Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

Not sure where to put this so I started a new thread – hope that's OK. Feel free to move this post or alter the topic as you see fit! But I thought you'd share my delight in this find...

Idly leafing through Walter Scott's Redgauntlet I came across this passage (Chapter 12):
"I will leave you to yourselves, gentlemen," said the provost, rising; "when you have done with your crack, you will find me at my wife's tea-table."
"And a more accomplished old woman never drank catlap," said Maxwell, as he shut the door.

Elizabeth wrote: "...when you have done with your crack..."

And there was me thinking the gentlemen just had port, brandy and cigars!

That's hilarious, makes me want to read Walter Scott!

We're all familiar with 'roasting', 'quizzing' or 'making a May game' of someone to mean teasing them or making fun of them. However, the other day I was doing a bit of surfing to find out more about a person mentioned in passing in Regency Buck and was startled to find quoted a letter from a high-born lady (niece to the Duke of Wellington, no less) where she says

...many of those you are with, not only have a right to take the piss out of you ...

Can you believe it? This was on a blog from a genuine historian (http://www.wickedwilliam.com/uncle-ar...), not a would-be historical novelist, so I have every confidence that it's authentic; but at a time when only a female as raffish as Lydia Bennet says anything as strong as "Lord!" it seems extraordinary that a lady would say "take the piss" doesn't it? I wonder if it was something she'd heard a man say and didn't know how rude it was?

Jenny wrote: "We're all familiar with 'roasting', 'quizzing' or 'making a May game' of someone to mean teasing them or making fun of them. However, the other day I was doing a bit of surfing to find out more abo..."

How interesting!
" older sister Mary Bagot" seems to be castigating him, and that strong language fits the tone of the letter.