Sprig Muslin is a 1956 historical romance novel by Georgette Heyer.
Sir Gareth Ludlow has never got over the death of his fiancée seven years ago, but decides for practical reasons to marry his old friend Hester.
Then he meets a young woman who's run away from home and decides to help her, only to discover she has a vivid imagination and a tendency to get herself and other people in trouble.
Contains examples of:
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Hester's brother, despite being older, fulfils this trope; Hildebrand at one point pretends to be this to Amanda and Gareth.
- Betty and Veronica: Subverted: Amanda may be far more beautiful and exciting than Hester, but Gareth has no romantic interest in her whatsoever.
- Blatant Lies: Amanda's imagination regularly runs away with her.
- Celibate Hero: Gareth. He's still in love with his deceased fiancée.
- The Con: Amanda spins about a dozen of these throughout the novel.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: Hester's fears about Gareth.
- First Girl Wins: Subverted.
- Friendless Background: Hester, who isn't close to anyone but Gareth, and not that close to Gareth when the book begins.
- I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship: Hester's main anxiety about rejecting Gareth's first proposal.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Hester's family are shocked that Gareth would bring his supposed mistress to their house.
- Nobody Thinks It Will Work: Gareth and Hester.
- Parental Marriage Veto: Amanda's grandfather refuses his consent to her marriage to Neil.
- Regency England: The book is set in 1813.
- Sarcastic Confession: Gareth: "Yes, I have kidnapped this young lady and am keeping her with me against her will." Amanda is furious that he would abuse the truth this way, instead of lying fluently like she does.
- Shrinking Violet: Hester.
- Spirited Young Lady: Amanda.
- True Companions: Gareth, Hester, Amanda and Hildebrand. Neil would probably have been adopted one way or another had the book been longer.
