“You’re right,” Milt continued. “Times have changed and maybe we would have set things up differently today than we did forty years ago but it’s not as if Connie’s had no recompense. We can’t go back and change things now. Bree has a few more years to make a decision. If she wants to continue running the place, her sisters will have to be compensated, but unless we sell it’s never going to be equal value. As well as that there’s you to be looked after and Nat and I when we eventually retire.”

“Perhaps we need to revisit your plan.”

“No-one can walk away with a big bucket of cash unless we sell and divide the lot between us.” Kate could hear the frustration in her dad’s voice. “Hell’s teeth, Mum, is that what Connie wants? A part of this property?”

“Not exactly a part, but something more.”

Once again the three sisters gaped at each other. Kate had always liked her aunt Connie. She’d always been so friendly and had bought lovely gifts when they were kids.

“After everything Dad’s given her already,” Milt growled. “And what she’ll get once you’re gone.”

“I don’t plan on going any time soon,” Olive huffed.

“I’m not wasting any more energy on this futile discussion. I’ve got work to do.”

“It’s Sunday morning.”

“Yes it is.” A chair scraped.

The three girls dashed into the bathroom and closed the door as they heard the kitchen door squeak open. There were muffled thuds as their dad made his way outside. Bubbles miaowed and the back door banged shut.

Bree lowered herself to the edge of the bath. “I can’t believe Aunty Connie would be such a bitch.” She looked from Laura to Kate. “You two aren’t going to be like that if I do take over the place, are you?”

“It’s not the same for us,” Kate said. “Dad’s made it clear from the start we could all work here if we wanted to.”

Bree snorted.

“You’re lucky Laura and I don’t want to work the property,” Kate said, the churning in her stomach replaced by anger. Bree could be so self-righteous “You can have it to yourself.”

“Yes, but Dad’s made provision for you and me,” Laura said. “Your uni and my courses were all paid for.”

“Bree went to uni too,” Kate said, knowing it sounded petty.

“You got help to buy your first house,” Laura said. “And I will when the time comes. We’ve got a small parcel of shares each in our names and…” She twisted her lips and wrinkled her nose. “One day, a long way off, we’ll get whatever Mum has when she goes.”

“Bloody inheritances,” Bree spat. “It’d be better to have nothing to fight about.”

“We’re not fighting, are we?” Laura looked from Bree to Kate.