The Marquis Is Trapped by Barbara Cartland Page A

 Equally I do know what these parties can be like and the champagne good or bad will flow, especially if the Benson team win the match!”
    His father had indeed been right.
    The Marquis had noticed one or two of the players stumble when they left the dining room and he felt that he had been wise enough to keep his wits about him.
    When he reached the stables, a young rather sleepy looking groom looked at him in surprise.
    “You be early, sir.”
    “I wonder if you would be very kind and find my groom.”
    The Marquis explained where Abbey would be and the young groom ran off to find him.
    By the time Abbey arrived, the Marquis had taken the two horses out into the yard and had bridled them.
    Abbey was sensible enough to ask no questions and he quickly produced the chaise and then minutes later they were ready to leave.
    It was only at the last moment that the Marquis had remembered he must make some explanation to his host.
    By this time a senior groom had appeared and the Marquis told him he had received an urgent message from his home saying that he was wanted immediately and therefore he had to leave at once.
    “Please will you inform Sir Gerald that I will write to him tonight with an apology.”
    “I’ll tell ’im for sure, my Lord, and I ’opes you ’ave a safe journey.”
    “Thank you very much,” the Marquis answered, as he climbed into the chaise.
    As he drove away down the drive, he felt somewhat ashamed of himself for being so cowardly as to run away, but then he was sure that he had done the right thing.
    Lady Benson was the stepmother of one of his close friends.
    However she might behave, he would certainly do what he thought was right and proper.
    As he drove home, he knew there was one thing he would regret more than anything else and that was losing his friendship with Peter.
    It would be a mistake for him to visit Peter’s house again and a mistake for him to come to his.
    His father would doubtless think it polite to invite Peter’s father and stepmother to stay, especially if the two boys were taking part in a cricket match, a steeplechase or hosting a party for the Hunt Ball.
    The Marquis sighed.
    He was fond of Peter, but he could not tell him the truth.  He would have to let their friendship just drift away slowly, so that it did not seem in any way suspicious.
    As he drove on, he knew that he wanted to be back safely at home and he told himself firmly it was vital that whatever happened in the future he must never meet Lady Benson again.
*
    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