Augustus was shockedto see so many people at Seely House. With the number of people entering the building, one would think this was some grand societal event, not a lecture on an ancient text.
“Why am I not surprised to see you here?” Sophia said.
“Because I enjoy antiquities. I am shocked to see you in attendance, though,” he said dryly.
She giggled. “All of thetonis talking about this talk. Of course, I had to attend. Escort me around.”
He sighed. “Fine, but if your husband appears and glowers at me, I’m telling him you insisted.”
“He knows we are dear friends. Besides, he is at the Den for the afternoon going over business accounts.”
He guided Sophia to the edge of the room, trying to avoid the large pockets of people congregating everywhere. Still, Augustus greeted everyone they passed. Sometimes, he hated being a duke. He was lying; he always hated it.
“So, tell me, has anyone caught your interest?”
“Is that why you asked me to walk with you?” he asked before sighing.
She stopped. “Sinclair, you are a dear friend of my family, so take this as a concern, but I’m worried about you. You are one of the most eligible men in London, and yet you seem to hold no interest in finding a wife.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
She frowned at him. “Not everyone is after your title.”
Augustus flushed that he was so transparent. “This isn’t the place to have this conversation.”
Sophia squeezed his arm. “Just think about what I’m saying. Having a partner is so important.”
“I have plenty of—”
“I’m not talking about liaisons,” she added dryly.
He sighed. “I will think about it. Now, shall we head to the exhibit room? I think the talk is going to start soon.”
She nodded, and he escorted them to the room. Only a few chairs were empty in the front row. He guided them towards the seats. Once settled, he contemplated Sophia’s words. Was everyone truly worried about him? He had friends, at times a mistress, and several successful businesses. His life wasn’t awful. Yet, this year, marriage seemed to be on everyone’s minds when it came to him.
The room became quiet as Lady Hawley and the woman he met at his mother’s ball made their way to the front. So, she was Rose Calvert. As she turned to face the crowd, their eyes connected. Her lips parted slightly as she softly gasped. She tore her gaze away, but it fluttered back to his face a moment later. Something about her fascinated him. He couldn’t put his finger on it.
His eyes took in her curly, dark hair, which appeared to be tied up in a hastily prepared bun, her large brown eyes, and freckles that slashed across her cheeks. His gaze dipped down, narrowing in on a tiny black mark on her neck. At first, he thought it was a mole, but he suspected it was an ink splatter. An absurd desire to run his fingers against the mark and see if it disappeared thrummed through him.
“I heard she is quite brilliant,” Sophia whispered.
Augustus tore his gaze away from Miss Calvert. What was he doing? He’d been ogling her. His eyes flicked to Sophia, and she grinned knowingly at him.
“Don’t start.”
“I’ve said nothing.”
She didn’t have to. He could almost see the fanciful ideas being planned in her mind. He scowled. “I’m not here to find a bride. That woman, I doubt, has any interest in becoming a duchess. Actually, I know she doesn’t.”
She frowned at him. “How do you know that?”
Fuck!Why did he tell her that? “It doesn’t matter.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today. We have philologist Rose Calvert here to explain her work on ancient tablets that will be displayed at Seely House. Philologists are considered experts in deciphering text. She will discuss how she conducts her analysis and provide a glimpse of what you can expect to see during the Historical Society for Female Curators’ grand opening, which is just a few weeks away. Miss Calvert, please begin when ready.”
Miss Calvert glanced at him one last time before focusing on the crowd. He wondered what she was thinking.
“Thank you, Lady Hawley. I’m honored to share my work today. Currently, I have partnered with the Historical Society of Female Curators to display text deciphered from cuneiform tablets. I’m able to do these translations by using a key I developed after analyzing cuneiform and hieroglyphs. While not yet ready to discuss the results in detail, I can share that the tablets contain an epic, a story about a hero embarking on a quest.
