Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

Witty, passionate and elegant.

Tried to explain to ascetic_hedony why I liked this so much and after much hand waving it is possible that my delight was communicated.

Unrelenting bachelor Max turns up to check out the scheming wench angling after his impressionable nephew. He manages to utterly offend a delightful young woman whose passion for vengeance lends itself to a fabulous game of one-upmanship.