Page 20 of A Translation of Desire (The Brazen Curators #2)

R ose sat at the long wooden table reviewing her research.

Frustration welled up within her as she thought about the missing tablets.

Only one tablet remained for her to conduct her research on.

She stood and stretched before pacing back and forth.

The Historical Society for Female Curators was still no closer to identifying the culprit or finding the stolen artifacts.

She stopped and looked out the window. A guard from down below nodded to her. Seely House now employed two guards on duty at all times. Truthfully, they probably should have always had more than one, but Rose still couldn’t believe all that had transpired in the last few weeks.

Sighing, she plopped back down in her chair.

Rose frowned. It had been a whole week since she and Lisbeth returned from the Derrys’ country estate party, and Augustus hadn’t reached out to her at all.

She hated that it bothered her so much, but it did.

What was that night in the library about?

Was she supposed to wait around for him? She wouldn’t.

He hadn’t even reached out about Hawley or tried to meet with the whole club—he was completely silent. Rose reiterated to herself that she needed to forget the duke. Pushing the disconcerting thoughts from her mind, she read the text she’d deciphered from the second tablet.

Sibri traveled farther than any known man.

He went past the valley of the abandoned and finally came to the kingdom of the flowers.

The kingdom was beautiful, including the king and his daughter.

The daughter wanted Sibri and told him that she would tell him the location of the golden fruit for one night.

He refused. She was angry. The guards seized him.

The king made him an offer. He would give Sibri a riddle.

If he answered the riddle correctly, they would tell him the location.

If he lost, Sibri would forever belong to the princess. Sibri agreed.

The king put forth the riddle, “There is a house. One enters it blind and comes out seeing. What is it?”

Sibri closed his eyes and pushed all thoughts except the riddle from his mind, including his beautiful Belit. Then he opened his eyes and said, “A house of learning.”

The princess said no, but the king nodded. Sibri had answered the riddle correctly. The king told Sibri he would find the golden fruit where the water touches the sun. Sibri journeyed on.

Rose was excited that her key was working.

She was confident that the story was real, and Hawley would be able to validate it with his.

However, concern lingered in her mind that the story would be incomplete even if she had the three tablets.

Thomas offered to return to the area where they were discovered, but there was no guarantee that additional tablets would be found.

Right now, it was a hunch, but based on the pacing and structure of the text, Rose was almost sure they were missing the end of the story. She needed to tell the board members.

Addie’s laughter filtered in through the open door from their office space, and she rose.

Being able to decipher the tablets was a success for her, but she hated the thought that she might fail the club.

The club had already proven it could compete with the London Society of Antiquaries, but having a complete epic would be a real coup. Rose wanted that for them.

She walked into the office. Lisbeth, Addie, and Esme glanced up from their desk. Sarah and Diana were out of the building today because they took the train to look at relics discovered north of London. Addie asked, “How is deciphering going?”

Rose leaned against the door frame and frowned. “Well, but I’m worried about something else.”

“Is there something wrong with the tablet we have?” Lisbeth asked.

She shook her head. “No. I’m concerned that it won’t be the end of the story when we find the stolen tablets and have all of them deciphered.”

They were all quiet for a moment. Finally, Esme asked, “Why?”

“The pacing of the epic makes me believe there should be one or two more tablets. The hero is still on his quest. I don’t believe even halfway through.”

“If you had to guess, what would be on the third tablet?” Addie questioned.

Rose sat in the sitting area, and all the ladies joined her. “He will find the object he was sent on the quest for. He still needs to return and reunite with his love so I’m speculating there are at least two more tablets that haven’t been found.”

Addie leaned her head back, closing her eyes. “We need to find the additional stone pieces if that is the case. Is there someone in Syria searching for them?”

“Thomas Easton has returned to the area, but I can’t guarantee he will find the tablets. They could be anywhere.”

They all sat there disappointed. Shocking everyone, Esme slammed her hand on the arm of her chair.

“We will not be down on ourselves. Most antiquities aren’t discovered in good condition or whole.

I would be shocked if any of the London Society of Antiquaries were.

We will make this work no matter what. We have the first cuneiform epic found on stone tablets, and the person who deciphered it was a woman . ”

Even though Rose hadn’t known Esme long, she’d quickly deduced the lady was the quietest and most ladylike of the group.

Her outburst was not expected, but impressive.

Addie clapped her hands excitedly, seemingly inspired.

“You are right. We will make this work. Yes, I want the whole story badly, but this won’t end us. ”

Lisbeth smiled at Esme. “Thank you, Esme. I think we all needed to hear that.”

She flushed. “I want this club to succeed.”

Rose looked around at all these ladies and realized she wanted that too. “Regardless of whether we find the stolen tablets or if the story is incomplete, we will make the most of what we have for the grand opening.”

Addie nodded. “Agree. Diana and I will devise a plan for handling the grand opening using only the one tablet and Rose’s research. Rose, can you send Sinclair a message to see if there are other avenues to pursue regarding the theft?”

It was the absolute last thing she wanted to do. The thought of being in his presence after he disappeared on her horrified Rose, but she would do it for this group. This time, though, she wouldn’t allow herself to be carried away by him. She’d learned her lesson.

*

Augustus smiled as his sister stepped into the drawing room of the family house.

While some siblings were not close, he and Willa always had a strong bond.

It had only been him for the first seven years of his life, and he could still remember vividly when their father placed Willa in his arms and told him he was to always care for her.

The duke passed away when Augustus was twenty-two and Willa was fifteen.

He’d gone to sleep and not woken up the next day, devastating them all.

Augustus didn’t think of that year fondly.

A few months before that, Catherine had declined his request for her hand in marriage.

The only positive he took away from that part of his life was how close he, Willa, and his mother became.

“This is the second day in a row that you aren’t at your warehouse or off doing something ducal when I enter the drawing room. Dare I say you’re slowing down, brother?”

He snorted. “I don’t have time to slow down.”

“Is there anything I can help with?”

Augustus smiled. “You already manage half my tasks. I believe I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”

Willa wrinkled her nose in annoyance. “The estate is vast. It is utter nonsense for you to carry it on your shoulders alone when both Mother and I are more than capable of helping.”

And they were. He was grateful for them. “I truly appreciate your assistance, Willa. I only worry that you will wish you had done more ladylike things one day. Most ladies do not enjoy toiling away on business documents.”

She lifted a brow. “I do plenty of ladylike things. Mother insists on it.”

“I meant being open to courtships.”

A delicate snort escaped his sister. Willa was an enigma when it came to matters of the heart. She seemed to hold no interest whatsoever in finding a suitor. At twenty-eight, she’d stopped pretending completely.

Surprising him and changing the subject, she said, “Rose Calvert is an interesting woman.”

Interesting, didn’t come close to explaining his thoughts on Rose, but he wouldn’t share that with Willa.

He hadn’t reached out to the female scholar since Derry and Sophia’s week-long party.

The last time they were together, he wanted to bury himself between her thighs in the middle of Derry’s library.

His growing and undeniable attraction to her made him act irrationally.

Christ, he still wanted to plan a liaison with her, no matter how much he told himself it wasn’t proper.

Rose was an innocent, and she could deny it, but part of her reason for being in London was to participate in the marriage mart. Her massive dowry was evidence of it.

“You have much in common with her,” Willa added.

He raised a brow. “What similarities do you see?”

“A love of antiquities.”

He nodded. “That is true.”

“Perhaps she should be a potential option for you.”

He smirked. “She spends half the year living in a tent in the desert. I’m not sure if that is wise.”

Willa nodded and asked, “Did you ever want to travel?”

Every day of his life, he wanted to. It was probably what drew him to import relics, but becoming the duke at twenty-two had made such dreams unrealistic. The world and its history fascinated him. He wanted to see everything. “Maybe I will someday. I’m not in the position to do that now.”

“Maybe not forever, but Mother and I could manage without you for a few months or even half the year.”

He lifted a brow, amused and intrigued. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

Willa flushed. “I’m simply telling you that you don’t have to live life like every other lord does. You can make different choices.”

He’d never even thought about that. “You believe I should pursue Miss Calvert?”

She shrugged. “Only you can decide that, but you seemed different in her presence. Not as stiff. More at ease.”

“I’m not sure she is interested in becoming a duchess.”

Rose looked around at the opulent room and wrinkled her nose. “We shouldn’t whine. We are very fortunate, but sometimes when I return home, I look around and think it is rather much.”

It was. Yet, it was all he’d ever known. Long ago, he’d accepted this was his life and done all that was asked of him. He didn’t take risks, but neither did he shirk his responsibilities. Well, besides finding a wife.

His sister sighed, taking him away from his thoughts. She smiled. “What do I know? I like that she made you seem less ducal and more like the Auggie of my childhood, I suppose. I think the world would be lucky to see more of him.”

“I will try my best to be less proper and duke-like,” he said, winking at her.

In truth, Augustus missed that person too. Yet, he wasn’t sure it was possible to do as his sister said. He spent the last thirteen years becoming the duke. Still, his mind flashed to Rose, and he pondered what her adventures were like.

Guilt coursed through him that they hadn’t spoken in the last week. He needed to reach out to her. They should talk.