Gai-Jin (171 page)

“Now, how much time would that take?” Katsumata asked even more rudely and the two men shifted uneasily. “How many days, now you do not have ‘normal access’?”

“I can tell you that as soon as I know why the soldiers search for me,” Hiraga said narrowly. Katsumata’s swords were beside him, his own swords within easy reach. The moment he had arrived he had asked Raiko for the swords she had hidden for him—in the event they had to make a sudden escape over the walls and into the paddy behind the Yoshiwara. All of them had decided it was too dangerous to hide in the tunnel. “Takeda?”

“I propose we wait until we know what your trouble is. Then we can agree on a final plan, Sensei—but if we could do as Hiraga says I would be for that.”

“We must attack tomorrow. That is our final plan.”

Thinking better now, Hiraga threw out a bait. “If we could do both, sink a ship and fire the Settlement that would be best,” he said, to placate Katsumata. “It would be possible if we planned it, but we need more men. A few men more, Sensei,” he added, using the title of respect he had so far avoided, to further flatter him. “We could get three men from Yedo. Takeda could go, he’s not known, he could bring them back in three or four days. I am marked and cannot move until the attack. You will lead us against the ship—I can tell the others where to place the flamers, can still guide them where to go and how to do it.”

“It is good plan, Sensei,” Takeda said, having seized on the chance of escape by boat—never one for a suicide attack. “I will go to Yedo, and find the men.”

“You would be caught,” Katsumata said, his lips a thin line. “You have never been there and do not know the alleys or where to go. You would be caught.” His rage was near exploding for he could not attack by himself and needed these two, or other men, and without consensus nothing
would be achieved. If anyone should go it must be him. That thought did not displease him for he did not like this place, not enough exits, not enough places to hide—he only felt safe in Kyōto or Osaka or Yedo, or at home in Kagoshima. Eeee, it would be good to see my home and family again. But they must wait, he thought and hardened his heart:
“Sonno-joi
must go forward, Yoshi must be humbled …” Simultaneously the three men had their hands on their swords. Shadows came on the shoji door.

“Katsumata-sama?” It was Raiko. “I have a maid with me.”

“Please come in.” When they saw it was she they relaxed. She bowed, the maid did the same, and they bowed back.

“Tell them, Tsuki-chan,” she said to the maid.

“I went to the house of the shoya, Sires. He said that Akimoto-sama was taken to the gai-jin leader and after a short time taken to their prison. It has not been possible yet to talk to him but with his first meal, which one of our people serve, we can find out more.”

“Good. He been beaten and was dragged?” Katsumata asked.

“No, Lord, neither, Lord.”

“Not beaten, you’re sure?”

“The shoya was also surprised, Sire. Akimoto-sama was whistling and singing and heard to say, as though it was part of the country song, ‘Someone’s betrayed someone.’”

Hiraga said darkly, “That’s what he called out in the village. What else did the shoya say?”

“The shoya says, So sorry, he does not know yet why soldiers search for you. Guards are still there. As soon as he knows the reason he will send word.”

“Thank you, Tsuki-chan,” Raiko said, and dismissed her.

Katsumata said, “If he hadn’t been beaten, he must have given them the information they want and they jailed him to protect him from you?”

“No. He would not tell them anything,” Hiraga said, his mind elsewhere: Who’s the betrayer? His eyes flicked to Raiko.

She was saying, “Perhaps I can find out. A gai-jin client who might know is arriving any moment. He might know, certainly he could find out.”

André came into her room with a forced smile. “’Evening, Raiko-san,” he said, disgusted with his weakness. She greeted him coolly and offered tea. When the tea had been taken he handed her the small bag of coins. “Here another payment, sorry not all but enough for moment. You want see me?”

“Waiting a little is fair, Furansu-san, amongst friends,” she said, annoyed. Feeling the weight of the bag, she was secretly content with the amount—for the moment—and that the first important matter had been settled. Then she added, to keep up the pressure, so important with clients, “A little is fair between friends, but a lot is not correct, not at all.”

“I promise more in day or two.”

“So sorry your payments are far behind.”

André hesitated, then jerked off his gold signet ring. “Here.”

“I do not want that,” Raiko said. “Should I release Hinodeh and allow her to leave, then you—”

“No. Please, no … Listen, I have information …”

André was not feeling at all well, both because of her cool reception and also because of a migraine acquired during the Yoshi interview that would not go away. And because of Angelique. And because Tess Struan was not aboard
Prancing Cloud
, for surely that would have made it easier for him to negotiate a settlement and so get the wealth he required. He had no wish to go to Hong Kong, to challenge her there, in the lair of the Noble House.

Angelique’s still the only chance you’ve got, his brain kept hammering at him. Seratard had again consulted Ketterer, Sir William, and even Skye about the validity of the marriage. They were all convinced it should hold up in a court. “In Hong Kong? I’m not so sure,” Ketterer had sneered, the others saying the same with different words, in different degrees—except Sir William. “Too many scallywags there, judges aren’t like they are in London—they’re colonials, plenty of corruption, plenty of hanky-panky. A few taels of silver … don’t forget Struan’s are the Noble House …”

Raiko leaned closer to André. “Information, Furansu-san?”

“Yes.” It was now or never with Raiko—and Hinodeh. “Special. Secrets about secret Yoshi meeting with gai-jin.”

“So ka!”
she said, all attention. “Go on, Furansu-sama.”

He told her what had happened, in detail, to her intense interest, much sucking in of breath and hissed exclamations. And when abruptly, he slid in the part about Yoshi wanting Hiraga, she blanched. His anxiety evaporated, he hid his joy and closed the trap: “So Hiraga friend of you?”

“No, not at all, he’s a client of a friend,” she said hastily, fanning herself, mind humming with the wonderful pieces of intelligence to pass on to the shoya and the Gyokoyama that would put him and them totally into her debt—and to Meikin. Ah, Meikin! she thought in passing, how long will you stay alive? So sorry, you and yours will have to pay, one way or another, Yoshi invested too much in your late Koiko, but then you know that. Which brings me to my pressing problem, how in the name of all gods and the Amida Buddha, do I rid myself of Hiraga, Katsumata and the other two, they’ve become far too dangerous and …

Then she heard André’s different voice. “So Hiraga client of mama-san friend in Yoshiwara. Hiraga with friend now.
Neh?”

Her guard dropped back into place. “I would not know where he is. I imagine he is in the Settlement as usual. Lord Yoshi wants him? Why?”

“Because Hiraga is shishi.” André used the word for the first time,
aware of what it meant from Yoshi’s revelations. “Also for kill daimyo. Daimyo Utani. Other killings too.”

She kept the fear off her face. “Terrible. Shishi, you say? I’ve heard of them. About this information, old friend, may I ask about th—”

“Hiraga dis’ppear, Raiko. No in Settlement. Many soldiers search. Gone, Raiko. Search all places. He gone.”

“Eeee, vanished? Soldiers? Vanished to where?”

“Here. To your friend. Where’s your friend?”

“Ah, so sorry, I doubt he would be there,” she said with perfect sincerity, and shook her head emphatically. “Probably he was warned and has run off to Kanagawa or some such place, and so sorry, old friend, but that is not a good question to ask. Your information is very interesting. Is there more?”

André sighed. He knew she knew. Now she was at his mercy. For a time. “Yoshi samurai come tomorrow for your Hiraga,” he said, no longer afraid because one word from him and patrols, Japanese or British, would tear the House of the Three Carp to pieces—after Hinodeh was taken to safety. “If gai-jin not have Hiraga tomorrow, much trouble, Raiko. For gai-jin, Yoshiwara, all.” The way he said it sent a tremor through her. “Perhaps gai-jin put Enforcers here, there, all places.” He let that hover in the air.

“So?” she asked, a bead of sweat forming on her upper lip, frightened of what was coming, all else forgotten.

“Have idea: if you … so sorry,” he said sweetly, “if your friend hide Hiraga few day, secret, safe place. Then, at right time give gai-jin leader Hiraga … perhaps get much money, enough you, and Hinodeh,
neh?”
He was watching her and she tried not to flinch. “Or your people give Hiraga to Yoshi. Hiraga is shishi—valuable—better than earrings,” he said again, and saw a shudder take her. “Shishi valuable,
neh?”

When her heart had stopped thundering enough and she could trust her voice, she mustered the best smile she could, for clearly he believed she knew Hiraga was here, and therefore he could, if provoked, put her and the Three Carp in lethal jeopardy. “I will ask my friend if she has seen him, or knows where he is, then we can talk, quickly,” she said, voice conciliatory, deciding that it was better to hurry all shishi out of her life as soon as possible. Preferably tonight. “What wonderful information you have discovered, how valuable, how clever to know so much, it will bring some profit no doubt! Ah, Furansu-san,” she said as if a sudden thought to further distract him, “we hear that a gai-jin lady has arrived from Hong Kong tonight. She is the famous mother of the tai-pan?”

“Eh? No,” André said absently. “No, she—she promise in marriage to trader. Why?”

“Would he be one of my clients, old friend?”

“No, think Inn of Succulent Joy for year, perhaps more, Jamie McFay.”

“Jami-san? Jami-san of Stru’n?” Eeee, she thought like quicksilver, Nemi will need to know quickly. She must prepare to present herself to this lady in the Struan big house, to bow before her and welcome her, and assure her in sharing his bed she had been looking after Jami-san expertly—very important to have good relations between
nee-go-san—
second lady, a consort—and
oku-san
, wife—because the wife pays all bills, and then to invite her to a return visit to the Jami house in the gardens of the Succulent Joy. Eeee, that would be grand, then we could all get a good look at her. “Furansu-sama, there is a rumor the gai-jin put a Japanese in prison tonight.”

“What? Don’t know about that. Maybe find out later. Not important. Listen, about Hinodeh.”

She interrupted brightly, “Hinodeh was asking me earlier if you were honoring her tonight. She will be so pleased you are here—she honors you greatly.”

André’s chest felt tight. Now that he had Raiko in his grip he would ask her, no, tell her to make Hinodeh forgo the condition of the light. Suddenly he was afraid to do so.

“Yes?”

“Nothing,” he muttered. “I go Hinodeh.”

After he left she drank some brandy to steady her nerves, chewed some fragrant tea leaves to take away the smell then, worriedly, went to the three shishi and told them part of André’s information about Yoshi demanding Hiraga, and that his men would arrive tomorrow to take possession. “So sorry, it would be best if you left tonight, much safer for you,” she said, her voice heavy with dread. “Katsumata-sama, this client swore Enforcers and gai-jin soldiers were due any moment, coming to search everywhere.”

The three men were silent. Hearing of Yoshi’s secret dealings with the gai-jin, Katsumata was more determined than ever to create trouble between them. “Thank you, you have been of great service, Raiko-san. We may leave, we may need to stay, either way you will be well rewarded.”

“I really believe it would be better to leave an—”

Katsumata’s voice rasped, “Either way you will be well rewarded. Meanwhile we will discuss how best to protect you.”

She did not want to go but she bowed, thanked him and went out into the night, and when safely away cursed him and them and André, at the same time deciding who would be the trustworthy messenger to speed André’s intelligence to Meikin.

“Light the lamps,” Katsumata said. All had guttered and most extinguished as she had opened and closed the door and the wind had invaded the room. With the door closed again the few remaining flames settled but for an isolated draft. “Listen,” he said, so that no one outside could hear:
“Hiraga, I will get more men and return in three days. Hide here, safer than coming with me, use a new disguise and hide in the tunnel. If you are clever you will be safe.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

“In three days we gut Yokohama, sink the ship, kill as many gai-jin as possible, and escape. I will bring Bakufu uniforms. Takeda, help Hiraga with the incendiaries. They must be ready by the time I get back.”

Takeda said, “Better if I come with you, Sensei. I can protect your back in case you are seen or intercepted.”

“No. Stay with Hiraga.” Katsumata did not want to be encumbered, exceedingly uncomfortable inside the Yoshiwara fence. “I’ll leave the moment the barricades are open.”

“It is the best plan.
Sonno-joi,”
Hiraga said.

He was feeling nauseated and light-headed at the same time, aghast at the thought of Yoshi’s men arriving tomorrow, or Enforcers, and being caught—inevitable now that Yoshi, personally, was after him—knowing, too, the Sensei was right again: the walled Settlement and fenced Yoshiwara were traps.

At the same time he was marvelously relieved. Now that his end was inevitable there was no reason not to hurl himself whole-heartedly into the attack.

Three days is a lifetime. With Katsumata gone, who knows what may happen? In any event, I won’t be taken alive.

“My God, Jamie, look there!” Dmitri said.

Jamie glanced at the doorway. So did the twenty other guests scattered around the reception room in the Russian Legation. Conversation died then picked up. Angelique was coming in on the arm of Sir William. A long-sleeved and simple black dress that showed off not only the paleness but the glow of her skin, and set off the column of her neck to perfection, the cut perfect, her tiny waist and swell of her breasts presented modestly, perfect for mourning, but no doubting their hidden magic. Hair swept up. No jewelry except a thin gold necklace and wedding ring—Malcolm’s signet ring now cut to fit.