Sayers new life Part II

 In her letters to John Cornous, Dorothy discussed the possibility of his helping her to find a new man, and reminded him that she wanted to be married rather than engage in another relationship.  She may have felt that outside Bloomsbury, there might not be many men at that time who would take on a wife who already had a child by someone else.  However, she did meet "Mac" Fleming, a journalist, who had been in the Army and who was presently writing on sports and motor racing..  He was several years' Dorothy's senior and was divorced from his wife..  He had been in the Boer war and then in World War one.. and he suffered from health issues relating to his war service.  Although it was not apparent at the time, he also suffered from PTSD.. 

He had left his wife and children and ceased to send money for them, and his wife had sued for divorce.  Dorothy was probably not deeply in love with him but at first they got on well and he seemed to be all right with her previous relationship and the existence of her son.  However Dorothy told Ivy that while she hoped to adopt John Anthony, and bring him to her home later, at present, she and Mac were both working full time and did not have the space or time to look after the child.   Ivy lived in the country and could give him full time attention, and she had other children living with her who provided him with companionship.  Mac seems to have agreed to adopt John later on, and he met the child.

He and Dorothy moved into her flat in Bloomsbury and they settled down to married life.   He was fond of cookery and good food which was another interest they had in common.  He helped Dorothy with her books as he knew about PR.. 

However he and Dorothy were not able to marry in church, due to his divorce.  They married in a registry office and she took him home to meet her parents.  They liked him.  He was affable and good natured and he seemed very fond of Dorothy, taking care of her when she was ill and supporting her in her work. 

The first years of their marriage seemed happy.  Dorothy was working very hard, and Mac also had his work and helping his wife.   They frequented race tracks following motor and motorbike racing venues as this was an interest they shared.  They also enjoyed the cinema and the music hall though he did not really share her more academic interests.  

Dorothy went on with writing the Wimsey books, gradually making her hero a deeper and more developed character.  The books sold well but she kept up her job at Bensons for some years.  She liked working in town but there was a lot of pressure in her life, especially as Mac had arrears of income tax to pay off.  His health was uncertain.. he had been left with stomach problems after his war service and he became increasingly depressed at his poor health.  Dorothy was reluctant to bring her son into their home as she felt that Mac would not be able to put up with a small child..  They also often had elderly relatives staying.  Mac was generally a "good husband" but as time passed and he became more depressed he began to drink more, which did not help his physical health problems.