The Seabird of Sanematsu (21 page)

She blushed at her confession, and he wondered why but did not react.

“They found a priest and were married at the first church they came to.

“I could never see Mother as such a wild and romantic girl,” she concluded. “And, although I always thought he was the most handsome man I ever saw, Father could never have been so dashing. But I remember something in her eyes when she would tell us the story, usually on the nights when we thought he was lost at sea or killed. It must have been a reflection of what they had had those years before sea travel, the Orient and we girls began to weight on them. Maybe I will know what she felt and what made her give up everything for him. Someday…”

Her voice turned wistful, almost inaudible.

“You have much of them in you,” he observed. “Your fondness for the ocean. Your long walks along the shore. Your sense of adventure.”

“I do not wish to lose it as they did.” Tori’s green eyes met his ones. “They became so bitter and hard. Somewhere, it seemed, they lost even their love for each other. I do not think I could bear falling out of love once I have found the man I can love.”

He rose, disquieted.

“It is time we returned to the castle. I will see to the horses while you finish here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Standing at the open shoji on the third story of the castle in her personal quarters, Tsuta watched Sanematsu and his barbarian ride out through the yashiki’s gates. The foreign woman’s laughter carried easily through the air--she did not attempt to exhibit her mirth in a dignified manner.

The network of spies Sayo had established among the servants brought Tsuta the information about the outdoor meal Tori had persuaded Lord Sanematsu to participating in. It sounded ridiculous. How could one enjoy a meal without proper decorum and ritual? How would the foods be served in harmonious display, appropriate to all the senses? And her master acted as though he would enjoy the outing!

Tears welled in her eyes. Things were not working as Sayo had promised. She hated the time she spent in her quarters in Nishikata-jyo, because she did not share his futon. Her hours were passed sitting with the women of his retainers, including Sachi and Sanematsu’s stepdaughter. She had never liked Sachi, for the woman embodied what Tsuta could never be without marriage to a samurai, and samurai rarely joined with peasant courtesans.

And Sanematsu did not send for her! Without pillowing, there was no way to secure her position.

Fighting back her tears, she left her room. Not until she was at the teahouse, nestled in her foster-mother’s arms did she cry.

“You must stop these outbursts,” Sayo admonished. “Lord Sanematsu will become suspicious.”

“And I will inform him women often cry when carrying a child.” Tsuta dried the traces of her tears.

“Do not think he can be fooled easily.” Sayo poured tea for her and sake for herself. “You must remember we are not dealing with a first-time husband. Sanematsu-sama has fathered three children and has seen what pregnancy does to a woman. Have you pillowed recently?”

“No! I do not see him, much less lie with him. He is always off somewhere. And now Sachi-sama is among my ladies. I am sure she is a spy, trying to find some way to be rid of me so she can slip her barbarian pet into his futon! She and Aya-hime are always chattering about the infuriating yabanjin! What I would not give to be where I would never hear the name ‘Tori’ again!”

She did not touch the tea bowl, although she had the urge to pick it up and throw it against the wall.

“There must be a way to join with Lord Sanematsu before something prevents it.”

The narrow eyes of her mistress tightened as she contemplated the situation.

“If our master were to die heirless, Lady Haru’s son could fill the vacancy. It is time I changed our plans. Men cannot be trusted to arrange these matters. I will call upon an older acquaintance to help with our predicament.”

“As you wish, Mother.” Tsuta relaxed, sure her mistress would see to all that was necessary to insure her place with Sanematsu. Without question, she helped Sayo to dress in her elaborate best uchiki. She even guided the girls as they fussed over her foster mother’s makeup and hair until the mirror almost reflected the attractive girl of the First Rank she must have been thirty years earlier.

The mistress of the teahouse departed for the Nishikata-jyo alone at sunset. Tsuta lay on her futon and speculated on what would take place as her foster mother spoke with her old patron.

**
*

Lord Sanematsu Shigehide received Sayo without qualm. Sitting on his engawa he faced the horizon to enjoy the last rays of sunlight. The dropping sun reminded him of himself, in the twilight of his life, dying to make room for the new sun. Sayo’s visit harkened him back to his youth. Receiving her, he could pretend he was the youthful, virile warrior of yesterday.

“Good evening, Great Lord.” Sayo bowed.

“Good evening, lady of the First Rank.” Shigehide bowed. The woman’s words were an attempted to fill the needs of his ego. “Come sit and enjoy the sun’s descent.”

Kneeling on the pillow at his side, Sayo settled her voluminous uchiki about her. Neither spoke as their eyes followed the sun’s trail, but the remaining senses registered each other. Well-blended perfumes did not cover up the smells of aging. Wrinkles and lined faces were not hidden by cosmetics. Bodies twisted by disease, time and trauma could not be disguised.

Yet elderly eyes saw past the ravages of time, seeing what they remembered instead of what was.

When only a red tint was left in the sky, Lord Shigehide turned to her.

“I am not longer the Great Lord of Satsuma Province,” he reminded her.

“You shall always be the Great Lord to me.” Sayo gave a coquettish flutter to her fan. “You were when I was lady of the First Rank and fortunate enough to share your futon.”

Shigehide had financed Sayo’s teahouse in Miyazaki as his grandson had set up her teahouse in Nishikata. Only the interference of others had caused him to desert her, leaving her bitter towards the elite rank. Determined to prevent the same disgrace from befalling Tsuta, she stooped to calling in favors of the past.

“Sayo, you come to me after so long for only one reason. You wish me to intercede with Yoshihide-dono in regard to your foster-daughter’s pregnancy.”

“You do me dishonor,” she simpered. For him to know her intentions was not to her advantage. She would have been on firmer footing if she could have maneuvered to her reason for visiting. “My daughter carries this child precariously. Her emotional state could upset the fragile life.”

“Females have many reasons to be catered to. I wonder how often they use these excuses to twist us men to their way?” He cast his rheumy eyes her way.

“A woman without shame would not hesitate to use such devices.” Sayo folded her fan and gripped it. If she were not careful, he would destroy her plan instead of helping to speed it along. “Lord Sanematsu needs a son, as you did and his father before him. Heirs come late in life to the Sanematsu clan.”

“Yoshihide-dono has many years to sire a son. Many women vie for his bed.” Now his concentration was on his teacup.

“Many pardons, Great Lord, but wars rage like the wind through Nihon. Earthquakes and
tai-fu
can take even the daimyo of Satsuma Province. No one can say what karma will bring.”

“You speak with wisdom. Still, Yoshihide-dono need not rush to join with your foster-daughter. She should count herself fortunate that he has stated they are to join if she should birth a son. Yoshihide-dono could merely name the boy heir and have no need to deal with the woman again.”

“This is so.”

Custom allowed for a man to take several avenues to legitimize his heir, but only one path lay before a woman. Shigehide spoke the blunt truth. This necessitated another tack.

“Tsuta does not know of this, but she is of a samurai family, albeit one without master.” She would say anything to maneuver Shigehide. If Tsuta appeared worthy of being Lady Sanematsu, it would be easier to sway the old warrior. She would add another twist. “There is also the question of the barbarian female. Do you think it is wise to allow her to work her spell over your grandson?”

Shigehide studied her face while he contemplated her words; from long association she could guess the direction of his thoughts.

For decades, the only war on Kyushu had been internal, accomplished by making careful political choices. Following the ages-old rules of society kept harmony among those in the Satsuma provinces and aligned them with those in power.

Now, a foreigner lived among them, gaining more and more freedom. Soon she would forget she was Yoshihide’s prisoner and think her position more intimate. His grandson had mentioned taking the woman to pillow. This would be acceptable, but threatened to produce an heir of mixed blood.
That
could not be allowed.

Shigehide was not so old he could not recall the fire of passion in his blood. A ronin samurai’s daughter would be more desirable than a barbarian she-devil.

“I will see what can be done,” he assented. “In return, I will have one thing.”

“Anything, my lord.” Sayo lowered her face to hide the signs of triumph.

“You will depart from Nishikata. I will provide funds for you to go where you wish. Further, you deserve no part of the honor, and power, granted the mother-in-law of a daimyo.”

“As you wish.” She tried to hide the flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

The only way a woman of her status could elevate her station was to place a foster daughter in a position near a man of power. As mother-in-law of such a man, she could whisper instructions and requests into the foster daughter’s ears. From there, the deed could be set in motion and her ultimate will be done. Sayo had foreseen great personal reward as Tsuta’s advisor. Now she could only hope to prolong her departure, plant seeds where she could and connive ways to continue to advise Tsuta from afar.

“I respectfully remind you that steps need to be taken soonest.”

“Do not push, Sayo.” Shigehide’s face was hard and craggy. “I will see to it at my discretion.”

“Thank you, sire.”

He waved her away.

**
*

A week later, Lord Sanematsu Yoshihide was summoned to his grandfather’s chambers and received the “suggestion” that he join with Tsuta before her child’s birth. Haste fit into his plans, and he was just as eager to get on with the details, to be freed or doomed. His submission came swift, his protest was token, and preparations began.

Tsuta, accompanied by Sayo, returned permanently to her quarters in Nishikata-jyo without ceremony. As ranking lady of Sanematsu’s court, Haru oversaw her brother’s household but refused to have anything to do with legitimizing his concubine’s offspring. Without quarrel, Sanematsu accepted her refusal and assigned Sachi to the preparations.

Sachi could not refuse to plan the joining, but she did not like the duty any more than his sister had. In her precise manner, she notified the priest of the need for his services, sent messengers with invitations to the Purification Ritual to daimyo and ranking samurai, called on the seamstresses to begin the elaborate osode that would make up the wedding uchiki. All was to be readied in one month.

During this time, she seldom saw Tori; the girl went about her days as usual, unaware of the events in the making. Sachi was please she was occupied with a book in which she wrote and illustrated her words and those of the Nihonese, but her concern about the girl sent her to Lord Sanematsu.

“My lord,” she said after the formalities had been observed, “have you considered Tori’s place after your joining?”

They walked at an idle pace through the gardens. Several yards ahead, her husband, Hikita Takayasu, accompanied them.

“Why should it change?”

“Many pardons, but you must know Tori has found her woman’s emotions in her months here. Her sexuality is awakening, and since you are the only man who has access to her aside from her retainers, she has fixed her affection upon you.”

Sanematsu snorted his disbelief.

“My lord, you have seen your own daughters eyeing the young men. Tori is such an adolescent young woman. I ask you to use care where you are treading, or you may lose all you have with her. You are her only friend.”

“Sachi-sama, you do yourself little justice. She is your friend, also.” He hid the concern she knew he must entertain at the thought of losing Tori’s confidence. She and Tsuta did not like each other, and if things did not work out as he hoped, he would be forced into either making a choice or taking on an impossible juggling act.

“I am as an older sister, my lord.” She stopped and thought a moment. “Lord Sanematsu, she must be told,” she announced with trepidation.

He halted and turned to face her.

“You dare much. This is the second time you have presumed to tell me what to do. Perhaps you are learning from Tori.” He departed, heading toward the shrine of Hachiman Taro. His guard accompanied him. Over his shoulder, he called back, “Then tell her. It is not my concern!”

“Lord Sanematsu, it is your concern.” Sachi’s voice quivered.

He stopped, but did not turn.

“You must be the one.” Her voice shook with fear. “If you do not do this, it will not matter if Tori is told or not.”

Her husband confronted her, anger clouding his face. Sachi kept her eyes away from his, which in silence ordered her to close her mouth.

“She must know you deem her important enough to tell her, or she will never believe you trust her again. You must value Tori’s companionship to risk making so many enemies by encouraging it,” she continued. “Do not let something so relatively small destroy it all.”