Chapters 1 through 4 Summary

As the story opens, Ashland - called Mr. Ash by those who serve him - is in his home in New York. He's very wealthy and makes a deal with a young woman for her services designing dolls. Ash notes that some people are repelled by him because of his height and that some people realize that he isn't human. He works from his apartment overlooking Central Park and has dreams of projects he might undertake. Ash is told that he has a telephone call from a man named Samuel. He returns the call and is told that there's been an incident involving a gypsy named Yuri. Ash arranges for money to be sent to Samuel for a hotel and makes plans to leave immediately for London.

In Chapter Two, Rowan is at her home in New Orleans. Almost comatose, she...