Henry got up from his chair and slid onto the bench beside me. He looked unsure about whether to hold my hand or give me a hug, but I solved that dilemma by practically launching myself up against his chest, burrowing my face into his ugly green jumper. His arms quickly wrapped around me, and for a merciful long moment I stopped thinking about anything apart from the feel of soft wool against my cheek, and his firm chin resting on the top of my head.

‘I’ve changed my mind. Can we just stay here instead?’ I mumbled, once I’d managed to suck some air back into my lungs.

‘As pleasant as this is, are you prepared to tell your parents that you ditched them to spend the evening in a restaurant with me?’

‘Oh, no. I hadn’t even thought of what to tell them.’ I pressed my forehead against his breastbone. ‘Are we going to have to say we had dinner together?’

‘We did have dinner together.’

‘Well, yes, but that was because we’re on a mission to save Charis House. It wasn’t because, well, because we…’

‘Because we like each other?’ Henry shifted position. ‘Speak for yourself. I’d happily spend the evening having dinner with you, purely on the basis that I enjoy your company.’

His voice was as calm as usual, but he couldn’t hide how his heart had started pounding against my cheek.

I wondered if he could feel mine, thudding in response.

I closed my eyes, hoping that might reduce the sudden static in the atmosphere, like the air before a storm.

If anything, shutting out the busy room around us only made the tension greater.

Then my phone pinged with a message. Fumbling out of Henry’s arms as quickly as possible, I knocked my phone onto the floor in my attempt to grab it.

Henry bent down and picked it up, freezing momentarily when he read the screen.

‘It’s not Jed,’ he said, his face snapping back to robo-Henry as he stood up, placing the phone on the table before brusquely plucking his coat from the back of his chair. ‘If you’ve finished eating, we’d better go.’

‘Yes, right. I’ll go and pay.’

‘I’ll pay for my half,’ Henry replied, a definite hint of frost in his voice.

‘No, you’re driving all the way down to Hertfordshire for me. Of course I’m going to pay.’

‘Beatrice, has it crossed your mind that if Charis House closes, I’m out of a job? The one I ditched my highly successful career for? It isn’t always all about you.’