Daniel and Daughter

'They're thinking of using Phoebe as "the face",' Brenda said excitedly. 'It's not final, but I'm pretty sure. It'll absolutely make her.'

Lee made a real effort to put both Daniel and Phoebe out of her mind and give Sonya more of her attention. Her daughter was being a tower of strength, supporting her mother's spirits as no thirteen-year-old should have to do. When she tried to put on a cheerful face Sonya merely said gently, 'It's all right, Mum. You don't have to pretend for me.'

Lee was awoken one morning by the ringing of the telephone. It seemed to have an urgent sound, and afterwards she fancied that it had held a warning of the dreadful news that was to come.

'Hello?'

'Lee? It's Daniel. Is your brother there?'

'No, Mark doesn't live here now. He moved out a couple of weeks ago.'

He made a sound under his breath. 'Then it's no use asking if you know where Phoebe is?'

'Phoebe? Isn't she with you?'

'No. She's not in her room and there was a note on her pillow.'

A terrible chill ran through Lee. 'Daniel, no-she hasn't-?'

'Yes,' he said grimly. 'She says she's run away to marry Mark. They've gone to Gretna Green.'

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Daniel looked thinner and desperately strained when he arrived at Lee's home. He followed her into the kitchen and held out Phoebe's letter for Lee to read.

Daddy darling,

Please try to understand and not be too angry. I love Mark and we have to be together. So we are going to be married in Gretna Green, like Lee. Don't try to stop us, because we belong together.

Phoebe.

Lee read it, her heart thumping painfully. The words 'going to be married in Gretna Green, like Lee' seemed to stand out accusingly.

'She came home early yesterday evening,' Daniel said. 'The atmosphere between us seemed better than it's been for a long time. She insisted on cooking supper for me. We talked, she was sweet and delightful, it was like old times. I thought I was getting through to her at last-' His voice became husky. Lee reached out a hand to him but he shook his head.

'Actually she was saying goodbye,' he said eventually. 'She had it all planned to run away while I was asleep.' He gave a short, mirthless laugh. 'The condemned man was being given a hearty meal. She even kissed me goodnight. It's a long time since she's done that. And all the time…'

'I can't believe this,' Lee murmured. 'Oh, the silly girl!'

'So much for her taking her career seriously! She's got work lined up. How can she do it if she's living in Scotland, establishing residence?'

'She doesn't have to,' Lee said, trying to pull herself together. 'We thought that, too-Jimmy and I- but he found out you can organise it by post. You have to give fifteen days notice, but you needn't get there until the last minute. Mark could have arranged it from where he's living now.' A sudden thought made her ask sharply, 'When's Phoebe's next booking?'

'Thursday,' he said, growing pale. 'And this is Monday.'

'Then they've fixed it for tomorrow or the day after.'

'I'm going to stop that wedding if it's the last thing I do. And you're coming with me.'

She gasped. 'Oh, no, Daniel, please. I can't go back there.'

'You must,' he said. 'You know the place.'

'But I don't,' she cried desperately. 'I've blotted it all out of my memory.'

'Lee, I need you. It'll all come back to you. It must. I'm racing against time. You could save me vital minutes. Please.'

A thousand painful ghosts seemed to scream a warning at her. 'I can't leave Sonya alone in the house,' she said desperately.

'Then we'll take her with us.'

'She has to go to school.'

'I see what it is,' he said coldly. 'You're afraid, and your fear is more important than anything else, isn't it? More important than Phoebe, than me-'

'No!'

'And you'll go on being afraid to the end of your days because you never had the courage to confront it. All right. Keep your refuge. Hide away in it. Much good it will do you.'

His tone stung her, forcing her to see what she'd always avoided before. There's no safe place in love. And this was Daniel, whom she loved despite everything. His face was ravaged, terrible.

'It's all right,' she said. 'I'm coming with you.'

He regarded her steadily. 'Thank you,' he said at last. 'I'll collect you here in an hour.' He left without another word.

It was arranged that Sonya should stay with Katie, her best friend at school. Lee got on the phone to Katie's mother, then to Gillian to rearrange her schedule for the following week. Luckily she'd left herself a few days free to catch up with paperwork.

'But you really have to be back for Thursday,' Gillian said. 'You're doing a big shoot for Vogue. We've got six models booked and a very tight deadline. If you let them down it'll set you back years.'

'I'll be there,' Lee promised. 'I should know one way or the other by tomorrow.'

Daniel arrived, looking more tense than ever. 'Look what arrived in the post a few minutes ago,' he said, holding out a glossy magazine.

'Woman Of The World,' Lee said, stunned. 'That's Phoebe on the front cover.'

It was the final shot from the wedding session:

Phoebe in the simple gown and veil, looking ravishing.

'The front cover!' Lee breathed.

'Yes, I imagine you're delighted,' Daniel said grimly.

'Of course I am. It's a marvellous start for her. Daniel, don't you see that this proves I was right about her potential, that she was right to follow her dream?'

'In fact, everyone was right except me?' he said bitterly.

'Yes. I think you should admit now that you were wrong.'

'Should I? Then let me remind you that this-' he tapped the picture '-was the first step on the road to Gretna Green and a disastrous marriage to a young man as callow as he's selfish.'

'They're not married yet. We can still prevent it.'

'That would be easier if we knew when it's going to be. I called the register office up there a few minutes ago-I thought I could find out the time of the wedding, but they don't give out that kind of information. It's posted up outside, but that's all.'

'PI,' said Sonya.

The other two stared at her. 'PI,' she repeated. 'Private investigator. Find the Yellow Pages for that area in the library. It'll list the local Pis. Then you call one and he goes down and reads what's written outside the register office. You could know in a couple of hours.'

'Sonya, you're a genius,' Daniel said fervently. 'Where's your local library?'

She gave him directions and he vanished.

'Well done, darling,' Lee said. 'Where would we be without you?' Something impelled her to add, 'Daniel's sister Jean said you get your brains from me.'

Sonya grinned, understanding this perfectly, and went to make a cup of tea. The phone rang and Lee snatched it up. It was Brenda Mulroy.

'Do you know where Phoebe is?' she asked urgently. 'I've called her home but there's no reply.'

'But-surely she's free until Thursday?'

'Yes, but I've heard from the Linnon people. They've decided to offer her the contract to be the face of Linnon.'

'That's marvellous!'

'Isn't it just? But they want another meeting with her, quickly, and I can't find her.'

Lee's brain raced. 'I don't know exactly where she is at this moment,' she declared, with perfect truth.

'A phone number?'

'I think she wanted to use her free days to get away from it all-out of reach of a phone,' Lee said, improvising wildly.

'It's not very professional of her to do that just now.'

'She probably didn't think she was this close to the Linnon contract.'

'Hmm! I hope you marry Phoebe's father soon. You'll be a steadying influence on her. If you hear from her, tell her to call me.' Brenda hung up.

Lee took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. The shocks of the morning had left her wondering- what next?