keep taking Phoebe out in that tomato on wheels. So he's going to give in without actually admitting that he's giving in. You'll be careful what you say to him, won't you, Mum?'
'I'll try to be tactful, darling,' Lee said meekly.
'He's madly sensitive about money, now Phoebe's earning so much. He took her to dinner last week and she lacerated his feelings by offering to go Dutch. Luckily she saw the light in time and meekly allowed him to pay for her.'
'Daniel Raife's daughter did that?'
'She's in love,' Sonya intoned, in the manner of someone announcing a terminal disease. 'And so is he. Honestly, they're dead boring, both of them. What's that for, Mum?' Lee had given her an impulsive hug.
'It's gratitude, darling. At least one person around here has kept a clear head on her shoulders.'
'You wait till it's my turn,' Sonya said wickedly. 'Any day now I'm due to turn into a fiend who stays out late every night, wears punk make-up, dates yobbos and snarls, 'Gerroff my back!' every time you speak to me. Most girls my age are already doing that, but luckily for you I'm a late developer.'
'Thank you, darling,' Lee said faintly.
In fact her relationship with Sonya was fast becoming the one stable point in a turbulent world. Mark's moods were on a roller coaster, depending on how often he saw Phoebe.
The negotiations about the car money were handled delicately on both sides. Mark loftily deigned to accept three thousand pounds, without any reference to their previous battles. What Sonya had called 'the tomato on wheels' vanished, never to be seen again, and its place was taken by a silver-blue saloon.
For a while peace reigned, but the next upset was just over the horizon. And the cause, as Sonya had hinted, was Mark's sensitivity about money.
Lee came downstairs one morning with a headache. She'd slept badly, as she often did these days, and felt far from ready for the day. She collected the mail and began to sort sleepily through it. There were bills for herself and something for Mark that she recognised as his credit card statement. It was a source of friction between them as whenever he had trouble meeting the monthly payment, which was usually, he nagged her to increase his allowance. Lee always refused and advised him to economise, which annoyed him.
'Give this to Mark, please,' she said to Sonya, who was just coming downstairs.
Lee went into her den to open her mail. While she was frowning over an invoice she was startled to hear Sonya's voice reach her from the kitchen across the hall.
'Mum will go absolutely ballistic when she sees that.'
Then Mark's voice. 'She isn't going to see it. Anyway, no woman tells me what to do.'
Lee hurried out and reached the kitchen door just as Sonya said, 'Don't be a prat, Mark. Of course she'll find out.'
'Find out what?' Lee asked. The two of them jumped. In the silence Lee looked from one to the other. Sonya's lips were firmly pressed together and
Mark wore an uncomfortable look, at variance with his defiant words.
The credit card statement lay open on the table. An instinct for trouble made Lee glance at it.
'Two thousand pounds!' she exclaimed, aghast. 'Since when was your credit limit that high?'
'I only just increased it,' Mark said sulkily.
'You had no right to. One thousand is more than enough.'
'Oh, stop making a fuss! I haven't actually used up the two thousand. It's just there-in case I need it.'
'This is because of Phoebe, isn't it?'
'You know what she's earning. How can I entertain her on a student's grant?'
'And you think the answer is to run up debt in the hope that I'll hand over your inheritance?'
'It's about time you did,' he shouted.
'Acting like this isn't going to persuade me that you're responsible about money.'
'It's my money!'
'Not until you grow up.' She became aware of Sonya watching with bright-eyed eagerness and said briefly, 'Scram!'
When Lee and Mark were alone she spoke more gently. 'You've got it really badly, haven't you?'
He gave a mirthless laugh. 'That's putting it mildly. That day in the studio, when I saw her in the wedding dress-I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. She looked like an angel. I'm in love with her. She's the only girl I'll ever love.'
Oh, the delusions of youth! Lee regarded him sympathetically. 'But this isn't the way, my dear,' she said kindly. 'If Phoebe were the kind of girl who only cares about a man's money-well, you wouldn't be able to compete. But I don't think she's like that. Does she tell you how she feels about you?'
'Oh, yes, she says she loves me,' he replied wretchedly.
'Then can't you trust her?'
'I do trust her, but I get scared. If you'd only see sense, Lee, and hand over the cash-'
'No,' she said, her eyes kindling. 'It's there to safeguard your future. I'd be crazy to let you blow it on your first infatuation.'
'I'm nineteen now. That's old enough to have what's mine.'
'Not according to your trust.'
'The hell with the trust!'
Lee's headache had grown worse. If only Mark would stop this. 'Is there any tea in the pot?' she asked, turning away.
'Never mind that now. It's time we had this out.' Mark took hold of her arm and pulled her around to face him.
Lee's temper flared and she shook herself free. 'Stop trying to bully me. As far as I'm concerned we've already had it out-too often. The money stays where it is until you're older, and that's my last word on the subject.'
'Well, it's not my last word on the subject. Don't think you're going to get away with this.'
'Oh, Mark, please! Stop talking like a character in a bad melodrama. It doesn't move me, except to make me want to laugh.'
'Laugh, yes! You know nothing about real feelings. But you're going to find out how wrong you are.'
He stormed out of the house, slamming the front door so hard that the house rattled.
CHAPTER TEN
Lee told the whole story to Daniel that night as she nestled against him on the sofa.
'I don't know why I accuse you of handling Phoebe badly,' she sighed. 'I'm making a complete hash of it with Mark. Does Phoebe storm out of the front door?'
'Not her. It might disarrange her hair. She's a smart cookie, my Phoebe.'
'That's the first compliment I've heard you pay her since this started.'
'Yes, well…' He looked awkward and changed the subject. 'Some more wine?'
'Just a tiny drop. Do you know, if it wasn't so early I'd swear I heard Mark's car stopping outside.'
'It is,' he said, alert. 'It's got a distinctive sound and I should know it by now-the nights I've stood at the window listening for it!'
'I hope you don't let Phoebe know that.'
He grinned. 'Don't worry. I know better than to put myself forward, these days.' He slid an arm around Lee. 'I guess I've learned the lesson you tried to teach me.'
'What's that?'
That you have to let go to hold on.' A hint of self-mockery crept into his tone. 'You wouldn't recognise me. I creep about the house in fear and trembling, and if Phoebe speaks to me I stand to attention. If she can spare me ten minutes from her busy schedule I'm properly grateful. I've even learned the difference between acceptable interest and unforgivable intrusion.'
'Tell me! Tell me! I might manage better with Mark.'
'Acceptable interest is, 'May I humbly enquire what you'll deign to eat today, and when should I prepare it?'
