Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries (Bridget Jones 4)
Page 31
I took out the phone as Daniel roared away, remembering I’d turned it off for the scan, to find a string of texts from Mark.
MARK DARCY
Bridget, I’m just getting on a plane back to Heathrow and have got your texts. Is the scan still scheduled for today? I shall try to be there if we’re on time.
MARK DARCY
Just landed. Am going to rush over. Where is the scan?
MARK DARCY
Which hospital are you in?
MARK DARCY
Bridget? Please don’t sulk. I’ve been in North Africa with no signal for four days.
—
As I walked very, very carefully towards the flat, to avoid the baby falling out, I saw a familiar figure in a dark overcoat approaching from the opposite direction.
“Mark!” I said, hurrying towards him.
His face broke into a grin. “I couldn’t find you. Didn’t you get my texts? How did it go?”
There were footsteps behind me.
“Darcy! What the devil are you doing here?” said Daniel. “We just came back from the scan, didn’t we, Bridge?”
Daniel attempted to put his arm round me. I wriggled free, but then, to my total horror, he took out the scan photo and showed it to Mark.
“What do you think? Handsome little devil, isn’t he?”
Mark didn’t look at the photo. “I would have been there, but I was in the Maghreb.”
“Ah, yes, I know it well. Little belly dancing club in Old Compton Street?”
Mark lunged towards him.
“OK, Mrs. Darcy, keep your wig on.”
“Stop it,” I said. “Don’t fight. I already have one child inside me.”
“You’re right,” said Mark. “We need to discuss this calmly, as adults. Can we come inside?”
“If only,” said Daniel, “we’d thought of asking that before.”
—
My flat. “Anyone want a cup of tea?” I said brightly, as if I was Mum in Grafton Underwood and the vicar had just popped round for some butterfly buns and a sherry.
The two men were looking at each other sideways, like U.S. presidential candidates about to kick off one of their slagging matches thinly disguised as debates.
“Darce,” said Daniel, in a kindly tone, “I understand how emasculating this must feel, after all those years of everyone saying you were firing blanks.”
Mark started pushing him towards the balcony.
“Darcy hasn’t got the soldiers,” singsonged Daniel.