The lobby was a hive of activity, but eventually Holly saw Charlie heading out of the chamber and across the hall towards her. He was deep in conversation with a woman, who was smiling at him and obviously congratulating him on his debut, resting her hand briefly on his upper arm to make a point. Holly felt a slight prickle of jealousy before she hastily quashed it; it was daft to feel anything like that when Charlie was clearly just being professional. It was all part of the act, she knew. Perhaps it was the parliamentary setting, but just for a moment she suddenly felt like the student rep she’d been fifteen years ago when, as part of the conference she’d attended, she’d visited this place. It had felt intimidating then, and although she had a more personal connection now, that sense of her own insignificance hadn’t really gone away.

‘Holly!’ Charlie spotted her and hurried over, with the woman he’d been talking to following in his wake. Aware that they were in public, Holly resisted the urge to fling her arms around him in congratulation and settled for giving him a kiss on the cheek.

‘Well done,’ she breathed into his ear. ‘You were absolutely brilliant.’

Charlie smiled broadly as they broke apart. ‘Thank you. And thanks so much for coming.’ He turned to the woman who was standing next to him. ‘Holly, this is Sally Okeden, who runs one of the bigger cystic fibrosis charities. I dropped her a line to see if she wanted to come down today as well. Given your campaigning on Harry’s behalf, I thought it might be useful if you two connected.’

Holly shook the other woman’s hand, suddenly feeling much warmer towards her now she knew who she was. ‘It’s lovely to meet you.’

‘You too,’ Sally replied. ‘I’ve seen your picture on Twitter a few times – you’ve been making the cause really visible lately, even without Charlie’s help here.’

‘It’s all for my nephew Harry,’ Holly said. ‘Although having Charlie to support us really helps. Our old MP wasn’t what you’d call helpful at all.’

Sally smiled. ‘Make use of him while you can,’ she said, glancing in Charlie’s direction. ‘Allies in this game can be short-lived.’

Holly felt a strange chill down her spine. She knew that politics was an ever-shifting landscape, but she still hoped that Charlie wouldn’t just cut and run if things became unfashionable. For Harry’s sake, she hoped her instincts were right, and not just clouded by emotion.

‘I’ll be in touch,’ Sally said. Turning back to Charlie, she smiled. ‘Thanks again. It was a brave move today, and it will bring us some much-needed coverage.’ Smiling at them both, she headed off.