Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke Read Free Book Online Page B

countenance, Christian found it easy to see from which side of her family Miss Wheaton had inherited her stubbornness. “Rumsford is urging a wedding straightaway?”
    â€œNo,” he conceded with reluctance, “I wouldn’t say that. He’s mired in debts, but I’m told his creditors aren’t pressing too hard yet. But he also doesn’t see any reason to wait, and Annabel doesn’t, either. I tried to tell her he’s just after her for her money, but . . .” He gave a heavy sigh. “That didn’t go over too well.”
    â€œI’m not surprised. Telling a woman that a man wants her only for her money conveys the implication that she is undesirable otherwise.”
    â€œExactly. And Annabel doesn’t seem to care about his debts. She feels it doesn’t matter since she’s got so much money. Besides, she says, all you peers have debts.”
    â€œWhich is true, alas.” He paused, thinking of last night. “What about women?”
    â€œI set private detectives on him, and told her about his past mistresses, but that didn’t bother her much, either. And if he’s catting around now, he’s not providing me with any proof that would convince Annabel.”
    â€œIs she in love with him?”
    â€œShe says she’s fond of him.” Ransom made a sound of derision. “I ask you, is that enough reason to marry somebody?”
    â€œSome people say it is.” He took a drink. “I have sympathy for your predicament, but I’m not quite sure what you think I can do to resolve it.”
    â€œBefore I came, I did some asking around about you. Lots of rumors floating around.”
    Christian’s hand tightened around his glass. “That sounds ominous. What is being said nowadays? My sister doesn’t keep me informed of the gossip about me, I’m afraid.”
    â€œThey say you have quite a way with women when you choose to, although you don’t often choose to, at least not when it comes to marriage-minded women.”
    He lifted his glass in acknowledgment. “For once rumors have festered into facts,” he murmured, and took a drink.
    â€œThey say you married for money a long time ago, a rich American girl, not someone of your own class. They say she was unhappy afterward, so unhappy that she . . .”
    â€œGo on,” he urged in a hard voice when the other man paused. “Don’t stop now. What else do they say?”
    â€œThey say she was so unhappy she killed herself.”
    He sucked in his breath, surprised. Even now, even after twelve years, it still hurt. Like a blow to the chest, or a knife through the heart. He swallowed the last of his whiskey, put his glass aside, and stood up. “You really shouldn’t listen to gossip. Good day, Mr. Ransom.”
    The other man didn’t move to leave. “I don’t know if any of that’s true,” he said, looking up at Christian, “but I know I don’t want my niece to ever be that unhappy.”
    â€œBe damned to you. What have I to do with who your niece marries? It’s not my business. And if you think waving money in my face will impel me to make it my business, you’re mistaken. Some things can’t be bought. But buying a title is easy, and if your niece is rich enough to do so, why not let her?”
    â€œWe weren’t always rich. Her mama—my sister—and I grew up poor. So did her daddy and her stepdaddy. We all lived in the same small town in Mississippi. Jack Wheaton always was a no-account wanderer, and my sister finally had to divorce him for it. He happened on a gold mine seven years ago and struck it rich, but that was just pure, dumb luck. He died right after, and left it all to Annabel even though he hadn’t seen her since she was a little girl. As for me, I’m a country lawyer, self-taught. My daddy was a sharecropper, and my sister and I were raised in a