because she wanted him to. Needed him to. It was as though she had been let in on this great big secret, and now she could cope with anything the world threw at her. She was without fear, she lived for Phillip, and his touch, his words of love, and the feelings she was now unable to do without. She knew instinctively that he wasn't using her in any way, that he felt the same as she did.
His taking her had given her a new persona: she was suddenly sure of herself, suddenly she was different. She knew what she wanted in life, and what she wanted was him. His name gave her cachet, made people treat her with respect. He wanted her and wanted to marry her, and marry him she would, as soon as possible. She was determined to shrug off the Booth name, and become a Murphy. She wanted to be a part of that family so badly, to be free of her mother's constant criticism and constant vigilance. She would finally be her own woman.
Woman being the operative word. Christine felt taller, slimmer, prettier now than she had ever felt before. She wore make-up, and the clothes that she liked, not what her mother thought was appropriate. She looked forward to going home, to his home , for the first time in her life. Having had this taste of freedom she knew she would never go back to being a nobody again. She was Phillip Murphy's intended, and becoming his wife was now the height of her ambition. If her mother didn't like it, then she knew exactly what she could do.
She hugged herself mentally, thrilled with the turn her life had taken when she had met up with Phillip Murphy outside the off-licence on that dark winter's night. It was fate, they both knew that then, and they had both accepted it. Now it seemed, her mother would have to accept it as well.
----
Chapter Seventeen
'You think she'll be all right then, do you, living with that scum?'
Teddy Booth looked up as his wife spoke and felt a deep sorrow for her. It was the same sorrow he felt inside himself. His daughter had been like a lamb to the slaughter, and it was because of this woman before him. She had forced them into this situation, and now they would pay the price for it, one way or another. This alliance his daughter had made would cost them all, and cost them dearly. He knew more about their daughter's future in-laws than Eileen did; he had watched Phillip Murphy grow up, as he had many of the boys on that estate. Ted had been there for over twenty years. Unlike Eileen with her part- time teaching job and her belief that she was too good for the estate that they earned their living from. Unlike her, he knew everyone's pedigree on that estate, it was how he had survived so long, if only the silly bitch had bothered to see that. Between them they could have really got on and made a real difference to their lives; all it would have taken was some effort on their part. Well, her part, anyway.
How the mighty had fallen, though! Ever since she had arrived home two weeks previously, scratch marks on her neck, and her head drooping with defeat, Ted had listened to Eileen's complaints, had comforted her as best he could, but he had known that she was beaten. Well and truly beaten. Her daughter's behaviour was now common knowledge and there was nothing she could do about that. In fact, she wasn't even asking him his opinion, she was simply talking out loud. She had never really expected an answer from him. Not for a long time anyway.
Ted wanted to help his daughter; he missed her and, even though she popped into the shop occasionally when she knew her mother wouldn't be there, he found the house empty without her. He loved his girl, his only child, and he wanted to see her happy. He understood why she was doing what she was doing, even though it broke his heart. So despite his true feelings he said brightly, 'He seems to be doing well for himself though, Eileen, he's already helped me enormously with the
His taking her had given her a new persona: she was suddenly sure of herself, suddenly she was different. She knew what she wanted in life, and what she wanted was him. His name gave her cachet, made people treat her with respect. He wanted her and wanted to marry her, and marry him she would, as soon as possible. She was determined to shrug off the Booth name, and become a Murphy. She wanted to be a part of that family so badly, to be free of her mother's constant criticism and constant vigilance. She would finally be her own woman.
Woman being the operative word. Christine felt taller, slimmer, prettier now than she had ever felt before. She wore make-up, and the clothes that she liked, not what her mother thought was appropriate. She looked forward to going home, to his home , for the first time in her life. Having had this taste of freedom she knew she would never go back to being a nobody again. She was Phillip Murphy's intended, and becoming his wife was now the height of her ambition. If her mother didn't like it, then she knew exactly what she could do.
She hugged herself mentally, thrilled with the turn her life had taken when she had met up with Phillip Murphy outside the off-licence on that dark winter's night. It was fate, they both knew that then, and they had both accepted it. Now it seemed, her mother would have to accept it as well.
----
Chapter Seventeen
'You think she'll be all right then, do you, living with that scum?'
Teddy Booth looked up as his wife spoke and felt a deep sorrow for her. It was the same sorrow he felt inside himself. His daughter had been like a lamb to the slaughter, and it was because of this woman before him. She had forced them into this situation, and now they would pay the price for it, one way or another. This alliance his daughter had made would cost them all, and cost them dearly. He knew more about their daughter's future in-laws than Eileen did; he had watched Phillip Murphy grow up, as he had many of the boys on that estate. Ted had been there for over twenty years. Unlike Eileen with her part- time teaching job and her belief that she was too good for the estate that they earned their living from. Unlike her, he knew everyone's pedigree on that estate, it was how he had survived so long, if only the silly bitch had bothered to see that. Between them they could have really got on and made a real difference to their lives; all it would have taken was some effort on their part. Well, her part, anyway.
How the mighty had fallen, though! Ever since she had arrived home two weeks previously, scratch marks on her neck, and her head drooping with defeat, Ted had listened to Eileen's complaints, had comforted her as best he could, but he had known that she was beaten. Well and truly beaten. Her daughter's behaviour was now common knowledge and there was nothing she could do about that. In fact, she wasn't even asking him his opinion, she was simply talking out loud. She had never really expected an answer from him. Not for a long time anyway.
Ted wanted to help his daughter; he missed her and, even though she popped into the shop occasionally when she knew her mother wouldn't be there, he found the house empty without her. He loved his girl, his only child, and he wanted to see her happy. He understood why she was doing what she was doing, even though it broke his heart. So despite his true feelings he said brightly, 'He seems to be doing well for himself though, Eileen, he's already helped me enormously with the
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