"Aye aye, sir."
Sir William was not an expert but that seemed to be a pedantic and unnecessary order. Bloody man! Still, can't blame him for wanting confirming orders, it's his neck if anything goes wrong.
When the frigate swung on to a new tack his grip tightened on the gunnel. He loved the sea and being on it, particularly on the deck of a British warship, proud that the ships of Empire possessed the sea as much as any ships could rule the waves. Ketterer's right about not wanting to create another navy, he thought, not with these men-- the French, American and Prussian navies are enough trouble as it is.
He looked aft.
Aft, over the horizon, was Yedo. Yedo and Yoshi spell trouble whichever way you look at it, whatever the rosy future he promised.
Ahead was Yokohama. More trouble there but never mind, tonight Angelique's my dinner partner-- I'm glad she didn't leave but still don't understand why. Doesn't that play even more into Tess Struan's hands?
Strange to think of Angelique without Malcolm Struan. Sorry he had such bad luck but he's gone and we're alive and he isn't. Joss. Who'll be tai-pan now? Young Duncan's only ten, last of the Struan boys.
Terrible for Tess, more tragedy to bear. Wouldn't be surprised if this didn't finish her. Always admired her for her courage, carrying the load of Culum and the Brocks, not to mention Dirk Struan.
Well, I did my best for Tess, and for Malcolm--alive and dead. And for Angelique.
When she leaves there'll be an emptiness that won't be filled easily. Hope she regains the youth she's lost, that's another sadness but she's got a whole life in front of her--if she has his child or if she doesn't. Betting's still evens.
Commands on the bridge attracted his attention for a moment but it was nothing urgent, just adding more sail. The wind was humming the shrouds. The frigate picked up speed. Their moorings were under an hour away. Sunset a good two hours.
Plenty of time to bring Nakama to heel before dinner.
Sunset was just a lowering of light, the sun dying behind a blanket of clouds, regretting the loss of the day.
Hiraga said to the group of fishermen, "That boat will do--no fishing tackle, but oars and sail are included." He was on the beach near Drunk Town and he paid the owner what had been asked without bargaining, still unwilling to lose face by negotiating though he knew now--too well hammered into him by Mukfey--that he was being cheated and overcharged and that this man and his compatriots would laugh at him as soon as they were out of sight. He knew he was to blame because he was dressed like a gai-jin and not properly with swords.
Half of him wanted to scream and lash out at their bad manners and have them crawling on the beach, begging for the privilege of giving him the boat. The other half counselled patience: You have done what you must do, the boat is yours, tomorrow you die with honor in the cause of sonno-joi, these lice have no more value than the barnacles on the filthy little vessel they sell.
"Leave everything in the boat," he said.
Unctuously the owner bowed and grovelled his way out of range, then, with his comrades, walked away, blessing their luck for a double profit.
The boat was an ordinary little fishing boat for one to three men with a small sail and single stern oar. Part of samurai training was the use of boats on short distances to traverse rivers or to reach offshore coastal ships or galleys, so they could all handle it. The news that he had bought one would fly around the village but that did not matter. By the time the shoya and others had worked out its probable use, the revelation would be too late.
Satisfied the boat was safe, he began to walk through Drunk Town, through the crowded alleys, stepping over drunks and garbage, disgusted with the filth. Taira says his London is the cleanest, biggest wealthiest city in the world but I do not believe him--not if so many of his kind live like this, with the rest of the Settlement not much better. Taking a shortcut he crossed into a smaller alley. Men passed by, beggars held their hands out, eyes peered suspiciously from doorways but no one bothered him.
No Man's Land was as always, weed-covered and stinking, the main refuse dump of the Settlement.
A few ragged scavengers raked through the latest pile of trash. They glanced at him briefly.
His eyes went to the rickety well head. The broken wooden cover that hid the secret passage to the Yoshiwara seemed untouched.
Ori's face fleetingly came from his memory and the time they were below, when he was ready to kill him and Ori had thrown, pretended to throw, the golden cross into the depths. Ori was baka to waste his life over that woman. We could use him tomorrow.
He shoved Ori out of his mind.
Now his whole being was committed to the attack.
All reasoning against it had vanished. There was a consensus, Akimoto gleefully in favor, Takeda, and the Sensei. Therefore he was also. The boat was ready. Now he would collect Akimoto and they would go back and finalize the plan. In reality he was glad. He would die in a blaze of glory doing the Emperor's wishes.
What more could a samurai desire from life?
With the suddenness of an ice bath he was shocked from euphoria and disappeared into a doorway. Three Redcoats stood outside the shoya's house, two more were emerging from the nearby hovel he and Akimoto rented. Akimoto was between them, calling out at the top of his voice one of the few English phrases he had learned: "So sorry, no 'unnerstan Nakama!"
"Not-a-knowledge-a-more-a," the Sergeant said slowly and loudly. "Where is he?" Then louder, "Where Nakama?"
"Nakama?" Akimoto's voice itself was loud, clearly trying to warn him if he happened to be within hearing. "Nakama no 'unnerstan so sorry," then in Japanese, "Someone's betrayed someone," then in guttural English again, "Nakama no unner--"
"Shut up!" the Sergeant said angrily, "Corporal, this fool knows nothing. Butcher, you and Swallow stay here until Mister bloody Nakama comes back and ask him--ask him nice like to come along wiv you to see Sir Will'm but make sure you bring the bugger. You," he stabbed a rough, iron-hard finger in Akimoto's chest, "you come along wiv me in case the Guv wants you."
Loudly protesting in Japanese he went with them, then in English, "Nakama, no 'unnerstan," over and over.
When Hiraga had recovered, and it was safe he slipped out of the doorway, jumped a fence and hurried back to No Man's Land. There he ducked down into the doorway, not safe yet to run for the well, too much light, the three scavengers too near, too malevolent. Must keep it secret.
Who has betrayed us?
No time to think about that now. He went deeper into the shadows as one of the scavengers moved nearer, muttering and cursing at the smallness of the pickings, a grubby sack in one hand. All three were skeletal and filthy. One came close to the opening but passed without noticing him. In half an hour light would be gone, nothing to do but to wait.
Suddenly the doorway was blocked.
"Thort I didn't see you eh? Wot'cher doin?" the scavenger rasped, heavy with menace.
Slowly Hiraga straightened. His hand was on the small pistol in his pocket. Then he saw the knife appear in the clawlike fist and the man thrust forward viciously. But Hiraga was faster and caught the hand and chopped at the scavenger's throat. He squealed like a gutted pig and went down. At once the other two looked up and hurried to investigate.
They skidded to a stop. Now Hiraga was in the doorway, the gun in one hand, knife in the other and he stood over the man who writhed, choking in the dirt. Knives came out and the two men attacked. Hiraga did not hesitate and lunged at one man who darted away, leaving him the opening he needed. He was through the slot quickly, running for Drunk Town, not wanting to waste time fighting. In moments he had reached a side street but in his haste his hat had fallen off.
He looked back and saw one of the scavengers had grabbed it up with a shout. In seconds the other had a hand on it too and they began a cursing fight for possession.