Page 178 - Bridget Jones's Diary - by Helen FIELDING

He stared at me, as if distracted by something else. 'Sorry,' he said. 'I was just

trying to figure out what you mean. Have I . . .? Are you suggesting that I am
jealous of Daniel Cleaver? Over you?'

'No, not over me,' I said, furious because I realized it did sound like that. 'I
was just assuming you must have some reason to be so horrible about my

boyfriend other than pure malevolence.'

'Mark, darling,' cooed Natasha, tripping prettily across the lawn to join us. She
was so tall and thin she hadn't felt the need to put heels on, so could walk easily
across the lawn without sinking, as if designed for it, like a camel in the desert.
'Come and tell your mother about the dining furniture we saw in Conran.'

'Just take care of yourself, that's all, he said quietly, 'and I'd tell your mum to
watch out for herself too,' he said, nodding pointedly in the direction of Julio as
Natasha dragged him off.

After 45 minutes more horror I thought I could decently leave, pleading work
to Una.

'You career girls! Can't put it off forever you know: tick-tock-tick-tock,' she

said.

I had to have a cigarette in the car for five minutes before I was calm enough

to set off. Then just as I got back to the main road my dad's car drove past.
Sitting next to him in the front seat was Penny Husbands-Bosworth, wearing a
red lace underwired uplift basque, and two bunny ears.

By the time I got back to London and off the motorway I was feeling pretty

shaky and back much earlier than I expected, so I thought, instead of going
straight home, I'd go round to Daniel's for a bit of reassurance.

I parked nose to nose with Daniel's car. There was I no answer when I rang, so
I left it a while and rang again in case it was just in the middle of a really good
wicket or something. Still no answer. I knew he must be around because his car
was there and he'd said he was going to be working and watching the cricket. I