Cal cooked an outdoor barbeque on Saturday evening, using an ancient contraption he’d discovered when clearing backyard foliage for the new shed. Firewood was out of the question, the burning of timber illegal in a state prone to bushfires, but he’d also located a bag of what he called “solid fuel” among the tangled vegetation remaining close to the rear fence. Averse to the smell of sizzling kangaroo steaks, Emma stayed in the kitchen to finish the salads, while Dugald fried onion rings, tongs in one hand and a bottle of non-alcohol beer in the other. Meanwhile, Sonya flitted from room to room, wine glass in hand, emerging now and then to complement Emma on the improved state of the old house since she had taken charge.
The twins had sent their apologies – Holly out with her boyfriend, T
