‘Yes, let’s.’ Holly pushed past him, her fury bubbling over as Charlie clasped Miles’ hand and shook it. She could hear him murmuring platitudes as she walked out of the ballroom, probably trying to smooth over the scene she’d just been a part of. She felt an ugly, red, heated flush creeping up her neck to her face in her anger and frustration. So much for principles, she thought. Charlie was obviously more interested in keeping his voters and benefactors sweet. Debating about whether or not to call a taxi, she figured she’d better wait for him and have it out.

Sure enough, he exited the ballroom a minute or two later, a look of undisguised irritation on his face. Taking her arm, he led her out of the building. ‘Let’s get out of here, shall we?’ he said. ‘I think you and I need to talk.’

22

Charlie, to his credit, maintained a polite silence until they’d both got into the car. He even opened her car door for her, but Holly knew something was coming. She felt hot with mortification again as she recalled just how much she’d let Miles wind her up. But that didn’t stop her from being angry with Charlie, too, for not coming to her defence. Charlie had just stepped in and placated that slimy bastard without so much as an enquiry as to what had riled Holly in the first place.

‘That man’s a tosser!’ she said furiously. ‘He just won’t leave me alone.’

Charlie said nothing; just kept his eyes on the road ahead. It had started to rain, and he flipped the wipers on to clear the screen. With his left hand, he reached over to turn on the demister, and Holly felt a jolt as his palm brushed her knee, which was close to the gearstick. She wasn’t going to give into that right now, though; she was still too angry.

‘He thinks he’s got the right to tell me what to do about everything. It’s so frigging patronising.’

She glanced at Charlie, but in the darkness of the country lanes between Stavenham and Willowbury, all she could see was his profile, jaw set as tightly as it had been before his speech.

‘Aren’t you going to say anything?’ Holly, frustrated by Charlie’s silence, raised her voice again.

‘I think you’ve said enough for the both of us tonight,’ Charlie said quietly. ‘I really don’t think there’s much more I can add.’

‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I think you know.’ He kept his eyes steadfastly on the road.

‘Oh, I see,’ Holly snapped. ‘I’ve said something I shouldn’t, to someone I shouldn’t, and now I get the passive-aggressive treatment? Very grown-up, Charlie. Is this how you treat everyone who disagrees with you?’