Charlie’s blood ran cold. Was Statham telling him to back off the CF medication issue for the sake of his own career, or for the sake of the government? His brain ticked quickly. ‘Well, I still have to risk it,’ he said more lightly than he felt. ‘After all, as you say, policy is always a work in progress. Perhaps this work in progress will end up benefitting my constituent and their family.’

‘Just bear in mind that, if it comes to the crunch, the Whip’s Office will advise you,’ Statham said, slipping the letters he’d picked up into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

‘I don’t doubt that,’ Charlie muttered. ‘I’ll keep an eye on the comms.’

‘You do that,’ Statham said. ‘I’ll see you in the chamber later.’

Feeling more nervous than ever, Charlie hurriedly pocketed a message he’d received and headed off to his office. In four hours’ time he’d be standing in the hallowed hall of the Commons, putting a question to the PM, and he now had no idea whether or not it would advance his career, or kill it stone dead.

Holly’s train arrived at Paddington promptly, and, since she had plenty of time and she loved to walk in London, she decided to meander over to the Houses of Parliament on foot. It was about two and a half miles, door to door, but there was plenty to see. If she went through Hyde Park, she could even skirt around through Green Park and pass Buckingham Palace on the way, before making her way to the Palace of Westminster. Keeping an eye on the time, because she needed to be at the Commons by eleven forty-five, she fingered the pass that Charlie had arranged for her and felt sad that Rachel wasn’t by her side. Harry had come home yesterday afternoon, and Rachel was keeping him off nursery for a couple of days, just to be on the safe side. Rachel had sent her sister a crazy-face emoji earlier this morning to signify that Harry’s energy levels appeared in no way diminished by his chest infection, and Holly couldn’t help laughing when Rachel had sent her a picture of herself and Harry both pulling faces at the selfie camera a little while later.

Holly’s stomach fluttered, and she wondered how Charlie was feeling right now. She contemplated phoning him, but she figured he’d be caught up in preparing for his big moment and may not want to be distracted. As if he’d sensed her thoughts, however, her phone pinged just as she was entering Hyde Park. Fumbling in her shoulder bag, she smiled to see that he’d sent her a shot of him pretending to bite his nails. The caption simply read:

It’s all fine. Nothing to worry about! #terrified.