‘I have an extraordinary social life. It’s just that I also have an extraordinary working life, unlike you two layabouts. Thank God I decided against going to university. Look what it’s doing to the two of you. Turning you into hippies in front of our eyes.’

‘I’m not a hippy,’ Sadie said.

‘What’s wrong with being a hippy anyway?’ Eliza asked.

‘Nothing’s wrong with being a hippy in the same way that nothing’s wrong with being a smelly old dog lying around in front of a fire. It’s just not what I want to be.’

‘You think you are so perfect, Miranda,’ Sadie said. ‘You’re not. You’re so superficial. All you care about is make-up and clothes —’

‘And perfume,’ Miranda said. ‘Don’t forget perfume. And I’m reasonably interested in magazines, fake compliments and men buying me drinks.’

Juliet stepped in. ‘Do you want to try some tea and toast now, Clemmie?’

‘No, thanks. I’ll skip breakfast.’

‘You’re not on a diet again, are you, Clementine?’ Miranda said. ‘The pressures of impending fame getting to you?’

She managed a smile. ‘Something like that.’

‘Everything okay with the play?’ Juliet asked. Clementine had been out late each night that week doing final rehearsals for her school play, on top of all the weekend run-throughs. She had a walk-on role as a pirate and a credit in the program as assistant set designer. Juliet had been very pleased to hear it. Clementine was usually more scientific than artistic and not usually this enthusiastic about after-school activities. Juliet had discovered the real reason two weeks earlier, when she spotted Clementine and David Simpson, the boy playing the lead role in the play, holding hands as they walked down Elizabeth Street.

‘It’s fine. Why?’

Juliet shrugged. ‘You’ve seemed distracted the last couple of weeks.’

‘It’s all fine. Just busy. But there —’

‘Juliet, are there any eggs left?’ Sadie interrupted. She always went for seconds. Miranda called her the Human Scrap Bin to her face, Piggly-Wiggly behind her back.

‘In the pan. Help yourself.’

‘Would you serve it up for me? Please?’

‘No bones in your arms?’ Juliet asked.

Sadie waggled her arms in a floppy way.

‘Fall for that and you’re a fool, Juliet,’ Miranda murmured, flicking the page of the paper.

Juliet served Sadie anyway.

‘Where’s Dad?’ Clementine asked.

‘Shed Land,’ Juliet, Miranda, Sadie and Eliza said together.