Sayers new life Part II

In her letters to John Cornous, Dorothy discussed the possibility of his helping her to find a new man. She wanted to be married rather than engage in another affair. 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. But around this time, she met "Mac" Fleming, a journalist, who had been in the Army. He was now 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. He suffered from health issues relating to his war service. He had left his wife and children and ceased to send money for them, so his wife got a divorce. Dorothy was probably not deeply in love with him but at first they got on well. He seemed to be all right with her previous relationship and her having a son. Dorothy told Ivy that while she hoped to adopt John Anthony, later, she and Mac were working 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 in her house, who provided him with companionship. Mac agreed to adopt John later on, and he met the child. He and Dorothy moved into her flat, and they settled down to married life. He was fond of cookery and good food as was Dorothy. He helped her with her books as he knew about advertising. 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. The liked him. He was affable and good natured and he seemed very fond of Dorothy, taking care of her when she was ill. The first years seemed happy. Dorothy was working very hard, and Mac also had his work and helping his wife. They followed 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 was writing her 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. Mac had arrears of income tax to pay off. His health was not good. He had stomach problems after his war service and he became increasingly depressed at his poor health. They 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.