The Five-Minute Marriage

by Joan Aiken

Desperate to help her ailing mother, Philadelphia "Delphie" Carteret agrees to partake in a sham wedding ceremony to her cousin, Gareth. This fulfills Gareth's obligation to marry before his sick uncle passes, and in exchange Delphie's mother will be guaranteed an annuity for life. The plan is perfect. But perfect plans usually go awry. Not only was the marriage ceremony valid, but Gareth's dying uncle makes a miraculous recovery. An imposter is threatening Delphie's identity and her life, and the whole family is on the brink of scandal. As Gareth and Delphie try to mastermind a way out of this mess, they begin to discover that what's between them may be surprisingly real.