“Oh, don’t worry about me, dear lady,” Dooley said. “It’s more important that you do everything you can for young Thaddy. I’m convinced that once they’ve got the goods on the manservant, all will become clear.”

“Got the goods?” Oona boomed. “Dooley, you must stop watching American films. Your language is becoming abysmal.”

Dooley shrugged. “I just thought, since we were talking about shady Americans, that I should use appropriate terminology,” he said.

I turned to Darcy. “Great-Uncle Dooley thinks that someone might have paid or threatened Mickey to help with the killing of Mr. Roach. Or at the very least paid him to keep quiet. He did seem most uneasy when Zou Zou spoke with him yesterday.”

“Well, we have his fingerprints now, and his photograph, as soon as it can be developed. So let’s see what the embassy can make of them. By now my friend in London will have been in touch with Washington and we may be offered a little more help. We’ll find out when we go there today.”

I collected my overcoat, hat and gloves, instructed Queenie not to open any doors, and to behave herself until I returned, and off we went in the Rolls. It was a bitterly cold day and I was glad of the travel rug over my knees. Threatening gray clouds were building in the western sky, promising rain or even snow. The sort of day when roaring fires and hot chocolate are more inviting than driving around the countryside.

“You must have got back to Kilhenny quite early last night,” I said. “I’m surprised Zou Zou didn’t ask you to stay—for dinner, I mean,” I added, making him smile.

“She did invite me—for dinner, I mean—but I wanted to come straight back to have dinner with my father. He seemed to have perked up quite a bit, actually. I think it was Zou Zou’s doing. She had quite an effect on him. Did you notice he had combed his hair?”

I laughed. “I did. And frankly I’m sure she has that kind of effect on any male.” I shot him a challenging look. He grinned. “I’m surprised she hasn’t married again by now.”

“I think she enjoys her freedom too much. What husband would allow her to buy an aeroplane and fly around in it?”

“I hope my husband will let me do anything I want to,” I said. “Not that I want to fly around in aeroplanes.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said. There was a moment’s silence. Then he added, “Georgie, I hope you realize that we are not out of the woods yet. My father’s fingerprints. His claim that he remembers nothing. A jury could well find him guilty if they choose to go ahead with this case.”