Charlie had a long stride and Holly found herself struggling to keep up. They were heading towards Willowbury Priory, a glamorous-looking ruin that the National Trust was restoring and saving for future generations. On a sunny day like this, the stonework glinted in the light, and it was easy to fill in the visual gaps to see, in your mind’s eye, the dreaming arches of the complete building. Jokes and stories had endured through the ages about nuns and monks commuting between Willowbury and Buckfast to share worship and mead recipes, and the aching romanticism of the Priory seemed at odds with the devout purpose of the building. It seemed a bit incongruous to have such a high church icon smack in the middle of such a spiritually diverse town as Willowbury, too, but perhaps that was just another example of its all-welcoming ethos.

‘That’s very gallant of you,’ Holly’s mood was not improving as she remembered the exchange with Miles last night, and Charlie’s subsequent dismissal of it. ‘Were you worried I was going to trash your reputation even further?’

‘Holly, stop.’ They’d reached the Priory gardens now, and Charlie paused in his walk. He reached out a hand to her, and reluctantly Holly allowed hers to be taken in his warm, dry grip.

They were standing under one of the few intact archways on the site, the drop of the chapel nave, shielded by a glass wall, strikingly close. Holly swallowed as the sight of it made her dizzy. She stared steadfastly at her feet.

‘I came to say I’m sorry. About Miles, about putting you in that situation, expecting you to just suck up your own opinions for my sake, everything. It was wrong of me to expect you to do that.’ He glanced up at the archway above his head. ‘When we were on that dance floor, surrounded by all the party faithful, all I could think about was being alone with you. None of that stuff mattered. And yet when I saw you and Miles arguing, the politician in me kicked in.’ He ran his free hand through his hair. ‘I have to be a diplomat with people like Miles. I don’t like it, but he’s part of the backbone of the local party, and the local economy.’

‘What, do they teach you that stuff in politician school?’ Holly’s tone was rather more withering than even she’d intended, and Charlie looked stung. ‘I mean, do you have to suck up to everyone for the sake of the party?’

‘Well, I’d draw the line at bolshy well-being shop owners,’ Charlie teased. ‘It seems they’re unsuckupable to.’

‘Touché,’ Holly said. She looked up at him and couldn’t help smiling. ‘And I’m sorry I let him get to me. I’m so cross that I allowed him to get under my skin in such a public place.’