Eva-Maria

“Oh, my poor Sparrow!’ he said, mocking her. ‘Never have I encountered so heartrending a sight! A job-horse?’
‘No,’ replied Phoebe. ‘My cousin Anne’s favourite mount. A very safe, comfortable ride for a lady, Duke.’
‘I beg your pardon! I have not seen him show his paces, of course.’
She cast him a glance of lofty scorn. ‘He has none. He has a very elegant shuffle, being just a trifle tied in below the knee.’
‘But such shoulders!’
Gravity deserted her; she burst into laughter, which made Miss Mary Ingham turn her head to look at her in wondering reproof, and said: ‘Oh, dear, did you ever set eyes on such a flat-sided screw?”
― Georgette Heyer, Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle

“Downright malten-hearted, that’s me!’
‘Yes, but I don’t think you are! Well, how could you be? You are a soldier!’
‘Ay, and a terrible time I had of it, keeping in the rear,’ he said, falling into reminiscent vein. ‘When I wasn’t being a Belem-ranger – that’s what we – they! – used to call the fellows who were always going off to hospital in Lisbon, you know–’
‘No doubt that’s how you became a Major!’ she interrupted.
‘No, you’re out there: I had my majority by purchase, of course. Mind you, if it hadn’t been for the losses we suffered at Waterloo –’
‘If you mean to continue in this style,’ she exclaimed, reining in her mare, ‘I shall go home immediately!’
‘I was being modest,’ he explained. ‘It wouldn’t become me to tell you what a devil of a fellow I was. However, since I see you’ve guessed it, I’ll own that Hector was nothing to me. You’d have thought I was one of the Death or Glory boys!’
‘Well, what I think now is that you are the most shameless prevaricator I ever encountered!’ retorted Anthea.
‘Eh, there’s no pleasing you!’ he said, heaving a despondent sigh. ‘Now I’ve perjured myself to no purpose at all!”
― Georgette Heyer, The Unknown Ajax

“I would give much to see you fleeing in terror from a matchmaking mother,’ remarked Anthea wistfully. ‘Or, indeed, from anyone. But as you are utterly brazen–’
‘Nay!’
‘… and much in need of a set-down–’
‘I’m not in need of that, lass, for I’m getting one,’ he interpolated ruefully.”
― Georgette Heyer, The Unknown Ajax

“It’s awful, isn’t it?’ ‘Yes. The worst fight I ever was in.’ ‘Well, I’m glad I was in it, anyway. To tell you the truth, I haven’t liked it as much as I thought I should. It’s seeing one’s friends go, one after the other, and being so hellish frightened oneself.”
― Georgette Heyer, An Infamous Army