Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke

tin-roof shack—Annabel was born in that shack. We’re plenty rich now, but Annabel didn’t even own a store-bought dress until she was fourteen. There’s a term down South for people like us. We’re known as poor white trash. The money didn’t change that, but Annabel thinks marrying an earl will do what her money can’t.”
    â€œIt sounds as if she knows what she wants. And many people do marry for considerations other than love. You don’t strike me as a romantic sort of fellow. If she doesn’t care about marrying for love, why should you?”
    â€œBecause I care about her! Annabel has never been to England, never been around anybody English until she met Rumsford, and I don’t think she understands just what living the sort of life you people lead really means. I don’t, either, not really, but you do.” He shot Christian a shrewd glance across the table. “I think you know better than most what’s waiting for Annabel if she marries Rumsford. I’d like you to sit her down and explain it to her.”
    Christ . Christian gave a sigh and sat back down, reminding himself he couldn’t afford to snub men with money. “Let me see if I understand you. You want me to strike up an acquaintance with your niece, tell her about my own experience, and persuade her that people who marry out of their class and without mutual love end up unhappy. Is that your idea?”
    â€œPretty much.”
    â€œI do believe you’re serious. My good man, the intimacies of marriage are hardly a topic I can discuss with a young lady. It’s not proper.”
    â€œYou don’t strike me as the sort of man who worries much about things like that.”
    â€œAre you being disingenuous, or do you truly not see the point? I can’t discuss these things with her in front of others. I’d have to be alone with her.”
    â€œAs long as you behave like a gentleman, I don’t see a problem. Lord knows, I’m paying you enough to make behaving yourself worthwhile. Now, if I hear otherwise . . .” He paused and smiled, the benign face suddenly ruthless. “Not only will you not get paid, I’ll shoot you dead.”
    â€œA useful thing to know, but that still isn’t my point. If anyone saw us together, if anything were misinterpreted, I would be obligated to marry her, something I will not do.”
    Ransom gave a decisive snort. “Lord, I hope not! That’d be like trading a toothless horse for a lame one.”
    Christian didn’t know whether to be relieved or insulted by that. “And if this doesn’t work? If I can’t talk her out of it?”
    â€œYou don’t get paid, and I’ll have to start boning up on annulment and divorce law in case I’m right about that fella.”
    Christian considered. “I only have six days? That’s cutting it rather close.”
    â€œI’ll pay you even if all you can get her to do is postpone it a few months. I just want her to take some more time, be sure she knows what she’s getting into. Maybe tour around England, make some friends there, see for herself what it would be like to live in your world. If after that, she still wants to marry Rumsford, I’ll . . .” He paused, frowning, and reached for his glass to take another drink. “I’ll accept it.”
    â€œHow do you know you can trust me? I married one girl for money. I could do it again. If I stained her reputation on purpose, I’d have the perfect excuse to marry her myself and I’d gain control of her money.”
    â€œThere’s a marital settlement, limiting Rumsford to a fixed annual sum. You’d get no better. Annabel may be stubborn, but she’s got plenty of business sense. In fact, that’s a big part of her trouble. She’s thinking of this more like a business deal than a marriage. As for you, I’ve heard that you’ve said