Page 31 of A Translation of Desire (The Brazen Curators #2)

R ose stood in the large exhibit room of Seely House. The talk had been a crushing success. Several newspapers had printed stories about the epic, and now chatter was high on when the rest of the tale would be revealed.

Addie joined her. “Are you admiring your work?”

Shaking her head, she said, “No. I’m wishing that we had the rest of the tablets. I know we can’t obtain the last one or two without the map, but I’m surprised the stolen ones haven’t turned up yet. It makes me worried.”

The club founder nodded her head, her mouth tilting down in disappointment. “Do you or Sinclair have any more ideas on places to look?”

She’d not seen Augustus since her talk. One of his servants had delivered a message stating that he needed to travel to his estate for an emergency and would return by the end of the week.

A vision of him and his former love in the Seely House gardens flashed in her mind.

The way he smiled at her had nearly shattered her heart.

Rose pushed it away, refusing to dwell on something she couldn’t control.

“I have not, and Sinclair is out of town for a few days.”

Addie studied her quietly. Finally, Rose turned to her. “What is it?”

“It doesn’t mean anything that they met with each other.”

A red flush raced down her body, and she pursed her lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Addie shot her a knowing look. “If you are not already embroiled in a liaison with Sinclair, it is clear you are headed in that direction.”

“If I were involved with him, it wouldn’t be anything serious.”

A snort escaped the stunning lady. “I’ve known Sinclair for a long time. Ladies love him, and he has only had one response to any of them: boredom. The way he looks at you is certainly not like that. In truth, he looks like a man in love.”

“You should see him with Lady Gillings,” she muttered, wincing that she’d revealed such a jealous detail to Addie.

Addie nodded. “They certainly have a history. But he isn’t the young man who once loved her. People change.”

“How would you know?” Rose scoffed.

A sad smile filled Addie’s face. “Trust me, I know what it’s like to grow in the opposite direction of someone you thought would be your perfect match forever.”

Rose realized she was talking about her husband. Her eyes flew to the woman’s face, but she intently studied the text next to the clay tablet—text she’d read a dozen times.

“What would be the end goal? I could never be a duchess.”

Addie’s gaze did swing in her direction then. “Why not?”

Rose looked back at her incredulously. “I’m a scholar. Not a lady.”

“You could be both.”

Could she? A flicker of hope flared in her, but then she remembered how he had smiled at Lady Gillings again. There was a familiarity and ease between them that Rose didn’t have with Augustus. Hell, most of the time, they barely got along.

“Rose—”

“I appreciate your concern, but I think what you’re imagining isn’t the case. Sinclair and I are simply associates. I think it is best if we move to another topic.”

Addie smiled at her sadly but nodded. “I sent word to my husband asking for his assistance in obtaining the map of the cave system. I know you said he and Sinclair are working on it, but I thought it might benefit the club to ask for his help formally.”

Rose couldn’t prevent her eyes from widening. Addie smirked at her. “Lord Hawley may not be my favorite person, but I want this exhibit to thrive. The success of this club matters more to me than any need to do this all without him.”

The club founder had done all of this to best her husband. Rose wondered what that meant. Why did she do it if she was so indifferent to the man? As if Addie could hear her thoughts, she said, “He took my best friend as his lover.”

Rose’s eyes flew to her face, and Addie added, “My husband and I hadn’t spoken for years, and then one day my friend went away for months. I didn’t hear much from her but assumed she was off on some grand adventure. She was with my husband.”

“Are you sure?”

Addie chuckled, but Rose suspected it was to cover a deep pain. “Yes, and they made sure all of London was aware.”

Rose found the idea of Hawley flaunting any lady before London odd but didn’t say anything. Wrong was wrong. “We can find another way.”

“No. We need that map, but I hope you and Sinclair can revitalize your search when he returns.”

“We will,” Rose assured.

Addie beamed at her. “Splendid. I have an appointment, so I will leave you here to ponder your work.”

Rose smiled back at her, nodding. After Addi left, she continued to study the tablets.

Sinclair would be gone for the rest of the week.

Perhaps she would try to find the artifacts on her own while he was away.

Rose knew where the illicit markets took place and could send a missive to the men they met with.

Yes, that was what she would do. Maybe she would find them and then wouldn’t need Augustus’s help at all.

Even though it was irrational, she felt the need to put some distance between them. She couldn’t watch him court Lady Gillings. Finding the tablets would bring her closer to leaving London—allowing her to escape the growing feelings between her and Augustus.

*

Augustus smiled as he watched his mother and Willa fawn over their land steward, Bennett Tillerson, who was seated in their drawing room with one leg propped up on a chair.

The man took a fall from his horse and down a cliffside.

Willa had sent word for Augustus to come immediately, but by the time he reached the estate, the doctor had determined that nothing was permanently broken.

“My lady, I’m fine. Please stop fretting,” Tillerson said grumpily to Willa.

His sister’s eyes flashed at their friend, who was quickly growing tired of all the attention. His mother chuckled at the exchange. Rising, she said, “Mr. Tillerson, we have been hovering too much. I think perhaps we can send you home tomorrow.”

The man flushed, and his face immediately turned contrite. “I appreciate all of the care I have received, Your Grace, but I agree. Now that the doctor has said it is acceptable for me to leave, I would prefer to recover at my home.”

“You must stay off your feet for the next two weeks. Do you think you can do that on your own?” Willa questioned.

The man’s eyes flashed with annoyance, and Augustus had to turn away from the comical sight. Very few men dared to argue with his sister. She had a no-nonsense air about her that seemed to have been with her since birth.

His mother joined him and whispered, “Say something before they kill each other with their glares.”

He did chuckle then, and Willa’s and Tillerson’s gazes swung their way. He smiled at the man they’d all known since they were children. “Till, would you agree to let us hire someone to care for you for the next two weeks?”

His friend looked like he would refuse, so Augustus added, “Or you could just stay here.”

Tillerson forced a smile. “I would be much obliged for the assistance.”

Willa smirked at the man in victory, happy that their stubborn friend would not be hobbling around by himself. Augustus sighed and extended his arm. “Come, sister, let’s give Till a reprieve from our presence.”

His mother nodded. “I would like you both to join me in the gardens for some fresh air.”

Augustus and Willa looked at each other with dread. His mother smiled and headed toward the terrace, not doubting they would follow her.

Tillerson chuckled, and Willa, surprisingly, made a face at the man. He scowled back at her.

As they went out to the terrace, Augustus said, “You should be nicer to Till. He is our friend.”

She snorted. “Mr. Tillerson is your friend, not mine. Enough about that man. Mother wants to know all about Lady Gillings.”

He groaned. Willa asked, “Have you seen her? When we all return, Mother and I plan to invite her over.”

He nodded. “I did see her recently. I suggested she visit with you before she leaves town.”

Willa stopped and looked at him curiously. “And?”

“There is nothing there. But I think I have found someone I want to court—”

“It is the scholar!”

Willa raced down the terrace stairs straight to their mother. “I win the bet. You owe me a pound. He is mad for Rose Calvert.”

His mother glanced at him. She whispered, “That was our secret.”

Augustus reached them, folding his arms. “Placing bets on my life. Not very motherly or sisterly.”

They both rolled their eyes. Willa said, “The moment I saw you with her at Derry’s country estate, I knew you liked her.”

He sat on a bench and sighed. “Well, don’t get too excited. I’m not sure she will have me.”

They both frowned. “Why ever not?”

“Not every lady aspires to be a duchess.”

Willa nodded, her nose scrunching up. “That is true, especially for a lady who travels the world.”

Uncertainty filled him. Could he really ask her to give everything up for him? Would she?

“You can work it out,” Willa reassured him.

His mother quietly said, “What of Catherine? Perhaps you should meet with her before you decide—”

Augustus shook his head. “Catherine is my past. There is nothing there. Willa is right. Miss Calvert is the lady I want.”

His mother smiled softly. “I see that. Well, I suggest you start wooing her. Something tells me she won’t be an easy lady to catch.”

His mother was unaware that he’d already started. He wouldn’t share those details but silently agreed with her assessment. Rose had no interest in his dukedom, so he would have to convince her somehow that, despite all his responsibilities, their love was worth spending forever together.

The thought of love disconcerted him. He’d not dared to think of the word and Rose until now. But the sentiment was genuine; whether Rose would have him or not, he’d somehow given her his heart.

“Now that I know Till is fine, I will return to London tomorrow.”

His mother beamed at him. “Willa and I will go with you. My boy has finally found his duchess.”