The Owl and the Earl — Paul Smith

When Hector, a relative newcomer, agrees to join the Mastership of the Blankshire Hunt, he little realises he has bitten off more than he can chew... Tasked with finding a great deal of money to repair the dilapidated hunt stables Hector quickly discovers that whilst the great and the good of the county want to help, they are not prepared to do so if it means burying various hatchets or agreeing with one another. As a result he soon finds that almost every step forward is matched by another one back. His powers of diplomacy and stocks of tact are brought to the edge of exhaustion as he strains every sinew to persuade those most closely linked to the Blankshire to make common cause. As the deadline approaches Hector has to call in various allies from afar to help and with every step of the way, dogged by imminent comic chaos and confusion, the pace only increases as the rivalry and tension builds to a deliciously nuanced climax. A fast moving comedy of manners, set in the fictional county of Blankshire.