Page 29 of A Translation of Desire (The Brazen Curators #2)
R ose took a deep breath, suddenly nervous about discussing her life’s work. The room was packed equally with men and women. She suspected some of them were from the London Society of Antiquaries based on their sour expression.
Her eyes reached Augustus, and he looked back at her intently. His gaze caused her stomach to churn, not in nervousness but anticipation. She suspected he was still unhappy that she had pushed so hard to do the talk, but his world was different from hers and the ladies of the club.
As a duke, no one would question his judgment if he decided not to do something.
Unfortunately, she and the Historical Society for Female Curators ladies were not regarded with the same esteem.
If they canceled the grand opening, people would immediately gossip.
Rumors would swirl around London that they were in over their heads and couldn’t manage such an ambitious club.
She nodded to him, but his gaze flicked to the entrance, distracted.
Rose followed suit and sucked in a breath.
Lady Gillings, Augustus’s first love, was in attendance.
They were finally going to find each other again.
Why did her heart feel like it had just been stabbed?
She watched as her handsome duke made his way to the lady.
He smiled as he bowed, and the lady demurely beamed back at him.
They were perfect together. This was always going to happen, Rose reminded herself.
For a moment, she wished she had told Augustus sooner that his lost love was in London.
She was fooling herself. Rose would never have given up her time with the man.
No, it was far too special. She hated that she couldn’t deny such thoughts, but there they were.
Somewhere along the way, she’d started to care for the blasted man.
“Are you ready?” Addie asked.
She pushed Augustus from her mind. Rose would not dwell on dukes and their matches. She smiled at the club president. “Yes.”
Addie squeezed her hand. “You will do fantastic.”
Rose followed Addie to the podium as the crush of people grew quiet.
She faced them and immediately and uncontrollably searched for Augustus.
She wasn’t shocked to see that he sat with the beautiful Lady Gillings.
Her gaze quickly roamed over her. Rose hated how lovely the woman was.
The lady was the epitome of what a duchess should be.
Enough , Rose scolded herself. She was here to present her talk at the grand opening of Seely House.
She would not focus on Augustus or his potential bride.
Addie grinned at her and then turned to the attendees.
“Welcome to our grand opening. The Historical Society for Female Curators is excited to have you here. Shortly after this talk, the doors to the great exhibit room will open, and you can explore all the artifacts we’ve acquired or are on loan to us.
You will see everything from jewels, scrolls, statues, and, of course, our main exhibit.
Philologist Rose Calvert is here to discuss that display. Please welcome Miss Calvert.”
Addie stepped out of the way as the majority of the crowd applauded.
A few of the men sat with their arms folded, sulking.
Rose took a deep breath and said, “Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for attending my in-depth talk about recently discovered cuneiform tablets. I have started deciphering them, and I’m excited to share that they contain an epic. ”
A lady in the front asked, “What is that?”
Rose smiled at her curiosity. “It is a story that typically features a hero attempting something that seems impossible. In the first two tablets, we meet our hero, Sibri, and he is in love with a princess named Belit. The king discovers the infatuation and tells Sibri that to see the beautiful Belit, he must find a golden fruit.”
“What happens next?” a man seated a few rows back asked.
“Sibri embarks on his journey and is almost stranded in another kingdom, but he is able to escape.”
Another man stood and folded his arms, unimpressed. Addie leaned towards her and whispered, “That is Lord Harston—the Vice President of the London Society of Antiquaries, and cataloguer of all their artifacts.”
No, he certainly didn’t like them based on the sour expression on his face. Why did she think it just became a little more challenging to obtain the map of the cave system?
“Do you expect us to believe that what you deciphered is accurate without having someone review your work?” he sniped.
A flare of annoyance shot through her. Her gaze bounced to Augustus, whose own face was filled with fury, not at her but at Harston. Well, at least he hadn’t forgotten her completely. Still, she would fight her own battles. “Lord Harston, isn’t it?”
The man smirked and nodded. She continued, “I would welcome any review of my work. Perhaps you have developed a key that could be used to validate my findings.”
Guffaws escaped Addie and a few others in the room. The man, of course, had no such thing. His face turned a purplish color. “I do not, but I believe the London Society of Antiquaries should have a final review of your findings.”
Rose actually favored what this man suggested, but she detested his tone and the insinuation that she and the Historical Society of Female Curators were somehow incompetent.
“Don’t fret, Harston. Miss Calvert and I have already agreed to share our work. She will review my key, and I will review hers,” Lord Hawley said from another spot in the back of the room.
Surprise flickered across Addie’s face that her husband was at another of the club’s events. Rose wasn’t so shocked by his support of her work or the all-women’s club. He smiled at Rose and said, “I look forward to partnering on the research.”
Rose nodded. “As do I.”
Harston seemed to lose his bluster and sat back down. Rose suspected they were definitely not receiving the map from him. She continued with her talk, answering any questions thrown at her.
Finally, Addie said, “We will stop there. Miss Calvert will be in the exhibit hall if you have further questions. Please join us there, and thank you for attending our grand opening.”
The attendees applauded loudly. After it died down, Addie nodded to the two men positioned by the closed double doors leading to the hall where all the artifacts were on display, waiting to be viewed.
They threw the doors open with a flourish.
Rose had no doubt that Addie had made them practice their dramatic door opening.
She glanced at Lisbeth, who rolled her eyes.
The crowd rose and began to make their way in.
A few people stayed behind to ask her questions, but eventually, the room emptied.
Looking around, she wondered if Augustus had left as well.
She saw him standing off to the side, waiting for her, and joy bloomed in her heart.
He hadn’t gone with Lady Gillings. She smiled as she approached him, and he quietly applauded her.
“Fantastic job.”
“Thank you. Would you escort me into the exhibit hall?”
He grimaced. “I need to attend to something, but I will join you shortly. I just wanted to tell you how impressed and amazed I was by your speech.”
Lady Gillings stood at the doorway’s opening, not watching them but clearly waiting. The ache in her chest intensified. So, he did still care for her. Rose would not be upset. She forced a smile. “Of course.”
He stepped closer. “I don’t think you understand how damn proud of you I am.”
She placed her hand on his arm. “That means a great deal to me.”
He grinned down at her, and their connection hummed, leaving Rose confused. Augustus added in a whisper, “I will return shortly. I promise.”
She watched him leave and forced herself not to ponder what was about to happen with him and Lady Gillings. No matter what, Rose and Augustus were not meant to be together forever. She couldn’t be hurt if their interlude were to end.
*
Augustus stepped out into the garden of Seely House with Catherine.
He’d been prepared to run into her at some point, but he didn’t expect it to be here.
It had been years since they last saw each other.
They stopped at a bench, and she sat while he remained standing.
Even at thirty-one, she was still breathtaking. Still, sadness lurked in her eyes.
“I’m glad you are out and about, Catherine.”
A small smile flitted across her face. “I promised my husband when he was sick that I would not stay in mourning longer than two years.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
She didn’t say anything at first, but eventually, a sigh escaped her lips. “I still miss him dreadfully.”
He nodded. The rawness of her loss still emanated from her being. “Why did you want to speak with me?”
“My mother wanted me to see you. She has been hounding me to arrange a visit, something to do with her belief that we would still have a strong connection.”
But we do not , Augustus thought. He felt nothing right now. He didn’t feel the pain from losing her so long ago, or excited that she was free again. Maybe a little sadness at her very apparent grief.
He didn’t want to hurt her if she did, but his feelings as a boy no longer existed. He glanced to the large windows, where he spotted Rose inside chatting with someone. She beamed, and he found himself wishing he were by her side. Still, he asked Catherine, “Do you think we do?”
“No.”
Relief washed over him. He didn’t want to hurt his old friend. A soft giggle burst from her, followed by a louder one. Augustus lifted a brow. “Why do you seem relieved?”
She composed herself. “My mother was so certain we would instantly connect. She seemed to think that I would see you and my grief would suddenly disappear. Truthfully, even though I’ve been in London for a while, I’ve been apprehensive about visiting you.”
The amusement died from her eyes, and sadness filled them again. She added. “Strangely, I don’t want my grief to leave me yet. It makes him feel close by.”
Her husband had been her great love. She hadn’t made a mistake by refusing Augustus all those years ago.
At another point in Augustus’s life, he would have been thankful not to have such a love as Catherine’s, but now he was jealous.
Would his future wife mourn him in such a fashion?
Again, his gaze moved to Rose, who was now surrounded by people, likely all congratulating her on her accomplishments.
“Your mother is foolish.”
Catherine sighed. “She just wants to see me happy again. And I will be someday, just not yet. I plan to return to my country estate in a few weeks. I think it is enough that I at least tried.”
“I agree. Grieve the way you want.”
She nodded. Her eyes shifted to the exhibit room windows. A shadow of a smile played upon her lips. “Miss Calvert is quite impressive.”
He felt himself flush. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You are interested in her.”
He didn’t deny it but said, “You haven’t seen me in over a decade, but think you know my preferences?”
She shrugged. “From everything I’ve read about your pursuits, she would be an ideal match.”
He glanced back at Rose and smiled bitterly. “I would not crush her spirit by making her a duchess.”
“Not everyone looks at the position as a prison sentence.”
“You did,” he shot back.
She sighed. “No. I wanted to be your duchess more than anything in the world, and then I fell in love with Eric. It wasn’t an attraction but an all-consuming feeling that he was my match.
I just knew. I envisioned a life so drastically different from what was planned for me.
I should have felt scared, but I didn’t. It was exhilarating.”
He said nothing. His heart was pounding. She stood and said, “Does your Miss Calvert make you feel that way?”
Augustus didn’t answer. She patted him on his arm and said, “If she does, don’t let her go. Find a way.”
He nodded and held his arm out, but Catherine shook her head. “I think I will leave and make plans to return home.”
“It was good to see you, Catherine. My mother and sister would love to visit with you before your departure. They returned to our country estate for a few days but should be back by the end of the week.”
She squeezed his arm. “I will be sure to visit them.”
Augustus nodded and sat back down on the bench. He watched as Rose showed someone something on the one-stone tablet the club still had. He wanted her—not just for now, but forever. What the hell was he supposed to do?