Part 28 (1/2)

'It's a great party,' I whispered. 'Are you enjoying it?'

'Oh...yes. It's quite a success.' In the distance we could hear the gentle strains of a string quartet. 'That must be the other party,' she said. 'We could have had music, but we decided against it.'

'And what are you doing tomorrow?'

'Erm... I'm going microlighting.'

'Again?'

'Yes. You see, I loved it last week. I just...loved it.'

'But don't you want to do something with Nigel?'

She shrugged. 'Well, I would have done. But he's got to work. You know how it is with Nige.' I glanced at him. 'He never stops. Especially at the moment.'

'At least he's having a good time tonight.'

'That's true-but he's drinking too much.'

I looked at him. He did look slightly red in the face. 'Well...if he can't get a bit p.i.s.sed on his fortieth, when can he, Daisy...?'

'I'm going to keep quiet about the M question by the way,' she murmured.

'Are you?'

'Yes.'

'Why?'

She shrugged. 'I...don't know. I've just decided-que sera, sera.'

Suddenly, David reappeared. 'I think I've got everyone, Daisy. I'll e-mail them to Miranda and she can send them on to you. Are we allowed to wander round the zoo, by the way?'

'I don't think we can go very far. Alan said they want us to stay in this area because they don't want us unsettling the animals. Oh, I've just got to have a word with the waiter-will you excuse me?'

So David and I went for a short walk. And we were just looking at the sloth bears on Bear Mountain when we heard rapid footsteps behind us.

'Where's the b.l.o.o.d.y exit?' demanded a familiar voice. I turned and there was Lily, looking elegant but indignant. 'How the h.e.l.l do you get out of here?'

'Lily?'

'Miranda!'

'Hi. You're not at this party, are you?'

'No. I've just been to the one at the Lion Terrace-Nancy de n.o.briga's bash-and I got lost trying to find my way out.'

'Were the lions fun?'

'No-they were asleep-lazy b.u.g.g.e.rs-but we did spot the missing lynx.' Now she suddenly noticed David and did a double take. 'D.J. White? Good G.o.d!'

'h.e.l.lo, Lily.'

'What are you doing here?'

'Well, I'm here with...' He nodded at me, and Lily's elegantly plucked eyebrows rose half an inch up her high, domed forehead.

'I see,' she said with an insinuating smirk. 'So you're... ”walking out together”, are you?'

'You could say that,' David smiled.

'Well you're a sly one, Miranda,' Lily snorted. 'I had no idea. So did you know each other before...?'

'No,' I replied. 'We didn't.'

'We met through you, actually,' David said.

'You did?'

'Yes.' My pulse started to race. 'Because if you hadn't commissioned me to take Miranda's photograph, I would never have met her.'

'Of course. I remember that now,' said Lily.

I felt goose-b.u.mps suddenly stipple my arms.

'I don't know why you thought of me to do that particular job,' David went on. 'But I'm very glad you did.'

'Oh, but it wasn't my idea!' Lily exclaimed.

'What do you mean?'

'It was Miranda's.'

I felt as though I'd fallen down a mineshaft.

'Miranda's?' David repeated. He looked at me, dumbfounded.

'Yes,' said Lily. 'She suggested you-didn't you, Miranda?-and I must say it was a brilliant idea. Anyway, I can't stand here gossiping. I've got two other parties to get to, and my driver's waiting, so could you please tell me how to get out?' David pointed her in the right direction, then she blew us a kiss and was gone.

'You asked Lily to commission me?' David said. His brow was corrugated in puzzlement.

'Yes,' I said quietly. 'That's right.'

'But why? You didn't know anything about me, Miranda.' Oh yes I did. 'I don't understand.'

'Because... I saw that photo you did...the one on the front of the Guardian G2.' The lines on David's forehead began to clear. 'And... I thought it was...so good. And I was with Lily at the time and she was wondering who to get to take the pictures-and so,' I shrugged, 'I suggested you.'