SPOILERS!!!
Possibly regular characters:
- Master Mercurius (33) is a scholar from Leiden University. Mercurius as born in 1638, and he has a secret. Even though he is a ordained Protestant minister, he is also a Catholic priest. It seems that his real religion is Catholicism, but in Protestant Netherlands he has to keep his Catholic vocation a secret. Mercurius is quite liberal and understanding for the time, and he is very intelligent and determined.
- Master Cornelius is Mercurius's fellow leturer.
- Marten is the barger
- Lucie (16) is the maid at the inn where Mercurius stays. She is fired when the inn keeper finds her in Mercurius's room because she is afraid and thinks that Mercurius can protect her from the kidnapper. Mercurius finds her a new job as a cleaner in the town hall.
- Claes Claez is the mayor's clerk who helps Mercurius in the investigation.
- Dr Reiner de Graaf is a doctor of medicine, who claims that Gertruyd died of natural causes.
Characters in this novel:
- Van Leeuwenhoek (39) is the famous scientist that Mercurius meets in Delft. He helps him in his investigation.
- Hendrik Maria Brielle is Anna's real father. He is a sailor and his wife died when he was at sea. That is why Anna was given up for adoption. When he returned and learnt about his wife and daughter, he swore to go and recover the girl. As he didn't know what she looked like, she kidnapped two other girls who were also redhaired. When Mercurius confronted him, he reached a deal with him when he agreed to return when Anna turned 21. And Mercurius let him go free.
- Johannes Vermeer is the famous painter who helps Mercurius in his investigation.
- Gertruyd Lievens is a girl who was kidnapped. Her body was found in a field. Gertruyd was kidnapped when she went to pick up some water. Mercurius discovers that his kidnapper didn't kill her but she died when she had an epileptic attack.
- Magdalena Kuijper is the seond girl who was kidnapped. Her mother had her out of wedlock and that is why she is despised. The girl used to sell shellfish.
- Anna van Selten is the third kidnapped girl. Anna is the girl who was the objective, but her kidnapper, her birth father, didn't know what she looked like. The only thing he knew was that she was eight and redhaired. Mercurius takes her back to her adopted family and her birth father leaves, intending to return when she is 21.
- Wilhelmus van Selten is Anna's rich father. He was part of the government when Anna was born. As his wife couldn't have children, they resorted to the orphanage to adopt a child. He wasn't pleased when there was only a girl to be adopted, but his wife was too eager to be a mother, so he acquiesced.
- Mathilde van Selten is Anna's mother.
- Jan Pieterzoom is the man who owns the field where Gertruyd's body was found.
- Harmen is the man who discovered Gertruyd's body.
- Lieftingh is the apothercary.
- Maria Thins is Vermeer's mother-in-law.
- Master Ranck is a notary.
- Mrs Jeannetje Lievens (28) is Gertruid's mum.
- Gerrit Lievens was Gertruyd's father. He is a bricklayer.
- Clara is Gertruyd's sister.
-Adriaan is Gertruyd's neighbour.
- Frans is a deputy verger.
- Liese Kuijper is Magdalena's mother. She was sexually abused and had her daughter. For that reason she is despised and nobody talks to her.
- Henriette Maertens is a neighbour who saw Magdalena go with a man.
- Verelst is Van Selten's gardener
- Frans is the gardener's nephew.
- Beatriz Vermeer is Vermeer's daughter.
-Catharine Vermeer is Vermeer's wife.
-Aleydis Vermeer is another of Vermeer's daughters. In the book she wants to become a nun and Mercurius takes her to a convent. In the epilogue we learn that she eventually joined a convent of laywomen.
- Nico (2) was the boy who was with Gertruyd when she was kidnapped. Mercurious manages to ask him some quesitons, and the boy confirms that the man had a cape.
- Pieter van Ruijven is a rich man in Delft who is part of the mayor's entourage.
- Magdalena van Ruijven (16) is Pieter van Ruijven's daughter. When Mercurius is invited to have dinner with them, it is clear that Pieter wants her daughter to marry Mercurius. Even though Mercurius is a p riest and can't marry, he can't help but feel attracted to her.
- Cornelia Swalmius is van Leeuwenhoek's wife.
- Maria van Leeowenhoek is van Leeuwenhoek's dauther.
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