Page 18 of A Translation of Desire (The Brazen Curators #2)

R ose sat in the breakfast room, thinking about the previous evening. She’d offered to have an affair with Augustus. Her cheeks warmed as she remembered him turning her down. The situation had been a complete embarrassment.

Her eyes darted around the table, feeling as if all those around her could guess what she was thinking about, but no one seemed to pay her any attention.

What had she been thinking, propositioning a duke?

Her blush deepened because she imagined most ladies who spent time with him were much better at coquettish games than she was.

No, even if she hadn’t come out and confessed she was an innocent, her actions made it evident.

She had no experience being someone’s lover.

Yes, she kissed a few men, but to date, she hadn’t had a single interlude, and it wasn’t because she prized her virginity.

She wanted her first time to be with someone she respected.

But a duke was a preposterous option, especially one who was on a bride hunt.

The best option was to put the whole lovers situation out of her head.

She could do that. Augustus wasn’t so special.

When she desired to find a companion, she would.

The Duke of Sinclair would be her friend and associate only. It was that simple.

She bit her lip, wishing he wasn’t so bloody handsome.

Still, she reassured herself that anyone would be attracted to him.

Rose could put her feelings towards him aside.

She glanced up to find the man she was thinking about standing in the doorway, staring at her intently.

His gaze shot heat down her body. Ugh! She turned away as Lisbeth and their hostess walked into the room laughing.

Sinclair went to the buffet and filled a plate before sitting across from her.

Lisbeth and Lady Derry joined them. Rose smiled. “Good morning. Lady Derry, your estate is lovely.”

Lisbeth nodded hello, and the other lady said, “Please call me Sophia. Ask Sinclair; I hate formality.”

He snorted, and she nudged him with her elbow. He grimaced. “Lovely Sophia.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sinclair likes coming here. He doesn’t have to be such a stick-in-the-mud.”

A snicker escaped Rose, and Sinclair muttered. Sophia frowned. “What was that?”

“I was reiterating how much I love being here.”

Their host beamed at him and then returned her attention to Lisbeth and Rose. “I’m helping him find a bride. He is considered the unobtainable duke.”

Rose’s eyes flew back to his, and he shook his head as if wishing he could be anywhere else. “I’ve heard that.”

“Yes, Augustus is notoriously picky.”

He scowled at Sophia. Rose, finding herself protective of him, said, “Perhaps he should be. Marriage is for life. Who wants to be miserable for that long?”

Both Sophia and Lisbeth stared at her curiously. Sinclair remained quiet, and she added, “Even a duke wants happiness, I would imagine.”

Sophia tilted her head, studying her. “Wise words.”

Wanting to lighten the mood, she said, “Now, if he remains unwed this Season, I take it all back. He is simply picky.”

They all laughed. Lord Derry entered the breakfast room, clapping his hands. “Who is up for playing a game of rounders?”

“Me,” Sophia and Sinclair answered in unison.

Lisbeth shook her head. “I think I will watch.”

Sinclair’s eyes darted to Rose. “What about you? Sitting it out?”

She frowned at him. “Of course not.”

Amusement flared in his eyes, and Rose suspected he thought she would be rot at it. He didn’t know there was a lot of downtime at an excavation site, and rounders was one of the games played.

“You two can be our captains,” Sophia chirped.

Sinclair smirked. “I accept.”

“As do I.”

Sophia rose. “I will see who else will play.”

Lisbeth nodded. “I will join you. At least I can help with that.”

Their departure left only Sinclair and Rose in their area of the table. This was her opportunity to clarify things with him. Before she could say anything, Sinclair said, “I want to make sure everything is fine between us.”

“We are good. It was a ridiculous moment, that is all. I’m resolved that we won’t have any more.”

He contemplated her, making her fidget, but finally, he nodded. “I agree, but please understand that I simply want what is best for you. I admire you greatly. In truth, you may be one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met,” he said quietly.

She smiled at his kind words. “Thank you.”

“Friends?” he asked.

Rose smiled at him. “Yes, friends, but I plan to destroy you in this game of rounders, so we will see after that.”

He tilted his head back and laughed. Rose beamed, happy they had sorted everything out. Still, she didn’t believe Augustus had any idea what was best for her.

*

Rose grabbed the bat and glared at Augustus.

He waited patiently for her to say she was ready.

They were in their last inning in their game of rounders, and the teams were tied.

If Rose didn’t make it around the bases, his team would win because even though they were tied in points, they had more rounders.

He grinned back at her, enjoying that he would have something to gloat about. Sophia yelled, “Three missed balls is all we need, Sinclair.”

Sophia’s husband hollered, “You have this, Rose.”

Rose swung the wooden bat in Augustus’s direction and said, “You are going down.”

He snorted. “Doubtful.”

She got into position. “Just throw the ball.”

He tossed it in her direction, and she swung but missed. His mouth quirked up in a smirk. “It might not be your day, Rose.”

She pursed her lips and gestured for him to toss another. He did, but her next swing didn’t make contact with the ball either. Rose scowled, and he chuckled. Devons clapped. “You have this, Rose.”

Augustus glared at him as if he were a traitor, and Devons grinned. “She is on my team.”

“Stop chatting and throw the ball,” Rose said.

“As you wish,” he said, grinning.

The ball flew in the air, and Rose lined up her swing and swung. Crack! The ball flew across the field, past Augustus. He cursed and scrambled with the rest of his team to grab it. He saw her pass first base, then second, and finally third, from the corner of his eye.

Sophia tossed the ball to him, and he turned to see Rose sprinting for the last base.

He charged after her, and he was so close to her.

Augustus knew she would reach it first, and he had one chance, so he slid the rest of the way, hoping to gain more speed.

Her foot hit the base right before he did, and everyone in the yard cheered wildly.

He groaned and rolled over on his back, and a gloating Rose peered down at him. She pointed at him. “I win, duke!”

Everyone, including himself, laughed. She held out her hand, and he grabbed it, allowing her to help him. He ignored the jolt that shot through him at her touch. They would be friends only, and he would be fine with that.

Once on his feet, he shook his head as she continued to dance around. Her hair trailed down her back, and her face was flushed with excitement. She was a disheveled mess, but more than that, Rose Calvert was stunning in her victory.

He held his hand out. “Congratulations, Miss Calvert.”

She beamed back at him and shook his hand. “Thank you. My team will happily take the win.”

Everyone in her group joined her, cheering loudly. Augustus shook his head and joined his team. “Sorry. I thought we had them.”

Sophia shrugged. “Who cares? That is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. They earned it.”

“Yes, they did,” he said.

He turned and found Lady Viviene bringing him a cup of lemonade. She’d sat out of the game but now smiled at him. “I thought you might be parched, Your Grace.”

His eyes darted back to Rose, who continued to celebrate with her team. Damn, why was she so lovely? They were only friends, he reminded himself again. He shifted his focus back to Lady Viviene. “Thank you, my lady.”

She nodded politely. “Would you like to sit?”

“I would love that. I will be there momentarily.”

Lady Viviene beamed. “I will save a seat for you.”

After she left, Sophia and Diana joined him. They both beamed at him. He frowned, knowing they were up to something. Sophia said, “You like her.”

“I enjoy speaking with Lady Viviene—”

“No,” Diana interrupted him. “We mean Rose Calvert.”

He sputtered, but his eyes met Sophia’s, and he knew she knew. She smiled like a cat who’d landed a big bowl of cream. Augustus frowned at them. “You are both incorrect.”

“You could court her?” Sophia said.

He lifted a brow. “She lives in another country.”

“She could become a permanent club member,” Devons’s betrothed said.

Augustus smiled at her. “Not at the top of my list of marriage requirements.”

Sophia glanced at Diana. “Would you excuse us while Sinclair and I take a short walk?”

He had to force himself not to groan out loud. Diana nodded. “Of course.”

“I’m supposed to be joining Lady Viviene.”

His friend rolled her eyes. “She is talking with someone and won’t notice if a few more minutes of your absence goes by.”

Sighing, he held out his arm. She beamed at him, and they began to walk. He stated, “I’m not looking for you to play matchmaker, and the lady and I do not suit.”

Sophia rolled her eyes. “No, not at all. Oh, except she is intellectually your equal; she loves antiquities, and you can’t seem to stop staring at her. Truthfully, I think you at least like her more than Lady Viviene.”

He did, but wouldn’t share that aloud. Augustus had already determined that he would not call on Lady Viviene in the future. The young woman seemed lovely, but something was missing.

“I’m right,” Sophia said with a giggle. His mouth pressed together in a flat line. Sophia glanced back at Rose. “Why not try to court her? While no one would envision her as your duchess, there is something that seems right about Rose.

“I appreciate your opinion, you know that, but Rose Calvert and I don’t suit. I think she is brilliant, but she isn’t my duchess. I promise I’m looking and will tell you when I find someone.”

Sophia glanced back at the lady in question, skeptical. “If you say so, you both seemed to have so much fun on the field together.”

He shook his head. “That is a game. Not real life.”

His friend sighed. “If you insist.”

“I do. The lady and I are simply friends with similar interests,” Augustus stated. Still, he wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more, himself or Sophia.