Chapter Fourty six

Mira.

‘No, but as I said’

‘And because we didn’t go through some totally meaningless ceremony i will? Have to pay it?’

‘Well, yes. That’s the present situation, I’m afraid.’

‘But that’s outrageous! We have lived together for nearly three years. We have a child…’

‘If you had lived together for twenty three years and had ten children it would make no difference, I’m afraid.’

After the brief stunned silence she asked, ‘What’s the liability threshold?’

‘$250,000. After that forty percent of the estate goes to the Inland revenue.’

‘But…’ Dan had thought she looked pale. He had been wrong. Colour leached from her skin, leaving her ashen. ‘But surely the house alone is worth ten times that?’

‘You don’t have to worry about the house, Mira’

‘You mean the house is free of inheritance tax?’ Mira asked.

‘I mean that Nate did not own the house.’

She shook her head. ‘No. That’s not right. Nate bought it from Dan, three years ago.’ She turned to him. Looked up at him. ‘We have lived the