Читать книгу The Passionate Quest онлайн

55 страница из 87

"You are going to leave us?" she faltered, in genuine distress.

"I certainly am," he agreed. "In a very short time, I shall have a definite position in the city, and I shall have to commence to make my way in other directions. Maltby Street is of no use to me at all. I have looked at some rooms to-day in the neighbourhood of St. James's Street. I shall move in there next week. You can come there with me, if you like—but not Philip."

"But not Philip?" she repeated, a little dazed. "Why, what is he to do, then?"

"That is not my business," Matthew replied. "I must tell you frankly, Rosina, that I am not proposing to cumber myself with a kindergarten. I will take care of you—you need not do any work at all unless you like—but I am certainly not prepared to support Philip."

She looked across the table at him with horrified eyes.

"You are going to leave us—you would have me leave him—just now, when he needs help most?" she protested. "Matthew, tell me that you don't mean it? You are spoiling everything."