Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer

fortify her against the ordeal of having her hand solicited by one whom he clearly perceived to be a libertine of the most unblushing order was frustrated by Lady Widmore, who, as soon as Amanda stopped playing, began at once to make loud plans for the further entertainment of the company, and commanded him to set out a card-table. Breaking in with the rudeness for which she was famed on the compliments being paid to Amanda, she announced that a rubber of casino would be just the thing, adding, with a jolly laugh, as she caught the Earl's starting eye, that she knew better than to expect him or Fabian to take part in this amusement.
    "And Hester doesn't care for cards, so if you and Fabian choose to play piquet, as I don't doubt you will, Sir Gareth must entertain her, and that will leave four of us to make up a snug game," she said.
    Even her husband, who was inured to her ways, felt that this attempt to provide Sir Gareth with an opportunity to propose to Hester was rather too blatant to be encouraged; and the Earl, mentally apostrophising her as a cowhanded thruster, considered it enough to put up the backs of both interested parties. While her ladyship bustled about the room, directing the reluctant chaplain where to place the table, and searching for a couple of packs of cards in various chests, both he and Lord Widmore endeavoured to dissuade her from these exertions. Lady Hester, murmuring that she rather thought that the cards had last been used by the nursery party, went away to retrieve them; and Amanda, snatching the chance offered by the preoccupation of her hosts, slipped out on to the terrace, saying in a fierce whisper as she went past Sir Gareth: "I wish to speak to you alone!"
    He followed her beyond the range of the window, but said, as soon as he came up with her: "Take care, Amanda! You will set the household by the ears by such improper conduct as this. Do remember that you are the daughter of a friend of mine, who is by far too well brought-up to indulge in anything so fast as a tête-à-tête in the moonlight!"
    "I am not the daughter of any friend of yours, and I have a very good mind to tell Lord Brancaster so!" she said crossly.
    "I don't think I should, if I were you. Is that what you wished to tell me?"
    "No, it is not!" She paused, and then said airily: "In fact, I don't wish him to know the truth, because it so chances that Lady Hester has very kindly invited me to remain here for a visit, and I have made up my mind to do so."
    He laughed. "Have you, indeed?"
    "Yes, so you may be quite at your ease, and not tease yourself about me any more," Amanda said kindly.
    "Now, that," said Sir Gareth, much moved, "is a singularly beautiful thought! Tell me, by the way, what put the notion into your head that you had to deal with a flat?"
    "I do not understand what you mean," replied Amanda, with dignity.
    "A flat, my child, is one who is easily duped."
    "Well, I don't think you that, at all events! In fact, quite the reverse, because first you duped me, and then you duped all these people! And if you try to carry me off by force tomorrow, I shall tell Lord Brancaster just how you have deceived him."
    "I hope you won't!" he said. "I fear his lordship, whose mind is not elastic, wouldn't believe a word of your story, and then what a pickle we should be in!"
    "It was abominable of you to have brought me here!"
    "Yes, I fancy that opinion is shared by several other members of the party," he observed. "At least I won't aggravate the offence by leaving you here! No, don't begin scolding again! I know exactly what's in your foolish head: you are bent on giving me the slip, and you know you cannot do it while my eye is upon you, and so you hope to make me believe that you are willing to remain here, like the good little girl you most emphatically are not. But as soon as my back is turned you would be off—and you may make up your mind to this, Amanda: I may wish you at Jericho, but I am not going to let you escape