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There was so odd about her Beneath the neat, respectable Lil she kneell, there was a person Francesca had never seen before

“What is thethe stairs toward her

Lil’s blue eyes met her own, and to Francesca’s surprise they filled with tears The maid looked away and bit her lip

“Lil,” Francesca said gently, “do tell me what’s the matter You know I’ll help you if I can”

“Oh,with s”

“Things?”

“It’s like the past has risen up to shole, and I can’t escape it”

“You never speak about your past, Lil,” Francesca said gently “I know you’re from London, of course I do, but other than that you’ve never confided in me”

“They ain’t…aren’t the sort of memories a respectable woman confides in anyone, miss”

“Come, Lil, you know me better than that!”

Lil sighed “I had a family once I haven’t seen the in the same street as they was Perhaps they’re dead So raves, without names”

“Oh Lil, is that where you’re going now? To find them?”

Lil nodded, and her tears overflowed “I—I know it’s stupid, miss You don’t have to tell ain, I’ve been thinking of …”

“Itall alone in the world, Lil But you knoe think of you as part of our family”

Lil looked as if she was going to dissolve coave a sniff, and pulled herself together “I know that, miss,” she said huskily