The Scarlet Kimono (Choc Lit) (27 page)

‘But, my lord, what about the rest of the procession?’ His chief advisor had come running to see what was happening.

‘It can continue without us, I leave you in charge. I trust you to see to it that all goes smoothly. Don’t worry, we’ll catch up with you in a few days.’

‘If you say so, my lord, although I …’

Taro never heard what was worrying the advisor, because he had already left.

Hannah woke the next morning, feeling weak and exhausted, but glad to be alive. When she turned her head to one side, she found Yanagihara-
san
sitting beside her
futon
motionless, as if he had been waiting for her to emerge from her deep sleep.

‘Hannah-
san
, how do you feel?’

‘Like someone has wrung me out.’ She managed a small smile. ‘But better. The nausea is gone. Thank you for coming to help me. I’ve never felt so ill in my life.’

‘It was my pleasure. I’m glad I came in time. Do you remember what I said?’ He was frowning slightly, and she recalled his words of the night before.

‘About the poison? Yes, but are you sure it wasn’t the fish?’ Hannah shivered. She didn’t want to believe that someone wanted to kill her.

‘The poison could have been in the fish, but it was still poison. You must take care. Let it be known that all your ladies eat the same food as you, share your dishes even. Then perhaps whoever tried to kill you will think twice before making another attempt.’

Hannah nodded. ‘It would be best if I simply left,’ she said, sounding as miserable as she felt. It was the last thing she wanted, she knew that now, but it was the right thing to do.

‘Please, do nothing hasty. At least wait until Kumashiro-
sama
comes back and consult with him. I know he wouldn’t want you to disappear before his return. And, if you believe in such things, my visions tell me you haven’t yet fulfilled your purpose in coming here. Will you promise not to do anything rash?’

‘Very well, if you think it’s best.’

To her great joy, she didn’t have to wait very long. Taro came striding into her room late that afternoon, his face like thunder, his eyes clouded with concern. He was covered with dust from the road, but he was still a very welcome sight.

‘
Akai
, are you all right?’

‘Taro, you’ve returned already?’ Hannah struggled to her feet and impulsively threw her arms around him as soon as he reached her. It really did feel as if he imbued her with his bear strength when she was in his embrace. After a moment, however, he pushed her away slightly so he could look at her.

‘How are you feeling? Yanagihara-
san
told me what happened. I met him outside.’ He was frowning mightily and Hannah was glad his scowl wasn’t directed at her.

‘I’m fine now and Sakura is going to feed me on a nourishing stew which she says will soon have me back to normal. Yanagihara-
san
said I would recover, and I did. He’s a wonderful man, isn’t he?’

‘That he is.’ He pulled her close again and she could feel his heart hammering inside his chest. A glow of happiness spread through her at the thought that he’d been so worried about her. ‘He tells me you were poisoned. I will find the culprit and have him executed immediately.’

‘No! No, you mustn’t. I … what if I only ate something bad? We can’t be sure.’ Hannah thought of the Lady Reiko. It had to have been her doing, but Hannah couldn’t condemn the woman to death for something she herself was partly to blame for. It wouldn’t be right.

‘You’re too forgiving, but just this once I will be lenient since it’s your wish. However, I will let it be known that any further attempts on your life will be severely punished. Not just the culprit, but their entire families will pay if anything happens to you.’

‘Oh, Taro.’ Hannah leaned against him. ‘Don’t you think it would be better if you sent me back to Hirado? The English ships must surely be ready to sail soon, and how else will I get back home?’

‘You want to leave?’ He searched her eyes with his own.

‘No, but I really think it would be best. That is, unless I’m really your prisoner?’

‘No, I won’t keep you against your will, but please don’t leave yet.’ His arms tightened around her. ‘I’ve been told the foreigners can’t sail until the spring because of the winds. We have plenty of time left. Stay until then?’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Yes. Now, come and bathe with me. I’ll carry you if it’s too far for you to walk. Then as soon as you are well enough, you’re coming to Edo with me. I want you close by so I can keep an eye on you.’

‘To Edo? But you said it was better if I stayed here.’

‘It seems you’re in more danger out of my sight. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe. You’ll just have to stay hidden, but no doubt we can manage it somehow. I’ll ask your ladies to devise a disguise for you. How does that sound?’

‘Wonderful.’ She beamed at him. If he was nearby, she wasn’t afraid of anything.

Chapter Thirty-Two

They left the castle two days later, with Hannah riding next to Taro wearing men’s clothing and a wide-brimmed, cone shaped hat. Underneath, her hair had been hidden away, tied up in a piece of material that had been wound round her head and fastened securely. It felt strange, but even Yanagihara had said she passed muster, as long as she didn’t look anyone in the eye.

‘I still can’t get used to the strange blue colour,’ the old man said with a smile. ‘Although it doesn’t scare me any more because I see no threat in their depths.’

‘So you definitely don’t think Hannah has come to wreak havoc on our nation?’ Taro teased gently.

‘I still can’t believe you thought that,’ Hannah said.

Yanagihara chuckled. ‘Well, I didn’t know you at the time, and seeing you in a vision was rather disturbing. Now I know you have come for another purpose entirely.’

‘Which is?’ Taro prompted.

‘Ah, it’s not for me to say. It is something that will be revealed in time. Now you’d best be off if you wish to catch up with the others. May the gods go with you.’

The gods seemed to have been listening, as it took them only six days to reach the slow procession. Taro rode straight up to his chief advisor, who looked extremely relieved to see him.

‘My lord, you’re back. Is all well?’

‘Yes, it is. I’ll speak to you later regarding a certain matter, but for now, tell me how things progress here.’

‘Very slowly, my lord, as the Lady Reiko has insisted on stopping frequently to recover from the, er … rigours of the journey.’ The man shrugged. ‘In your absence, I had to accommodate her wishes.’

Taro nodded. ‘Of course, but from now on, no more unscheduled stops. I’ll deal with her if she complains.’ Hannah could see the determined set of his jaw, and hoped for Reiko’s sake she didn’t antagonise him further. It wouldn’t be wise.

The procession had almost reached the beginning of the
Oshu Kaido
, the large highway which ran from halfway down the northern part of the island to the capital. Once on that, they made swift progress, arriving in Edo some ten days later. Hannah glanced around from under the brim of her hat, but didn’t dare look too much. She was therefore only aware of the hustle and bustle of a large town, and the noise of a thousand voices which mingled with other city sounds.

The cavalcade made its way to a
yashiki
, or large mansion, near the
Shogun
’s castle.

‘This is my residence within my overlord’s domain,’ Taro explained.

From what Hannah could see, it was an imposing complex of buildings. They were every bit as luxurious as Castle Shiroi, although of different construction. Here the houses were made of timber with some sort of white painted render in between, and the buildings were mostly on one level. They seemed vast, however, and spread out in every direction. She followed hard on Taro’s heels so she wouldn’t get lost.

‘These are my quarters,’ he said, after traversing what seemed like miles of winding corridors, and ushering her inside. ‘Please stay in here at all times, and I will post guards both outside the door and on the garden side. I hope you won’t feel too confined?’

‘Not at all, I’m just happy to be here with you.’

Hannah meant it. She didn’t feel like a prisoner in any sense of the word, unless you counted being a slave to your feelings, in which case she was well and truly captured. Staying in his rooms, waiting for him to return to spend each night with her, however, was not in itself a hardship. She would happily do that.

Several days passed, when Hannah gathered that Taro and his party had finally been to see the
Shogun
. The exalted man had kept them waiting for days, no doubt still annoyed at their seeming reluctance to come. He finally relented and was, according to Taro, graciousness personified.

‘He’s a very shrewd man,’ he added. ‘It would never do to underestimate him. I wouldn’t like to have him as my enemy.’

‘No, indeed. So will you comply with his wishes, and leave your son here in Edo when you return north?’ Hannah dared to ask.

‘I have no choice. My castle is so far away, the
Shogun
doesn’t have any other means of making sure I’m not up to mischief. I can understand his reasoning. Not that I would ever do anything to harm him, but of course, he can’t simply take my word for that.’

‘Why not? In England lords swear fealty to their king. Why can’t you do the same?’

‘We do, but aren’t there men in your country who break their oaths?’

‘I suppose so, but –’

‘Well there you are. The
Shogun
can’t take that risk. Or is unwilling to. Either way, my son has to stay here and Reiko will remain as well for the moment. Ichiro won’t be her responsibility, however. I have invited a widowed aunt of mine to come and take charge of him. I’ve always been a particular favourite of hers, so I know I can trust her to keep him safe. Naturally, I will also travel down to see them frequently. Now, let’s talk of other things, I don’t want to think of leaving little Ichiro here.’

Hannah noticed he didn’t say he was reluctant to leave Reiko, but thought it best not to comment on that. It was none of her business.

‘Have you been bored?’ he asked. ‘Or have you managed to occupy yourself in my absence?’

‘I’ve been fine, but I have to confess I’m longing to go out. Is there no way we could walk around a little? It seems a shame to visit a great city like Edo and not see any part of it.’

Taro considered for a moment, a slight frown creasing his brow. ‘Perhaps we could make a short excursion. I could take you to see a great temple?’

‘Yes, please, if it’s not too dangerous for us to go out together?’

‘You can wear your disguise again and just stay close to me.’

‘Then thank you, I’d like that.’

When they left his mansion later that day, Hannah wasn’t the only one in disguise. Taro had dressed far less ostentatiously than usual, so he could pass for a merchant or someone similar. They were followed by only two guards, who stayed at a discreet distance.

‘I often do this,’ Taro told her. ‘A man can learn so much more when mingling with others at their level. People are far more likely to talk to a prosperous merchant than a
daimyo
. I acquire all sorts of useful information.’

Edo was a large, bustling city and Hannah was glad she had Taro to guide her. Left to her own devices, she was sure she would have become completely lost. It didn’t help that she couldn’t look around much to get her bearings. Although she peeked out from under the brim of her hat from time to time, she didn’t dare do it too often, in case anyone spotted her unusual eyes. Therefore she only had quick glimpses of houses, temples and pleasure gardens, all thronged with people. The sheer scale of it reminded her a little of London, which she had visited once, but in all other respects it was like a different world, exotic and exciting.

They approached the Sensoji Temple through a huge gate, or
mon
as Taro called it, with pillars either side of it painted bright red. A long street led straight up to a second, slightly smaller
mon
. Beyond that could be seen the temple’s main building and a five storey
pagoda
.

‘This temple is in honour of the goddess Kannon,’ Taro said, as he led the way through the smaller gate. Immediately in front of them, clouds of smoke billowed out of an urn set up under a small roof. Hannah could smell the delicate fragrance of incense in the air. ‘Rub some smoke onto your body,’ Taro instructed her. ‘It has restorative powers,’ he added and showed her how to do this. There were lots of other people doing the same, wafting the smoke towards themselves by flapping their hands.

‘I’m not ill any longer,’ she protested, but still followed his example, feeling slightly wicked as it seemed a very un-Christian thing to do. She didn’t care though, she was just happy to have had a chance to see this wonderful place.

The temple precinct teemed with people, paying to have their fortunes told, praying or just generally milling around. She kept her eyes mostly on the ground, but she could still see enough to be impressed by the beautiful old buildings. They continued up the steps into the main hall. Taro clapped his hands several times before bowing to the place where a statue of the goddess was said to be held.

‘You don’t know for sure?’ Hannah asked in a whisper when he told her this.

Taro shrugged. ‘She’s too holy to be on show.’

Hannah copied his actions, but she didn’t pray. It would have felt wrong to pray to her own god in such surroundings. She didn’t feel she could ask any other gods or goddesses, if indeed they existed, to intercede for her either.

‘Let’s eat something,’ Taro suggested. He led her over to the side of the temple precinct, where there were booths selling all manner of delicious smelling food, catering to everyone’s tastes. He bought some
yakitori
, little bits of chicken that had been basted with a sweet sauce and then threaded onto sticks and grilled. They found a place to sit down to one side of the temple. ‘It feels good to spend time outside with just you,’ he told her with a smile, ignoring the two guards who still kept them under discreet observation.

‘I’m glad you had the time to take me. This is a wonderful place, exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to see when I came to your country.’

It was exciting to be out and about with him. She could pretend they were an ordinary couple, man and wife even, spending a day together. While they sat in companionable silence, eating their chicken, she marvelled that she could feel so at ease with Taro. After all, he was a man who had abducted her against her will. Yet he had never used violence against her, only treated her with infinite patience. And he’d shown her a side to himself she suspected not many others saw. He might be a barbarian, according to people like Rydon, but he was a fiercely intelligent man. He lived his life in accordance with the rules of his country and, from what Hannah had heard, ruled his domain with fairness. Here was a man she could admire, unlike the men her own family had chosen for her.

Life was strange, she thought. She glanced at Taro, who smiled at her, and a frisson of pure happiness shot through her. If only it could always be like this …

A loud voice, discordant among the soft murmuring of the Japanese people all around, intruded on her bubble of joy and burst it comprehensively.

‘Would you look at those pillars! I must say, red is a rather garish colour for a place of worship, wouldn’t you agree? Quite shocking, really. But then what can one expect from heathens?’

‘Heathens? I’ll have you know they’re extremely civilised …’

She looked up and caught sight of two men who stood out from the group of people around them like peacocks in a hen house. Foreigners
,
one tall and fair, the other even taller, but with darker hair. They were creating quite a stir among the people around them, who seemed to be whispering about them. The speaker, whose voice she would have known anywhere, was none other than Rydon. Hannah gasped and turned to hide her face in Taro’s shoulder.

‘Oh, no!’ she got out in a strangled whisper.

‘What’s the matter? Ah, I see.’ Hannah heard him swear under his breath. ‘Is that the man you were married to?’

‘Yes,’ Hannah replied, closing her eyes to shut out the sight. ‘Yes, it is and another man whom I don’t recognise.’

‘That’s
Anjin-san
, the Englishman who is on good terms with the
Shogun
. I’ve met him before.’ Taro was quiet for a moment, as if he was contemplating the two men, then asked, ‘So what happens now?’ His voice was quiet, but there was an edge of steel to it, as if he was holding his temper in check, but only just.

‘We have to leave immediately,’ Hannah blurted out, then drew in a sharp breath. ‘I mean …’ She looked up and stared at Taro, who was now regarding her with a strange look on his face. ‘No, I must go over there, mustn’t I?’ she asked in a small voice, swallowing past the lump which had risen in her throat and threatened to choke her.

Taro’s eyes narrowed. ‘Is that what you really want? I thought you had agreed to stay with me for a while longer. I told you about the ships and swore to return you to your countrymen in time for you to sail back with them. Seeing them has made you change your mind?’