Jane’s eyes widened.
“Tell me what?”
My head swiveled. Mrs. MC claren was standing motionless by the door to the little hallway. “What is it you need to tell me?”
Jane looked at me, then back toward Mrs. MC claren. I felt time slow around us. She swallowed, then lifted her chin a little. “That I’m your granddaughter.”
A brief silence.
“My . . . what?”
“I’m Will MC claren’s daughter.”
Her words echoed in the little room. Mrs. MC claren’s gaze slid toward mine, as if to check whether this was in fact some grotesque joke.
“But . . . you can’t be.”
Jane recoiled.
“Mrs. MC claren, I know this must come as something of a shock—” I began.
She didn’t hear me. She was staring fiercely at Jane. “How could my son have had a daughter I didn’t know about?”
“Because my mum didn’t tell anyone
