Part 71 (1/2)
”Yes, I am prepared to fight with you ... but I'm not going to take risks with the baby!...”
”What's he got to do with it?”
She turned on him angrily. ”Are you willing to let him suffer for your books, too? Do you think I'm going to let my child go without things to feed your pride?...”
”He won't have to go without things. I'll earn enough for him and for you.”
”Yes, I know. We've seen something of that already. Well, I'm not going back to London, John. I'm simply not going back. You can't expect me to go from this house where I'm happy to that little poky flat in Hampstead and sit there night after night while you are at the office!...”
”Other women do it, don't they?”
”Other women can do what they like. If they're content to live like that, they can, but I'm not content. I don't like that life, and I won't live it. You must make up your mind to that. It isn't necessary for you to go back to the _Sensation_ office--you can stay here and help Uncle William!”
”Become a grocer!...”
”Why not? Isn't it better to be a good grocer than a bad novelist?”
His face flushed and he breathed very heavily. ”You're all against me, the whole lot of you. You make little of me. I get no help or encouragement at all. My ma and you and Hinde!...”
”If you were good at that work, you would not need encouragement, would you?”
”I don't need it. I can do without it. I'll prove to you yet that I can write as well as anybody. Never you fear, Eleanor!...”
”I'm not going back to London,” she said.
”Well, then, you can stay behind. I'll go back by myself!”
Mrs. MacDermott came into the room. ”What's the matter?” she asked.
”Nothing,” John replied. ”I'm going back to London this evening.
Eleanor says she's going to stay here!...”
”For good?”
”Aye ... for good.”
”And you? When are you coming back?”
”I'm not coming back. She'll have to come to me. You're always talking about the pride of the MacDermotts. Well, I'll show you some of it.
I'll not put my foot inside this house till Eleanor comes back to me.
It's me that settles where we live ... not her ... not anybody. Do you think I'm going to throw up everything now when I've made a start? I've a new book coming out soon. You know that well ... the whole of you. I know you don't think much of it, Eleanor!...”
”I didn't say that,” she interjected.
”But I think a lot of it. I know it's good. I'm sure it's good. And if it does well. I'll be able to leave the _Sensation_ office, and we can live happily together ... but you'll have to come to me. I won't come here to you!...”
He turned to his mother. ”Mebbe you're content now,” he said. ”You've got your way. There's a MacDermott in the house to carry on the business when he's old enough. You'll not need me now!”