Black Lotus (7 page)

The abbess's eyes signaled a wordless command to the nuns. Silently they accompanied Reiko out of the convent with the obvious intention of making sure she left the temple. Walking down the path, she saw Detective Marume enter a building, in the company of a priest: It looked as though the Black Lotus sect wasn't allowing Sano's men to conduct their investigation without official escorts. Reiko couldn't trust Haru, but neither should she rely upon the damning testimony of two people who so clearly disliked Haru and had their own secrets to hide. She wouldn't let the sect control the investigation or run her off the premises.

Stalling on the path, Reiko said, "Excuse me, but I must visit the place of relief."

The nuns hesitated, then nodded and led Reiko to a wooden privy shed nestled among pines at the back of the convent. Mounting the two steps to the door, she told the nuns, "You needn't wait." She closed herself inside the dim, cramped space. A hole in the floor stank of human waste. After waiting a moment, Reiko opened the door a crack and peered outside. The nuns stood nearby, watching the privy. Reiko sighed in exasperation. How could she shake off her guards without creating a spectacle that would offend the sect, upset Sano, and intimidate the people she hoped to question discreetly?

At the sound of a soft
tap-tap
behind her, Reiko spun around. In the back wall was a window screened with wooden slats, and through the gaps between these Reiko saw a narrow head with prominent ears. It was the monk from the convent balcony.

"Please, Honorable Lady, I must speak with you," he said in an urgent whisper. "I have important information."

Hope banished Reiko's initial fright. "About what?" she whispered back.

"Meet me outside the temple. Please."

Then, with a rustle of quick footsteps on dry pine needles, he was gone.

5

They who are deeply attached to worldly love and desire

Cannot escape misery and suffering.

-----FROM THE BLACK LOTUS SUTRA

Masahiro's screams echoed through the house. Since his mother had left him several hours ago, the nursemaids had tried to pacify him with food, toys, and affection, but frequent tantrums continued. By noon, Midori, who had come to visit Reiko, learned that her friend had gone out, and stayed to help with Masahiro, could no longer bear the uproar. She and O-hana, the youngest maid, escaped into the garden. Sunlight filtered down on them through the red maples.

"Peace and quiet at last!" O-hana exclaimed. A girl of nineteen, she had a sharp, pretty face and a saucy smile. "Lucky you, being a lady-in-waiting. You don't have to put up with squalling brats. You can just sit around with Lady Keisho-in all day long. I don't understand why you want to be here, when the young master is driving us all mad."

"Oh, I like coming here," Midori said. She smoothed her pink silk kimono, disheveled from holding the baby. "Reiko and the
sōsakan-sama
are so kind to me. And I like Masahiro."

O-hana said slyly, "Is there someone else you like?"

Midori blushed to think that the maid had noticed her watching for Hirata. She'd met the
sōsakan-sama's
chief retainer three years ago, after hearing stories about his expedition to Nagasaki, where he'd saved his master's life and captured a band of smugglers. He seemed like a samurai hero from history, and Midori had liked Hirata immediately. He was honest, kind, and, unlike other Tokugawa samurai, he didn't scorn her family background.

She was a daughter of an "outside lord" --- a daimyo whose clan had been defeated at the Battle of Sekigahara, then forced to swear allegiance to the victorious Tokugawa. Although Midori was pretty and the powerful Niu clan one of the wealthiest, she found herself left out of the flirtations and marriage negotiations between palace ladies-in-waiting from important families and young
bakuju
samurai seeking advantageous matches. The men ignored her in favor of girls with better connections to the shogun, and she lacked the beauty and guile required to lure them in spite of her circumstances. She'd grown resigned to marrying some unattractive man who had been rejected elsewhere.

Yet Hirata had seemed wonderfully oblivious to the financial, political, and class concerns that shadowed every relationship. He behaved as though he liked Midori for herself, and her friendship with Reiko gave her the perfect opportunity to further her acquaintance with him. She spent all her free time at the
sōsakan-sama
s estate so she could see Hirata whenever his work permitted. They shared a fondness for games, and often played cards together in the evenings. During their talk, laughter, and flirtation, Midori had fallen in love with Hirata. Now she hoped with all her heart to see him today.

A buzzing noise interrupted Midori's thoughts. Something whizzed past her ear.

"A wasp!" O-hana cried. The insect swooped down upon her, and she shrieked, covering her head with her arms.

Her panic was contagious. Midori screamed as the wasp veered straight at her face. She and O-hana clung to each other, running in circles, with the wasp in hot pursuit.

"Help! Help!" they cried.

The wasp caught in Midori's long hair, fluttering and buzzing furiously against her neck. "Get it off me!" she screamed. Anticipating the sharp sting, she fell to her knees.

O-hana stared in terror and backed away. Then a male voice said, "What's going on here?"

Midori looked up to see Hirata, sturdy and youthful at age twenty-three, his two swords at his waist, regarding them with curiosity. Joy leapt within Midori. "There's a wasp in my hair!" she cried.

'â– â– ' Hirata knelt beside her. Carefully he picked out the wasp by its wings, carried it across the garden, and tossed it up into the air. The wasp flew away. Hirata returned to Midori and O-hana.

"You're safe," he said, laughing.

Midori scrambled to her feet, gazing upon him in bliss. He was so brave and wonderful. It didn't matter that his face was too wide and his mouth too large for him to be called handsome. She yearned for his love and longed to marry him, even though her family would shun a match with a former policeman, while Hirata's position merited a better bride than the daughter of an outside lord. However, one evening two years ago, something had happened to make her believe that her dreams could come true.

She and Hirata had been walking here in the garden together when a summer storm descended. They took refuge in the covered pavilion and stood side by side, listening to the thunder, watching the lightning flash through the dark clouds and curtains of rain.

"This is pleasant," Hirata said.

"Yes," Midori murmured. Look at me, she pleaded silently. Tell me you love me!

Hirata turned and smiled down at her. "I always feel happy when I'm with you, Midori-san. You're so easy to talk to, and you make life so bright."

Thrilled by his words, Midori couldn't speak. She looked down so that. Hirata wouldn't guess what a stir he'd caused in her. Then his strong, warm hand closed around hers. The thunder boomed and rain streamed down while Midori waited in breathless anticipation.

Then Hirata spoke softly, as if to himself: "The
sōsakan-sama
and Lady Reiko are so happy together and so right for each other that it's as if theirs wasn't an arranged marriage but a love match. That's what I'd like someday. I wonder…"

Did he love her? Was he thinking that he'd like to marry her? Wild hope dizzied Midori. But Hirata fell silent. Perhaps he wasn't ready to declare his intentions, and she was too shy to encourage him. Soon the storm ended; Hirata went back to work. Several days later, before Midori could see Hirata again, fate sabotaged her dreams.

The shogun sent Sano to investigate a murder in the imperial capital. Sano had left Hirata in charge of the detective corps during his absence, and the responsibility had driven any thoughts of love from Hirata's mind. He labored night and day, overseeing the estate, investigating crimes. The shogun began to rely upon Hirata for companionship and counsel. Hirata still sought out Midori during moments in his busy schedule, but all he talked about was his work.

Then the shogun spent a few days at his villa in the hills, taking Hirata along as a bodyguard. Late one night, the shogun heard strange noises outside and became hysterical with fright. Hirata went to investigate and found burglars breaking into the house. After a bloody swordfight, he arrested them, winning the shogun's fervent gratitude. News of the incident spread.
Bakufu
officials who'd once ignored Hirata as Sano's mere assistant began cultivating his friendship. The Edo Castle women took new notice of him. Whenever he came to the palace, Midori saw him surrounded by fawning maids and ladies.

Now O-hana minced up to Hirata. "A million thanks for saving us from that awful wasp," she said, smiling coyly.

"It was a pleasure." Hirata beamed at the maid.

"To what do we owe the honor of your company?" O-hana said.

"I was just delivering some reports to the
sōsakan-sama's
office," Hirata answered, "when I heard you screaming and stopped to see what was the matter."

O-hana giggled; Hirata laughed. Midori could almost see their mutual attraction sparkle in the air. Her spirits plummeted. These days Hirata was always flirting with someone else instead of her. Even worse, he'd received marriage proposals from prominent clans who sought to wed their daughters to him. Sano acted as Hirata's go-between, and Midori overheard them planning
miai
, meetings with prospective brides. This competition for her beloved's favor horrified Midori, as did the change in Hirata.

All the attention had swelled his head, and on the rare occasions when Midori saw him, he seemed to have forgotten whatever he'd once felt for her. He would greet her casually, then dash off to work, a party, or another
miai
. Now, a year later, Hirata was still riding the wave of popularity.

"Look out, there's another wasp!" he exclaimed, pointing at the sky. When O-hana looked up, he made a buzzing sound and tickled her arm. The maid shrieked. Hirata laughed, and she pouted prettily at him.

Suddenly Midori couldn't bear for Hirata to ignore her. "O-hana!" she said sharply. "You're supposed to be taking care of Masahiro-chan, not playing around. Go!"

O-hana gave Midori a resentful look and flounced into the house. Hirata's grin told Midori that he knew why she'd sent the maid away, and enjoyed having two women vying for his attention. Midori felt ashamed of her jealousy and his vanity. '

"Well, I must be on my way." Hirata radiated self-importance. "Lots of things to do, people to see."

Midori believed that deep inside his spirit he still cared for her. How could she restore him to his senses?

"When will you be back?" she said wistfully.

"Not until very late, I expect."

Midori resisted the urge to ask when she would see him again. How could she persuade him that she was as right for him as Reiko was for Sano, and that a marriage between them would be the love match he'd claimed to desire?

"Good-bye," Hirata said.

As he walked away, sudden inspiration struck Midori. "Wait," she called.

"What is it?" Impatience shaded Hirata's tone, but he stopped and faced her.

"This… this new case is important, isn't it?" Midori faltered. Her idea seemed brilliant, yet perhaps too bold.

"Very important," Hirata said. "Arson is a serious crime, especially at the shogun's family temple."

Taking a deep breath, Midori mustered her courage. "Maybe I could help you investigate."

Hirata stared in amazement. "You?" Then he threw back his head and laughed. "That's a good joke. You almost fooled me."

"It's not a joke," Midori said. A flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks. Hirata's laughter hurt, but at least she'd gotten his attention, and all she had to offer him was her willingness to do anything for him. "I really want to help."

"How? What could you do?" Hirata's expression betrayed skepticism.

"Um…" Not having thought beyond her initial idea, Midori improvised, "Whatever you wish of me?"

He regarded her with an affectionate mockery that deepened her hurt. "Detective work is too difficult for a lady."

"But Reiko helps the
sōsakan-sama
," Midori said. Reiko's work with Sano appeared to be a key element in their happy marriage; it had given Midori the idea that she and Hirata might develop a similar arrangement.

"Reiko is the daughter of a magistrate," Hirata countered. "She learned about crime in the Court of Justice, while you know nothing about investigating a murder."

"I could learn by working with you." Midori had conceived her plan as a way for them to spend time together, so she could impress him with her devotion. She had no real desire to be a detective, but she resented Hirata's comparing her unfavorably to Reiko, because she felt inferior to her beautiful, clever friend. Now Midori wanted to prove herself as good as Reiko.