“Please forgive me for doubting you. If it wasn’t that I must remain alive to help your plans I could not live with my shame.”
“No need for shame, old friend. If you hadn’t been convinced, Ishido and Zataki would have seen through the trick. Oh, by the way, how was Buntaro-san when you saw him?”
“Seething, Sire. It will be good to have a battle for him to fight.”
“He suggested removing me as liege lord?”
“If he’d said that to me I would have removed his head! At once!”
“I’ll send for you in three days. Ask to see me daily but I’ll refuse until then.”
“Yes, Sire.” The old general bowed abjectly. “Please forgive this old fool. You’ve given my life purpose again. Thank you.” He left.
Toranaga took out the little slip of paper from his sleeve and reread the message from his mother with enormous satisfaction. With the northern route possibly open and Ishido possibly betrayed there, his odds had enormously improved. He put the message to the flame. The paper curled into ash. Contentedly, he pounded the ash to dust. Now, who should be the new commander-in-chief? he asked himself.
At noon, Mariko walked across the donjon forecourt, through the silent ranks of brooding guards, and went inside. Toranaga’s secretary was waiting for her in one of the anterooms on the ground floor. “So sorry to send for you, Lady Toda,” he said listlessly.
“It’s my pleasure, Kawanabi-san.”
Kawanabi was a sharp-featured, elderly samurai with a shaven head. Once he had been a Buddhist priest. For years now he had handled all of Toranaga’s correspondence. Normally he was bright and enthusiastic. Today, like most people in the castle, he was greatly unsettled. He handed her a small scroll. “Here are your travel documents for Osaka, duly signed. You are to leave tomorrow and get there as soon as possible.”
“Thank you.” Her voice sounded tiny to her.
“Lord Toranaga says he may have some private dispatches for you to take to Lady Kiritsubo and Lady Koto. Also for General Lord Ishido and Lady Ochiba. They’ll be delivered to you tomorrow at dawn if … so sorry, if they’re ready, I’ll see they’re delivered to you.”
“Thank you.”
From a number of scrolls that were stacked with pedantic neatness on his low desk, Kawanabi selected an official document. “I’m directed to give you this. It is the increase in your son’s fief as promised by Lord Toranaga. Ten thousand koku yearly. It’s dated from the last day of last month and … well, here it is.”
She accepted it, read it, and checked the official chops. Everything was perfect. But it gave her no happiness. Both believed it was an empty paper now. If her son’s life was spared he would become ronin. “Thank you. Please thank Lord Toranaga for the honor he does us. May I be allowed to see him before I go?”
“Oh, yes. When you leave here now you’re asked to go to the barbarian ship. You’re requested to wait for him there.”
“I’m—I’m to interpret?”
“He didn’t say. I would presume so, Lady Toda.” The secretary squinted at a list in his hand. “Captain Yoshinaka’s been ordered to lead your escort to Osaka, if it pleases you.”
“I would be honored to be in his charge again. Thank you. May I ask how Lord Toranaga is?”
“He seems well enough, but for an active man like him to coop himself up for days on end…. What can I say?” He spread his hands helplessly. “So sorry. At least today he saw Lord Hiro-matsu and agreed to a delay. He’s also agreed to deal with a few other things … rice prices must be stabilized now in case of a bad harvest…. But there’s so much to do and … it’s just not like him, Lady Toda. These are terrible times, neh? And terrible omens: The soothsayers say the harvest will be ruined this year.”
“I will not believe them—until harvest time.”
“Wise, very wise. But not many of us will see harvest time. I’m to go with him to Osaka.” Kawanabi shivered and leaned forward nervously. “I heard a rumor that the plague’s begun again between Kyoto and Osaka—smallpox. Is that another heavenly sign that the gods are turning their faces from us?”
“It’s not like you to believe rumors or heavenly signs, Kawanabisan, or to pass on rumors. You know what Lord Toranaga thinks of that.”
“I know. So sorry. But, well … no one seems to be normal these days, neh?”
“Perhaps the rumor’s not true—I pray it’s not true.” She shook off her foreboding. “Has the new date for the departure been set?”
“I understood Lord Hiro-matsu to say that it was postponed for seven days. I’m so glad our commander-in-chief returned and so glad he persuaded…. I wish the whole departure was put off forever. Better fight here than be dishonored there, neh?”
“Yes,” she agreed, knowing there was no point any longer in pretending that this was not foremost in everyone’s mind. “Now that Lord Hiro-matsu’s back, perhaps our Lord will see that surrender’s not the best course.”
“Lady, for your ears alone. Lord Hiro-matsu—” He stopped, looked up, and put a smile on his face. Yabu strode into the room, swords jingling. “Ah, Lord Kasigi Yabu, how nice to see you.” He bowed and Mariko bowed and there were pleasantries and then he said, “Lord Toranaga’s expecting you, Sire. Please go up at once.”
“Good. What does he want to see me about?”
“So sorry, Sire, he didn’t tell me—only that he wished to see you.”
“How is he?”
Kawanabi hesitated. “No change, Sire.”
“His departure—has a new date been fixed?”
“I understand it’ll be in seven days.”
“Perhaps Lord Hiro-matsu’ll put it off even more, neh?”
“That would be up to our Lord, Sire.”
“Of course.” Yabu walked out.
“You were saying about Lord Hiro-matsu?”
“Only for your ears, Lady—as Buntaro-san’s not here,” the secretary whispered. “When old Iron Fist came from seeing Lord Toranaga, he had to rest for the best part of an hour. He was in very great pain, Lady.”
“Oh! It would be terrible if something happened to him now!”
“Yes. Without him there’d be a revolt, neh? This delay solves nothing, does it? It’s only a truce. The real problem—I’m—I’m afraid since Lord Sudara acted as formal second to General Kiyoshio, every time Lord Sudara’s name has been mentioned our Lord gets very angry…. It’s only Lord Hiro-matsu who’s persuaded him to delay and that’s the only thing that …” Tears started running down the secretary’s cheeks. “What’s happening, Lady? He’s lost control, neh?”
“No,” she said firmly, without conviction. “I’m sure everything will be all right. Thank you for telling me. I’ll try to see Lord Hiro-matsu before I leave.”
“Go with God, Lady.”
She was startled. “I didn’t know you were Christian, Kawanabisan.”
“I’m not, Lady. But I know it is your custom.”
She walked out into the sun, greatly concerned over Hiro-matsu, at the same time blessing God that her waiting was over and tomorrow she would escape. She went toward the palanquin and escort waiting for her.
“Ah, Lady Toda,” Gyoko said, stepping out of the shadows, intercepting her.
“Ah, good morning, Gyoko-san, how nice to see you. I hope you’re well?” she said pleasantly, a sudden chill rushing through her.
“Not well at all, I’m afraid, so sorry. So very sad. It seems we’re not in our Lord’s favor, Kiku-san and I. Ever since we got here we’ve been confined to a filthy third-class hotel I wouldn’t put an eighth-class male courtesan in.”
“Oh, so sorry. I’m sure there must be some mistake.”
“Ah yes, a mistake. I certainly hope so, Lady. At long last today I’ve been given permission to come to the castle, at long last there’s an answer to my petition to see the Great Lord, at long last I’m permitted to bow before the Great Lord again—later today.” Gyoko smiled at her crookedly. “I heard you were also coming to see
the lord-secretary, so I thought I’d wait to greet you. I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s a pleasure to see you, Gyoko-san. I would have visited you and Kiku-san, or asked you both to visit me, but unfortunately that hasn’t been possible.”
“Yes—so sad. These are sad times. Difficult for nobles. Difficult for peasants. Poor Kiku-san’s quite sick with worry to be out of our Lord’s favor.”
“I’m sure she’s not, Gyoko-san. He—Lord Toranaga has many pressing problems, neh?”
“True—true. Perhaps we could take some cha now, Lady Toda. I would be honored to be allowed to talk to you for a moment.”
“Ah, so sorry, but I’m ordered to go on official business. Otherwise I would have been honored.”
“Ah yes, you’ve to go to the Anjin-san’s ship now. Ah, I forgot, so sorry. How is the Anjin-san?”
“I believe he is well,” Mariko said, furious that Gyoko knew her private business. “I’ve seen him only once—and then just for a few moments—since we arrived.”
“An interesting man. Yes, very. Sad not to see one’s friends, neh?”
Both women wore smiles, their voices polite and carefree, both conscious of the impatient samurai watching and listening to them.
“I heard the Anjin-san visited his friends—his crew. How did he find them?”
“He never told me, Gyoko-san. As I said, I only saw him for a moment. So sorry, but I must go …”
“Sad not to see one’s friends. Perhaps I could tell you about them. For instance, that they live in an eta village.”
“What?”
“Yes. It seems his friends asked permission to live there, preferring it to civilized areas. Curious, neh? Not like the Anjin-san, who’s different. The rumor is they say it’s more like home to them—the eta village. Curious, neh …”
Mariko was remembering how strange the Anjin-san had been on the stairs that day. That explains it, she thought. Eta! Madonna, poor man. How ashamed he must have been. “I’m sorry, Gyoko-san, what did you say?”
“Just that it’s curious the Anjin-san’s so different from the others.”
“What’re they like? Have you seen them? The others?”
“No, Lady. I wouldn’t go there. What should I have to do with them? Or with eta? I must think of my clients and my Kiku-san. And my son.”
“Ah yes, your son.”
Gyoko’s face saddened under her parasol but her eyes remained flinty brown like her kimono. “Please excuse me, but I suppose you’ve no idea why we should be out of favor with Lord Toranaga?”
“No. I’m sure you’re mistaken. The contract was settled, neh? According to the agreement?”
“Oh yes, thank you. I’ve a letter of credit on the Mishima rice merchants, payable on demand. Less the amount we agreed. But money was furthest from my mind. What’s money when you’ve lost the favor of your patron—whoever he or she is. Neh?”
“I’m sure you retain his favor.”
“Ah, favors! I was worried about your favor, too, Lady Toda.”
“You always have my goodwill. And friendship, Gyoko-san. Perhaps we could talk another time, I really must go now, so sorry….”
“Ah yes, how kind you are. I’d enjoy that.” Gyoko added in her most honeyed voice as Mariko began to turn away, “But will you have time? You go tomorrow, neh? To Osaka?”
Mariko felt a sudden ice barb in her chest as the trap closed.
“Is there anything wrong, Lady?”
“No … no, Gyoko-san. Will … during the Hour of the Dog tonight … would that be convenient?”
“You’re too kind, Lady. Oh, yes, as you’re going to see our Master now, before me, would you intercede for us? We need such a little favor. Neh?”
“I would be glad to.” Mariko thought a moment. “Some favors can be asked but, even so, are not granted.”
Gyoko stiffened slightly. “Ah! You’ve already asked him the … asked him to favor us?”
“Of course—why shouldn’t I?” Mariko said carefully. “Isn’t Kiku-san a favorite? And aren’t you a devoted vassal? Haven’t you been granted favors in the past?”
“My requests are always so little. Everything I said before still applies, Lady. Perhaps more so.”
“About empty-bellied dogs?”
“About long ears and safe tongues.”
“Ah yes. And secrets.”
“It would be so easy to satisfy me. My Lord’s favor—and my Lady’s—is not much to ask, neh?”
“No. If an opportunity occurs…. I can promise nothing.”
“Until this evening, Lady.”
They bowed to each other and no samurai was any the wiser. Mariko got into the palanquin to more bows, hiding the trembles that beset her, and the cortege left. Gyoko stared after her.
“You, woman,” a young samurai said roughly as he passed. “What’re you waiting for? Go about your business.”
“Ha!” Gyoko said disdainfully to the amusement of others. “Woman, is it, puppy? If I went about your business I might have a very hard time finding it, hey, even though you’re not yet man enough to have thatch!”
The others laughed. With a toss of her head she walked on fearlessly.
“Hello,” Blackthorne said.
“Good afternoon, Anjin-san. You look happy!”
“Thank you. It’s the sight of such a lovely lady, neh?”
“Ah, thank you,” Mariko replied. “How is your ship?”
“First class. Would you like to come aboard? I’d like to show you around.”
“Is that permitted? I was ordered here to meet Lord Toranaga.”
“Yes. We’re all waiting for him now.” Blackthorne turned and spoke to the senior samurai on the wharf. “Captain, I take Lady Toda there. Show ship. When Lord Toranaga arrive—you call, neh?”
“As you wish, Anjin-san.”
Blackthorne led the way off the jetty. Samurai were manning the barriers and security was tighter than ever, ashore and on deck. First he went to the quarterdeck. “This is mine, all mine,” he said with pride.
“Are any of your crew here?”
“No—none. Not today, Mariko-san.” He pointed out everything as quickly as he could, then guided her below. “This is the main cabin.” The aft bay windows overlooked the foreshore. He closed the door. Now they were totally alone.
“This is your cabin?” she asked.
He shook his head, watching her. She went into his arms. He held her tight. “Oh, how I have missed thee.”
“And I have missed thee….”
“There’s so much to tell thee. And to ask thee,” he said.
“I’ve nothing to tell thee. Except that I love thee with all my heart.” She shivered in his arms, trying to throw off her terror that Gyoko or someone would denounce them. “I’m so afraid for thee.”
“Don’t be afraid, Mariko my darling. Everything’s going to be all right.”
“That’s what I tell myself. But today it’s impossible to accept karma and the will of God.”
“You were so distant the last time.”
“This is Yedo, my love. And beyond First Bridge.”
“It was because of Buntaro-san. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “That and Toranaga’s decision to surrender. It’s such a dishonorable uselessness…. I never thought I’d ever say that out loud but I have to say it. So sorry.” She nestled closer into the protection of his shoulder.
“When he goes to Osaka, you’re finished, too?”
“Yes. The Toda clan are too powerful and important. In any event I would not be left alive.”
“Then you must come with me. We’ll escape. We’ll—”
“So sorry, but there’s no escape.”
“Unless Toranaga allows it, neh?”
“Why should he allow it?”
Quickly Blackthorne told her what he had said to Toranaga, but not that he had also asked for her. “I know I can force the priests to bring Kiyama or Onoshi to his side, if he’ll a
llow me to take this Black Ship,” he finished excitedly, “and I know I can do that!”
“Yes,” she said, glad for the sake of the Church that he was hobbled by Toranaga’s decision. Again she examined the logic of his plan and found it flawless. “It should work. Anjin-san. Now that Harima’s hostile, there would be no reason why Toranaga-sama shouldn’t order an attack if he were going to war, and not surrendering.”
“If Lord Kiyama or Lord Onoshi, or both of them, joined him, would that tip the scale toward him?”
“Yes,” she said. “With Zataki and time.” She had already explained the strategic importance of Zataki’s control of the northern route. “But Zataki’s opposed to Toranaga-sama.”
“Listen, I can strangle the priests. So sorry, but they are my enemy though they are your priests. I can dominate them on his behalf—on mine too. Will you help me to help him?”
She stared up at him. “How?”
“Help me to persuade him to give me the chance, and persuade him to delay going to Osaka.”
There was the sound of horses and voices raised on the jetty. Distracted, they went to the windows. Samurai were pulling aside one of the barriers. Father Alvito spurred forward into the clearing.
“What does he want?” Blackthorne muttered sourly.
They watched the priest as he dismounted and pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and gave it to the senior samurai. The man read it. Alvito looked up at the ship.
“Whatever it is, is official,” she said in a small voice.
“Listen, Mariko-san, I’m not against the Church. The Church isn’t evil, it’s the priests. And they’re not all bad. Alvito isn’t, though he’s fanatic. I swear to God I believe the Jesuits will bow to Lord Toranaga if I get their Black Ship and threaten next year’s, because they’ve got to have money—Portugal and Spain have got to have money. Toranaga’s more important. Will you help me?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll help you, Anjin-san. But, please excuse me, I cannot betray the Church.”
“All I ask is that you talk to Toranaga, or help me to talk to him if you think that’s better.”
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