Last night.

Well I don't know if I'd go so far as to say Antony (hearts) Cleopatra.

But they were certainly civil.

The evening's beginning was shrouded in (small) disaster.

I had fancied that I'd chosen an Egyptian restaurant for the Great Introduction.

It turned out to be Sudanese.

Cleo spilled out of her taxi seat prematurely and received a terrible battering en route to the (Sudanese) restaurant.

Antony wandered to and fro and to and fro past Cleo and I, sitting happily (shakily) chatting in the restaurant window bay, temporarily unable to locate the place of choice.

Eleven minutes late, he finally found his bruised and broken love.

And the courtship could commence.

I took care not to leave them alone so they couldn't exchange any mean words at any point Behind My Back.

And publicly, they properly played along and were perfectly civil to each other.

I trust this is an excellent omen.

So far, so auspicious.