“Where you running to, girl?”
Felicity sucked in a breath. “Is that any of your business?”
The woman squinted more. “Perhaps not. There’s a posting inn two miles east. If you make it there, you’ll be able to catch the afternoon coach.”
“What do you mean byif?”
“A pretty thing like you? You’ll be accosted. Look, I don’t normally offer charity to strangers, but you don’t look like you’re from these parts.”
Felicity lifted her chin. “I’ll manage, thank you.”
She sighed. “My daughter moved away. She’s older than you but not by much. As a mother, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Felicity nearly buckled under the weight of her emotions. Was her own mother worried about her at all?
She swallowed. “Thank you for your concern, but I have to do this on my own.”
The older woman pressed her lips together and then searched her pockets. “Take this.”
She took Felicity’s hand and pressed a coin into her palm. “If you’re put in a position where you must sacrifice something, use that. Take this, too.” She pushed an apple at her. Felicity took it, her eyes burning.
“Thank you.”
The woman nodded. “Best hurry while the day is young.”
Felicity nodded as she headed in the direction the woman pointed. Her feet were swift, her heart pounding as the world blurred around her. She could do this. She had to. She had no other choice. She would keep running until she found another place that was safe. Then she’d figure out what to do next.
Tristan attempted togo after her father and Revere, but Titan stopped him at the door.
“Leave it,” Titan warned.
Tristan pushed out of his hold. “They deserve to be ripped apart with my bare hands.”
“Aye, but I’m certain your lady love needs you more. They won’t dare come back here.”
Tristan stilled as he focused on Titan, the words penetrating his fog of rage. “What are you on about?”
“Don’t think it hasn’t been noticed the two of you are sweet on each other. Trust me. She needs you more than you need to get your revenge. Go to her.”
Tristan shook his head, but Titan was right. Besides, he could always find them later, at night, when he could ambush them and finally have a good reason to mark his soul with death. Because he would kill them. Both of them. Bury their worthless carcasses inshallow graves for the wild dogs to rip apart or perhaps dump them in the Thames. Then every time he smelled its filth he could smile, knowing they rotted in its waters.
Tristan hurried to her room, but when he got here her door was open. Inside, nothing looked different, but the room felt vacant. Something was off. He opened her wardrobe, and her gowns were still there. He turned, looking for a clue as to her whereabouts. Milly appeared in the doorway.
“She left,” she said.
“What do you mean she left? Where? Upstairs? Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s parlor? Where did she go?” Tristan barked at her.
She wiped at her red nose. “She left, Mr. Chase. What would you have me do? I couldn’t have stayed here, either, after having all my secrets thrown on the floor for all to see.”
He grabbed her shoulders. “Why didn’t you stop her?”
“I have no right to stop her. I can’t keep her here against her will. She’s bigger than me, you know. What could I have done? If a girl needs to run, she should run.”
Tristan let her go before he shook her. He stepped back and steadied his anger so he wouldn’t yell when he asked his next question.
“Which direction did she go?”
“Toward the ground floor. I didn’t follow her. She didn’t want anyone to see her. You should respect her wishes, Mr. Chase.”
