Lost Science Fiction/Fantasy Short Story Anthology

The sci-fi (possibly includes fantasy and/or horror) anthology was published late 1980s - early 1990s. There’s one short story plot I remember:

A male guard for a royal wedding on a planet. Most people, including the guard, are human or humanoid. He’s of average height and average looks. I can’t remember his age. I sometimes think that he’s new to being a guard. Then I think he may be close to retirement or was injured saving the prince/king during a recent war and was reassigned to the palace.

One of the guests is a genetically created female. She’s much taller than he is and definitely looks different/alien. It’s also mentioned briefly that her lifespan is unknown or expected to be short. By the end of the story, the guard and the lady tour the room where wedding presents for the royals are on display. She can detect poisons and notices something off about a necklace(a glow?), thus thwarting an assassination plot.

It ends with her leaving or about to leave the planet and the guard thinking about or speaking to her about his interest in her even with whatever obstacles might keep them apart. He considers retirement or had been about to retire after his wedding duties.

Winterfair Gifts, Loiss McMaster Bujold I think it is available as ebook at BaenEbook.com

And it was first published in the anthology Irresistible Forces. But that was in 2004 so the OP is either off on the time period or is thinking of a different story.

Thank you for answering the plot summary part of my question. It seems that I created a mash-up of an enquiry. The (unknown title/unknown editor) science fiction/fantasy anthology that I mentioned was published too early for this to have been in it.

I don’t read what is traditionally considered romance, so I would never have bought the anthology - I got the story separately from Baen.