Zou Zou shot a look of triumph at Darcy and me. We were waiting in the sitting room when there was a knock at the door. Darcy went to answer it.

“Good morning, sir,” said a very Irish voice. “Are you the owner of the house?”

“I am not,” Darcy said. “What do you want with him?”

Curiosity got the better of me. I tiptoed to the door, followed in hot pursuit by Zou Zou, and peeked around it. A young priest was standing there.

“It’s the annual collection for the children in the slums,” he said. “We try to provide some Christmas cheer for those in need.”

“Were you here once before?” Darcy asked. “A week or so ago?”

“No, that would have been Father Brendan. But he marked that there was nobody at this house at the time, so I’ve been sent out to do the follow-up, so to speak.”

“Did Father Brendan try to go to the castle?” Darcy asked.

“He did. He thought that there might be a generous donation because he’d heard that a rich American had moved in, and Americans are known to be free with their money. But he never got past the gate, I’m afraid.”

Zou Zou pushed past me. “A donation you’re wanting?” she said and pushed a pound note into the tin that he carried.

Like other men we had encountered while with Zou Zou, the priest actually blushed. “You’re most generous,” he said. “God bless you.”

“Well.” Darcy turned to me as he shut the door behind our visitor. “So the priest was genuine.”

“Makes one wonder whether Professor Peabody will also turn out to be who he said he was,” I said.

“What about the University of Southern Nebraska?” Darcy asked.

“I suppose the girls at the dig could have got the name of the university wrong,” I suggested. “Which means either that an unknown person was responsible for the murder or Mickey acted alone.”

“I’m coming to believe the latter,” Darcy said. “Maybe he was waiting for orders from America before he did the deed.”

I shook my head. “I still wonder why he went to all that trouble when you could so easily make a death look like an accident in an old castle.”

“We’ll find out more when—” He broke off as his father came down the stairs. Lord Kilhenny had changed into a dark suit and looked remarkably handsome. And quite young too.

Zou Zou went over to him. “Well, that’s more like it,” she said. And to my astonishment she slipped her arm through his and escorted him out to the motorcar.

Oona was equally impressed when we arrived with him.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day,” she said, her round face alight with joy. “Come in. Come in.” She pushed the dogs aside. “Dooley, look who has come to eat with us. Such a celebration.”