For the next two days, Winterborne calls on the Millers but does not find them at home. The third day was Mrs. Walker’s party, which Winterborne attended. Mrs. Miller arrived by herself and told Mrs. Walker that she left Daisy alone with Mr. Giovanelli. Daisy had pushed Mrs. Miller out the door because she wanted to practice some singing with her new friend. Mrs. Walker is shocked and feels Daisy is intentionally being improper.
At eleven, Daisy comes bustling in with Mr. Giovanelli and gaily chats with everyone. With charming vivacity she tells Mrs. Walker that Mr. Giovanelli sings quite well. During the party, her companion conducts himself according to all the proper forms of behavior, while Daisy gaily chats with everyone. When she approaches Winterborne, she mentions how strange Mrs. Walker’s behavior was the day before. Daisy thinks it would have been highly improper to desert Mr. Giovanelli. Winterborne explains that it was wrong for Mr. Giovanelli to ask her to walk because he “would never have proposed to a young lady of this country to walk about the streets with him.” Daisy’s response is that she is glad she is not a young lady of this country, for they must have a bad time of it. Winterborne tells her that her “habits are those of a flirt” and Daisy explains that all “nice girls are flirts.” But she doesn’t like to flirt with Winterborne because he is so stiff.
Winterborne continues to explain that Daisy’s actions in public are being talked about and her reputation is in danger. Daisy responds by saying that at least Mr. Giovanelli doesn’t say such unpleasant things to her. The gentleman in question arrives and offers Daisy some tea, which she accepts, observing that she prefers weak tea to good advice.
When Daisy goes to bid her hostess goodnight, Mrs. Walker intentionally turns her back and leaves Daisy “to depart with what grace she might.” Winterborne observes the entire scene and sees Daisy turn “very pale.” When Winterborne tells Mrs. Walker how cruel it was, she responds that Daisy will never again enter her drawing room.
After this, Winterborne often calls at the Millers and always finds Mr. Giovanelli there. Daisy is never upset and can converse as brightly with two men as with one. Winterborne is convinced from these visits that Daisy is very much interested in her Italian friend.
With his aunt, Winterborne admits that Daisy’s actions are strange, since the young lady apparently does not want to marry and he cannot believe that Mr. Giovanelli expects it. Furthermore, Winterborne has made inquiries about “the little Italian,” and discovered him to be an undistinguished lawyer.
Constantly hearing more about Daisy’s many indiscretions, Winterborne decides to try approaching Mrs. Miller. Hearing one day that Daisy is riding through town alone with Mr. Giovanelli, he goes to visit Mrs. Miller. But the mother is so unconcerned that he considered his attempt futile.
Some days later, Winterborne meets Daisy and her companion in the Palace of the Caesars. Daisy thinks Winterborne is annoyed at her because she goes around so much with Mr. Giovanelli. He explains that he is not as annoyed as others are and that the others will show it by being disagreeable. She wonders why Winterborne allows people to be unkind to her. He says that he has tried to defend her by telling everyone that Daisy’s mother considers her to be engaged. At first Daisy declares that she is engaged and immediately says that she is not. She then leaves with her companion.
A week later, Winterborne is returning from a party and decides to stroll into the Colosseum to see it in the moonlight. As he draws near, he hears voices, one of which he recognizes as belonging to Miss Daisy Miller. He stops and observes her and Mr. Giovanelli. Suddenly, he realizes that Daisy is “a young lady whom a gentleman need no longer be at pains to respect.” As he is leaving, he hears Daisy cry out that Mr. Winterborne is cutting her.
Winterborne goes to her and reminds her of the danger of the Roman fever. He then wonders why Mr. Giovanelli countenanced such an imprudent action. The Italian explains that he told Miss Miller it would be an indiscretion, but she insisted upon seeing the Colosseum by moonlight. Winterborne advises them to leave immediately.
As Giovanelli goes for the carriage, Daisy asks Winterborne if he still thinks of her as engaged. He tells her “it makes very little difference whether” she is engaged or not. As Daisy leaves, she seems changed and says that she does not care whether she catches the fever or not.
A few days later Winterborne hears that Daisy is sick. He goes to call at the hotel and learns that Miss Miller is seriously ill. The mother comes to him and gives him a message from Daisy. He hears that when she gained consciousness, she wanted her mother to be sure and tell Mr. Winterborne that she was not engaged. She also asked him to remember their visit to the castle in Switzerland.
A week after this, Daisy dies. At the funeral, Winterborne meets Mr. Giovanelli, who speaks of Daisy in the best terms and concludes by saying she was the most innocent person. He admits that she would have never married him, but he still admired her tremendously.
The following summer when he is visiting his aunt, Winterborne speaks of the injustice he had done to Daisy. He tells Mrs. Costello that Daisy sent him messages from her deathbed that he now understands. She would have appreciated someone’s esteem. Winterborne thinks that he has indeed lived “too long in foreign parts.”
