Even though Rosa and Watt's relationship is subtly continued with this chapter (see annotation of 'Carry on') Dickens writes the word slightly, perhaps to remind himself to keep it brief.

Like how Jo's name is in noticeably larger writing than all of the other notes in this section, this little line could be pointing to 'Boy. Jo'. If this is what Dickens intended with this dash, it could further indicate how important he found establishing Jo and prominently featuring him to be.

The interlude between the Dedlocks returning to Chesney Wold and the interview with Tulkinghorn contains a section where Dickens chronicles the talk of the 'brilliant and distinguished circle' and Dickens appears to use the scene as a satirical moment. Perhaps the notes here imply his thought process for coming up with the many, many rhyming names used throughout this few paragraphs. This brief moment also shows the attitude that many of the wealthy have, including Mr. Turveydrop later on in the novel, that the country is 'shipwrecked' as Sir Leichester puts it. By having this conversation seemingly amount to nothing ('because you can't provide for Noodle!') Dickens could be playing with the idea of an ineffective government, like how the entire novel critiques an ineffective court system.

Then there is my Lord Boodle...he perceives with astonishment that supposing the present government to be overthrown, the limited choice of the Crown, in the formation of a new ministry, would lie between Lord Coodle and Sir Thomas Doodle—supposing it to be impossible for the Duke of Foodle to act with Goodle, which may be assumed to be the case in consequence of the breach arising out of that affair with Hoodle. Then, giving the Home Department and the leadership of the House of Commons to Joodle, the Exchequer to Koodle, the Colonies to Loodle, and the Foreign Office to Moodle, what are you to do with Noodle...the country is shipwrecked, lost, and gone to pieces (as is made manifest to the patriotism of Sir Leicester Dedlock) because you can't provide for Noodle!

By having the Dedlocks vacation in Paris, Dickens once again reminds the readers of their wealthy and status in society, yet he also uses it as an opportunity of setting Lady Dedlock apart. Her dislike or boredom of Paris can be read in two ways. The initial reader might take it as her being haughty even to a city like Paris, but a second reading makes one notice how Dickens establishes early on that Lady Dedlock is not all that she appears to be. She is not bored to death of Paris because she views herself as above it, but rather she is a character who has experienced great struggles and will experience more, as Dickens foreshadows with the scene of the couple returning to Chesney Wold:

She cannot, therefore, go too fast from Paris. Weariness of soul lies before her, as it lies behind—her Ariel has put a girdle of it round the whole earth, and it cannot be unclasped.

The title of this chapter seems to most clearly refer to the watching that occurs between Lady Dedlock and Tulkinghorn, which is most prominently highlighted in the final paragraphs of the chapter, which foreshadows their struggle throughout the novel.

whether each evermore watches and suspects the other, evermore mistrustful of some great reservation; whether each is evermore prepared at all points for the other, and never to be taken unawares; what each would give to know how much the other knows—all this is hidden, for the time, in their own hearts.

Esther's chapter, already dealing with Richard's struggle to choose a profession, Esther's avoidance of Mr. Guppy, and Richard and Ada's engagement, was already very busy so the cutting of Miss Jellyby makes sense.

This installment begins a connection that will ultimately become very significant in the story, that of Lady Dedlock's interest in Rosa. This interest, which leads Lady Dedlock to declare her wanting to give Rosa everything she can to make her happy, will ultimately be the downfall of Lady Dedlock. Tulkinghorn will use her affection against her by threatening to ruin Rosa's prospects of marrying Watt. Hortense's jealously also leads to her help in the conspiracy.

"Come here Rosa!" Lady Dedlock beckons her, with even an appearance of interest. "Why, do you know how pretty you are, child?"

There are multiple mentions of 'cold sunshine' throughout the chapter. Dickens here is noting the literal weather but could also be hinting at Lady Dedlock's nature as well. Despite the day being 'clear' and Chesney Wold having 'taken heart' the cold sunlight, there is a sinister mood over the scene.

Athwart the picture of my Lady, over the great chimney-piece, it (the sunlight) throws a broad bend-sinister of light that strikes down crookedly into the hearth and seems to rend it.

The chapter also introduces Hortense, who will have much more significance later on. The fact that her name is introduced with the concept of her being jealous at Rosa establishes the conflict between Lady Dedlock and Hortense.

She, Hortense, been in my Lady's service since five years and always kept at the distance, and this doll, this puppet, caressed—absolutely caressed—by my Lady on the moment of her arriving at the house!

Slightly more development is added onto Rosa and Watt's relationship, even if Watt only appears briefly. Dickens implies Watt has returned to Chesney Wold not just to see Mrs. Rouncewell but Rosa as well.

(Watt) has been home and come back again, he is such a good grandson..."I am glad of that," says Watt, "because I have an inexpressible desire to extend my knowledge of this beautiful neighbourhood." He happens to glance at Rosa, who looks down and is very shy indeed.

The fact that this small note is underlined twice and then seems to be the subject of a line that jots it way from the left to the right page of the working notes could say something about how important Dickens felt this scene to be. Jo sweeping Nemo's grave turns out to be a major plot point as Lady Dedlock will ask to see the same spot in a few chapters, and Jo helping her will make him the subject of Tulkinghorn and Bucket's investigations.

It then, with an old broom it carries, softly sweeps the step and makes the archway clean. It does so very busily and trimly, looks in again a little while, and so departs.

The lack of memoranda and notes for Esther's narrative might suggest that unlike the previous two chapters, Dickens had Esther's chapters planned thoroughly in his head and found no reason to write any notes for this particular chapter.

Circling this section, Dickens highlights how important the relationship and the suspicion between Lady Dedlock and Tulkinghorn is for the rest of the novel. The circling could also indicate how it is meant to be the final significant part of the chapter.

Dickens questions whether or not to include Caddy Jellby in this chapter, but ultimately decides not to. Instead she appears in the next number in chapter 14.

Dickens considers including a mention of the picture of Lady Dedlock that has previously been used to hint at a connection between Esther and Lady Dedlock, but he ultimately decides not to do so. Instead the chapter focuses on the relationship between Lady Dedlock and Rosa and especially Mr. Tulkinghorn.

Dickens large font here indicates the importance that Jo will serve later on, the fact that he is not a one-off character as the reader might have thought. Jo is questioned in regards to Nemo's death, and his reaction establishes that there may also be more to Nemo than the reader thinks:

He wos wery good to me, he wos!

By linking all those smaller ideas to the large note of 'Coroner's Inquest' Dickens seems to be mapping out of the organization of the chaos of the verdict of Nemo's death as 'accidental'. This is seen with the line here:

The coroner is to sit in the first-floor room at the Sol's Arms, where the Harmonic Meetings take place twice a week and where the chair is filled by a gentleman of professional celebrity, faced by Little Swills, the comic vocalist, who hopes (according to the bill in the window) that his friends will rally round him and support first-rate talent.

Almost of of the words found in this series of notes make their way into the sentence above.