The Samurai's Lady (13 page)

The note said that the magistrate had found out that they were on the run from the Shogun‟s men and that Hiru was to give them any assistance they might need. “Thank you.” Fujito said. He didn‟t know how the man had found out, but he was glad that he was on his side and not the other.
“I‟d like to know why.” Hiru admitted. “But I‟ll understand if you can‟t tell me. I‟ll pray to God every night for your safety, regardless.”
“You‟re a Christian?”
“Yes. Both Yukiko and I are.” Reaching into his kimono, he produced a wooden carving of a fish. “We each carry one of these. Not even her father knows.” “Won‟t he listen?”
“I don‟t know. We‟ve tried to tell him and share the love of Jesus with him but there never seems to be time. With the prescribed attendance, we hardly ever see him. It was with much trouble and prayer that I arranged for Aritomo to be born here. Yukiko is not strong and I wanted her to have the benefits ofour waters.” “I‟m sure you will have opportunity soon.” Fujito told him. “Katsu-ko and I will pray for you, too.”
“Domo.”
He explained to him why the Shogun‟s men were after him.
“She‟s English?” Hiru said, surprised.
“Yes. Although it is hard to tell now.” Fujito smiled, watching her through the open doorway as she put the kettle to boil over the hearth. “I have a hard time remembering.”
“So, how did you come to be passing through Ito?”
“I sent her away to my sister in Kanazawa. For reasons I won‟t go into I had to get her away. We came through the mountains.”
“That must have been difficult.”
“It was. Katsuko isn‟t used to trekking through mountains, or snow. She almost died of exposure outside of Kamikochi and when she went looking for me on the day the snow closed the roads. While we were on the way to Nikko she was almost pushed over acliff by some avalanching snow.”
“Where are you going now?” Hiru asked
Now we‟re going back to Hirado so that she can return home with the next ship.” “But you don‟t want that, do you, Isamu?”
Fujito shook his head and smiled.
“I can see you love her very much.” Hiru observed. “Does she feel the same way about you?”
“She never lets on.” Fujito admitted. “But her eyes tell me differently.” He smiled.
“I think she will, soon.” Hiru said knowingly. “But however did you communicate?”
“I speak English. The factor at Hirado taught me a long time ago.” He did not explain further and Hiru did not inquire.
After spending a week in Ito with nothing to indicate the rider was looking for them, Fujito saw him again. He was the same one he‟d seen on hill outside Kagoshima.
When he came home, he told Hiru they would have to leave. Fujito decided it was best to leave during the night and planned for the following evening The day dawned clear; a light breeze blew from the West. By afternoon rain was falling in a fine mist.
“Can‟t we wait until the rain clears?” Katharine asked when Fujito told her they would be leaving. “Or maybe we could stay here. It‟s nice and quiet; no one would have to know we‟re here.”
He understood how she was feeling and hated to dash her hopes.
“We have to,
koibito
.” He said gently. We‟ve been followed here. I saw the metsuke the day we arrived. It‟s the same one that I saw on the hill outside of the villa one day. I didn‟t tell you because I was hoping I was wrong. But now we have to moveon.”
“Couldn‟t we travel in daylight then?”
“The cover of night is the best protection.”
She knew he was right, even though she hated to admit it.
“It isn‟t far. We‟ll be home soon, I promise.” He told her with a smile, he kissed the tip of her nose.
She said a tearful good-bye to the children, especially the baby.
Fujito stood in the doorway watching her. Again, he saw the vision of them together with their own children. Sadness tugged at his heart, if he could only convince her to stay, and marry him.
Their host would not take no for an answer when he offered the use of one of his horses. “I have a friend in Shimoda who will keep the horse for me. He also carries the sign of the fish.” He smiled. “And if you ever need a message delivered I can guarantee
your secrecy.” He handed him a letter with the name of the man written on it. “Domo.” Fujito bowed.
Hiru saw them to the outskirts of the town and wished them both well. Fujito put heel to horse and they set off through the driving rain on the last leg of their journey.
Hiru‟s friend was pleased to have them for as long as they were able to stay and would be happy to keep the horse until Hiru returned for him.
“I am Tadanori.” He told them. “Welcome.”
“Domo.” He introduced himself and Katharine and then Tadanori showed them to a small two-roomed addition at the back of the house.
“I hope you will be happy here for as long as you stay.” He said then left them to settle in. “Hey, samurai.” Katharine said with a wicked grin.
“Yes?” He grinned.
“Didn‟t you tell me once you were a fair horseman?”
He remembered the conversation. “Yes, I think I mentioned something to the effect.”
“Well, it certainly didn‟t appear to me that you were a slouch in the saddle. And it also doesn‟t answer the question why you were able to reach Atami so quickly.” “No. It doesn‟t does it?” Fujito had been unpacking a few things. Now he set the pack down and walked over to where she stood at the open shoji looking out at the bay.
She turned at his approach.
“Love can do a lot of things,
koibito
.” He said. “Even turn fair riders into great horsemen.” His voice was low and husky but there was a sparkle in his eyes and a small smile tugged at his mouth.
He drew her into hisarms. “And I love you, more than I thought I could love anyone.”
“But you might be wasting your life.”
He smiled down into her eyes. “
Koibito
loving you, no matter how long or short, will never be a wasting my time.” He kissed her to prove his words. They rested at Shimoda for three days; the longest Fujito wanted to chance staying in one place, then he asked Tadanori where they could find a boat to ferry them to Shikoku.
“I can take you myself.” He told him. I own a boat that‟s sitting idle right now.” “Good. Domo.” Fujito said.
“When do you need to go?”
“I‟d like to leave tomorrow morning on the early tide.”
“All right.”
The scene reminded Katharine of the trip to Kanazawa, except that Fujito hadn‟t looked at her the way he was doing now.
Tadanori‟s boat was a little bigger than the Asama Maru, Ryochi‟s vessel that had brought them to Kanazawa. Unlike the night they‟d ridden from Ito, the sky was clear.
The sun was just peeking out over the horizon.
Fujito smiled at her knowingly. “But this time we‟re together.” He whispered. He kissed her fleetingly.
They pushed away from the shore and to Katharine it seemed like they were leaving their troubles behind; it was like starting a new life. She wondered briefly how long Fujito would be a part of it. A small voice whispered, forever. But she shook her head to clear it.
“Are you all right?” Fujito asked.
“Yes, fine.” She smiled up at him.
“Good.” He smiled. “I have a tonic here if you need it.‟ He added, remembering her last bout of seasickness.
“I think you are my tonic, FujitoSama.” She grinned, carefree in spirit; she had thrown caution to the wind.
He laughed. Then he said, “And you are mine, Lady Katharine.” He was smiling but his tone was serious. His eyes held a smoldering fire that caused her heart to double its beat.
They rested at Ise for a night. As they were shown their rooms in the ryokan Tadanori whispered to Fujito, “Will you tell Katsuko about the shrine?” He nudged him in the ribs.
“No.” Fuito smiled. “I don‟t dare. She‟ll have my head.”
Katharine heard them whispering and while they were putting their things away, she said, “Isamu?”
“Yes?”
„What shrine were you and Tadanori San talking about?”
Fujito looked a little sheepish. “It‟s a shrine to—” He tried to think of the right word. “Love.”
“Love?”
“Yes.” He paused and cleared his throat. She continued to look at him, waiting for an answer.
How would he put it less bluntly than what the shrine actually stood for? He covered his smile with his hand and answered,
“Yes, er, love between a man and a woman.”
“I see.” She tried to remain nonchalant, but it was something to see the great Daimyo of Kagoshima embarrassed. “So it‟s a monument to passion, sexual appetite, ifyou will?” A slow smile crept across her lips.
“Yes.” He sighed. He smiled sheepishly.
“And have you been there?” She asked, grinning now.
“No.”
“And why not? Or are daimyo above everyone else and don‟t need—” Just then, there was a knock on the doorframe. It was Tadanori asking them if they were ready to eat.
“Yes. We‟ll be right there.” Fujito called.
He caught her sleeve as she walked passed him. Turning her to face him, he held her by her shoulders.
“Don‟t play games with me, my Lady. You could find yourself in serious trouble.” He said the words lightly but there was a low and husky edge to his tone. Something in his eyes told Katharine she‟d almost gone too far, but it had nothing to do with questioning his Daimyo status.
The realization that she had to tell him she loved him hit her with a sudden force. The Samurai‟s Lady

Chapter Thirteen
Katharine watched enthralled as Fujito pulled the oars back with seemingly little effort, his biceps bulging as they constricted with the effort. Then she caught him looking at her and looked away quickly. She heard him chuckle.
When Tadanori, who had been sleeping in the back of the boat, joined him they discussed where the best landing spot should be on Shikoku. They decided it should be Kochi on the pacific coast.
“There she is!” Tadanori called out They were in sight of the smallest and least populated island in the country and Fujito breathed easier than he had since leaving Hakone. Shikoku‟s mountains left very little land, except on the coast for populating. The Shogun had no real interest in controlling the isolated domains with little revenue. They would be safe here.
The wind came up from nowhere, buffeting the craft, causing Fujito to tighten his grip on the oars to maintain control. While Fujito kept the boat as steady as he could Tadanori climbed the mast to batten the sail.
“Storm‟s coming from the Northeast. Looks like a big one.”
Turning her head in the direction Tadanori had pointed Katharine saw heavy black clouds covering the blue like a blanket. Fear tightened her stomach, but she knew she would have to calm herself; Fujito had more than he could handle just keeping the boat from capsizing.
She met Fujito‟s eyes with her own. His smile encouraged her.
The wind increased and changed direction, almost upending the craft. Tadanori could tell they were off course; he was a good navigator.
“We‟ll have to detour!” He called over the wind and the sound of the waves smacking the side of the craft. Fujito nodded.
The way to their right was clear; the storm had not yet encroached on the Bungo Strait.
“Try to turn her! I‟ll help from this end!” Tadanori called.
“All right!” Fujito‟s answer came back.
Katharine huddled in the corner on the bottom of the boat and tried not to think of the shipwreck that had brought her here. Her heart beat wildly every tine a wave hit the side of the boat and thanked the Lord that they hadn‟t had to start bailing yet.
She heard Fujito‟s voice and the mention of her name but could not make out the rest.
She was glad he and Tadanori were talking; it meant he was still alive, and all right. With sinking heart, she wished she had told him how she felt the night before. Now they might drown and he would never know. Her eyes filled with tears and mixed with the rain. They were successful at turning the boat into the narrow Strait. Ahead the sky
began to clear and to their left, the sun was just going down; its rays, partly hidden by the
dark storm clouds cast an eerie glow on the distant horizon.
The wind was still up and would not let them land at Uwajima.
“We‟ll go on to Matsuyama.” Tadanori said. “We can out run it.”
“All right.”
The rowing was easier now and after a few miles, they were able to let the sail out and carry them straight on to Matsuyama. Fujito made his way carefully to where Katharine huddled in her safe corner.
“Are you all right?” He asked, stooping in front of her.
“Yes.” The relief at surviving the storm overwhelmed her and she began to laugh. “From boiled lobster to drowned rat. Makes quite a tale doesn‟t it?” “Depends on whether that‟s t-a-i-l or t-a-le.” He said. Then he laughed. Taking her in his arms, he held her close.
“But I‟m soaking wet.” She protested.
“That‟s all right.” He laughed. “So am I.”
Tadanori called for his help to steer the boat to port. He touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers and returned to the front of the boat. They docked at Matsuhama the closest port.
The storm stayed over the ocean that night, but the next morning they could see the black clouds encroaching on the northern shore and hear the thunder far out to sea.
They had to stay in their rooms at the local ryokan but Katharine was glad of the rest; it had been a terrible night.
“How did the boat fare?” Fujito asked over a late meal that served as breakfast. “Not badly.” Tadanori answered. “We lost a few boards and an extra oar but that‟s about it. I think we missed the major part of it, but there seems to be a stronger onebrewing. You can hear the thunder over the water.”
Katharine tensed. She hated thunder and lightening, had done since was a small child.
“How long do we have until it reaches here?” Fujito asked
“Shouldn‟t get here until tomorrow sometime.” The other man answered. “We‟ll get to Matsuyama before it breaks over land.”
The walk to Matsuyama did not take long and they arrived just before midafternoon.
Katharine thought the town was beautiful with its castle on top of the hill. There was the main street with its teahouses and shops, the ryokan and horse stables. They had almost reached the ryokan when they heard someone hailing them from further down the street. A hand waved. They stopped to let whomever it was catch up tothem. Katharine squeezed Fujito‟s hand, tight, remembering Hakone. “Easy.” He whispered, squeezing hers back.
“Isamu!” The man called as he came closer.
“Hataro!” Fujito smiled.
He bowed to them both in greeting and asked where they were staying. Fujito told him and asked what he was doing in Matsuyama.
“My cousin lives here. In fact, why don‟t you come and meet him?” “All right.” Fujito accepted.
The house was not far away and located near the bay.
“Fujito Isamu I‟d like you to meet my cousin Tsutaro. He is one of us, also.” The men bowed to each other.
“And this is Katsuko.” Fujito said.
Tsutaro bowed to her also. She returned it.
“Please.” Tsutaro said, “I would be honored if you were to have dinner at my home this evening.”
“Domo.” Fujito answered.
After the meal Tsutaro‟s wife showed Katharine the garden. The trees already bore bright green leaves, and some of the flowers were already in bloom. “Spring comes earlier here on Shikoku than it does to the north.” She explained. They stopped to admire a long table on which several bonsai trees were set. Katharine admired one that seemed to be growing out of a rock.
“I‟ve never seen one like that before. Isamu has a few at home but I don‟t remember seeing anything like that.”
“Domo arigato.” Haruko said. “Tsutaro loves this one more than the others. He‟s very proud of it.” She deftly changed the topic of conversation. “Hataro told us all ofwhat you two have been through.” She said softly. “I want you to know we are prayingfor you every day.”
“Thank you.” Katharine was touched that two people they hadn‟t met until today could be praying for them. Perhaps hat‟s why they were driven off course by the storm,
so that they could meet them.
They heard laughter from inside. Haruko saw the look in Katharine‟s eye as she watched Isamu at the Go board Tsutaro had brought out.
“You love him, don‟t you?”
“Yes.” Katharine felt tears spring to her eyes.
“Does he know?”
She shook her head. “I haven‟t told him because I‟ll be going home in a few weeks when the ship docks in Hirado and I don‟t want him to be burdened with more pain. He will be sad enough to lose me without knowing that I loved him. Getting overeach other will be easier that way.”
“That‟s a very pragmatic way of looking at it, Katsuko, but have you thought that you are depriving him of the love you could have shared while you are here? Don‟t you think it would be better if he could look back on this year knowing that for at least someof the time he was loved?”
“I hadn‟t thought of it that way.” Katharine considered. Watching him bent over the board in concentration she came to the decision to tell him before they left Matsuyama.
The next day was hotter and more humid than the one before. The storm that had settled over the ocean the day before moved inland. They could see the black clouds over the distant mountains. Fujito suggested a walk around the town after the evening meal.
By the time, they‟d finished breakfast; the sky was almost covered in a blanket of cloud.
“Look, doesn‟t that look like Toyo?” She pointed at the large black stallion nearest the entry to the stable.
„Toyo?” He asked, smiling. “Is that what you named him?”
“Yes, I know it‟s silly. But I loved that horse.”
“I know you did
koibito
. But I don‟t think you need to worry about him any more. I‟m sure the magistrate has brought him back home by now.” He caressed her cheek withthe side of his thumb. “Did you have a horse at home?” “Yes. He was exquisite. But not all black, like Toyo. He had a white star on his forehead and two patches of white on his back legs. We used to ride over fences andthrough fields like we were being chased by the wind.” A look of sadness came into her eyes.
“What happened?” Fujito asked, very quietly.
“He hurt his leg.”
He knew what would come next and held her close before she had to bring the pain to consciousness.
“Maybe we‟ll have a stallion of our own someday.” He whispered against her hair. It was the first seed on the way to convincing her to stay. “Why Toyo?” He asked to bring her back to the present.
“Well, remember one day you were telling me about Hideyoshi?”
“Yes?”
“Toyo is short for Toyotomi.” It had been Hideyoshi‟s other name. Fujito put his arm around her shoulder. “Oh my Nikko.” He chuckled. Suddenly he felt her musclestense. “What is it?”
“Kazu, there!” She pointed in the direction of the clothmaker‟s stall. Fujito frowned. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked in the direction she indicated.
It did indeed look like his brother-in-law. But he dealt mainly in silk. What would he be doing buying cotton cloth in Matsuyama?
“Stay here.” He told her. He walked across the road to the shop.
The longer Katharine watched, the more frightened she became. She hid behind the trunk of a lone tree that had been planted in the large square between two buildings.
Fujito walked by the shop pretending not to be paying any attention but trying to decide between two of the kimono hanging near the doorway. He paused to look at a boltof cloth just outside the owner‟s line of sight, just far enough away to hear the customer‟s
voice. When he spoke, he knew the man was not Kazu. He nodded pleasantly to him and after the owner had finished, purchased the silver one with a design of mountains on the back.
Relieved that it had not been Kazu he made his way back across the street to where he‟d left Katharine. When he reached the spot, she was gone. He called her name softly so as not to draw attention.
“I‟m here.” She said in a loud whisper. “What are you doing?” Fujito asked. A small smile tugged at he corners of his mouth.
“Hiding, what does it look like?” He heard echoes of the old Katharine and only just stifled a laugh. But he couldn‟t stop the smile on his lips.
“It isn‟t him.” He assured her.
“No?”
Fujito shook his head. “He looks a lot like him, but it isn‟t him.” He extended a hand and helped her squeeze out of the tight space.
He heard thunder and knew the storm was almost over the town.
Suddenly the thunder crashed like a cymbal overhead. Fujito grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the tree just as a bolt of lightening hit it. One of the branches cracked as it snapped and fell to the ground with a loud clatter. Stunned by what had just happened, Fujito held her close as if he thought she would disintegrate before his very eyes.
“Are you all right?” He whispered.
“Yes, I think so.” Her breathing came in shallow gasps.
“Easy. Try to take deep breaths. You‟re all right now.”
A woman came running out of a nearby teahouse just as large drops of rain pelted the ground.
“Are you all right?” She asked. “Dozo. Come and get out of the rain and have some tea.”
“Domo.” Fujito answered.
The woman led the way into the teahouse and brought them a tray with the tea and a plate of sweets.
“Domo.” Fujito said accepting the tray from her.
The tea and sweets were lovely and helped Katharine to relax even more. The only lightening they could see came from the doorway, the outer doors being closed to protect the shoji walls. The thunder was barely audible through the tile roof.
When the rain had let up somewhat, they left the shop. When Fujito went to pay the woman would accept no money.
“Please, Sama. Accept it as a gift, to one who cheated death.”
He could not old back a smile. “Domo.” He said, bowing.
Just as they reached the ryokan, the winds came up again blasting cold rain against their thin garments and soaking them to the skin.
The hostess saw them approaching and slid the door open for them. “Arigato.” Fujito said. Then to Katharine, “Let‟s get out of these things and into fresh dry ones.”
After he had changed, he knocked on the frame between the two rooms. “Come in.” She called.
She was kneeling in front of a lantern in the process of lighting it. Her hair hung in long wet ringlets down her back. It almost took his breath away. “Here.” Fujito said tenderly. He took a towel from the shelf and kneeling behind her began to pull it gently down the length of her hair.
“Your hair is beautiful.” He said softly.
“Thank you.” She turned her face to his. He kissed her temple.
The already dark sky became darker as the sun set behind the islands in the Inland Sea.
The room had no outer doors. The roof over hang was he only thing that prevented the room‟s shoji from getting soaked.
Suddenly the sky was split with a pink-white light as lightening flashed across the horizon. Fujito heard her sharp intake of breath. “Easy.” He calmed her. He lit the two lanterns. Their orange-yellow glow was deepened by the blackness. “Why don‟t we read something?”
“All right. What?”
“Well, we‟ve got some Shakespeare and some haiku.”
“All right.”
He found the book of Sonnets in the pack and, kneeling beside her opened the book. Picking one, he began:
“If the dull substance of my flesh were thought/ injurious distance should not stop my way/for then dispight of space I would be brought/ from limits far remote where thou dost stay.
“No matter then although my foot did stand/ upon the farthest earth removed from thee/for nimble thought can jump both sea and land/ as soon as think the place where hewould be.” He looked up to watch the expression on her face then continued.
“But ah, thought kills me, that I am not thought/ to leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone/ but that so much of earth and water wrought/ I must attend times leisure with my moan. Receiving naught by elements so slow/ but heavy tears badges of
either‟s woe.”
She was enchanted by his voice as well as the sonnet and begged for another. “All right.” He smiled. Flipping through the pages, he found one. He put his arm around her shoulder and drew her close.