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Back A Place to Call Home Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. Epilogue
  58. Author’s Note
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. More from Fay Keenan
  61. About the Author
  62. About Boldwood Books

‘If you’ll excuse me,’ he said quietly. ‘I have a job to get to.’ Realising that this was not exactly the way he’d been taught in media training to end an interview, he forced a smile. ‘I’m sure the issue will be resolved soon.’

Turning away as the reporter gave him the obligatory thank you, he chanced a glance back at Holly, who was still looking in his direction, eyes narrowed, face unreadable. For one aching, desperate moment, he wanted to throw caution to the wind and run to her, to gather her up in his arms and tell her it was all going to be all right, but he knew he couldn’t; he couldn’t risk discrediting her cause, and his career, any further.

Ducking his head to avoid more interrogations from the assorted media representatives, he hurried towards the Members’ Entrance and through the gate, back inside the Westminster bubble and temporary safety.

42

Charlie did, inevitably, catch up with Holly’s appearance on the Channel 4 news that evening. Still hiding out in his office, the thought of going back to his poky rented flat was too depressing to contemplate until security chucked him out. He wasn’t even sure what time that would be. He replayed Cathy English’s interview with Holly several times, hating himself more and more when he could see, repeatedly, the passion and fervour in Holly’s eyes for the cause. Why hadn’t he stood up to the Secretary of State when he’d had the chance? Why hadn’t he pushed harder to lobby her when he’d had the perfect opportunity in the office that day?

He knew why; pragmatism had won out over passion. Cora Mellish hadn’t been in touch since that meeting; she’d probably just filed it under minor irritations, scratched the itch and moved on. He, on the other hand, felt that his credibility had been eroded. Since Holly had told the media that he’d taken a step away from the campaign, he’d felt a chill wind blowing. Colleagues who’d previously bid him a cheery hello seemed to be avoiding him in the corridors, and he seemed to be becoming that thing all politicians were accused of: someone who valued his position more than his principles.

Gloomily, he slid the bar on the video back to the beginning of Holly’s interview again, wanting to torture himself one more time with it. As he was about to lose himself in her voice for the umpteenth time, his brooding was interrupted by the shrill ring of his mobile. Heart lurching, still hoping that it might be Holly on the other end, he swiped without looking at the caller’s ID.