‘Wh-what?’ Charlie’s stomach turned. He thought he’d done the very best he could; seemingly, that wasn’t good enough. Then, as Holly smiled and put her arms around him, his knees went weak.

‘It was bloody brilliant,’ she whispered. ‘I know you couldn’t have done any better. And there’s no one else I’d rather have speaking for Harry.’

Charlie tightened his embrace and buried his head momentarily in Holly’s shoulder, feeling again like he was going to lose the battle against tears. ‘Thank you,’ he murmured gruffly. Holding Holly in his arms, knowing he had her seal of approval, was worth all the votes in his majority.

They were both distracted a moment later by the ping of the email notification on his phone.

‘Excuse me a minute?’ he said, releasing Holly. ‘I think I have to look at this.’

‘Probably the PM offering personal congratulations!’ Holly teased. ‘And a Cabinet job?’

Charlie shook his head. ‘That stuff tends to happen by letter, still, I’m afraid.’ He swiped his phone, and, a moment later, he felt his knees going weak again. ‘Oh my God…’ he murmured. Blinking, he reread the text on the screen.

‘What is it?’ Holly’s face, so recently euphoric, paled. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘No, not at all,’ Charlie said guardedly. He read it again. ‘In fact, I don’t think it could be better if we tried.’

‘Tell me!’ Holly grabbed his arm.

Charlie looked up from the screen, and he could feel the schoolboyish, beyond-happy grin that Holly had so often evoked in him spreading across his face.

‘Cora Mellish, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has just emailed me. As a result of the Adjournment Debate, and the passion of the campaigners on College Green over the past few weeks, the pharmaceutical company has been in contact with a better, more viable counter-offer for the pricing of the CF drugs.’ He paused, unsure if the middle of the pub was the best place to announce such news, since it wouldn’t be going public for a week or two.

‘And?’ Holly prompted him. ‘Is the offer an acceptable one?’

Charlie exhaled. ‘Cora seems to think so. They’re going to get around the table next Wednesday and hammer out a contract.’

‘Wow…’ Holly put a hand to her mouth, and then she turned back to Rachel, who’d come to collect her bag before heading off. ‘We did it, sis. The three of us. We did it.’ Quickly she filled Rachel in on the details of the text from Cora Mellish.

Rachel, clearly unable to speak, nodded. As she did so, the tears fell. Charlie, who’d had such a tense day himself, felt near to the edge as well. He watched as Holly turned and enveloped her sister in a warm, tearful hug.

‘I can’t believe it,’ Rachel said once Holly had released her. ‘This is the best, best news.’