“We’d better come with you or he’s likely to pinch your bottom,” Oona said.

“Really, Oona. I don’t go around pinching princess’s bottoms,” Dooley said.

“I know you. You can’t resist a pretty woman.” And she ushered us all into the hall. Up one flight we went, then up a second. Then Dooley opened a door and I gasped. There was no furniture in the room and the floor was covered with literally thousands of lead soldiers as well as horses, cannons and even miniature trees and houses.

“Good heavens, it’s quite spectacular,” Zou Zou exclaimed. “What a brilliant man you are. So tell me, who is winning at the moment?”

Dooley was beaming. He squatted on his haunches, pointing to an area of the battlefield. “We are,” he said. “See there? That’s Wellington. Now, what he’s about to do . . .”

“Oh, Dooley, please,” Oona said in her booming voice. “Once you get started there will be no stopping you.”

“And I should be driving Princess Zamanska back to Dublin before it gets too late,” Darcy said.

“Pity she doesn’t have her belongings or she could bunk down here,” Dooley said. “It’s not often we have the chance to have two pretty women stay at the same time.”

“But I would love to stay,” Zou Zou said, getting a warning frown from Darcy. “If it’s really not too much trouble?”

“I really don’t think that Aunt Oona . . .” Darcy began but Oona cut him off.

“Not a problem, if she doesn’t mind mucking in. But I can tell you right now that it’s not the Ritz or the Shelbourne and she’ll have to help feed the chickens.”

“Of course. I’d love to,” Zou Zou said. “See, Darcy, I told you.” She shot Darcy a triumphant smile. I realized that she was quite formidable when she wanted to be, and used to getting her own way. “I could even fly over here and park my aeroplane in one of your barns, if that’s all right with you.”

“Aeroplane?” Oona and Dooley asked in unison.

“Oh yes, didn’t we tell you?” Darcy said. “She flew over in her aeroplane and landed in the paddock across from the lodge.”

“Good God,” Oona said. “You’re full of surprises, Your Highness.”