by Gai-Jin(Lit)
Maureen glanced at the surf a moment, collecting her thoughts. Another little nervous shrug, then she stared up at him, artlessly.
"That's what happened, but it was for you, no' for me or for us, for you, I didna' mean to mention it."
"Jamie! More'ssross." Lunkchurch had reeled out of his office and was standing with them before they knew it. He greeted them effusively, nearly asphyxiating her with the smell of whisky, invited them to dinner that night and reeled away.
"He's always drunk by two o'clock, but he's all right," Jamie said. "He won't remember the invitation or our refusal." This time he took her hand and put it in his coat pocket for warmth and held it and walked on. "Maureen I th--"
"Before you say another word, let me finish. I didna' mean to tell you about her and me, it slipped out. I'm deeply sorry, I swear to God I didna' mean to tell you, God's truth, no' when we were talking, serious, about... talking about us, you and me. Please believe that,
God's truth."
"I believe you, I do, no need to worry on that score, and Tess wrote to me, kept her word, sent the money, more than I've had in my whole life, enough to start and all because of you."
Tears of remorse began, "'no because of me,
Jamie, you'd been wronged and Mrs. Struan owed it to you--I would no' have told you but, but you wanted me to. And you were right to be angry, I was wrong to say, This afternoon, please forgive me, it was just... you're right, this afternoon is too soon, you're right and I was wrong to suggest that. Can we wait,
Jamie, please? Can we wait, say a week or two, a month, see how you like me?
Please?"
"Now you listen," Jamie said and gave her hand a squeeze, "I like you too much as it is and no,
I don't want you to go and yes, we will wait a little while and no, I'm not angry, and yes, I believe you and thank you with all my heart and no, you weren't wrong to make a suggestion. Let's think about it and talk over dinner, Sparkles, just you and me, eh?"
Before she knew what she was doing she reached up and kissed him in thanks, the use of her nickname a harbinger of joyous portent. Her hand went back to his and both into his pocket. "You're bonnie, Jamie, that's the truth and I love you and..." She was going to add, And you dinna have to say that until you're ready. But she did not.
She withdrew from that precipice. "You're a bonnie laddie."
"And you're a bonnie lassie," he said, more calm about her than he had been for years, the ache and guilt no longer to the fore. What about marriage? he asked himself, for the first time without a shudder. Absolutely a man should be married and have children, at the correct time. I'm not opposed to marriage, far from it. When? When the business has settled and we're in profit?
She's terrific, clever, good-looking, good family, patient and faithful and loves me, incredible that she stood up to Tess and did what she did, show's how smart she is. It might work. Do I love her? I like her enormously
...
I'm thirty-nine. And trim and fit, and should be married--should have married before. She's twenty-eight, young for her age too, so she must know her own mind, and there's no doubt she sparkles.
Last night Marlowe and Pallidar noticed too, noticed a little too much! That randy bastard
Settry wouldn't leave her alone, not that I minded--one little jerk of my head and the darling came a-running. He squeezed her arm, liking that.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'm glad you enjoyed the party last night," he said but he was thinking, in three or four months, no need to hurry, not a bad idea. "Here we are."
They turned into the clubhouse forecourt.
MacStruan was talking to Dmitri on the steps and he saw them look up and Dmitri waved cheerily. The ice slammed back into his guts.
Nemi! When Nemi gets the bit between her teeth
...
God Almighty, he thought aghast, how the hell do I cope with Nemi, the Yoshiwara and
Sparkles? Can't be done. Must be done. What was it she said about the Yoshiwara? She wasn't pissed off this time... "no' till we've had a wee chat." Chat?
"Are you cold, Jamie darling?"
"No, no, just fine."
"Phillip, tell Captain Abeh again,
I'm sorry but Hiraga cannot at the moment be found." Sir William stood with his back to the fireplace in one of the Legation reception rooms, Tyrer, Babcott and Abeh just arrived from Yedo. It was dusk. "We're still looking everywhere. And Phillip, wipe that smug look off your face, do you really want to irritate him?"
Abeh was angered. So was Sir William.
He had done everything he could, the
Settlement had been combed and soldiers were again going through Drunk Town and the village. The
Yoshiwara was more difficult. Weapons were not allowed, access to Inns was almost impossible without breaking and entering, a hideous idea and bound to create an international incident. If he did it, then samurai at their Gates would insist on the same right. In the beginning of the Settlement it had been agreed, so long as there was no rioting, the
Yoshiwara was to be left alone to float and to serve.
"He says he cannot go back without Hiraga and
Hiraga was promised to Lord Yoshi today."
Sir William bit back the oath. Instead he said sweetly, "Please ask him to wait.
At the guard house. Surely Hiraga will be found soon, if he is still here."
"He says, Still here? If not here, where is he?"
"If I knew I would certainly fetch him for
Lord Yoshi. Perhaps he has escaped, to Yedo or Kanagawa or somewhere." Even Sir
William was shocked at the black rage in
Abeh's face who spat out some Japanese, turned on his heel and stomped out.
"Rude bugger!"
"He said, Hiraga had better be found,
Sir William." Tyrer rubbed his unshaven face, feeling filthy and anxious to have a bath, massage and siesta before Fujiko. Most of his fatigue had immediately dissolved by the joyous news that Hiraga was not locked up and in irons. "Have to feel sorry for Abeh, sir. He can't go back without Nak--without Hiraga, more than his life's worth."
"Well, that's his problem. Have you any idea where Nakama would be?"
"No sir, if he's not in the village or the
Yoshiwara."
"You might try and find out, obviously it's important." Sir William looked up at
Babcott. "Now, more important. George, the patient? Was it Anjo?"
"Yes."
"Tallyho! Phillip, you look exhausted, no need for you to wait, we can talk later.
George can fill me in. If
Nakama-Hiraga appears you bloody clap him in irons at once. At once!"
"Yes sir, thank you sir. Before
I go, can I ask what happened in Hong
Kong?" The moment they had arrived both had asked, noticing anxiously that Prancing
Cloud had returned, but Sir William had said, First Abeh.
"It's all quiet in Hong Kong, all quiet here, thank God." He told them about the funeral, Hoag returning and why. "The reason's supposed to be confidential but it's common knowledge. So it's a waiting game, Tess is waiting, it seems Angelique has agreed to wait, so Hoag says, not that she can do much else. She is, or she's not."
Babcott said, "If she's not she'll know in a few days. And so will we."
"Christ," Tyrer muttered. "What happens: if she is or if she's not?"
Sir William shrugged. "We have to wait too. Now off you go, Phillip. Whisky or brandy, George? Do you mind bringing me up-to-date now--you're not too tired?"
"No." The two men were alone. "Brandy, please. Yedo was very interesting."
"Health! And?"
"Health. Before Yedo, do we know more about Hong
Kong?"
Sir William smiled. The men were old friends, and Babcott Deputy Minister. "It went perfectly. Yes. Tess wrote privately to thank me. Most of it I can tell you now: Hoag brought three letters for
Angelique, she
doesn't know this by the way.
One Hoag gave her at once and told me there was no noticeable reaction one way or the other, no clue, he presumed it was just asking her to wait. Tess confirmed the contents of that letter to me, that she proposed a lull until it was established if Angelique was pregnant or not. If Angelique has her period, he gives her one letter, if not he waits to the second month to make sure and he gives her the other. Hoag swore he does not know the contents, nor did Tess reveal them in her letter to me."
He sipped his whisky, his face set. "One issue Tess wrote that, I'm afraid, indicates her thinking: Struan's solicitors are drafting a brief to nullify in court, the
"Ludicrous Ceremony"--she puts that in caps--whatever the legality or illegality, whatever the pregnancy result, and to contest any will if one is found there or in the
Japans."
"My God! Poor Angelique... how awful!"
"An emphatic yes to that. My letter asking for forbearance had no effect. Bloody, eh?" Sir
William stalked to his desk and brought out a dispatch. "This is what I really wanted to discuss
--highly confidential of course."
Babcott turned up the oil lamp.
Daylight was fading fast. The Governor of Hong
Kong wrote formally:
My dear Sir William, thank you for your dispatch of the 13th. I'm afraid it's not possible to send extra troops at the moment. I have just heard from London that all troops are needed elsewhere, that budgetary considerations preclude raising new levies in India or elsewhere so you will have to do with what you have. However, I am sending another 20-gun, sailing frigate,
H.m.s. Avenger, on temporary loan.
Rest assured if there is a major attack on
Yokohama, in due course the attack will be punished.
I am instructed by London to inform you of the following directives for immediate prudent action: you will collect the indemnity demanded, together with possession of the murderers (or witness their trial and execution), you will punish and bring to heel the petty tyrant responsible, Sanjiro of
Satsuma. I am to advise you further that the
Naval and Army forces you presently have at your disposal are considered more than adequate to deal with one petty princeling.
Babcott whistled tonelessly. At length he said, "They're a bunch of idiots, the whole bloody lot."
Sir William laughed. "I rather thought the same. But having said that, what do you think?"
""Immediate prudent action"? That's a negation."
"Diplomatic verbiage to cover their tails, obviously."
"We have the indemnity, we..."
"The bullion was advanced on Sanjiro's behalf. It was a loan not a payment by the guilty party."
"True. And both murderers are dead, probably."
"Yes, by chance and not one hundred percent certain and not as punishment for the crime."
"Well yes. We..." Babcott looked at him and sighed. "What do I think? Between us I think you've already decided to launch a punitive strike against Sanjiro, probably at
Kagoshima, particularly as Yoshi gave you tacit approval."
"Possible approval. Is the dispatch and are my answers enough to convince Ketterer a strike, if any, is authorized?"
"No doubt about that, they've given you directives. The dispatch clearly makes it obligatory, however stupid and however much I disapprove of it."
"Because you're a doctor?"
"Yes."
"If you ever have to take charge, George, I hope you'll forget that you are."
"You don't have to say that, William. I know which side my butter is breaded. Meanwhile
Put not your trust in princes, bureaucrats or generals they will plead expedience while spilling your blood from a safe distance." He raised his glass. "To London. Christ, I'm tired."
"Meanwhile remember that Machiavelli also said, The safety of the State is the overriding duty of the ruler, or some such platitude." His eyes crinkled. "Now Anjo."
Babcott told him. And being asked, gave his considered diagnosis. "Six months. A year, no more. Subject to my tests."
"Interesting." Sir William thought long and hard. Outside night had settled, the fleet bedding down. He closed the curtains against the drafts, went over to the fire and poked a blaze. "Putting that aside for the moment, my inclination is to order an immediate naval presence off
Kagoshima, immediate bombardment if Sanjiro gives us no satisfaction--as much for Yoshi's benefit, Anjo and his Council of Elders as for scallywag Sanjiro, especially Yoshi."
"Sending the fleet there leaves the Settlement naked. What about the reports of samurai quietly surrounding us--we saw a great number around the Tokaid@o."
"That's the risk."
Babcott looked back at Sir
William steadily and said no more. The decision was not his. He would happily obey like everyone else, insisting on being part of the expedition. He got up. "Think I'll nap before dinner, didn't sleep much last night. By the way,
Phillip did a cracking good job. I'll start my tests later and let you know."
"Do you want to have a late bite to eat? Nine o'clock? Good, and thanks for Anjo, that's very important. That makes Yoshi even more important. If he can be trusted. If."
"In this land that's a major problem." Then
Babcott said, still sickened by Tess's attitude, "Rotten about the "court case."
That's going to be messy for Angelique, so unfair, isn't it?"
"Has life ever been fair, old man?"
At dinnertime, Angelique knocked on the tai-pan's office door, dressed to go out.
"Albert?"
"Come in! I say, I love your hat." It was an elegant dinner hat, discreet, still suitable for mourning, dark blue, yet made chic with a few silk flowers she had tucked into the band.
"Thank you. You're working late."
"Part of the job." Like everyone else he wondered what was in the letter Tess had written to her, wild rumors around the Settlement, from ordering her to get out of Asia to charging her with murder. There was no sign on her face, only a becoming melancholy.
In his own letter Tess had cautioned him to be wary about making commitments on armaments, and if proposed, to keep them very confidential. To use
McFay if need be.
I have asked him to cooperate with you. Of course his main interest will be to promote his own business but you are to treat him as friendly. Now that Mr. Edward
Gornt has assumed control of Brocks in
Japan, he is enemy--be careful of him, he's more cunning than we presumed. As to that other person, Dr. Hoag has agreed to assist me.
I understand she still occupies quarters in our house granted by my son. You will be informed later of new arrangements.
"Where are you dining? French Legation?" he asked.
"I accepted to sup next door with Mr.
Gornt." She saw his face harden. "It was a last-minute supper invitation with mutual friends,
Dmitri, Marlowe. He asked me to ask you to join us to, to escort me if you would--are you free?"
"Sorry, can't, glad to take you to the door and to call for you but that's Brock and Sons, he's the head of it and this's the Noble House."
"You should be friends, you could still be competitors.
He really was my husband's friend, and mine, and
Jamie's."
"Sorry, it's my problem not yours." He smiled again. "Come on." He took her arm, not bothering about a coat and they went into the cold. The wind tugged at her hat but did not displace it.
She had secured it with a chiffon scarf.
"Evening, Ma'am." The guard on Brock's door bowed.
"Evening. Thank you, Albert, no need to come and fetch me, one of the others will see me home, off you go or you'll catch cold." He laughed and was gone. In the same moment Gornt was there to greet her.
"'evening Ma'am, my but you look smashing."
Now, as he accepted her wrap, her worries began to well up a
gain. What trumps? A burst of laughter came from an inner room. She recognized Marlowe, saw that the guard had gone and there were no servants about and they were alone for the moment. "Edward," she whispered, her concern overcoming her caution, "why are you so sure