Shogun (138 page)

“Yes,” he said, awed by her.

“Remember, Toranaga’s worth following. He’s Minowara, Ishido’s a peasant. Ishido’s the fool. I can see that now. Ishido should be
hammering at the gates of Odawara right now, rain or no rains. Didn’t Omi-san say that months ago too? Isn’t Odawara undermanned? Isn’t Toranaga isolated?”

Yabu pounded his fist on the floor with delight. “Then it’s war after all! How clever you are to have seen through him! Ah, so he’s been playing the fox all the time,
neh?”

“Yes,” she said, greatly satisfied.

Mariko had come to the same astonishing conclusion, though not from all the same facts. Toranaga must be pretending, playing a secret game, she reasoned. That’s the only possible explanation for his incredible conduct—giving the Anjin-san the ship, the money, all the cannon, and freedom in front of Tsukku-san. Now the Anjin-san will absolutely go against the Black Ship. He will take it, and threaten the one next year, and therefore he’ll maul the Holy Church terribly and force the Holy Fathers to compel Kiyama and Onoshi to betray Ishido….

But why? If that’s true, she thought, perplexed, and Toranaga’s considering such a long-range plan, then of course he can’t go to Osaka and bow before Ishido,
neh?
He must…. Ah! What about today’s delay that Hiro-matsu persuaded Toranaga to make? Oh, Madonna on high, Toranaga never intended to surrender! It’s
all
a trick.

Why? To gain time.

To accomplish what? To wait and weave a thousand more tricks, and it doesn’t matter what, only that Toranaga’s once more what he always was, the almighty puppeteer.

How long before Ishido’s impatience shatters and he raises the battle standard and moves against us? One month—at the most two. No more. So by the ninth month of this Fifth Year of Keichō,
the
battle for the Kwanto begins!

But what’s Toranaga gained in two months? I don’t know—I only know that now my son has a chance to inherit his ten thousand koku, and to live and breed, and that now perhaps my father’s line will not perish from the earth.

She relished her newfound knowledge, toying with it, examining it, finding her logic flawless. But what to do between now and then? she asked herself. Nothing more than you’ve already done—and decided to do.
Neh?

“Mistress?”

“Yes, Chimmoko?”

“Gyoko-san is here. She has an appointment, she says.”

“Ah yes. I forget to tell you. First heat saké, then bring it, and her, here.”

Mariko reflected on the afternoon. She remembered his arms around her, so safe and warm and strong. ‘Can I see you tonight?’ he had asked very cautiously, after Yabu and Tsukku-san had left.

‘Yes,’ she had said impulsively. ‘Yes, my darling. Oh, how happy I am for thee. Tell Fujiko-san … ask her to send for me after the Hour of the Boar.’

In the quiet of her house her throat tightened. So much foolishness and danger.

She checked her makeup and coiffure in her mirror and tried to compose herself. Footsteps approached. The shoji slid open. “Ah, Lady,” Gyoko said, bowing deeply. “How kind of you to see me.”

“You’re welcome, Gyoko-san.”

They drank saké, Chimmoko pouring for them.

“Such lovely pottery, Lady. So beautiful.”

They made polite conversation, then Chimmoko was sent away.

“So sorry, Gyoko-san, but our Master did not arrive this afternoon. I haven’t seen him, though I hope to before I leave.”

“Yes, I heard Yabu-san went to the jetty in his place.”

“When I see Toranaga-sama I will ask him once more. But I expect his answer will be the same.” Mariko poured saké for both of them. “So sorry, he will not grant my request.”

“Yes, I believe you. Not unless there is great pressure.”

“There’s no pressure that I can use. So sorry.”

“So sorry too, Lady.”

Mariko put down her cup. “Then you’ve decided that some tongues are not safe.”

Gyoko said harshly, “If I were going to whisper secrets about you, would I tell you to your face? Do you think I’d be so naive?”

“Perhaps you’d better go, so sorry, but I have so much to do.”

“Yes, Lady, and so have I!” Gyoko replied, her voice rough. “Lord Toranaga asked me,
to my face
, what I knew about you and the Anjin-san. This afternoon. I told him there was nothing between you. I said, ‘Oh yes, Sire, I’ve heard the foul rumors too, but there’s no truth in them. I swear it on the head of my son, Sire, and his sons. If anyone would know, surely it would be me. You may believe it’s all a malicious lie—gossip, jealous gossip, Sire….’Oh yes, Lady, you may believe I was suitably shocked, my acting perfect, and he
was convinced.” Gyoko quaffed the saké and added bitterly, “Now we are all ruined if he gets proof—which wouldn’t be difficult to get.
Neh?”

“How?”

“Put the Anjin-san to the test—Chinese methods. Chimmoko—Chinese methods. Me—Kiku-san—Yoshinaka … so sorry, even you, Lady—Chinese methods.”

Mariko took a deep breath. “May—may I ask you—why you took such a risk?”

“Because in certain situations women must protect each other against men. Because I actually saw nothing. Because you’ve done me no harm. Because I like you and the Anjin-san and believe you both have your own
karmas
. And because I’d rather have you alive and a friend than dead, and it’s exciting to watch you three moths circling the flame of life.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Gyoko laughed softly. “Thank you, Lady.” Controlled now, she said with complete sincerity, “Very well, I’ll tell you the real reason. I need your help. Yes, Toranaga-sama won’t grant my request but perhaps you can think of a way. You’re the only chance I’ve ever had, that I’ll ever have in this lifetime, and I can’t release it lightly. There, now you know. Please, I humbly beg you to help me with my request.” She put both hands on the futons and bowed low. “Please excuse my impertinence, Lady Toda, but all that I have will be put at your side if you will help me.” Then she settled back on her heels, adjusted the folds of her kimono, and finished the saké.

Mariko tried to think straight. Her intuition told her to trust the woman but her mind was still partially befogged with her newfound insight into Toranaga and her relief that Gyoko had not denounced her as she had expected, so she decided to put that decision aside for later consideration. “Yes, I will try. You must give me time, please.”

“I can give you better than that. Here’s a fact: You know Amida Tong? The assassins?”

“What about them?”

“Remember the one in Osaka Castle, Lady? He went against the Anjin-san—not Toranaga-sama. Lord Kiyama’s chief steward gave two thousand koku for that attempt.”

“Kiyama? But why?”

“He’s Christian,
neh?
The Anjin-san was the enemy even then,
neh?
If then, what about now? Now that the Anjin-san’s samurai, and free, with his ship.”

“Another Amida? Here?”

Gyoko shrugged. “Who knows? But I wouldn’t give an
eta’s
loincloth for the Anjin-san’s life if he’s careless outside the castle.”

“Where is he now?”

“In his quarters, Lady. You’re going to visit him soon,
neh?
Perhaps it’d be as well to warn him.”

“You seem to know everything that’s going on, Gyoko-san!”

“I keep my ears open, Lady, and my eyes.”

Mariko curbed her anxiety over Blackthorne. “Did you tell Toranaga-sama?”

“Oh yes, I told him that.” The corners of Gyoko’s eyes crinkled and she sipped her saké. “As a matter of fact, I don’t think he was surprised. That’s interesting, don’t you think?”

“Perhaps you were mistaken.”

“Perhaps. In Mishima I heard a rumor that there was a poison plot against Lord Kiyama. Terrible,
neh?”

“What plot?”

Gyoko told her the details.

“Impossible! One Christian
daimyo
would never do that to another!”

Mariko filled the cups.

“May I ask what else was said, by you and by him?”

“Part of it, Lady, was my plea to get back into his favor and out of that flea-sack inn, and to that he agreed. Now we’re to have proper quarters within the castle, near the Anjin-san, in one of the guest houses and I may come and go as I wish. He asked Kiku-san to entertain him tonight and that’s another improvement, though nothing will get him out of his melancholia.
Neh?”
Gyoko was watching Mariko speculatively. Mariko kept her face guileless, and merely nodded. The other woman sighed and continued, “Yes, he’s very sad. Pity. Part of the time was spent on the three secrets. He asked me to repeat what I knew, what I’d told you.”

Ah, Mariko thought, as another clue fell neatly into its slot. Ochiba? So that was Zataki’s bait. And Toranaga’s also got a cudgel over Omi’s head if needed, and a weapon to use against Onoshi with Harima, or even Kiyama.

“You smile, Lady?”

Oh yes, Mariko wanted to say, wanting to share her elation with Gyoko. How valuable your information must have been to our Master, she wanted to tell Gyoko. How he should reward you! You should be made a
daimyo
yourself! And how fantastic Toranaga-sama is to have listened, apparently so unconcernedly. How marvelous he is!

But Toda Mariko-noh-Buntaro only shook her head and said calmly, “I’m sorry your information didn’t cheer him up.”

“Nothing I said improved his humor, which was dull and defeated. Sad,
neh?”

“Yes, so sorry.”

“Yes.” Gyoko sniffed. “Another piece of information before I go, to interest you, Lady, to cement our friendship. It’s very possible the Anjin-san is very fertile.”

“What?”

“Kiku-san’s with child.”

“The Anjin-san?”

“Yes. Or Lord Toranaga. Possibly Omi-san. All were within the correct time span. Of course she took precautions after Omi-san as usual, but as you know, no method is perfect, nothing is ever guaranteed, mistakes happen,
neh?
She believes she forgot after the Anjin-san but she’s not sure. That was the day the courier arrived at Anjiro, and in the excitement of leaving for Yokosé and of Lord Toranaga’s buying her contract—it’s understandable,
neh?”
Gyoko lifted her hands, greatly perturbed. “After Lord Toranaga, at my suggestion, she did the reverse. Also we both lit incense sticks and prayed for a boy.”

Mariko studied the pattern on her fan. “Who? Who do you think?”

“That’s the trouble, Lady. I don’t know. I’d be grateful for your advice.”

“This beginning must be stopped. Of course. There’s no risk to her.”

“I agree. Unfortunately, Kiku-san does not agree.”

“What? I’m astonished, Gyoko-san! Of course she must. Or Lord Toranaga must be told. After all, it happened before he—”

“
Perhaps
it happened before him, Lady.”

“Lord Toranaga will have to be told. Why is Kiku-san so disobedient and foolish?”

“
Karma
, Lady. She wants a child.”

“Whose child?”

“She won’t say. All she said was that any one of the three had advantages.”

“She’d be wise to let this one go and be sure next time.”

“I agree. I thought you should know in case…. There are many, many days before anything shows or before a miscarriage would be a danger to her. Perhaps she will change her mind. In this I cannot force her. She’s no longer my property, though for the time being I’m trying to look after her. It would be splendid if the child was Lord Toranaga’s. But say it had blue eyes…. A last piece of advice, Lady: Tell the Anjin-san to trust this Uraga-noh-Tadamasa only so far, and never in Nagasaki. Never there. That man’s final allegiance will always be to his uncle, Lord Harima.”

“How do you find out these things, Gyoko-san?”

“Men need to whisper secrets, Lady. That’s what makes them different from us—they
need
to share secrets, but we women only reveal them to gain an advantage. With a little silver and a ready ear—and I have both—it’s all so easy. Yes. Men need to
share
secrets. That’s why we’re superior to them and they’ll always be in our power.”

In the darkness just before dawn, the portcullis of a side gate lifted noiselessly and ten men hurried out across the narrow drawbridge of the innermost moat. The iron grille closed after them. At the far side of the bridge the alert sentries deliberately turned their backs and allowed the men to pass unchallenged. All wore dark kimonos and conical hats and held their swords tightly: Naga, Yabu, Blackthorne, Uraga-noh-Tadamasa, and six samurai. Naga led, Yabu beside him, and he took them unerringly through a maze of side turnings, up and down staircases and along little-used passages. Whenever they met patrols or sentries—ever alert—Naga held up a silver cipher and the party was allowed to pass unhindered and unquestioned.

By devious byways he brought them to the main south gate, which was the sole way across the castle’s first great moat. Here a company of samurai awaited them. Silently these men surrounded Naga’s party, screening them, and they all hurried across the bridge. Still they were not challenged. They continued on, down the slight rise toward First Bridge, keeping as close as they could to the shadows of the flares
that abounded near the castle. Once across First Bridge they turned south and vanished into the labyrinth of alleys, heading for the sea.

Just outside the cordon surrounding the
Erasmus
wharf the accompanying samurai stopped and motioned the ten forward, then saluted and turned about and melted into the darkness again.

Naga led the way through the barriers. They were admitted onto the jetty without comment. There were more flares and guards here than before.

“Everything’s ready?” Yabu asked, taking charge now.

“Yes, Sire,” the senior samurai replied.

“Good. Anjin-san, did you understand?”

“Yes, thank you, Yabu-san.”

“Good. You’d better hurry.”

Blackthorne saw his own samurai drawn up in a loose square to one side, and he waved Uraga across to them as had been prearranged. His eyes raced over his ship, checking and rechecking as he hurried aboard and jubilantly stood on
his
quarterdeck. The sky was still dark with no sign of dawn yet. All signs indicated a fair day with calm seas.