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Frowning, Miranda opened the screeching gate of her ho Slowly, she cliri Father didn’t waste that much lamp oil for her, and Martin was the only visitor they had anyust of warmth hit her cheeks as she walked inside On its heels was the heady scent of rich, roasting rew as she took off her lie on roast? And as cooking it?

"Daughter? Is that you?"

The sound of her father’s hopeful voice made her hter he pushed out on the streets to steal for hiloves and hat on the little hall table, then s A deep breath and then she was prepared to face her father

He and anotherin the two chintz ar of coal burned steadily there, war the room A pretty picture were it not for the dark spot on the faded silk wall above the mantle that marked the absence of a portrait Her mother, expertly rendered in oils, had once so Miranda had sobbed when they took her away, only to be told by her father that if she had controlled her strange power, he would not have had to stoop to suchthe way her sto to hide away in her own roonized their visitor

"Old Dover!" With a wide srinned, his browned face weathered like driftwood "So ye haven’t forgotten h paws encased her hands

"Never," she said Dover Rye had been her father’s right-handthe sailors and workmen that they hired out for various journeys His services hadn’t been ofa storo

It had been the final nail in their financial coffin And with it, the end of Dover’s association with her father

"How nice of you to pay us a visit"

He looked a bit abashed "Ah, well, I shoulda done so before now If only ta see hoere gettin’ along"

Perhaps, she thought with a twinge For it had hurt when almost everyone in her life had simply left upon her father’s final downfall The silence of it had been deafening But Dover was here now That had to count for soh not as open, seemed just as pleased

"You two look to have some news," she said as Dover led her to the chair he’d occupied She did not allow her body to sink into its softness, not yet

Father clapped his hands together and rubbed them in excitement "So happens, I do" His eyes twinkled as he looked to Dover, then back to her Seeing his expression now had her heart turning over in her breast with the memory of who he had once been She had admired her father once, above all other

"I’ve had a run of luck as of late," he said "Coht turn the tide"

Her stoe sums of cash did not simply pop into one’s hands

His eyes narrowed "Never youthat I aot o and cotton on the cheap out of Charleston, South Carolina, and a in We’ll set a westerly route to A at Dover, he slapped a hand to the et a crew together"

Dover cut her father a look that she could not decipher before answering "I’e, but I’ll find your father a good crew"

"The best money can buy," her father said "Within reason, of course" No one joined him in his chuckle

"You’ve found a backer, then?" Miranda forced herself to ask She wouldn’t hope Not yet Hope lifted a spirit up too high, and the fall froain Father scowled "Of course Look here, Daughter, letlovely and staying out of trouble"

"Does that mean I may cease with my daily activities?" she asked evenly Her day’s take lay heavily in her pockets

Should shelike the bells of St Paul’s

Father snarled out an oath as he threw up a hand and turned away fros,So even he did not fully believe in his current luck Perhaps he was learning

She ought not have baited him It was her fault they were poor And she owed hio It would be easier to refrain frootten the money But she would not ruin this new happiness What did it hurt to placate him? Soon she would be with Martin

She would be a wife A partner

She stood and forced a sreat success" And she did More than he would ever know

He gave her a tight nod before rubbing the back of his neck "This is our chance, Miranda" The gleam was back in his eyes, familiar and fevered She tried to tell herself it would not lead to trouble as it had done before

"When will you have the ship ready?"

"The end of May," said Father "I’d like it to go sooner but there is too erous seas" In truth, they faced dangerous seas by going in May, for the ship would be skirting the hurricane season when it came upon the southern coast of America

Miranda took another deep breath and stood "Well then," her mouth couldn’t quite form a smile, "if you will excuse me, I would like to freshen up before dinner" She paused "Who is cooking it, by the way?"

Her father s" Hebetter of it "So that you s currently marred the line of her skirts A bemused smile finally pulled at her lips "I see"

"This venture will be theof me," her father said with sudden earnestness

Unfortunately, he had said it all before

Chapter 4

Somewhere in Central Mexico, March 16, 1881

Dru Archer could not grasp--pulsed over hi him sway

The shaman, a small e pace, while shaking the bow in his hand

Suddenly, Archer felt foolish Foolish and alone How could the small button-shaped disks of this substance they called peyote possibly cure hiiven a substantial aut convulsed, the urge to voh on his list of complaints His entire body shuddered just then

But this was not a cure, was it? The shaman had finally explained the process Archer would not be cured The drug would take hi to Smith’s translation Once there, Archer simply had to ask for the answers Ask for what he wanted