She felt a bit frightened. How could she explain that Plas-y-Fran was the best place she had ever been in all her life and that she never, never wanted to leave? She couldn’t, so she just said, ‘It’s home.’

‘That’s quite right. It is.’ But he didn’t seem quite satisfied, she thought.

He rummaged in the papers on the desk. ‘All I want, Seren, and I’m sorry if this is a bit strange, is a few details from you about your life before you came here.’

She was really worried now. ‘Before…?’

‘Yes. I mean, your father was a great friend of mine when we were both boys. We went to school together. I was at his wedding to your mother and then he asked me to be your godfather at your baptism. I held you at the font. Goodness, you were so tiny then! But when he went away to India I didn’t hear much from him. I had a letter saying he was doing well and that was about all.’

She nodded. Why was he telling her this?

‘I do blame myself that we lost touch. I went into the army, and met Lady Mair and got married and I had no idea that my dear old friend Roger had died, and his wife too, and that his daughter was in an orphanage. I do wish I had known earlier, Seren.’

‘That’s all right,’ she said kindly, because she didn’t know what else to say.

‘So what I want you to tell me is … do you have any other relatives? Aunts? Cousins? Anyone at all?’

Seren frowned. ‘My aunt died. I don’t know about anyone else.’

‘No one has ever written to you saying they were your family?’

‘No.’

‘I see. I thought not, but… Of course your aunt’s solicitor might be able to help. I have already written to him to enquire.’

Seren fidgeted on her chair. Written to the solicitor! That sounded bad.

Captain Jones sat at his table and dipped a pen in the inkwell. He made notes of her full name, Seren Elinor Rhys, her date of birth and anything she could remember about her family, which wasn’t much, because before the orphanage everything was a blur. She was tempted to make a few things up, but something stopped her. Captain Jones wrote it all down, and then blotted the page dry. ‘Well. That will have to do. You’d better run off to your lessons now. I’m sorry to have kept you from your fun.’

But Seren didn’t move. She clasped her hands together on her lap and asked the question that was tormenting her. ‘Are you going to send me away? To school? Is that it?’

Captain Jones looked surprised. ‘School? Is that what you would like? I hadn’t thought… Oh, goodness! Look at the time!’

The grandfather clock in the corner was chiming ten softly. ‘I’m sorry, Seren.’ Captain Jones swept the papers into the drawer and locked it, and hurried to the door. ‘I have a meeting at the bank and I have to run or I’ll be late. Have a good morning, my dear.’