The Man and the Moment — Elinor Glyn

Michael Arranstoun is pursued by a gold-digging woman named Mrs. Hatfield. Her husband is on his deathbed, she wrote in a letter, and soon he will be gone and the two of them can be married when he finally does leave this mortal coil. Michael, of course, wants no such thing. She finds her objectionable to say the least and cold-hearted as well. Her husband is not yet dead and she already plots to marry someone else. She is very conniving and Michael fears what she will do in order to entrap him.

Sabine Delburg is supposed to marry Mr. Greenback, a horrid man. Needless to say, she does not wish to do this. While on tour in the castle that Michael owns, she escapes through a door and by amusing circumstances, she comes face to face with Michael himself. But instead of turning her away at once, he begins conversing with her and discovers that her fate is similar to his own. And before Sabine can finish the delicious chocolate cake brought in by the servants, Michael has already formulated a plan. They shall marry each other! A strict marriage of convenience that would solve both their problems. But is this solution more trouble than it's worth?