‘Still,’ he mused. ‘It was weirdly satisfying, wielding war against illiteracy with my black Sharpie.’

‘Weird being the operative word, here.’

‘I was weird? You’re the one who brought in cabbage crisps for the end of year party.’

‘Which is why I never wondered why I’d hardly any friends.’

‘They didn’t taste as bad as everyone thought.’

‘You ate one?’

He shrugged. ‘I’m a curious person.’

‘Speaking of which, Mum has generously packed up several tasty home-grown treats.’ I picked up the bag and peered inside. ‘We’ve got beetroot crisps this time, flavoured with cinnamon for a seasonal twist. Roasted chickpeas, two more banana bars, and some blobs that I think mostly contain peanut butter.’

‘I’ll have whichever one you don’t want.’

‘That’s all of them. I’m buying some fat-, sugar- and chemical-crammed snacks as soon as we take a pitstop.’

A few minutes later, Henry pulled off into a service station. We’d been driving for three hours and since leaving the snow behind had made good time, so could squeeze in a late lunch stop. It felt extremely odd, standing in the Costa queue with Henry Fairfax. I was still trying to reconcile this man with the socially impaired boy I’d emphatically ignored in the school canteen queue.

Loaded up with drinks, toasties, and a box of Krispy Kremes for the car, we found a table away from the chill of the entrance.

‘Is it worth you booking a hotel while we’re here?’ I asked, once we’d got settled.

Henry nodded. He’d refused to take up any time before we set off looking for somewhere he could stay, insisting that he’d sort something later.

‘We’re coming back Christmas Eve?’ He opened his phone and started typing in the search engine.

‘I was going to mention that. I think you should head back tomorrow morning, leave me to find my own way home.’

He squinted at the screen. ‘Why would I do that?’

‘There’s going to be heavy snow in the north tomorrow. It’ll hit eastern Scotland by lunchtime and it’s not going to stop for at least twenty-four hours. If you make an early start, you should be able to miss it. Otherwise, you might end up stranded.’

‘Which would leave you stranded. With no transport.’

I pulled the crust off my toastie and poked it at a blob of melted cheese. ‘I’m willing to take that risk, considering what’s at stake.’

Henry’s face switched to android mode. ‘So am I.’

‘I can’t ask you to do that.’

‘Then don’t. I’m doing it anyway.’

I shook my head, frustrated. ‘I don’t want to be responsible for you spending Christmas alone in the middle of nowhere in some cheap hotel.’

‘I’ll find a nice hotel, and once the interview’s finished you’ll be with me.’