The winter set in, and while the days were once again growing longer, the winds were cold, and the snow blew gustily about the house on many a day. Still, by the time Aine Mary Devers celebrated her first birthday there were daffodils in the gardens of Queen's Malvern. In all the time since Captain O'Flaherty had come calling last summer, there had been no word at all from Kieran. Still, Fortune knew her time in England was coming to an end. Then one day they had a visitor.

"I am Johnathan Kira," he introduced himself. "I am in charge of the family's business in Liverpool, my lady." It was Jasmine to whom he spoke. "I am informed by our people in Ireland, that your daughter's vessel, the Cardiff Rose, was sighted a hundred nautical miles, or perhaps slightly more, off Cape Clear a week ago. I thought I would come to Queen's Malvern to see how I may be of help to Lady Fortune now that she is about to leave for Mary's Land, and also to ask a favor."

"What is the favor, Master Kira?" Fortune inquired.

"First a question or two, my lady," came the smiling reply. "Is it really true that Mary's Land is for all men, no matter their faith? And if that is so, would you allow my second son, Aaron, to travel with your party? If there is a place where he will not be persecuted, then the Kira family is of a mind to set up a branch of its business in the New World. Would a Jew be welcome in Mary's Land?"

"I can only tell you what I know myself," Fortune said. "Lord Baltimore himself told us that all people, no matter their religious faith, would be welcome in Mary's Land. If that is so, then surely there is a place for your son, sir. I will be more than happy to offer him passage on the Cardiff Rose when I sail. Your family has done business with my family, and my stepfather's family, for many generations."

"I thank you, my lady," Johnathan Kira bowed.

"Ye'll stay wi us the night," the duke said.

"I am grateful, my lord, for your hospitality," came the reply. "However, you must not be offended if I eat only the foodstuffs I have brought with me. Our dietary laws are quite strict, and when I travel I must bring my own food lest I violate them."

"What will your son do aboard ship then, sir?" Fortune asked him. "We will be at sea several weeks."

"He, too, will bring his food with him. When and if he runs out, he will do his best to keep to our code. In extraordinary circumstances it can be forgiven when a man must break the law," Johnathan Kira explained to Fortune. "Besides, Aaron is young, and his conscience does not often trouble him over any matter." He smiled at her.

Adali hurried into the hall, and going to Jasmine he bent and whispered in his mistress's ear. Jasmine grew visibly pale.

"What is it?" the duke asked his wife.

Jasmine looked to her daughter, anguished. "Rois has been found in the garden where she was with the children. She was unconscious. Brendan was safe in his basket asleep, but Aine is missing."

"Oh, God!" Fortune cried, jumping up.

"Is Rois conscious yet?" the duke demanded of Adali.

"She is coming around, my lord, but the blow to her head was a hard one. 'Tis fortunate she wasn't killed, I think. We have carried her into the house, and Polly is sitting with her. Brendan yet slumbers."

"Sir Christian Denby," Fortune said angrily. "I shall kill him when I find him, and I will!"

"What?" her mother said. "What is this you say, Fortune?"

"Aine has been stolen by Sir Christian Denby. I am certain of it! All he has done in the time we have been acquainted with him is fret that my daughter would be raised a Catholic. The man is a fanatic, Mama. You, yourself, recognized that."

"You canna accuse him wiout proof, lass," the duke told her.

"What kind of proof would you have me bring before you, Papa? My instinct tells me it is Sir Christian. Who else would take Aine? And why? Are the women of this region so bereft of bairns that they would dare to steal mine? Or perhaps you think it gypsies? There have been none hereabouts. It is that man! Every fiber of my being tells me this is so, Papa. You must mount a party of your men at once and find him, and my child," Fortune said angrily. "I will ride with you."

"Your daughter is most certainly correct," Johnathan Kira said quietly. "My lord, if you will allow me to speak. There have been rumors about this man for some time now."

"Rumors of what sort?" the duke asked.

"Infants, and small children, my lord. Catholic, Anglican, even a Jew or two, all who have disappeared while Sir Christian Denby was in the vicinity. Usually these have been the children of unimportant people who had neither the power, the authority, or the wealth to complain or seek their children out. It is said these children are placed with loyal Puritan families to be raised properly. I believe Lady Fortune's instincts to be absolutely correct in this particular instance. With your, with her permission, I should like to ride over to Oakley to speak with the gentleman in question."

"What can ye do to help us?" the duke demanded.

"Let us say, my lord, that I may have a small influence with Sir Christian. Time is of the essence, my lord. He will not have yet had time to dispose of your granddaughter. There are no Puritan families in the near vicinity. He will have to take her somewhere else. It is too late in the day for him to begin his travels, my lord. Let me help, if indeed I can."

Before James Leslie might say another word, Fortune said, "Go, Master Kira. Go now, and bring my daughter back."

Johnathan Kira bowed politely to Fortune, and then, turning, hurried from the hall.

James Leslie smiled a cynical smile as he watched the man go. The Kiras were an amazing family. He didn't doubt for a moment that if Sir Christian Denby had Aine in his custody, she would be returned to them this very night. "Adali," he called. "Send some of the men to escort Master Kira, and give him the protection he may need."

With a matching smile of irony, Adali moved quickly to obey.

Johnathan Kira was not surprised to shortly find himself amid a troop of Leslie clansmen. He nodded politely to their captain, and then continued silently on his way. He was a tall, spare man of indeterminate age with dark hair, a dark beard, and fine dark eyes. He wore dark clothing of a most fashionable cut. Those who did not know his smile found him rather intimidating. It was a trait that served him well. Within the hour he was at the front door of Oakley Hall. Dismounting he ordered his companions to await him, and then knocked loudly upon the door.

The door was opened by a liveried servant. "Take me to your master," he said sternly.

Cowed by Johnathan Kira's air of authority the servant obeyed, showing the dark-clothed visitor into his master's library. Just as they entered the room the cry of a child was heard from above-stairs.

Johnathan Kira smiled knowingly to himself, and pushing the servant back into the passageway he closed the library door behind him, saying as he did, "Good evening, Sir Christian."

His host looked up, startled, then jumped up from his chair where he had been reading a tract on the Bible. "Kira! What are you doing here? My loan is not yet due. I will pay you when it is."

"I have come for Aine Devers, Sir Christian," Johnathan Kira said without dissembling. "Give me the child to return to her family, and you and I will have no difficulty."

"I do not know what you mean," Sir Christian said, not looking directly at his uninvited guest.

"Ahh," Johnathan Kira replied, "you are going to be foolish. How lamentable. You are fortunate the maidservant is not dead, only injured, else you would hang for murder. If you had taken her child, there would have been far less of an outburst, for the little boy is a Catholic of two Irish parents. Aine Devers, no matter her religion, is the grandchild of a duke, and the niece of several wealthy noblemen, one of whom is the king's nephew. You cannot hope to get away with this particular kidnapping."

"Get out of my house!" Sir Christian blustered.

"Your house?" Johnathan Kira laughed darkly. "Until you pay us back, Sir Christian Denby, it is not your house. I am well within my right, Jew I may be, to call in the loan we have made you. If I do, what will you have then? A worthless title, a mountain of debts, and nothing else. Is your possession of this child worth all of that? How will you help your fellow Puritans to lobby against the king if I strip you of the small power you possess right now through us? Fetch the child at once, and give her to me. If you do not, I shall open the door of this house to the duke's men who have accompanied me this night. They will search, and they will find the child, whom I have already heard crying on an upper floor. Then the matter becomes a public one, and you, sir, are ruined. If, however, you give me the child now, the matter remains private, and we will not call your loan in for some time to come. I have said all I will on the matter. Bring me the child!"

"Devil's spawn!" snarled Sir Christian. "You dirty Jews are all the devil's own!" Then he pushed past Johnathan Kira, saying brusquely, "Follow me, and you shall have what you came for this night!"

With a small smile of triumph Johnathan Kira walked after his host who, going to the foot of the house stairs in the square entry foyer, called up to some nameless soul to bring the baby down to him. The order was quickly obeyed, and a serving woman came into view carrying Aine Devers.