To Marry and to Meddle - Martha Waters
Marriage isn't always smooth sailing . .
Lady Emily Turner should really be married by now, but with a dowry of her father's debts, her only suitor is the odious owner of her father's favourite gambling house. Lord Julian Belfry is the second son of a marquess, but has managed to scandalise polite society with his acting career and the fact that he owns a less than salubrious theatre.
Crossing paths at a house party, they discover that a marriage of convenience might benefit them both: Emily can use her society connections to add some respectability to Julian's theatre, while also managing to escape the dubious world of her father.
With differing ideas on the roles each will play in their marriage, and an on-the-run actress, a murderous kitten, and some meddlesome friends adding to the complications, Emily and Julian will have to confront the fact that their marriage of convenience might be leading to some rather inconvenient feelings.