Page 99 of A Translation of Desire
His friend was a kind person. Augustus held out his arm. “Walk with me and stop hiding.”
She grinned and joined him. They walked around the garden area, nodding greetings to others. “Can I say something to you?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Why are you being such an idiot? You let Rose Calvert go.”
He stumbled to a stop, surprised by her words. “You don’t know what you speak of.”
“Sinclair, I have known you for years. You love that woman.”
He tried to suppress the hurt he always felt when he thought of Rose. “Well, she didn’t want me.”
She pulled him to a small table and pointed at the dainty seat. “Sit.”
Sitting across from him, she said, “Did you tell her you loved her?”
“I told her I wanted to figure out a future for us.”
His friend groaned and placed her head on the table dramatically. People turned to look at them. He hissed, “Sophia.”
She sat up and frowned at him, not caring who was listening. “You ducal dolt. You need to tell her you love her and make a big show of it.”
“I don’t do shows.”
“Then you don’t love her.”
“She is all I think of. No one will ever replace her.”
Sophia smiled softly at him. “That is what you need to tell her, and that no matter how different the two of you are, you will figure it out.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are a duke. Can you imagine how overwhelming that must seem to her? She probably worries that you would sacrifice so much if you wed her.”
“Nothing with her would ever be a sacrifice.”
She sighed. “If you ever spoke such words to me with that tone, I may not have fallen in love with Malcolm.”
He snorted, but he realized she was right. He’d never told Rose how he really felt. He’d just let her go. Augustus let the woman he loved go! What the fuck was wrong with him? “I’m an idiot.”
“Yes, you are.”
He scowled at her. “Since you are suddenly so wise, what should I do?”
“Go to her.”
Sophia meant “leave England.” His practical side tried to remind him of all his duties, but his friend was right. He had to show her that there was a way to make all this work. Still, doubt filled him because Rose had refused to consider him at all.
“She did say she wanted to move on.”
His friend nodded, pondering his words, but finally shrugged. “Do you really want to spend the rest of your life knowing you didn’t fight for love?”
No, he didn’t, he realized. Augustus needed to make some plans. He stood. “I have to go.”
Sophia beamed. “Good luck.”
Later that evening, Augustus stood in the drawing room with his mother and sister. Willa grinned at him. “I’m so excited for you.”
