of Uriah Heep’s aspirations with regard her will ever be realized. With that David parts with Agnes, Agnes to Doctor Strong’s residence where she and her father are guests and David to a nearby lodging, when David notices a light in Doctor Strong’s room. Loathe that the doctor is working on the dictionary without his help, David decides to drop in, if only to say hi, when David beholds Uriah Heep engaged in talk of some serious import with Doctor Strong and Mr. Wickfield.
To David’s chagrin, Uriah takes Doctor Strong to task for failing to notice the untoward goings-on between his wife Annie and Mr. Jack Maldon. To strengthen his claim, Uriah tries to have David substantiate the supposed untoward goings-on. David denies Uriah, but Mr. Wickfield, urged on by Uriah, admits that he had suspected as much, going so far as to say that he thought that Doctor Strong had helped Jack Maldon get a job in India for the sake of separating Mr. Maldon from Annie, and that he—Mr. Wickfield—had always been hesitant to have his daughter Agnes visit Doctor Strong’s residence on account of Annie and Jack Maldon whose influence Mr. Wickfield feared. Consequently, Doctor Strong wonders if his having married a woman half his age was a lapse in judgment, and that he should have thought about the situation from Annie’s point of view. However, Doctor Strong assures everyone that in his heart of hearts his feelings for Annie were of the noblest kind and that they remain so, i.e. he will consult with her whether she would prefer to remain his wife.
When Mr. Wickfield assists Doctor Strong to his bedroom, Uriah’s turns to David and remarks how the truth has finally come to light only to cringe with pain as David’s hand lands a blow on Uriah’s cheek. David excoriates Uriah for implicating him as someone who believed in a rumor that may or may not be true. When Uriah demands a better explanation, David accuses Uriah of being a low, dirty underhanded scoundrel and that his designs on Agnes will never amount to anything. Uriah protests, arguing that he will forget about this incident, and that he will forgive David.
Though the situation seems grave between Doctor Strong and Annie, David takes consolation in Mr. Dick who renews his friendship with Doctor Strong (they are old friends since their days in Canterbury) and who takes time to spend time with Annie, which prove salubrious for the young wife who seems to be under a great strain on account of her husband’s doubts about their marriage.
During the fortnight, David notices that Uriah is the recipient of periodic letters from Mr. Micawber who apprises Uriah of legal matters, making David glad for the sake of Mr. Micawber—after all he has a steady job now. Then one day, David receives a letter. It’s from Mrs. Micawber. Though happy her husband is working, Mrs. Micawber apprises David of an alarming development. Her husband is not his old self. His is secretive and insular and moreover sullen and callous. Can David advise her on how to get the old Mr. Micawber back?