Laura thought of several lies, he’d left it after dinner one night, she’d put it there for safekeeping, but she was tired of telling half-truths. “He knows I don’t like it here on my own. He stayed last night. Here in the spare room.” She tried to keep a straight face. It was the truth but it so nearly hadn’t been. His caressing of her head had led to her kissing him, which had got fairly heated, and clothes being loosened, but Paul being the gentleman he was had slowed things down and they’d gone their separate ways to bed. That hadn’t stopped her dreaming about him and what it might be like to have shared her bed with him.

“I see.” Olive’s sharp gaze bored through her and Laura scurried from the room.

Her dad arrived home then and not long after that Bree came back. Laura put the kettle on again, made some more sandwiches and set out an assortment of the sweets she’d baked.

Over their late lunch, Milt told them about his brief trip to Adelaide and the latest about Kate, then he and Bree made a plan for the rest of the afternoon and he went to change. Bree took off again and Olive disappeared. Laura stood, hands on hips, surveying the messy kitchen. Once more she was in the role of family servant.

She scratched Bubbles under the chin, put another log on the fire and started collecting plates. Out in the passage beyond the kitchen door she heard her dad.

“You don’t need to stay you know, Mum. The girls and I are fine and Natalie will be home in a few days.”

“Laura’s had a lot of cooking to do. I can help her at least.”

Olive’s softer voice could barely be heard beyond the door but Laura’s shoulders lifted. “Thanks, Granny,” she muttered. At least someone realised her workload.

“You should have told me she was here on her own last night,” Olive went on. “I could have come out.”

“We had other things on our mind.”

“Did you know Paul Brown was here?” Olive’s voice rose a notch. “All night.”

Laura stopped collecting plates and moved closer to the door.

“Well, Laura wasn’t on her own then, was she.”

“Don’t be smart, Milton. They were out here alone – unchaperoned.”

Laura held her breath then let it out as her dad laughed. “Times have changed, Mum. They’re both adults and quite capable of making their own choices.”

One of them bumped the kitchen door. Laura scurried back to the table. Her dad stuck his head in. “I’m off, love. See you around six.”

“Okay.”

Olive bustled past him, shutting the kitchen door behind her. Laura carried the plates to the sink to hide her wide smile. “Would you like another cuppa, Granny?” she asked over her shoulder.