This news greatly distresses both the Steerforth and Peggotty families, leading Mr Peggotty to meet Mrs Steerforth. He is unsuccessful in his quest to rescue Emily because of Mrs Steerforth’s devotion to her son, and her snobbery causes her to scorn the Peggotty family. Miss Dartle regards Emily as a seductress, while Mr Peggotty and his nephew Ham, who was Emily's fiancé, consider Steerforth to have stolen Emily from them. David never admits his own responsibility in this. Mr Peggotty leaves home on a quest to find his niece, searching throughout Europe for her. Eventually Emily returns to England, where she is found by her uncle. On leaving Emily in Europe Steerforth leaves his man Littimer to tell her of his decision. Littimer then offers to marry her, knowing her disgraced state. She has enough pride to flee him. A while later, David makes another visit to Yarmouth and is caught in the midst of a great storm. When he reaches Yarmouth, this storm has reached the peak of its ferocity. The storm causes a ship to be wrecked near the coast, with sailors stranded aboard. Eventually all but one lone sailor have been washed away. Ham sees this and attempts to board the ship to rescue the sailor. After reaching the ship, he and the sailor are crushed and killed by a strong wave. Their bodies are afterwards dragged ashore. The sailor whom Ham sought to rescue is found to be Steerforth; his death brings grief and shock to both his mother and Miss Dartle. David Copperfield knows what Steerforth has done, but his admiration for him is so great, that even in his reckless death, David recalls Steerforth as he was at Salem House school, relaxing and at his ease. At this point Miss Dartle confesses that she had always loved Steerforth and desired to be his wife; she angrily blames Steerforth's associates (including his mother) for having corrupted him and led him to his demise.