by Gaynor Baker
Fujito stood and, chuckling raised her to her feet. Hand in hand, they walked back to the ryokan. Lantern lights from nearby residences dotted the shore and the far bank of the Sea.
“Is that Cathay?” Katharine asked.
“No.” Fujito smiled. “That"s the tip of Honshu.”
“The big island with the Alps.” She echoed the words she had spoken years ago. “That"s right.” He smiled remembering.
“Isamu?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, but if I stop to kiss you again we may never get home.” He laughed. He kissed her temple instead.
The next day brought the arrival of Tadanori from the small port just down the beach. He had repaired his boat and was making his way back to Shimoda. “I just came to see if you were still here and wish you a safe journey the rest of the way.” He told Fujito
“Domo.”
“Something"s happened, I can tell.”
Fujito knew what he was referring to.
“She told me she loves me.” He admitted. “Now comes the hard part, convincing her to stay here.”
“I"m sure you will.” Tadanori told him. “Oh by the way, I"ve found someone who will ferry you to Beppu.” He handed him a piece of paper with the man"s name and where he could be found.
“Domo. When do you leave?”
“First tide tomorrow.”
“The Lord be with you.”
“You as well. I"ll be praying for you.”
Fujito bowed in thanks.
Katharine knew it would be hard to leave this beautiful island and its memories behind when Fujito told her they would be leaving for Kyushu the end of the week. “Shikoku will always hold a special place in my heart.” She told him. “And why is that?”
“Because it"s where I fell in love with the handsomest samurai in the Japans.” She smiled.
“Oh, my Nikko.” He chuckled.
Goto-San the owner of the ferry that would take them to Kyushu was a congenial fellow, about ten years older than Fujito.
“All aboard for Beppu!” He called as if he were the pilot of an ocean going vessel.
Fujito and Katharine sat in the back of the small craft while Goto-San maneuvered the oars.
The trip was punctuated with song; the man had a fair voice. When Katharine and Fujito joined in, he did not object in the least.
Beppu was even more humid than Matsuyama had been. Katharine wiped her brow with the sleeve of her kimono.
“We"ll find some shade and rest awhile before we look for a place to stay.” Fujito told her. They found a spot under a tree near a hot spring.
“That water is ten times hotter than your first bath.” He told her.
Katharine shivered. “Please, don"t remind me.”
“You aren"t embarrassed now, are you, Lady Katharine?” He whispered close to her ear. When she looked at him, he was smiling.
“Excuse me, but aren"t you—? Yes!” The man"s voice came from behind and to Fujito"s left. He turned.
“Uncle, don"t you recognize me?”
“Jiro!” He stood in one fluid movement. He bowed in greeting.
“Don"t tell me you"ve finally become formal after all these years?” “No, indeed.” Fujito answered laughing. Turning to Katharine, he said, “This is my nephew, Jiro. Jiro, this is Katsuko.”
Jiro bowed formally, Katharine returned it.
“Come.” He said. “We must celebrate our reunion.”
He took them to a small but neat house near the roadway. “This is our home when we are here in Beppu.” He explained. “It"s much smaller than the castle and more intimate.” He showed them into the reception hall and called the servant to bring sake.
“I have heard of the lady.” He told his uncle. “That is exactly the kind of thing I would expect you to do.” He smiled. “Is the wine watered down enough for you, myLady?”
“Yes, it is. Thank you.”
“You could have turned me in.” Fujito reminded him.
“No. I wouldn"t do that to someone who was so kind to me as a boy.” They heard a noise in the courtyard. A young woman entered carrying packages from the market.
“Mariko, come and see who"s here.” Jiro called to his wife.
“Uncle Isamu!” She ran to him.
Fujito standing embraced her.
“This must be Katsuko?”
“Yes.” Fujito smiled at the woman kneeling beside him.
“Dozo yoroshiku.” Mariko said, bowing.
Mariko was an easy-going girl not much younger than her husband . Katharine liked her on sight. She saw that she was also fun loving, like herself. After getting reacquainted with his nephew and niece, he and Katharine were shown to their rooms.
“So I suppose you"ll want to stay here with Jiro now.” Fujito teased. “Why is that?”
“Because he remembered to water down your drink and I forgot.” He grinned. “I"d have to see how he kisses first.” She teased him back.
“I think you"d have to fight Mariko for that.” He said. “And me.” He added huskily. Grabbing her arm as she passed him, he pulled her against him. “Do you think he could beat that?” He asked after the kiss.
“Not likely.” She smiled. Turning she left the room. She heard Fujito chuckle as he started to put some of their things away.
After Mariko and Katharine had retired Jiro and his uncle talked about Fujito"s next step.
“I"m taking her back to Hirado.” He told the young man.
“Even though she loves you? And you so obviously love her.”
“I can"t force her to stay, Jiro. I promised her when I sent her to Kimika I would take her back so that she could go home.” He sipped some sake from the cup Jiro hadpoured. “She practically made me sign a blood oath.” He smiled remembering. “I"ve seen the way she looks at you, Uncle. I don"t believe she feels that way any more.”
He hoped his nephew was right. He remembered he had told himself he would talk to her about it when they reached here. Now he must decide how to broach the subject.
“You can travel to Hirado with Mariko and me if you wish.” Jiro"s words brought him back to the present. “We leave in a week."
“All right. Domo.”
Fujito spent the next week trying to find a way to tell Katharine he did not want her to leave; while she spent the same week trying different ways to tell him she wished to remain in Japan. Neither one could think of a way, so things remained as they were.
They boarded the ferryboat after sending Mariko in the palanquin back to Jiro"s castle in Kumamoto. It was a quick trip, with no storms to buffet the craft as on their crossing to Shikoku.
Once the boat tied up on shore Katharine ran ahead. She must speak to the Factor before Fujito could stop her.
“Why did you have me come to Hirado, Sama?” The boatman asked. “The English have left.”
“You mean the ship has gone and won"t return for another year?” Fujito asked. “No Sama. They have packed up and left for good.”
Without waiting to hear more, Fujito ran to catch up with Katharine. But he was too late. He found her at the edge of the site of the English settlement. He stopped and
watched from a few feet away.
They"d gone! Nothing was left. Last year the sight would have devastated her but now—
Tears of relief leapt unbidden to her eyes. She could not remember praying, but the Lord had heard the cry of her heart.
He saw the rise and fall of her shoulders as the tears fell.
“Katharine…”
She turned and crossed the narrow space between them.
“I"m sorry.” He whispered when she was in his arms. “The boatman told us.” When she lifted her face from his shoulder, she was smiling, even as tears coursed down her cheeks.
“Isamu, no." She said, smiling through her tears. “I made up my mind in Matsuyama that I wasn"t going home.”
He did not quite believe what he heard. He buried his face in her hair. �
�We have to go to Dejima.” He whispered.
“But I thought, I—”
He stopped her words with a kiss. “So that I can marry you.”
“Oh Isamu!” Coherent thought was lost as his mouth captured hers. The Samurai"s Lady
Chapter Fifteen
The sun was just coming up over the bay.
When they reached Dejima, the island post of the Dutch traders who were the only foreigners allowed to trade with Japan, they were met with a surprise. The English
Factor was there. He had returned with the Dutch to clear up some loose ends. He arranged for a minister to marry them.
The night before the ceremony Fujito gave her a beautiful silver kimono with mountains decorating the back panel to wear. And a jeweled dagger; he had said that as the wife of a Daimyo she was entitled to wear it. She closed her eyes and remembered his exact words.
“As an Englishman"s wife you w ould be his Lady. As the wife of a Daimyo you become samurai and are allowed to own a dagger as the samurai carry the swords of hisoffice and title.” Then he had taken it gently from her hand and showed her how to carry it.
Mariko led the way down the aisle and then she had entered. Keeping her eyes on Fujito, she walked gracefully down the aisle to meet him at the altar. He looked so regal and handsome in his black kimono with the family crest on the sleeves and back. There was softness in his brown eyes.
When she reached him, he took her hands in his and they turned to face the Captain/Factor.
After the prayer and the declaration of intent, he nodded at Fujito. He turned to face her with a gentle smile on his lips.
Turning her to face him, he had said:
“Katsuko Chan, my dearest Nikko. You have brought me sunlight, the sunlight of your presence, of your smile and your love. When I found you, broken and bleeding I swore in my heart to protect you, with my life. Today along with that protection I give you my troth, my possessions and the greatest of these, my heart.” Then smiling added the final words of the sonnet that had become her favorite. “Who taught thee how to make me love thee more? The more I hear and see just cause for hate/ although I love what others do abhor/ with others thou shoudst not abhormy state.” Looking tenderly into her eyes, he quoted the last two lines. “If thy unworthiness raised love in me/ more worthy I to be beloved by thee.” With misty eyes, she remembered her answer:
“Isamu. Since the day I woke in your house, you have offered me your kindness, and protection in a world that was hostile to me. You have shown me respect while not wholly denying your growing feelings for me. You caused me to love you, when I wanted to hate. Even then, you left me the freedom to choose between you and my homeland.
“Therefore I this day choose you for now and always. I pledge myself to you and like Sarah, call you lord, as my Daimyo and my husband. I give thee my troth and myheart.”
Fujito stirred at her side, halting her reverie. When she opened her eyes, a tear glistened on the edge.
Leaning on his elbow, he brushed it away with the side of his thumb. “Why are you crying, my tsuma?” He asked. Smiling, he looked lovingly into her eyes. “Tsuma?”
“Wife.” He chuckled.
“Oh, I forgot. The word I mean.” She smiled.
“Would you like me to take you back to Dejima?” He smiled.
Shaking her head she said shyly, “You could take me back to last night, though.” She turned her head away but he knew she was smiling.
“So,” He grinned. Hooking a finger under her chin, he turned her to face him. “The lady has become a vixen?” Before she could answer, he captured her lips with his own.
“Now, why were you crying?”
“I don"t remember.”
Chuckling he kissed her again
It was a long time later when she said,
“We have to get up.”
“Why?” He asked lazily, nibbling the side of her neck.
“Because I"m hungry.” She declared.
He considered playfully for a moment then threw back the quilt. “I suppose that"s a good enough reason.”
“You could have at least warned me you were going to get up.” She closed her eyes.
Fujito laughed. “I thought last night would have banished all that.”
“Shizuka na.” Quiet.
He laughed again
As he dressed, he marveled again at the grace shown to him by God. He had been so afraid when the English Factor, now a Captain for the Dutch offered her a birth on the
next ship. He could feel his heart throbbing in his breath as he waited for her reply. Yet, there she was in the next room, his wife and his lover.
Over breakfast, Fujito considered their next move. Although they were back on Kyushu the danger to them both was far from over. Whoever had arranged for his arrest at Hakone, and he believed he knew who it had been, would be more angry now that he had escaped to bring the barbarian woman home.
Except she would never see her home again. But that would be of little consolation to the Bakufu who was famous for its vivid imagination. The comforting fact was they wouldn"t chance a full scale war with the other Shimazu Daimyo, preferring to wait until he had returned to his domain, so their journey home at least, would be uneventful.
There was now nothing between them had home except fields and a river. They stayed two days at Akune, the coastal town across the narrow body of water separating the mainland from Dejima, before starting the trek back to Kagoshima. There was one stop to make at a small hamlet of farmhouses about midway between Akune and Kagoshima. They stopped at a small inn on the outskirts and received a surprise. When they entered their room Jiro, Mariko, Kimika and the Factor/Captain were there waiting for them.
“How did you get here?”
“I am responsible for that.” Jiro said as Kimika hugged her new sister-inlaw. “I sent a message the day we left for Hirado.”
“But you didn"t even know Katsuko would accept.” He drew her close and kissed her temple.
“Well, if she hadn"t, I would have been here to console you.” His sister smiled. “But there was never any doubt in my mind that day you sat in the kitchen in Kanazawa thatshe wouldn"t become your wife.”
“You"ve always been able to tell me my thoughts before I"ve had them.” Fujito smiled.
“It"s in his eyes, Katsuko. If you want to know what he"s thinking just look into his eyes.”
“Giving her family secrets already?” Her brother teased.
“I think she already knows.” Kimika said knowingly.
That night a wedding feast had been prepared. Katharine felt as much a part of the family as if she had been adopted into it. Fujito had told her some boys were adopted into a higher-class family than what they had been born into. When Katharine was talking to Jiro and Mariko, Fujito took Kimika aside. “Where"s Kazu?” He asked bluntly.
“Oh Isamu, you don"t want to spoil your wedding by discussing him.” But she knew her brother would accept nothing less.
“He is in Edo. He won"t return until harvest so I have plenty of time before he returns.” She turned away so that he wouldn"t see he pain from the beating she had sustained at her husband"s hands in her eyes.
Taking her chin in his hand, he turned her face toward him. She didn"t need a lecture, but a solution.
“You could stay with us.” He told her.
“I know but—.”
“Just promise me you"ll think about it.”
“All right. Now you"d better get back to Katsuko. She looks lonely.” She smiled. That night under the quilts Katsuko said, “Isamu?”
“Aha?” He traced a line down her neck with his finger.
“Kimika said she knew even then that you would marry me. When did you know you loved me?”
Fujito smiled and clasping her hand held it to his lips. “From before I sent you away from Kagoshima. But like a fool, I chose not to believe it. When I watched you sleep on the hill outside Kanazawa the night I rescued you my heart could no longer denyit.”
“Oh Isamu!” She rubbed her cheek against his. “Tell me you love me again.” “Aishiteru.” He murmured as his mouth claimed hers.
When they left three days later, Kimika came with them. She had not yet decided to make it permanent but at least it would be a respite while Kazu was away. Fujito hired a palanquin for the ladies while he walked ahead of the mini Daimyo procession. Katharine for the most part liked to walk up front with him. He was concerned about the humidity. Japan was a humid country everywhere, but it was more pronounced and Katharine had become accustomed to the lower humidity on Honshu.
“Are these all your domains, Isamu?” She asked as they walked through the vast green fields that seemed to spread across the whole island.
“They are all Satsuma lands, yes.” He smiled and brushed her lips with his own. “Remember, they are your lands now as well.”
“Oh yes. I"d forgotten.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should not have married you.” A hint of a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Why not?”
“Marriage seems to have dulled your memory on a number of things.” He laughed. He thrilled at the sound of her laughter joining with his.
“I wish Kimika wasn"t riding with us.” She whispered.
“I see I shall have to be less liberal in my affections.” He grinned. “There will be plenty of time koibito.” He whispered. “We have the rest of our lives.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “You must have forgotten” He chuckled.
“Oh you!” She raised her hand to strike his cheek. He captured it and kissed her knuckles.
“So much for less liberality of affection.” She giggled.
He raised his eyes to the sky in mock exasperation, which made her giggle more. They could see the top of Kagoshima castle; it would not be far now. Fujito had noticed Katharine was slowing down and appeared to be wincing in pain although she hidit very well.
“Are you all right?” He asked.
“Yes. My leg"s a little sore that"s all. Believe it or not I don"t think I"m used to this flat terrain.”
He accepted her answer although the thought crossed the back of his mind that it might be heat cramp.
“Why don"t you ride for a while?” He suggested. “We"ll be stopping once more before we reach Kagoshima. You can walk with me from there, all right?” “Hai, Daimyo-Sama.” She bowed. Mischief lit her eyes.