“Yes,” Lily mused. So it wasn’t only after he’d taken custody of her that he’d felt the need to constantly be on the move.
“He always loved seeing different places,” Maria said. “I suppose he wanted you to experience different cultures too.”
Lily nodded. “I was thinking it must have been upsetting for him when there was a fire at your shop so soon after my parents’ fire.” She let the words hang in the air, waiting to see how Maria would respond.
The small twitch of her cheek and the flash of panic in her eyes would have gone unnoticed if Lily hadn’t been paying attention.
“I’m not sure he even knew about it,” she said, clasping her hands in her lap.
“Did it happen before we came to stay or after we’d left for Italy?” Lily asked bluntly.
Maria shook her head as though trying to get her thoughts in order. Or more likely, trying to keep up with her own lies.
“After you’d left,” she said. “But the fire in the shop wasn’t a big deal.”
“Big enough that there was a newspaper article written about it,” Lily pointed out.
“It didn’t exactly make the national news,” Maria said, sinking back into her seat and seeming to relax. “It was a lot of fuss about nothing.”
Lily swallowed hard, not sure what her next move should be. Should she tell Maria she remembered being in the shop when it happened? Demand to know why she was lying, and what secrets her uncle had been keeping from her?
“Are you okay?” Maria asked softly. “You seem agitated?”
“I’m angry with Uncle Derek for dying and leaving me with so many unanswered questions,” she said sulkily. “And I guess it upset me when Jessica said she was leaving.”
“Just Jessica?” Maria probed.
Lily winced. Of course it wasn’t only about Jessica leaving. Flynn was leaving too – but that hurt too much to talk about.
“Sorry,” Lily said, standing abruptly. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“You’re always welcome here,” Maria said. “I’m only sorry I can’t be more helpful.”
Lily shrugged, suspecting Mariacouldbe more helpful. She just chose not to be.
Chapter Twelve
Maybe she should have been moredirect with Maria. Stopping in the middle of the deserted lane, Lily contemplated turning and marching back there to accuse her of lying about the fire. She could also ask her outright if she could explain why Uncle Derek had kept forged passports for the two of them, and enough cash to disappear without a trace.
Was it to do with Lily and her parents, or did he have a shady past that predated him becoming guardian to his niece?
“Are you okay?”
Lily’s mind returned to the present. Glynis stood before her.
“You look pale,” the old lady said, resting a comforting hand on Lily’s arm. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I was visiting Maria,” she said, glancing back towards the house.
“That’s nice. It’s good that you two are getting to know each other properly.”
“Yes.” Lily gave a small shake of her head, clearing away her previous thoughts. “How was your lunch?”
“Very enjoyable. I met up with Mirren Treneary. It’s been ages since I had a proper natter with her.”
“She’s lovely,” Lily said automatically. Her mind went to thefirst time she’d met the warm, local woman. She’d been trying to track down the owner of the ice cream shop, and Mirren had given her the name.
Lily’s eyes snapped to Glynis as it occurred to her that it wasn’t only Maria who might give her information.
