“You know the one, Natalie,” Olive persisted. “The Model Wife it was called.” She looked back at Kate. “It’s a family heirloom. It was Pa’s mother’s. She passed it on to me and I gave it to your mother. It will give you a laugh and perhaps it should stay in the family.”

Natalie shifted in her chair. “I don’t know exactly where it is at the moment.” It wasn’t really a lie. She couldn’t remember which drawer she’d shoved it in this time but its journey stopped with her. There was no way she was going to pass it on to the next generation. “Anyone for more sweets?” she asked, which raised a collective moan.

“Relax, Nat,” Milt said. “They can help themselves.”

And After Anomaly Natalie did just that. She sat back, her fingers playing with the smooth pearl at her neck.

“That’s so pretty, Mum,” Kate said. “I can’t believe Dad gave you jewellery.”

“I gave her a ring once.”

“Thirty-five years ago,” Kate said and Bree groaned.

Natalie smiled. He had given her the odd piece of jewellery over the years but the pearl had been a lovely surprise. Evidently he’d ordered it online with Laura’s help from a place in Broome.

“Pity I didn’t actually get to Broome,” he said.

“Oh no, how many times have we heard that lately?” Bree sat forward and passed Olivia to Sean. The baby had given a few small cries and Sean seemed to be the one who could settle her.

“You’ll just have to go, Dad,” Kate said. “But together this time.”

“I would but we’ve got this cruise your mum’s booked.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow at him. It had been his idea. He’d just finished reading a book on Papua New Guinea by an Australian zoologist and when he saw a cruise advertised that went there he’d suggested it and she’d jumped at the chance.

“And if we like it there’ll be more cruises,” she said.

Paul came back at that moment, patting the moisture from his neck, his hair still neatly in place despite his exertion on the court. The tennis had gone into recess.

“In school holidays, I hope,” he said.

“Of course.” She still hadn’t got used to having her boss as a potential son-in-law.

“What was Broome like, Natalie?” her mother asked. “Your father and I thought we might go somewhere warmer next winter.”

“It’s definitely warmer,” Natalie said. She told them a bit about the things she’d managed to see in her short time in the northwest. Then her mum had asked Bree about Marla and the conversation drifted in another direction.