On account of his success at freelance writing and at reporting Parliamentary debates, David has ceased to work as Doctor’s Strong’s assistant. As they live nearby, however, David frequently visits Doctor Strong and his youthful wife Annie. Likewise, David’s aunt, Mr. Dick, and Dora are Doctor Strong’s and Annie’s frequent visitors.
During one of David’s visits, Annie’s mother Mrs. Markleham, who is a constant presence there (indeed she lives with Annie and Doctor Strong), praises Doctor Strong for encouraging his young wife Annie to take part in diversionary and recreational activities, apart from him, as if it was a matter of course that their age discrepancy cramped Annie’s style. Mrs. Markleham’s presumption couldn’t be further from the truth, however, which is something that David knows but is no position to debunk. As for Annie, she finds her mother’s presumption offensive but doesn’t object lest her outburst end up distressing her husband.
One day David is busy writing at home when Mr. Dick interrupts. David indulges Mr. Dick who prefaces his determination to do something about the unhappiness lingering between Doctor Strong and Annie by drawing David’s attention to his—Mr. Dick’s—mental infirmity. Making the point that as people mentally stronger than him, namely, David and David’s aunt, can’t seem to do much on behalf of Doctor Strong and Annie, Mr. Dick avows to do that which others could not.
About three weeks has passed since Mr. Dick had made his avowal when David and his aunt pay Doctor Strong and Annie a visit. (Dora is disinclined to visit on this day, while Mr. Dick is already there, at Doctor Strong’s.) As Doctor Strong is busy conferring with lawyers in his study, Annie, who has greeted the visitors, escorts them to the drawing room where they wait when Mrs. Markleham walks in and complains about one thing or another. She complains that there not enough lit-candles in the house. She also complains that there isn’t in a suitable chair for her to sit in, in the house. For variety, she praises Doctor Strong who is drawing up his last will and testament wherein he has made Annie his sole heiress. This last bit of talk upsets Annie to the extent she goes out to the veranda for fresh air.
When the lawyers leave, Mrs. Markleham takes it upon herself to escort the visitors to Doctor Strong’s study. All the while, David notices Mr. Dick hovering about in the shadows. Indeed, when Annie, who is still upset, reappears, Mr. Dick goes to her aid. Presently, with Mr. Dick acting as her guardian angel, Annie goes on her knees before her husband. Despite her mother who hectors Annie not to make a public spectacle of her herself and to get up off of her knees, Annie asks her husband for an explanation, an explanation as to why there seems to be a festering unhappiness lingering between them. Indeed, the request is addressed to everyone present in the room. If anyone knows please speak up, Annie exhorts. Subsequently, David speaks up and refers to the evening when Uriah Heep had villainously suggested that everyone, including Doctor Strong, was aware that Annie and her cousin Jack Maldon were carrying on, and that everyone, including Doctor Strong, chose to turn a blind eye to it, creating a very unwholesome situation for all involved. Consequently, Annie makes an impassioned plea of how much she loves Doctor Strong, of how she hadn’t consented to marry Doctor Strong for the sake of relieving a debt her family owed, and of how, her flaws notwithstanding, she will love and honor Doctor Strong unto death. David is so moved by Annie’s passion that he keeps turning over one of Annie’s phrases, the phrase “There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.” Meanwhile, David’s aunt gives Mr. Dick all the credit for Annie’s and Doctor Strong’s reconciliation.