THE ABDUCTION CLUB

Ireland, 1780s: Byrne and Strang, life-long friends, are two handsome and dashing young men in their mid-twenties. But as the younger sons of wealthy Irish families, they stand to inherit nothing. Tradition and law dictate that family fortunes are left solely to the eldest son. Their only option is The Abduction Club – a loose fellowship of like-minded younger brothers who share the same mission: to find and marry a rich heiress. The club rules are simple: select an heiress, disarm them with your charm, abduct them, and then persuade them to marry you before daybreak. If you are successful, a priest will marry you there and then. If not, you return the girl unharmed to her family. The most important rule of all is that you always act as men of honour. After their friend Cunningham succeeds in record time with the pretty heiress Mary Nugent, Byrne draws the next turn… His target is Catherine Kennedy, the beautiful and intelligent heiress to the Glasscrossan estate. Byrne arranges a seemingly chance meeting with Catherine at the races, and his good looks and easy charm make a great impression. Meanwhile, Strang in the guise of Byrne’s servant, flirts with Catherine’s feisty young sister, Anne, until they are rudely interrupted by the arrival of Power, a wealthy but cold-hearted older suitor for whom Anne has little affection. Enchanted by their first meeting, Byrne plans to capture Catherine the following evening. Masked and on horseback, the abduction club arrive at the musical recital she is attending. But their abduction is comically bungled, and very nearly thwarted by Power, until a little “accidental” help from Anne enables our heroes to steal the girls away. Back at the safe house the two friends are confronted by Sir Myles, the Club’s founder. The rules state that the club never takes more than one girl at a time and never from the same family – and furthermore Anne is only seventeen. Sir Myles is forced to expel them from the club when Strang refuses to return Anne. Their friends Knox, Delaney, Roche and Teeling remain with Byrne and Strang in a show of support. But this turn of events makes no difference to their suit. Catherine and Anne both refuse the men in their proposals of marriage. How can they claim to be in love when they hardly know the girls? Nor is Power willing to let Anne slip through his fingers so easily. With the support of the Attorney General, Lord Fermoy (who harbours his own personal grudge against abduction clubs), he and the local militia pursue the youngsters to the safe house. As Byrne, Strang and their friends flee, Anne – enjoying the excitement and anxious to avoid Power - joins them, forcing Catherine to go with her. Unkown to the fleeing club Knox shoots a surrendering Redcoat Soldier. They are now truly on the run… Byrne still believes that he can win Catherine’s heart, given time, and asks Strang to keep Anne amused. Even though Catherine is softening, she steals a gun and demands they are taken home. The gun goes off and Byrne is hit! Angry and assuming Byrne to be dead, Knox threatens Catherine with a knife - but Byrne recovers in the nick of time and banishes Knox. Finally accepting their suit is hopeless, and horrified by Knox’s actions, Byrne and Strang agree they can no longer stay in Ireland – fleeing abroad by ship is their only hope. As the rain lashes down, the four take refuge in a church. The recent events are fresh in their minds, and the couples grow closer –leading to a first kiss between Anne and Strang. Meanwhile Knox and Power have struck a deal. Knox points Power towards the club’s refuge, agreeing to implicate Byrne and Strang by killing the wounded Redcoat Soldier. Using the information provided by Knox the group is once again almost captured, and only Byrne’s masquerade as a priest diverts Power and allows their escape. They reach the port with no further mishaps. From there, Byrne and Strang plan to escape to Italy while Catherine and Anne are to return home. While Strang and Anne hide their feelings for each other, Byrne and Catherine spend the evening together talking about their hopes and dreams. The next morning, Byrne, now hopelessly in love with Catherine proposes again. In tears, she refuses once more and reveals the truth - there is no money. The land, house, everything now belongs to Power. Even Anne has been sold to him in lieu of payment for her father’s gambling debts. Despite this, Byrne still proclaims his love for Catherine. But this emotional moment is interrupted by the arrival of Power. It seems time and luck has finally run out for Byrne and Strang. At Court Sir Myles pleads with Lord Fermoy to be lenient and he seemingly agrees when he promises neither Strang nor Byrne will spend long in Prison. On the day of the trial, his true meaning becomes clear and Fermoy sentences them to hang. As sentence is passed, Anne realises only she can save them. She agrees to marry Power in return for Byrne and Strang’s lives. Sir Myles and the remainder of The Abduction Club refuse to allow the gallows to claim two of their own. Charging into the square, they overpower the Redcoats, bustling Byrne and Strang over the wall and into a waiting coach, where they are transported to a ship. To their surprise, Power is waiting with the deeds for tobacco estates in America and warns them off returning to Ireland. Unable to accept a life without the Kennedy sisters, they refuse, and a vicious sword fight ensues. Victorious, Byrne and Strang ride to Glasscrossan House where Byrne proposes to Catherine yet again - this time she joyfully accepts. Strang falls silent. Having heard she has agreed to marry Power (but not her reasons) he is certain that Anne would refuse him. As he rides away, Anne’s heart is breaking though she struggles not to show it… But Strang’s own heart tells him he must try. Moments later, he wheels his horse around and gallops back. Before he can even begin his proposal, Anne has accepted. The four young lovers ride away together towards the coast, America and a happy future.