well to the fore when a tall fence or broad ditch needed clearing. It also became accepted that his riding employed superb hand control. Something attributed to the Count was the tradition of tying a red ribbon at the base of a horse's tail, to distinguish it as a kicker. Many kept hunting boxes in Melton Mowbray, and Zborowski looked around for somewhere suitable. With a hunting box nearby one could be fully immersed in this society. His attention was drawn to Coventry Lodge, which had good stabling and was owned by Sir Fredric Johnstone, a close friend of the Prince of Wales. Put on the market in 1881, Johnstone must have been relieved when in 1886, the Count became its new owner. Being very close to the station it was extremely convenient for someone always restlessly on the move. Still regularly crossing the Atlantic, Elliott did so in the Spring of 1888 for part holiday, part business. After resolving the demands of business, he played polo, and found himself in a game reported as rough and bad-tempered. His injuries kept him off a horse for the rest of the summer. Holidaying in Newport, he met Margaret de Stuers (née Margaret Laura Astor Carey), aged 35 and who was already married, but unhappily. At first the friendship was platonic, and in September, Elliott returned to Britain. The New Year of 1890 found him back in America, where he again met Margaret. From this meeting, things became more serious and the end result was a very messy divorce in 1892. Their New England friends disapproved of their behaviour, which ultimately meant they spent even more time in Britain, where few in their hunting set were troubled by the Countess being a divorcee. They resided in Melton Mowbray and he became a naturalised British citizen. Such was the popularity of the couple, the Prince of Wales often stayed at Coventry House. Their first child was born in 1893, but regrettably died soon after and was buried at Burton Lazars. In February 1895 a second son was born, Louis, and this time the child was more healthy. Elliott had by now altered his business life such that he would not need to return to America very much, and he rented and bought property in London for after the hunting season ended. The midnight steeplechase Monday 10 March 1890 was the 32nd birthday of