The Marquis Is Trapped by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland [Cartland, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Goodreads: 14625119
Publisher: Barbara Cartland.com
Published: 2009-12-31T11:00:00+00:00

*

All of this had happened over eight years ago and the Marquis had almost forgotten the whole scenario.

Now, as his hostess came into the room, he felt as if a bomb had exploded at his feet.

She walked over to her husband and bending down kissed his cheek.

“I am sorry to be late, but it was impossible for me to get away earlier. You know how women talk.”

“I do indeed, my dear, but our guest has arrived in a magnificent yacht and I know you will want to meet him.”

The Countess of Darendell held out her hand.

“I believe we have met before,” she muttered. She was looking straight into the Marquis’s eyes.

As he looked back at her, he knew without being told that she hated him.

He could see it in her eyes and feel it in the touch of her hand and he had always been aware of other people’s vibrations, especially those with strong personalities.

He recognised now that she had never forgiven him for humiliating her and refusing her advances.

‘Then why, why,’ he mused, ‘has she permitted her husband to invite me here to Darendell Castle?’

He could find no answer to this question.

The Countess related amusingly what had happened in the Village Hall.

The Earl was listening and it was impossible for the Marquis not to as well, but he was conscious that Celina had not looked up from her plate, although she had stopped eating.

When there was a short pause in the conversation, she pushed back her chair and rose to her feet.

“I am going out into the garden, Papa,” she said and turned towards the door.

Her father did not answer.

The Marquis was once again aware that there was an expression of fear in Celina’s eyes and he had not been mistaken in thinking her hand was trembling.

‘What is upsetting her? What is wrong?’ he asked himself.

Then his thoughts were back with his own problem as to what he should say to the Countess.

When tea was over, they moved back into the room where the Marquis had first met the Earl.

“There is an excellent view from here of our guest’s yacht,” the Earl was saying. “And I am hoping we shall be able to inspect it tomorrow.”

“Of course you must and I expect that you will be interested in some of the improvements I have made that as far as I know are not being installed into any other yacht afloat at the moment.”

The Earl laughed.

“You are just like your father, Oliver. I remember he always wanted to be a pioneer and eventually the first man on the moon!”

The Marquis laughed at the Earl’s comment, but it was rather a forced sound and he was aware the Countess was gazing at him.

He had by now regained his composure and had, he reckoned, recovered from the shock of seeing her again.

“I have always heard from my father how beautiful your Castle is,” he said to the Countess, “and it was so very kind of you to have invited me to Scotland.”

“I thought that you would be surprised to see me,” she replied.

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