After a sleepless night on Thursday, and a restless morning in his office, Charlie headed over to the Department of Health and Social Care with a thumping heart. He was intrigued to know what the formidable Cora Mellish would have to say, and he hoped it would be worth the lost hours of sleep.

Cora met him in the foyer of the building and escorted him personally to her large office overlooking the Thames. She was a petite, blonde woman with a penchant for statement shoes, and her sharp blue eyes regarded Charlie keenly, seemingly assessing and weighing him up.

‘Take a seat, Charlie,’ she said in her broad Scottish brogue. ‘Coffee?’

‘Thanks,’ Charlie replied, willing his hands not to shake as he picked up the bone-china cup and saucer. He refused the offer of a piece of shortbread for fear of choking on it out of nerves.

‘Well, you certainly know how to get yourself noticed,’ Cora said, once they’d both had a sip of their respective coffees. ‘Only just taken over the Willowbury and Stavenham seat and already asking a question at PMQs. That takes bollocks.’

Charlie was surprised at the frankness of her language. ‘I’ve always been a risk taker,’ he replied, not entirely truthfully. In his experience, there were few things he considered taking risks for, except perhaps those he cared about. There was no doubt that Holly and her family fell into that category now.

‘The Department of Health and Social Care isn’t exactly a risk-friendly place, though,’ Cora said meditatively. ‘We prefer a rather more measured approach. Raising an emotive issue like drug funding for CF in the theatre of the Commons itself is rather too dramatic for our liking.’

Charlie felt his stomach turn over. Was this an official telling-off? If so, why summon him all the way over here? Cora could have just bollocked him by email. ‘I apologise, Minister, if I spoke out of turn. I do have a constituency interest in the outcome of the latest CF drug-funding discussions, though.’

‘I’m well aware of your interest,’ Cora replied smoothly. ‘And perhaps, on this occasion, given your inexperience in matters of the House, your rashness in raising this issue while the committee is still in session could be forgiven, if you redirect your energies into something less controversial.’

‘What are you saying, Minister?’ Charlie’s mind was whirling. Cora Mellish couldn’t be warning him off this case, could she?

‘I’m saying, Charlie, that getting yourself involved in something so complex at this early stage in your career could, by some, be considered a foolhardy move. One which might do your own standing more harm than good and also not accomplish a great deal in terms of moving the talks with the drug companies forward.’ She finished her coffee and set the cup down on the saucer with a crisp chime, which echoed the tone of her voice.