'You see,' I said proudly. 'It's a miracle.'
He was pretty impressed, I can tell you. 'You're right,' he said softly. 'It is a miracle.'
Just then Natasha appeared in the doorway. 'Oh, hi,' she said, seeing me. 'Not in your bunny girl outfit today, then,' and then gave a little laugh to disguise her bitchy comment as an amusing joke.
'Actually we bunnies wear these in the winter for warmth,' I said.
'John Rocha?' she said, staring at Jude's dress. 'Last autumn? I recognize the hem.'
I paused to think up something very witty and cutting to say, but unfortunately couldn't think of anything. So after a bit of a stupid pause I said, 'Anyway, I'm sure you're longing to circulate. Nice to see you again. Byee!'
I decided I needed to go outside for a little fresh air and a fag. It was a wonderful, warm, starry night with the moon lighting up all the rhododendron bushes. Personally, I have never been keen on rhododendrons. They remind me of Victorian country houses up north from D. H. Lawrence where people drown in lakes. I stepped down into the sunken garden. They were playing Viennese waltzes in a rather smart fin de millennium sort of way. Then suddenly I heard a noise above. A figure was silhouetted against the French windows. It was a blond adolescent, an attractive public schoolboy-type.
'Hi,' said the youth. He lit a cigarette unsteadily and stared, heading down the stairs towards me. 'Don't suppose you fancy a dance? Oh. Ah. Sony,' he said, holding out his hand as if we were at the Eton open day and he was a former Home Secretary who had forgotten his manners: 'Simon Dalrymple.'
'Bridget Jones,' I said, holding out my hand stiffly, feeling as if I were a member of a war cabinet.
'Hi. Yah. Really nice to meet you. So can we have a dance?' he said, reverting to the public schoolboy again.
'Well, I don't know, I'm sure,' I said, reverting to pissed floozy and giving an involuntary raucous laugh like a prostitute in a Yates Wine Lodge.
'I mean out here. Just for a moment.'
I hesitated. I was flattered, to tell you the truth. What with this and performing a miracle in front of Mark Darcy it was all starting to go to my head.
'Please,' pressed Simon. 'I've never danced with an older woman before. Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean . . . ' he went on, seeing my face. 'I mean, someone who's left school,' he said, seizing my hand passionately. 'Would you mind? I'd be most awfully, awfully grateful.'
Simon Dalrymple had obviously been taught ballroom dancing from birth, so it was rather nice being expertly guided to and fro, but the trouble was, he seemed to have, well, not to put too fine a point on it, the most enormous erection I've ever had the good fortune to come across, and us dancing so close it was not the sort of thing one could pass off as a pencil case.
'I'll take over, now, Simon,' said a voice.
It was Mark Darcy.
'Come along. Back inside. You should be in bed now.'
Simon looked completely crushed. He blushed scarlet and hurried back into the party.
'May I?' said Mark, holding out his hand to me.
'No,' I said, furious.
'What's the matter?'
'Um,' I said, flailing for an excuse for being so angry. 'That was a horrible thing to do to a young whippersnapper, throwing your weight about and humiliating him like that at a sensitive age.' Then, noticing his baffled expression, I gabbled on. 'Though I do appreciate your asking me to your party. Marvelous. Thank you very much. Fantastic party.'
'Yes. I think you've said that,' he said, blinking fast. The truth is, he looked rather agitated and hurt.
'I . . . He paused, then started pacing around the patio, sighing and running his hand through his hair. 'How's the . . . Have you read any good books lately?' Unbelievable.
'Mark,' I said. 'If you ask me once more if I've read any good books lately I'm going to eat my head. Why don't you ask me something else? Ring the changes a bit. Ask me if I've got any hobbies, or a view on the single European currency, or if I've had any particularly disturbing experiences with rubber.'
'I . . . ' he began again.
'Or if I had to sleep with Douglas Hurd, Michael Howard or Jim Davidson which one I'd choose. Actually, no contest, Douglas Hurd.'
'Douglas Hurd?' said Mark.
'Mmm. Yes. So deliciously strict but fair.'
'Hmmm,' said Mark thoughtfully. 'You say that, but Michael Howard's got an extremely attractive and intelligent wife. He must have some sort of hidden charms.'
'Like what, you mean?' I said, childishly, hoping he would say something about sex.
'Well . . . '
He might be a good shag, I suppose,' I supplied.
'Or a fantastically skillful potter.'
'Or a qualified aromatherapist.'
'Will you have dinner with me, Bridget?' he said abruptly, and rather crossly, as if he was going to sit me down at a table somewhere and tell me off.
I stopped and stared at him. 'Has my mum put you up to this?' I said, suspiciously.
'No . . . I . . . '
'Una Alconbury?'
'No, no . . . '
Suddenly I realized what was going on. 'It's your mum, isn't it?'
'Well, my mother has . . . '
'I don't want to be asked out to dinner just because your mum wants you to. Anyway, what would we talk about? You'd just ask me if I've read any good books lately and then I'd have to make up some pathetic lie and – '
He stared at me in consternation. 'But Una Alconbury told me you were a sort of literary whizz-woman, completely obsessed with books.'
'Did she?' I said, rather pleased by the idea suddenly. 'What else did she tell you?'
'Well, that you're a radical feminist and have an incredibly glamorous life . . . '
'Oooh,' I purred.
' . . . with millions of men taking you out.'
'Huh.'
'I heard about Daniel. I'm sorry.'
'I suppose you did try to warn me,' I muttered sulkily. 'What have you got against him, anyway?'
'He slept with my wife,' he said. 'Two weeks after our wedding.'
I stared at him aghast as a voice above us shouted, 'Markee!' It was Natasha, silhouetted against the lights, peering down to see what was going on.
'Markee!' she called again. 'What are you doing down there?'
'Last Christmas,' Mark went on hurriedly, 'I thought if my mother said the words 'Bridget Jones' just once more I would go to the Sunday People and accuse her of abusing me as a child with a bicycle pump. Then when I met you . . . and I was wearing that ridiculous diamond-patterned sweater that Una had bought me for Christmas . . . Bridget, all the other girls I know are so lacquered over. I don't know anyone else who would fasten a bunny tail to their pants or . . . '
'Mark!' yelled Natasha, heading down the stairs toward us.
'But you're going out with somebody,' I said, rather pointing out the obvious.
'I'm not anymore, actually,' he said. 'Just dinner? Sometime?'
'OK,' I whispered. 'OK.'
Afterwards I thought I'd better go home: what with Natasha watching my every move as if she were a crocodile and I was getting a bit near to her eggs, and me having given Mark Darcy my address and phone number and having fixed to see him next Tuesday. On my way through the dancing room I saw Mum, Una and Elaine Darcy chatting animatedly to Mark – couldn't help imagining their faces if they knew what had just gone on. I suddenly had a vision of next year's Turkey Curry Buffet with Brian Enderby hitching up the waistband of his trousers going, 'Harumph. Nice to see the young people enjoying themselves, isn't it?' and Mark Darcy and me forced to do tricks for the assembled company, like rubbing noses or having sex in front of them, like a pair of performing seals.
8st 12, alcohol units 3 (v.g.), cigarettes 21 (bad), number of times said word 'bastard' in last twenty-four hours 369 (approx.).
7:30 p.m. Complete panic stations. Mark Darcy is coming over to pick me up in half an hour. Just got home from work with mad hair and unfortunate laundry crisis outfit on. Help oh help. Was planning to wear white 501s but suddenly occurs to me he may be the type who will take me to a posh scary restaurant. Oh God, do not have anything posh to wear. Do you think he will expect me to put bunny tail on? Not that I'm interested in him or anything.
7:50 p.m. Oh God oh God. Still have not washed hair. Will quickly get into bath.
8:00 p.m. Drying hair now. V. much hope Mark Darcy is late as do not want him to find me in dressing gown with wet hair.