Page 43 of A Translation of Desire (The Brazen Curators #2)

R ose smiled at Thomas as he entertained her with some outrageous story while they sat at a café in Livorno. It was good to be around someone she considered family. The journey over provided far too much time for her to think about her decision to walk away from Augustus.

The more time passed, the more she wondered if she should have done things differently. Should Rose have told him that she loved him and would never love anyone as much? She’d made the assumption that he would live happily ever after with his childhood sweetheart, but what if she was wrong?

The café she and Thomas sat in was lively, and not even the happy hum could replace the dread permanently lodged in her stomach.

“Rose, is something wrong?” Thomas asked over the loud chatter in the room.

She made eye contact with him and did something she’d never done in her entire adult existence. Rose Calvert burst into tears.

“Fuck,” Thomas muttered and pulled her from her chair, navigating them out of the happy place.

The café was located along the water, and he guided her to a crate. “Sit.”

She cried even harder because she missed the blasted duke. Miss seemed to be not an adequate word to describe the feeling. It was as if she’d given away part of herself.

“What is going on?” her friend demanded.

Shaking her head, she did her best to catch her breath. “I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

“Tell me.”

Rose grimaced through her tears. “I fell in love with someone in London. He wanted to discuss our future, but I told him we didn’t suit. I fled.”

Thomas looked startled. She’d been in Tuscany for a few days now but hadn’t mentioned anyone other than the ladies who ran the Historical Society of Female Curators. He sat next to her on the crate and wrapped his arms around her. “Why would you do that?”

She sniffled. “Because he is a duke.”

A bark of laughter escaped Thomas, and she glanced up at him, scowling. His arms dropped from around her shoulders, and he held up his hands. “Sorry, your father will be thrilled. His scheme to send you to London to find a gentleman to marry actually worked.”

Rose smiled at his point, but sadness filled her again. She’d walked away from Augustus. “I did something that I deeply regret now.”

“What is that?”

“Augustus’s first love just came out of mourning, and I convinced myself she would be a more suitable duchess than myself.”

Thomas sighed. “You tried to play matchmaker for the man you love? Does that make sense?”

She wiped at her tears, still falling. “No, it doesn’t, now that I’m so far away.”

“Go back and tell him you love him.”

“I’m not a proper duchess.”

Thomas tilted her chin up and smiled down at her. “It looks like that is exactly what you are about to be. I think your duke is a lucky man. I doubt there has ever been a duchess quite like you.”

“I will be rot at being a lady running an estate.”

Thomas snorted. “Your duke probably has several estates, and you are a fast learner. He can hire someone for what you don’t want to learn or aren’t great at.”

He was right. Why had Rose convinced herself that Augustus was better off without her? Every moment she spent with the man felt right. That was what mattered.

“I need to return to London.”

Thomas shook his head. “First, we need to go to the excavation site to see your father. If your duke loves you, he will still love you in a few weeks.”

Rose knew he was right. She sighed, and Thomas chortled. “I can’t believe you will be a proper lady. That is two women in my life that I will lose to such lofty titles.”

She wrapped her arm in his. “You will never be without my friendship. That is the first time you’ve mentioned Lisbeth since my return. Do you have questions?”

He was silent for a moment but quietly asked, “Is she happy?”

Rose nodded. “Yes. I believe she is.”

“Good.”

She didn’t ask him any other questions, knowing that Lisbeth was not someone Thomas wanted to ponder.

She did wonder if, perhaps, they could be friends again.

It was a step in the right direction, that he wanted her to be happy.

He stood and pulled her off the crate. “Come, Your Grace, let’s make plans for our trip to see your father. ”

She nudged him with her shoulder. “Don’t call me that.”

He laughed, and for the first time in days, the ache in Rose’s chest seemed less. She was returning to London to claim her duke—no, not her duke, simply the man she loved more than anything else.

*

Augustus smiled at Harrison. “Good day, I was hoping Lady Hawley or any of the other board members were here. I need to speak with them. It is a matter of great importance.”

His voice must have echoed through the large foyer as the board members of the Historical Society for the Female Curators walked to the railing on the mezzanine level and looked at him with concern. Christ! It was all of them.

Addie asked, “Is something amiss?”

Diana smiled at him, and he wondered if she already knew why he was there.

“Are you visiting us about Rose?”

She did. The other ladies giggled. He felt his neck heat, but he didn’t care. Rose was precisely the reason he was calling on them. “Yes.”

Addie sighed, and the ladies made their way down the grand staircase. Addie motioned for him to join them in one of the drawing rooms.

“Why are you looking for her?” Lisbeth asked.

“Because I love her.”

“I knew it!” Lady Esme said. “You all owe me a pound.”

Why was everyone placing bets on who he loved? Still, Lady Esme had bet right. Addie grinned. “We were shocked she made it out of London.”

“She told me that we didn’t suit.”

Lisbeth sighed. “She thinks you will fall back in love with your childhood sweetheart. She had tea with her at your house. Lady Gillings was looking for your mother or sister, but they weren’t in. The visit made Rose decide the widow would make the perfect duchess for you.”

Catherine had called on his family, and Rose had never mentioned it. It must have been the day she left suddenly. Annoyance flared in him. It would be just like Rose to make rash decisions. Once he found his wife-to-be, they would have a long talk.

“You could have declared your feelings for her better,” Addie pointed out as if the woman could sense his mind’s direction.

“I’ve been a fool. I’m here to find out where she is so I can go after her.”

Lady Esme and Miss Martin smiled at one another before Miss Martin said, “I have her location. She will be in the middle of the desert, but if you go to the Syrian port, Latakia, there is a guide who can take you to the field site. We are tentatively planning for one of us to eventually join Calvert’s excavations.

I will go retrieve the man’s information. ”

“Thank you,” he said gratefully.

Addie asked, curious, “Sinclair, have you ever left England?”

“No.”

“This will be quite the journey for you. I wish the London Society of Antiquaries had already provided us with the map to find the tablets. I would join you,” Lisbeth said, amused.

Diana beamed, “You will do fine.”

He hoped so, but all that mattered was that he convinced Rose to marry him.