She looked at him and saw the pain in his eyes. Her words hurt him, and even though she hated that, she had to do it. Heneeded someone like Lady Gillings by his side. It made more sense than a duke marrying her. Her sensible thoughts didn’t stop her heart from breaking.
“There shouldn’t be any further concern,” Lord Hawley stated.
But Augustus didn’t look his way. He was still intently staring at Rose. This had to be done. She forced herself to smile brightly. “Then it is settled. I will leave a few days after the last talk.”
Lisbeth smiled at her. “I know this wasn’t where you wanted to be, but I’m glad you came to London.”
Addie nodded. “You will always be a member of the Historical Society for Female Curators.”
Warmth spread through her chest at both their words. She glanced around at all the board members. She’d grown to care for the ladies deeply. They mattered to her. Hopefully, she would see some of them again. “I will always be proud to say I’m part of this club.”
The meeting broke up, and most departed, but Augustus lingered. Rose knew he wanted to speak with her, but she couldn’t do it here. Not with so many people around, she knew it would be a difficult conversation. He walked to her, and her stomach flipped.
“You are leaving?” he whispered.
“We need to talk, but not here. Can we meet at Lisbeth’s this evening? She will be out.”
The hurt was still there in his eyes, and it gutted her. She wanted to take his face in her hands and kiss away the pain she saw, but Rose couldn’t. In the long term, them being together wouldn’t work. It wasn’t the right thing for Augustus. He needed a proper duchess, and she wasn’t that.
“Tonight,” he said before departing.
She watched him stride off and had the urge to chase after him—what she would say, she didn’t know.
Addie approached her, staring at her curiously. “Anything amiss?”
She had the urge to reveal everything but stopped herself. Shaking her head, she said, “No.”
Addie held out her arm. “Then to the research room we go.”
She nodded. “Yes, I would like that.”
Rose hoped her work would ease the hurt she felt. It was her constant in all aspects of her life. She forced herself to smile.
*
Augustus paced backand forth in Lisbeth’s drawing room, waiting on Rose. He didn’t understand what was going on. He’d left her at his house and asked her to think about a future between them, only to return to find her gone.
He knew his feelings and had been confident of hers. He couldn’t have been wrong. She was everything he wanted.But what if you are not what she wants, his mind whispered back mockingly. The thought nearly choked him. He was a highly sought-after duke, and the one lady he wanted didn’t care.
In truth, it was one of the reasons he loved her. Rose had wanted to spend time with him, not the Duke of Sinclair. A rustling caused him to look through the doorway to find her entering. She was wearing, of all things, trousers. There was something endearing about how at ease she was in them. It was very apparent that she wore them often outside of society life.
She looked nervous and moved straight to the brandy, confirming it. Rose poured them both a glass before handing him one. They stood, neither, looking as if they were going to sit. Finally, Augustus said, “So you are leaving?”
She took a sip of her drink and nodded. “I think it is best.”
“For who?” he asked, harsher than he intended.
She pressed her lips together. “Augustus, what would our future be like?”
“You are all I want—nothing more and nothing less.”
Augustus wanted her to throw herself in his arms and say those were the words she was waiting for, but Rose didn’t. Instead, she smiled sadly. “Where will that leave me? Will you arrange classes to teach me how to be a duchess?”
“We could hire—”
She shook her head, interrupting him. “You will find someone to be your perfect lady, and I predict soon. It isn’t me.”
He stared at her and then finished his brandy in one gulp before placing it on a table. Fury pulsated through him. He would change everything to have her, but she wouldn’t even consider it. Augustus stepped closer to her, and she sucked in a breath. “Do you really expect me to believe you feel nothing for me?”
