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‘Yes.’

‘So, some people don’t tell them they were adopted?’ Abigail said incredulously.

‘I’m afraid that in my experience, it happens more often than you think. It’s one of the reasons that people find themselves with property unexpectedly, when they discover, like Toby, that the people who raised them were not, in fact, their biological parents at all.’

‘But you don’t think this is the case with Toby’s trust, that he’s related to the Somervilles?’

Ray shook his head. ‘I think his connection to Daphne Harris is through her cottage, not blood. I also have another theory.’ He smiled. ‘If the nurse then adopted the foundling, Toby, and you’re right, and they did move away when he was five. That was when the cottage was put into trust for him, was it not?’

‘Yes.’ Abigail stared at him, wondering where he was going with this.

‘That’s a bit of a coincidence. Do you know what I think?’

Abigail listened closely to what he had to say.

‘The nurse, Toby’s adoptive mother, knew.’

‘Knew about the cottage being put in trust?’

‘Yes, and …’ he paused, ‘I think she’s one of the trustees.’

Abigail sat up with a start. This all made perfect sense.

‘Have you spoken to your mother-in-law since you found out about the cottage?’

‘No.’

‘Then I suggest you do. She could answer all your questions.’

Abigail remained silent.

‘Oh, is she … has she died too?’

‘No, nothing like that. But she’s got early onset dementia. I haven’t seen her for a while. She used to have lucid moments, but I heard they had to put her in a home, so …’ Abigail trailed off.

Ray got the picture. He leaned forward in his seat. ‘You need to establish whether he was adopted.’

‘How?’

Ray rubbed his chin again. He pointed at Abigail. ‘Did you say Toby had a half-sister?’

Abigail nodded her head.

‘If he suspected he was adopted, and he couldn’t talk to his mother, or didn’t want to upset her, there is another way to establish whether they weren’t related.’

‘His half-sister, Clarissa.’

‘Yes, a DNA test would establish whether they were siblings.’

‘She would need to have taken the test, too. You know, the test results are available online. Have you looked at your husband’s account to see the results? It would tell you whether she took one too.’

She looked at him glumly. ‘I don’t know his password.’

‘Oh.’

‘You would know how to …’

‘No, I’m afraid that’s personal, sensitive data. As your husband is deceased, it may be possible to apply to the courts to get access to it, but—’

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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