That did not concern him.
"I will make arrangements to come at once," he said, "if you can receive me to-day." "That will hardly be worth while, will it?
I am taking your mother back to Ashbridge tomorrow." Michael got up in silence.

After all, this gift of himself, of his time, of his liberty, of all that constituted life to him, was made not to his father, but to his mother.

It was made, as his heart knew, not ungrudgingly only, but eagerly, and if it had been recommended by the doctor that she should go to Ashbridge, he would have entirely disregarded the large additional sacrifice on himself which it entailed.
Thus it was not owing to any retraction of his gift, or reconsideration of it, that he demurred.
"I hope you will--will meet me half-way about this, sir," he said.

"You must remember that all my work lies in London.

I want, naturally, to continue that as far as I can.