“I know,” I said as the idea crystallized in my head, “he knew that Mr. Roach was terminally ill. He didn’t expect him to live long. But when he lingered on for four years he decided to take matters into his own hands, just in case Roach recovered. The doctor came, didn’t he? Perhaps he told Roach another operation might cure him.”

“Possible.” Lord Kilhenny looked at me. He had dark blue eyes like his son. He was still a very handsome man in spite of his wild, unshaven appearance.

I found his glance slightly unnerving, but went on. “So what we have to do is to make the American embassy check into Mickey’s background as well as Roach’s. Perhaps he’s here under an assumed name too. What we have to do is take a photograph of him and get his fingerprints to send to America.”

“He’s an unpleasant little weasel,” Lord Kilhenny said. “Do you think he’ll let you take his photograph and get his fingerprints?”

“We’ll do it by subterfuge,” Princess Zamanska said. “Georgie has a brilliant plan. Such a clever girl. We’ll go up to the castle and I will show him a photograph and ask him if he recognizes the person. He’ll take it and look at it, thus leaving us with lovely fingerprints. And while he’s looking, Georgie will take a photograph of him. Couldn’t be simpler.”

Lord Kilhenny scowled at her. “How can you be so bloody optimistic, Your Highness?” he demanded.

“Because it’s better than wallowing in self-pity,” she said. “I find that looking ahead and making a plan of action is the only way to cope with devastating circumstances. That’s how I managed to survive when I had to flee for my life after my beloved Peter was hacked to pieces by peasants. And your language is atrocious. I’m sure Georgie has never heard so many swearwords in her life.”

The ghost of a smile crossed his face. “You’re right. It has become atrocious. I apologize.”

“Apology accepted. And please call me Zou Zou. Everyone else does.”

“I hardly think I know you well enough for pet names,” he said.

“Alexandra, then. But none of this stuffy ‘highness’ business.”

“Very well,” he said gruffly. “In which case you’d better call me Thaddy.”

“Thaddy. Nice name.” She nodded. “Now we’re making progress, aren’t we? Splendid. So do you have a camera and film we could borrow? And a photograph? A nice big one?”