“I’m one of the few people who can ride Sultan,” he said.

“You might ride well, my boy, but you’re an amateur,” Lord Kilhenny said, “and you weigh more than a jockey. Besides, the stables and horses do not belong to us. And the purse may be handsome but nothing like enough to buy back the castle.”

“Such defeatist talk,” Zou Zou said. “I know. You could do what Bugsy was going to, and sell off the Burda club and some other family treasures.”

“The club doesn’t belong to me,” Lord Kilhenny replied gruffly. “It went to that despicable man as part of the estate. Something I would never have agreed to.”

Mr. Lennox gave a little cough. “I think we can say that there was never an intention to make personal items part of the estate. We’ll agree the club is yours.”

“Thank you, but in that case I could never sell it. Something that has been in the family since the dawn of time?”

“Father, wouldn’t you want the chance to get our old home back? Isn’t that more important than a stupid war club?” Darcy said. “Do you want to live your life in that lodge?”

“He’s right, Thaddy,” Oona said. “It’s nice to have family heirlooms, but how many times have you looked at it in the past twenty years? And isn’t a home the most important thing? Where will your children live and raise their families one day?” And she looked at Darcy and me.

“I suppose you’re right,” Lord Kilhenny admitted grudgingly, “but surely those odd things are not going to make enough money to buy back the property.”

Mr. Lennox coughed, making us realize that he was still part of the group. “I think the US government would be only too delighted to get the property off our hands as soon as possible,” he said. “And I think I could arrange it that the auction wasn’t well publicized—say on a cold January day?”

Oona burst out laughing. “Mr. Lennox, you must have Irish roots. You’re as devious as any of us.”

“This calls for a toast. Let’s open the champagne,” Zou Zou said. “Thaddy is free and has a chance to get his home back. How wonderful.”

“I suppose you should fly your contraption back to London while the weather is holding,” Lord Kilhenny said.

“Why is everyone so keen to get rid of me!” she demanded. “Anyone would think you didn’t enjoy my company.”

To my amusement Lord Kilhenny blushed. “It’s not that, but I’m sure you have a busy social life waiting for you at home.”

“Most of the people at home are absolute bores,” she said. “I find it much more fascinating here.”

“You’re studying us as specimens, are you? Going to write a treatise on the strange habits of the Irish?” Dooley asked with a twinkle in his eye.