But he left out altogether the moral effect of the
big landlord living on his own land, and being surrounded by his
own dependents, which his father, on the other hand, so vastly
over-estimated. It was clear that there was not likely to be much accord
between them on this subject.
"But could you not go down there perhaps once or twice a week, and get
Bailey to come and consult you here?" he asked.
Lord Ashbridge held his head very high.
"That would be completely out of the question," he said.
All this, Michael felt, had nothing to do with the problem of his
mother and himself. It was outside it altogether, and concerned only
his father's convenience. He was willing to press this point as far as
possible.
"I had imagined you would stop in London," he said. "Supposing under
these circumstances I refuse to live with you?"
"I should draw my own conclusion as to the sincerity of your profession
of duty towards your mother."
"And practically what would you do?" asked Michael.
"Your mother and I would go to Ashbridge tomorrow all the same."
Another alternative suddenly suggested itself to Michael which he was
almost ashamed of proposing, for it implied that his father put his own
convenience as outweighing any other consideration.
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