The Marquis Is Trapped by Barbara Cartland

impossible, he thought now, not to have been attracted by Lady McTranar.
    She was not only incredibly beautiful, but lived up to the fiery colour of her hair.
    It was an unexpected episode that any man would appreciate.
    She had left two hours later in the same unexpected and quiet way she had arrived.
    It was certainly something that the Marquis had not anticipated could happen at the very moment he set foot in Scotland!
    He had, as he had only been there as a boy, thought of Scottish women as kind and friendly, but not particularly alluring or glamorous.
    Lady McTranar had undoubtedly proved his views completely wrong!
    He had to admit he had enjoyed every moment she had been with him.
*
    Equally the Marquis told himself, as he dressed in the morning, that it would be a mistake to linger.
    He was quite certain that the two brothers he had known as a boy would not expect their stepmother to be an attraction for him.
    It was with a sense of relief that he realised the sun was shining and yesterday’s storm had blown itself out.
    When he went down to breakfast, he found only the gentlemen of the party were present.
    “It’s a nice and calm day,” Neil greeted him, “and we are both longing to see your yacht.”
    “And that is what I will show you before I leave.”
    “You will come back for luncheon, Oliver?”
    The Marquis shook his head.
    “I think I must take advantage of the good weather to sail North.  I would expect that I will have to shelter at night and that always means a delay.”
    Neil and his brother accepted this without arguing.
    The Marquis had already told Gilbert to return to the yacht with his luggage.
    When they were preparing to drive to the harbour, there was no sign of Lady McTranar.
    “I think I should say goodbye to your stepmother,” the Marquis suggested, as he stepped into the carriage.
    “She will not yet be awake,” responded Neil.  “But I have left a message with her maid to let her know where we have gone and I expect she will join us later.”
    The Marquis made no comment, as he was thinking that actually it would make it easier if he wrote to her later.
    Gilbert had told the Captain they were coming and they were piped aboard and everything was shipshape and ready for their inspection.
    Neil and his brother said that they were so delighted with everything they were shown.
    The vast majority of all the modern innovations and changes the Marquis had installed on The Neptune had not yet reached Scotland.
    Captain Gordon was clearly pleased at their praise of everything they saw as they went round the engine room and into every other part of the yacht.
    At the end of the tour there were drinks waiting for them in the Saloon.
    “I am determined now,” said Neil, “that I will have a yacht and I will try to make it even more magnificent and up-to-date than yours, Oliver.”
    “That is indeed a challenge, Neil, but I will be very annoyed if you succeed!”
    They all laughed.
    Then, as The Neptune moved slowly out of the harbour, they went up on deck and stayed on the yacht for another half-an-hour.
    Next they said they must go ashore, as it might be difficult further on to find a conveyance to take them back.
    The Marquis warmly thanked both Neil and Brian for a most enjoyable evening spent with them.
    He then requested them to pay his respects to their stepmother and thank her for her kindness, as she had not put in an appearance.
    He thought it might seem strange if he suggested sending her some flowers.
    He found a book in the Saloon that had recently been published about Queen Victoria and he thought it was something anyone would like to possess.
    He asked his Steward to pack it up and then he gave it to his friends to take back to Lady McTranar.
    “She will be sorry she did not say goodbye to you, Oliver, but perhaps you will come and visit us again when you journey South.”
    “Yes, you must,” Brian chimed in.
    “You are both exceedingly kind and I will certainly accept