Demurring

And that mode of expression is very demurring and self-deprecating. Victorian English was all about understatement.

"I'm the hostess, it would be unsociable for me to leave," I said, flashing him my most demurring smile.

Well, if he, Karl, owned a pair of pants like that it would be no trick at all to captivate the most demurring siren.

After some legal demurrings, it was allowed[…]