Rose and his butler turned to him from where they stood in the foyer. It was scandalous that an unwed lady was at the door, but Rose did as she liked. She smiled. “Thank you, Benson.”
Augustus nodded toward his office and spun on his heel, forcing her to follow him. He didn’t sit but leaned against a windowsill, watching her. This woman had broken his heart,and he still wanted her. She took a deep breath, and his gaze immediately dipped to her small, perfect breast. He itched to run his thumb over the peak of one and watch it respond to his touch.
Tearing his gaze away, he cleared his throat. “What are you doing here, Rose?”
“I thought we would speak at the talk today. I wanted to say thank you for helping with Harston.”
He and Hawley had worked on convincing his wife to support the Historical Society for Female Curators’ efforts to obtain the map, knowing that the man was not interested at all in helping. Augustus shrugged. “It was nothing.”
She pressed her lips together and seemed to be trying to figure out what to say. “I leave in two days.”
He nodded, trying his best not to show what a blow her words were. She walked to him. “Say something. Anything.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “What is there to say?”
“I had to see you before I left,” she whispered.
As much as he wanted to say he didn’t want her here, the words would not come out of his mouth. He grabbed her hips and pulled her between his thighs. “Why do you think that is?”
Her eyes widened, but they were also filled with desire. “I don’t want you to loathe me. It will be better soon. I promise.”
He nuzzled her neck, fury bubbling in him that she thought she could predict his feelings. “Are you a fortune teller now, Rose?”
She breathily said, “No.”
He softly bit and kissed her neck, reveling in the fact that even though she ended their relationship, Rose still wanted him.
He wanted to place her on his desk, spread her legs, and slide deeply into her. He didn’t though. If Rose wanted more, she would have to ask for it.
“Why are you here?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Do you want to feel my body against yours one last time?”
She frowned at him. “I want you not to be angry at me.”
He scowled and moved her back before walking away, needing some distance between them. “I’m not interested in talking, Rose. You made it clear that this was nothing more than an interlude. If you want me to fuck you, I will.”
His words shocked her, and he immediately felt like a cad. She looked at him woundedly, but then her expression became shuttered. “I now realize that it was a mistake to come here.”
He nodded. “I agree.”
She studied him but finally said, “Goodbye, Augustus.”
“Goodbye.”
Rose spun on her heel and hurriedly left the room. He listened to her footsteps make their way to the front door and outside. When he knew she was gone, he grabbed the first thing close to him and flung it at the bookcase. It was a vase, luckily not priceless, but it still shattered into a million pieces.
Rose had accomplished the impossible. She’d made him wish he’d entered into a practical marriage sooner. At least that way, he would have never met her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The women aroundher danced and laughed as they celebrated in the office at Seely House. They’d all consumed a mixture of champagne and brandy. Two London newspapers had published glowing remarks about the ancient epic exhibit put on by the Historical Society for Female Curators. As well as lovely articles on all of Rose’s accomplishments.
The club succeeded in impressing London, and it happened because of all of these ladies’ determination. Rose’s chest felt tight when she thought about leaving them. She’d never easily made friends with other women, but these ladies had all become so dear to her. She would miss them dreadfully. Still, she remained hopeful that at least some would visit her.
The London Society of Antiquaries agreed to provide them with the map in the next few weeks, so all the ladies decided Lisbeth would deliver it. The idea of Lisbeth traveling to see her and her father was shocking. She wasn’t sure how Thomas would take it, but maybe it was time to let bygones be bygones. They were all older and wiser now, surely?
