Her mother listened patiently, only making the occasional ‘tssking’ sound as Minnie spoke. She stood by the window titivating the net curtains to ensure they were evenly spaced along the rail. Once Minnie had finished, she came and sat next to her on the sofa.

‘It sounds to me like you’re better off out of it,’ she said with a sigh.

Minnie closed her eyes. Why had she been expecting sympathy from her mother?

‘Can I tell you something, Minnie? I always used to think that if you worked hard and you did right by people, life would come out OK. I had this sense the world was fair somehow.’

Minnie opened her eyes and met her mother’s gaze reflected in the blank television screen. ‘When you were born, if I hadn’t helped that woman, we might have won that money, life might have been easier. But it went to her – someone with more money than she could know what to do with. The injustice of it got to me.’ Minnie listened quietly, turning to watch her mother’s profile. ‘Still, your father and I got on, tried to save, to give you and your brother the best lives we could. Then we lost it all – bad luck, wrong timing, or your father took too big a risk. I don’t know.’

‘It wasn’t Dad’s fault. You can’t blame him, Mum,’ said Minnie.

‘Maybe, maybe not.’ Her mother finally turned to look at Minnie. ‘Never put your chips on someone’s gamble, that’s all I ever wanted you to learn, Minnie. I don’t think this business was ever likely to end well, Minnie, not with your luck.’ She patted Minnie’s leg. ‘You can’t change the wind, it’s always gonna blow. All you can do is plant your feet firmer on the ground,’ she sighed.

‘I always feel like you’re so disappointed in me, Mum,’ said Minnie, hanging her head.

‘You’re too sensitive, love,’ said her mother, reaching out to push a curl behind Minnie’s ear. ‘You always have been. It’s hard for a parent to see her child struggle, and you seem to struggle more than most. I won’t always be here to pick up the pieces.’ Minnie closed her eyes and dropped her head onto her mother’s shoulder. ‘Maybe just avoid taking any more big risks for a while, love.’

‘OK, Mum.’ Minnie let out a sigh. ‘I’m going to go to bed.’

As she got up and headed for the stairs, Minnie suddenly felt calmer than she had done in weeks.

‘Minnie,’ her mother called softly after her. ‘This Quinn Hamilton’s got nothing to do with you ending things with Greg, has he?’

‘No, why? What makes you say that?’ Minnie was taken aback; it was strange to hear her mother mention Quinn’s name.