Felicity felt that blow like a slap across the face. Worse was Flint's responding silence.
“You are perfectly correct, of course,” she said, keeping rigid control of her emotions. “What could my existence possibly be but a threat? Thank you for reminding me. From what I’ve heard Uncle Andy is also gone. No chance of blackmail there, either, is there? Now, if you don't mind, I shall be gone.”
“You won’t explain this to us?” The duke asked, lifting the papers.
“You seem an intelligent sort,” she said without stopping. “I am certain you’ll figure it out.” She did stop then, mere steps from the door, but refused to face them. “Oh, I should probably check, just to be sure. Did you get the message about that person named Reed?”
“We did,” the duke said. “How did you get it if you weren’t involved?”
“Bucky stopped by. He did not shoot at me. Reed did. Bucky said it had something to do with John Harvester, whoever he is.” She heard Flint suck in a startled breath, but didn’t think she had the strength left to learn more. “Bucky did give me the key to decoding the list. You won’t find him for more, though. He’s gone.”
The key. She truly had lost her locket. All she could do was shake her head and start walking again.
“Felicity, listen to me,” Flint protested, his hand out as well.
“No,” she said, her focus on the door she needed to get through. “Not again. Never again. And if you follow me, I swear on my grandmother’s grave I will knee you in the cods.”
Felicity threw the door open to find Higgins standing just on the other side. “Word has been sent, Miss,” he said gravely. “Sukie will accompany you. She is packing your things.”
“Were you listening, Higgins?” the duke demanded.
“Yes, Your Grace,” the butler said. “My resignation is on the desk in my quarters.”
And he turned to hold onto Felicity’s arm as she walked out.
Which was the moment Felicity finally broke. She couldn’t say a word. But when she nodded up at the sorrowful man, there were tears streaming down her cheeks. Even so, she kept walking right out of Flint’s life and back into her own.
Chapter 14
Flint only waitedfor the door to close behind Felicity to turn on his father.
“Do not move from this room,” he said. “I shall be right back.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” the duke demanded.
“To protect the only thing I care about.”
He absently waved a hand. “I said you had the house.”
Flint just shook his head. “She’s right. You truly have lost any humanity that might remain.”
“Come back here and finish this,” the duke snapped.
Flint didn’t so much as turn around. “Go to hell, sir. Or stay here until I get back. I don’t much care.”
By the time Flint reached her, Felicity was halfway up the great staircase, Higgins just behind her.
“Felicity,” he called.
She ignored him.
“Higgins,” he growled striding after them, “stop.”
But astonishingly, Higgins didn’t even pause.
Flint reached the bottom of the stairs. “Higgins. She is in danger. Do you want her death on your conscience?”
That brought everyone to a stop halfway up the staircase. Higgins looked over his shoulder. Felicity did not. Flint saw a shudder go through her and very much feared he was going to see tears if she turned. He wasn’t so certain he could withstand that at that moment. He wished like hell she had not heard that conversation just now.
