Lou had seen a change come over Gordon in the hours after that morning’s aborted surf carnival. He had brooded alone for two hours on the balcony, rebuffing Kelly’s invitations to talk, until he announced that he couldn’t bear the thought of Ron dozing in front of the ABC while they were throwing a party. No matter how badly they behaved, Gordon said, you had to look after your parents. But now that he had fetched Ron, he looked queasy with remorse. Typical Gordon, she thought.

‘It’s generous of you to bring him,’ Lou said.

‘The generous one is Leonie.’ Ron gave Gordon a cheerful slap on the shoulder. ‘Driven by a pure love of family. This is what we of the older generation are here for,’ he said to Lou. ‘I’ve offered to fix everything, but he’s too proud. Not too proud to get you working like a slave, though!’

‘I have to force him to let me help,’ she said.

‘Your mother-in-law is an excellent businesswoman and, just quietly’—Ron leant closer to Gordon, his eyes darting, shooting what he intended as a lubricious wink but coming out more like an attack of palsy—‘older ladies like younger men. Always have, but now it’s allowed. Look at your wife, chasing boys young enough to be her sons.’

‘You’re out of your tree, Dad.’

‘There were always wealthy old biddies around Bluebird, don’t let anyone tell you there weren’t,’ Ron went on. ‘I was stupid not to put my mind to it when I had the chance. You know what the worst thing about being my age is? There are no more older ladies.’

‘Your “mind”, you’re calling it,’ Gordon said.

‘No need to be crass,’ Ron said in an offended tone. ‘If I’d married one of those old biddies, she’d have fallen off her perch within a few years. Brutal, but short. And then I’d have been on easy street. Turns out I married one anyway.’

Lou rolled her eyes at Gordon. Just when Ron had exhausted all the ways he could appal her, the old fellow came up with another.

‘Norma’s three years younger than you, isn’t she?’ she said.

‘Leonie’s not that much older than you, son,’ Ron pressed on, undeterred. ‘And there are parts of her that are quite a bit younger.’

‘If she’s got an eye for young men, I doubt she’d take much interest in me. Anyway, she’s not doing this’—Gordon nodded gloomily at the StairLift—‘out of generosity. She’s just making improvements to get the place ready for market.’

‘No, you’re right,’ Ron said. ‘Blow it, I thought I’d figured it all out for you. Ah well, you could always get a job.’