Olive glared at her son. “A balancing up, she called it.”

“Now we’re getting to the bottom of things,” Milt said. “Was it your idea or Connie’s to siphon the money off into her account?”

Olive glanced at Kate who reached out a hand to her.

“Connie set it up, didn’t she?” Kate said.

Olive’s shoulders slumped and she suddenly looked like a frail old lady. “I wanted to talk to Milton about it but Constance convinced me you wouldn’t miss it and—”

Milt blew out a sharp breath.

Olive sniffed and went on. “They’ve been struggling with this last loan they took out for more land for the boys. She said she was using it to put food on the table.”

“She can damn well pay it back,” Milt said.

“She can’t.”

“Well, she can earn it then.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Milton. You and Natalie are well off. You can afford to be generous.”

“We’re well off, as you put it, because we’ve all worked hard, Natalie and the girls as well as me. And out of those earnings we also support you.”

“Constance does what she can for me.”

“Perhaps she could take over your cleaning, Granny,” Laura said. “Give Mum a break and pay the money back that way.”

“What cleaning?” Milt said.

Olive shifted in her chair. “It was kind of you to vacuum when you called in the other day, Laura, but I think it would be too much to expect Constance to come up to do that.” She looked at Milt. “Natalie offered when I moved in to the unit. She’s in town regularly. I’m sure she’ll help me out again when she comes back.”

“Natalie’s doing your cleaning?” Milt gaped at his mother.

Kate was surprised. She hadn’t known about that either and, by the look on Bree’s face, neither had she.

“It’s just a light go-over,” Olive said. “I can manage most of it myself.”

“It’s a bit more than that, Granny,” Laura said with a hint of reproach in her voice. “Mum’s been doing the vacuuming, mopping the floors and cleaning the bathroom every fortnight.” She ticked the items off on her fingers.

“Poor Mum,” Kate said. “She’s got her work cut out with this place.”

“It’s been very good of her to help me,” Olive said.

“Something your own daughter won’t do.” Milt stood up and began to pace.

“I wasn’t going to bring this up but Constance reminded me the other day how much I looked after the girls when they were young.”

Milt stopped pacing and glared at his mother. Kate felt a surge of nausea. She pressed her fingers to her mouth. She felt bad enough first thing in the morning but this fighting made her stomach churn harder.