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Lili knew that too. ‘But you’re talking about finding descendants of someone who’s died.’
‘Yes, I know that’s what heir-hunting means, but he still finds people. Perhaps he can locate the person who has been paying your fees.’
‘I don’t have the money to pay for his services.’
‘I get the idea, from what he’s said, that you’ve made quite the impression. He counts you as a good friend, and he wouldn’t take money from his friends. Besides, he works for a commission.’
‘But he won’t get anything …’
‘Ah, but you have no idea who you are yet. You might be descended from someone extraordinarily rich.’
‘Or famous.’ Lili didn’t know why she’d said that.
‘Or infamous.’
Lili frowned. Although they were larking about, she said, ‘Why did you say that?’
‘It was a joke.’
‘Oh, okay.’ Lili didn’t find it funny. That was the problem with knowing nothing about your past; who knew what skeletons hid in her family’s closet?
Nate guessed what she was thinking. ‘You could be the skeleton in someone’s closet.’
That’s likely, thought Lili. Who would pay her school fees unless it was someone who wanted to keep her out of the way. Maybe she was a secret love-child. Was there a family out there with half-siblings who did not know she existed? It was possible. Right now,anythingwas possible.
‘Can I ask a personal question, Lili? You can tell me to shut up.’
‘What is it?’
‘Why didn’t you do this before – search for your parents?’
‘Who said I didn’t?’
‘Have you been back to Corfu?’
Lili fell silent for a moment. ‘Look, if they’d wanted me, they would have found me. When I reached sixteen, I filled out the paperwork and went on the register, but no one came forward.’
‘Perhaps you need to go in search of them?’
Lili shook her head. ‘Connie always told me that you should only ever look back to see how far you’ve come. She told me nothing good comes from …’ Lili stared at Nate.
‘… from?’
‘Looking in the past,’ Lili said slowly.
‘Especially if there’s something in your past that she has been hiding from you,’ observed Nate. He glanced in his rear-view mirror and saw a car approaching from behind. He flicked the indicator light and turned onto the main road.
‘You should speak to her, Lili.’
Lili shook her head. ‘Not yet.’ If Connie had been lying to her all these years, then who was to say she would tell her the truth now?
‘Then you have to go back, Lili, to where they found you.’
‘I know, but first I need to visit Joseph.’
Nate didn’t get what that had to do with anything. He shrugged. ‘Okay. Shall we go and see him now?’
Lili stared at Nate. She wanted to go and see Joseph, but not with Nate. ‘It can wait.’ Lili fingered her ring. She needed to see Joseph alone. ‘I’d like to go back to The Summerhouse and collect Maisie.’
