'They arrived in the post. When we saw them we couldn't believe our eyes. I phoned her and she came in this morning. Phoebe Raife is now represented by Mulroy & Collitt.'
'Do you mean she's actually signed something?' Lee asked, feeling her mouth go dry.
'No point, my dear. She's a minor. Besides, I don't like to feel our models only stay with us because they're tied up with legal strings. Trust is nicer.'
That was true, Lee thought, frantically clutching at straws. If there was one crumb of comfort in this business it was that Phoebe could hardly have gone to a better agency.
'Anyway,' Brenda boomed on, 'I thought you'd be pleased, seeing as you brought it all about. A little bird tells me you're practically part of the family.'
'I'll be the skeleton in the cupboard after this,' Lee said frantically. 'Brenda, this is awful. Phoebe's going to Oxford.'
'Not according to her.'
'But you can't do this. I took those pictures as a birthday present for her. It was entirely private. They weren't meant to be used professionally.'
'You mean you didn't send her to us?'
'Of course I didn't. I don't even know how she knew that you- Oh, ye gods! Yes, I do!' Lee covered her eyes as the memory of Phoebe studying Roxanne's picture came back to her. 'Brenda, please, it was an accident. You mustn't take her on.'
'Lee, dear, I don't want to be obnoxious, but that's really between Phoebe and me. Whatever you meant her to do, she was free to come to us if she wanted. And modelling is obviously what she does want.'
Lee tore her hair. Brenda was right. She had no jurisdiction over Phoebe. And in different circumstances she would have congratulated the girl on her marvellous luck in being taken on by one of the best agencies in the business.
But none of this counted with Lee beside the inner conviction that Daniel was going to blame her.
She pulled herself together long enough to bid Brenda goodbye. As she replaced the receiver her eyes fell on a scrap of paper on the desk. It was a message in Gillian's writing.
.40 p.m. Daniel Raife phoned. Change of plan for tonight. Go straight to his house. Urgent. He said you'd understand. G.
Gillian returned at that moment. 'Oh good, you got it. I asked him if he wanted to talk to you, and he said. 'No, just tell her!''
'How did he sound?'
'Not friendly, to be honest. You two haven't had a row, have you?'
'Not yet, but it's coming.'
Daniel's front door opened as soon as Lee arrived, showing that he'd been waiting for her. He was scowling. 'Now see what your interference has led to,' he snapped.
'My-? Now wait a minute, Daniel. I knew nothing about this until half an hour ago. Phoebe sent the agency those pictures herself.'
'And how did she know where to send them?'
'She saw one of their posters on my studio wall.'
'I seem to remember your promising me that this wouldn't happen,' Daniel said, tight-lipped.
'I promised that I wouldn't send the pictures out, but I had no power to stop Phoebe doing anything she wanted.'
'You could have taken the poster down. Then she wouldn't have known how to go about this mad caper.'
Lee groaned. 'Honestly, Daniel, I don't understand how you can know so little about Phoebe. Or rather, you do know her but you don't use what you know.'
They'd gone into the front room. Despite his temper Daniel poured Lee a glass of her favourite dry sherry. As she began to sip it he said, 'Are you going to explain that cryptic remark?'
'You told me yourself how determined Phoebe is. She's just like you as you must have been when you were fighting to get custody of her. Any other man would have given up, but not you. Not with that chin. Well, have a look at Phoebe's chin some time. You'll find it's like looking in the mirror.'
Daniel gave a faint grunt of laughter. He suppressed it at once and the scowl returned to his face, but Lee knew the comparison hadn't displeased him.
'What Phoebe wants, she wants,' Lee resumed. 'And what she wants is to be a model. You'd have to lock her up to stop her.'
Daniel didn't answer this directly. He left the room and went into his study. When he returned he was holding a paper which he held out to Lee. Her eyes widened as she read the contents.
'A scholarship to Oxford. Phoebe's a young genius,' she breathed. 'When did this arrive?'
'This morning, while Phoebe was out. When she came back she told me she'd spent the morning with Mulroy & Collitt, that they'd taken her on and that she was starting work as soon as possible.'
'Didn't this make any difference?'
'She said she wouldn't be seen dead at Oxford,' Daniel said bitterly.
Lee felt a pang of pity for him. His face was haggard at the memory of Phoebe's dismissive words. Daniel had dreamed of this moment for years, and now the daughter he adored had hurled it back in his face.
'Darling, I'm sorry,' Lee said helplessly. 'I think Phoebe's quite mad, but-'
'Well, I'm very interested to hear that,' he said with a return of anger, 'considering that you, more than anyone, have helped to bring about this disaster. Phoebe asked your advice. You could have put a stop to it, there and then-'
'By lying to her? By telling her she had no talent when she's actually one of the most dazzling girls I've seen in years? Oh, no, Daniel. Not even for you.'
'Thank you! That tells me where I stand, I suppose.'
'I warned you that I'd tell her the truth if she asked for it.'
'Lee, let me tell you something. When someone you love stabs you in the back, it is not made more acceptable by the fact that she warned you in advance.'
White-faced, Lee stared at him, wondering if this was the same gentle, endearing man she'd thought she knew. Daniel's face was hard and set with fury, and he'd quickly reached a stage where he no longer cared-or even knew-what he was saying.
'I'm not taking that from you,' she said at last. 'I've never stabbed you in the back and I'm damned if I'm going to stay here and be abused.' She slammed her glass down and turned to the door. 'You can call me when you feel able to talk in a civilised fashion.'
She'd got only two steps before Daniel's arm came out and stopped her. 'All right,' he said in a curt voice. 'I shouldn't have said that. I apologise.'
Lee turned back into the room. There was nothing else to do since Daniel was between her and the door. His apology hadn't improved the atmosphere since plainly it had only been a formality to prevent her leaving.
'You must see that I couldn't have lied to her about how good she is,' she said in a placating voice.
'It's a matter of opinion, isn't it?' Daniel said, tight-lipped. 'You think she's talented-'
'So do Mulroy & Collitt, who've seen models come and go. And my opinion is a professional one. I have my ethics too, you know. Phoebe knew you were peering over my shoulder. If I'd given her the thumbs-down she'd simply have gone elsewhere for an unbiased opinion.'
He made a sound that was perilously near a snort.
'Be reasonable, Daniel,' Lee pleaded. 'You're so proud of her intelligence, you shouldn't be surprised if she uses it to get her own way-just as you do. You couldn't have stopped her discovering her own talents and nor should you try. You once talked about her fulfilling her potential, but she has more than one potential and you have no right to dictate to her which one she fulfils.'
'I'm acting for her own good-'
'That's a hoary old excuse. You should be ashamed to use it.' Lee stood back and regarded him wryly. 'The 'women's champion' is a bit of a fraud really, isn't he?'
'For the love of heaven, will you forget all that stuff?' Daniel roared. 'This is reality. I'm not just talking about Phoebe's talents as a clothes-horse. Before she stormed out of here today we had the grandfather of all rows, in the course of which she let slip that you'd told her she was entitled to decide her future for herself.'
