Page 174 of The Unlikely Pair

“Falling in love didn’t suddenly make me fiscally irresponsible,” he replies, and I laugh. Harry reacts to my laughter with one of those rare Harry Matheson smiles.

“I’m so proud of you,” I whisper.

He tries to maintain his smile, but it fades into a grimace.

“It’s going to be difficult.” Harry’s eyes don’t leave mine. “The backlash from the Tories, the scrutiny from the tabloids, the constant prying into our personal lives. It won’t be a walk in the park.”

I shrug. “We handled a sprint through the Scandinavian wilderness. I’m fairly certain we can handle anything together.”

Epilogue

Toby

Eleven Months Later

Harry Matheson is the most infuriating man on the planet.

Very fortunately, my life now allows me to remind him of this fact on a daily basis.

He’s standing up in the Chamber now, attacking the government’s decision not to dispense with daylight savings after the publication of research compiled by experts across the country.

Harry no longer stands at the despatch box as the leader of the opposition, but rather, he’s located on the first seat on the front row below the gangway, surrounded by the other minor parties and independent MPs. It’s the same seat Winston Churchill, in his years of political exile, once occupied, a fact the press love to point out.

It means his well-modulated voice has to carry slightly further to me, but it still reaches me with enough clarity that I don’t miss a single, clearly articulated word.

“The government’s refusal to engage with the mounting evidence against the continuation of this archaic practice reeksof their usual arrogance. In an era of unprecedented challenges, we cannot afford to cling to outdated practices simply because they are familiar.”

Members of the Liberal Democrats cheer as Harry sits down. The Liberal Democrats keep trying to recruit Harry to join their party, arguing they are the natural home for him with their blend of progressive social policies and fiscally responsible economic policies.

However, Harry seems to be currently relishing his unlikely role as a rogue rebel independent MP, willing to challenge both Labour and the Conservatives when he disagrees with them.

The press has dubbed him the “Maverick of Westminster,” which I think he secretly quite likes. Although, when I once tried to call him that in bed, he wasn’t particularly impressed.

Harry’s shock resignation from the Conservative Party completely upturned the run-up to the election. It brought scrutiny to the Conservatives’ social policies and seemed to arrest their slide into intolerance as they were forced to back down from their support of David Grantham and choose another candidate. But it still cost them.

Ultimately, Harry leaving the party is what many political pundits believe is the reason the Labour government narrowly won re-election.

I know Harry has mixed feelings about the Conservatives’ loss, but he has never regretted taking the stand he did. Especially as he personally romped into re-election as the MP of Brambleshire with a significantly increased majority. It turns out most voters appreciate their MP being willing to take a moral stance on the rights of every citizen, no matter who they love.

The press, as expected, have had a field day with our relationship.

Cupid’s Crossbench: How Love Conquered Party Lines

Political Passion: When Debate Turns to Date

Election Fever: MPs Heat Up More Than Just the Polls

Bipartisan Love: MPs Find Common Ground in Each Other

It’s taken some adjustment to the extra scrutiny, but I was right with what I said to Harry. We’ve handled far worse together.

My colleague Alfred nudges me now. “Are you going to respond to him?”

“Of course I’m going to respond,” I reply. I stand and catch the Speaker’s eye, then sit back down.

An anticipatory smirk spreads over the Speaker’s face.

To many people’s surprise, being in a relationship has not changed the frequency or the fervor in which Harry and I argue. After all, what better way is there to keep the spark alive in a relationship than a lively debate in front of the entire House of Commons?