trying. Don't make it more painful by going away. I'll lose you soon enough as it is, but I couldn't face a sharp break now. You can do this last thing for your poor old dad, can't you?'
A faint smile touched Phoebe's perfect mouth. As Lee had guessed, an appeal to the heart had swayed her where reasoning would have failed. She disentangled her fingers from Mark's and returned to Daniel, looking intently into his face. 'You promise not to nag and criticise me?'
'When have I ever-? I promise, I promise.'
'No sitting up to wait for me?'
'I can't promise that, but I won't make a big deal of it.'
'No interrogations?'
'No interrogations. But am I allowed to ask questions about your new life, out of curiosity?'
'Of course. But no pressure.'
'No pressure. I know you'll be sensible and not accept bookings that are a bit-you know…'
'A bit what?'
'You know,' he floundered. 'Posing in skimpy clothes with men who aren't wearing much either…'
'You mean underwear?' Phoebe asked, scandalised. 'I'm not going to model underwear. I'd die rather.'
'That's fine, darling, I'm glad you've got a sense of modesty and-'
'Brenda says that kind of work is a dead end,' Phoebe interrupted him earnestly. 'I'm going to the top, Dad, and you don't go to the top by modelling knickers and vests.'
They were still poles apart, but Daniel was fast learning the lesson of resignation and said meekly, 'I'll keep my opinions to myself in future. Besides,' he added with a wry touch of humour, 'if you're going to make a fortune, I may need to touch you for a handout.'
Phoebe's laughter pealed out and she hugged him fiercely. In her young, egotistical delight, she enjoyed her victory without conscience, unaware that her defeated opponent was hanging on the ropes. Only Lee saw the strain and sadness in Daniel's face before he bent to kiss his child.
Brenda Mulroy did her best to ease Lee's plight, inviting Daniel to her office and talking to him in a down-to- earth way about his daughter's prospects. She painted a realistic portrait of Phoebe's future career, which included the fact that several well-known photographers had already seen her pictures and been impressed. She meant to reassure him, but Lee knew that every encouraging word twisted a knife in his heart.
What reassured him more was Brenda herself, a plump, motherly woman in her fifties with a ready laugh. Even so, it took a while for his bristling defensiveness to subside, and that evening it all returned in a wave of black gloom.
'What about this course Phoebe's started?' he demanded of Lee as they stood in his kitchen watching a pot simmer.
'She needs to learn the tricks of the trade. The course will teach her what make-up to use and how to apply it for the camera. She'll learn things about her hair, her diet, her skin type, how to take care of herself-how to be a professional.'
'It sounds expensive.'
'A couple of thousand.'
'I knew it!' he said, outraged. 'It's nothing but a con trick to delude innocent girls into parting with their money.'
'Nonsense! Phoebe will pay it back out of her future earnings over the next year. I promise you, she'll earn a great deal more than two thousand. Please, Daniel, stop being paranoid.'
'Paranoid?' he growled. 'Of course I'm paranoid. I'm the father of a sixteen-year-old girl. It goes with the territory.'
Phoebe herself was blissfully happy, lost in graphs and colour charts, experimenting with a wide new range of products and techniques. She'd arrived home an hour earlier, greeted them cheerfully and hurried up to her room. When Daniel called that the meal was ready she descended with her face covered in green paste.
'It's a face mask,' she explained to her stunned father. 'I have to keep it on for a couple of hours.'
Daniel swallowed. 'Sit down at the table,' he said faintly.
Something was troubling Lee. 'Phoebe, weren't you supposed to be-?' The ringing of the front doorbell interrupted her.
Daniel answered it, and a moment later ushered Mark into the room. He was formally dressed and had started to say 'Is Phoebe ready yet-?' when he saw the green apparition and blenched. Phoebe's hands flew to her mouth.
'Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry. I forgot.'
'Forgot? After all the trouble I took to get the tickets-you forgot? Well, never mind. If you hurry we'll just make it.'
'But I can't take this off,' Phoebe said with a little scream. 'I've only just put it on.'
'Can't you put it on again when you come home?' Mark demanded in outrage.
'No, I've only got this one pot. Tomorrow I have to tell my instructor how it affected me.'
Mark tore his hair. 'The curtain goes up in an hour. Are you coming or not?'
'How can I come like this?' Phoebe protested. 'Well, what did you put it on for, woman?' Daniel bristled at this form of address but Lee put a hand on his arm. 'I'm sure Phoebe can cope with Mark,' she murmured, 'Remember whose daughter she is.'
'I'm sorry,' Phoebe wailed. 'It just slipped my mind that we were going out tonight.'
'Oh, that's nice!' Mark exclaimed with heavy sarcasm. 'That's nice, isn't it? I may as well go, then.'
'You're welcome to stay and eat with us,' Daniel said.
'Thanks, but no thanks,' Mark said shortly. His handsome young face was marred by a petulant scowl. 'I won't stay where I'm not wanted.'
'You are wanted,' Lee pointed out. 'You've just been invited.'
'Some people don't want me,' Mark said with a black look at Phoebe 'Some people let me queue for tickets for the hottest show in town and then let it slip their mind. Some people forget me as soon as they have other interests and will probably be glad to see the back of me. Goodnight, everybody.'
'Stay for supper.' Lee repeated Daniel's invitation.
He threw her a smouldering look. 'Please don't worry about me. I can have a cheese sandwich when I get home.'
He departed with dignity. Lee struggled to control her face and even Daniel had to stop his lips twitching. Only Phoebe didn't find Mark's behaviour amusing. She gave a wail and flapped her hands.
'Don't worry too much,' Lee told her. 'It'll do him a power of good to know that your world doesn't revolve around him.'
'But I can't just let him go like that,' Phoebe wept, 'all hurt and miserable. Oh, how could I forget about tonight?'
'Because you had more important things to consider,' Daniel said with elaborate casualness. 'The trouble is, men resent women who are more successful than they are. Ouch! That was my shin.'
'Serves you right for saying something so prehistoric,' Lee hissed. 'You ought to be ashamed of trying to manipulate this situation.'
'I'm not. I just want to be sure Phoebe understands what's happening. Let him go, Phoebe. Be strong. Remember whose daughter you are.'
'I think you're hateful and heartless,' Phoebe cried. The next moment she was flying out into the street, calling, 'Mark, darling, wait-please.'
Daniel groaned. 'There's a sight that'll give the neighbours something to talk about for a week.'
Lee hardly heard him. For a moment the ghost of her young self was there, hurrying after Jimmy, begging him. 'Don't be angry, please, Jimmy… I didn't mean it… It was my fault…' To be eternally placating: the worst mistake you could make. Asking to be bullied.
'Anything wrong?' Daniel asked her.
'No,' she said hastily, and forced a smile to her face. 'Everything's fine.'
The young couple returned a few minutes later, apparently reconciled, but the rest of the evening wasn't a success. Phoebe refused to remove her face mask and Mark endured the meal with an air of gloom suitable to a man whose beloved had turned into Frankenstein's monster. Even when she finally washed her face matters were
