"You would be caught," Katsumata said, his lips a thin line. "You have never been there and do not know the alleys or where to go. You would be caught."
His rage was near exploding for he could not attack by himself and needed these two, or other men, and without consensus nothing would be achieved. If anyone should go it must be him. That thought did not displease him for he did not like this place, not enough exits, not enough places to hide--he only felt safe in Kyoto or Osaka or Yedo, or at home in Kagashima. Eeee, it would be good to see my home and family again. But they must wait, he thought and hardened his heart: "Sonno-joi must go forward, Yoshi must be humbled..."
Simultaneously the three men had their hands on their swords. Shadows came on the shoji door.
"Katsumata-sama?" It was Raiko. "I have a maid with me."
"Please come in." When they saw it was she they relaxed. She bowed, the maid did the same, and they bowed back.
"Tell them, Tsuki-chan," she said to the maid.
"I went to the house of the shoya, Sires. He said that Akimoto-sama was taken to the gai-jin leader and after a short time taken to their prison. It has not been possible yet to talk to him but with his first meal, which one of our people serve, we can find out more."
"Good. He been beaten and was dragged?"
Katsumata asked.
"No, Lord, neither, Lord."
"Not beaten, you're sure?"
"The shoya was also surprised, Sire.
Akimoto-sama was whistling and singing and heard to say, as though it was part of the country song, "Someone's betrayed someone."
Hiraga said darkly, "That's what he called out in the village. What else did the shoya say?"
"The shoya says, So sorry, he does not know yet why soldiers search for you. Guards are still there. As soon as he knows the reason he will send word."
"Thank you, Tsuki-chan," Raiko said and dismissed her.
Katsumata said, "If he hadn't been beaten, he must have given them the information they want and they jailed him to protect him from you?"
"No. He would not tell them anything,"
Hiraga said, his mind elsewhere: who's the betrayer? His eyes flicked to Raiko.
She was saying, "Perhaps I can find out. A gai-jin client who might know is arriving any moment. He might know, certainly he could find out."
Andr`e came into her room with a forced smile.
"Evening, Raiko-san," he said, disgusted with his weakness. She greeted him coolly and offered tea. When the tea had been taken he handed her the small bag of coins. "Here another payment, sorry not all but enough for moment. You want see me?"
"Waiting a little is fair, Furansu-san, amongst friends," she said, annoyed. Feeling the weight of the bag she was, secretly, content with the amount--for the moment--and that the first important matter had been settled. Then she added, to keep up the pressure, so important with clients, "A little is fair between friends, but a lot is not correct, not at all."
"I promise more in day or two."
"So sorry your payments are far behind."
Andr`e hesitated, then jerked off his gold signet ring. "Here."
"I do not want that," Raiko said. "Should I release Hinodeh and allow her to leave, then you--"
"No. Please, no... Listen, I have information..."
Andr`e was not feeling at all well, both because of her cool reception and also because of a migraine acquired during the Yoshi interview that would not go away. And because of Angelique. And because Tess Struan was not aboard Prancing Cloud for surely that would have made it easier for him to negotiate a settlement and so get the wealth he required. He had no wish to go to Hong Kong, to challenge her there, in the lair of the Noble House.
Angelique's still the only chance you've got, his brain kept hammering at him. Seratard had again consulted Ketterer, Sir William, and even Skye about the validity of the marriage. They were all convinced it should hold up in a court.
"In Hong Kong? I'm not so sure,"
Ketterer had sneered, the others saying the same with different words, in different degrees--except Sir William. "Too many scallywags there, judges aren't like they are in London--they're colonials, plenty of corruption, plenty of hanky-panky. A few taels of silver... don't forget Struan's are the Noble House ..."
Raiko leaned closer to Andr`e. "Information, Furansu-san?"
"Yes." It was now or never with Raiko--and Hinodeh. "Special. Secrets about secret Yoshi meeting with gai-jin."
"So ka!" she said, all attention. "Go on, Furansu-sama."
He told her what had happened, in detail, to her intense interest, much sucking in of breath and hissed exclamations. And when, abruptly, he slid in the part about Yoshi wanting Hiraga, she blanched. His anxiety evaporated, he hid his joy and closed the trap: "So Hiraga friend of you?"
"No, not at all, he's a client of a friend," she said hastily, fanning herself, mind humming with the wonderful pieces of intelligence to pass on to the shoya and the Gyokoyama that would put him and them totally into her debt--and to Meikin. Ah, Meikin! she thought in passing, how long you will stay alive. So sorry, you and yours will have to pay, one way or another, Yoshi invested too much in your late Koiko, but then you know that. Which brings me to my pressing problem, how in the name of all gods and the Amida Buddha, do I rid myself of Hiraga, Katsumata and the other two, they've become far too dangerous and...
Then she heard Andr`e's different voice.
"So Hiraga client of mama-san friend in Yoshiwara. Hiraga with friend now. Neh?"
Her guard dropped back into place. "I would not know where he is. I imagine he is in the Settlement as usual. Lord Yoshi wants him?
Why?"
"Because Hiraga is shishi." Andr`e used the word for the first time, aware of what it meant from Yoshi's revelations. "Also for kill daimyo.
Daimyo Utani. Other killings too."
She kept the fear off her face. "Terrible.
Shishi you say? I've heard of them. About this information, old friend, may I ask about th--"
"Hiraga dis'ppear, Raiko. No in Settlement. Many soldiers search. Gone, Raiko. Search all places. He gone."
"Eeee, vanished? Soldiers? Vanished to where?"
"Here. To your friend. Where's your friend?"
"Ah so sorry, I doubt he would be there," she said with perfect sincerity and shook her head emphatically. "Probably he was warned and he has run off to Kanagawa or some such place, and so sorry, old friend, but that is not a good question to ask. Your information is very interesting. Is there more?"
Andr`e sighed. He knew she knew. Now she was at his mercy. For a time. "Yoshi samurai come tomorrow for your Hiraga," he said, no longer afraid because one word from him and patrols, Japanese or British, would tear the House of the Three Carp to pieces--after Hinodeh was taken to safety. "If gai-jin not have Hiraga tomorrow, much trouble, Raiko. For gai-jin, Yoshiwara, all." The way he said it sent a tremor through her. "Perhaps gai-jin put Enforcers here, there, all places." He let that hover in the air.
"So?" she asked, a bead of sweat forming on her upper lip, frightened of what was coming, all else forgotten.
"Have idea: if you... so sorry," he said sweetly, "if your friend hide Hiraga few day, secret, safe place.
Then, at right time give gai-jin leader Hiraga ... perhaps get much money, enough you, and Hinodeh, neh?" He was watching her and she tried not to flinch. "Or your people give Hiraga to Yoshi.
Hiraga is shishi--valuable--better than earrings," he said again and saw a shudder take her.
"Shishi valuable, neh?"
When her heart had stopped thundering enough and she could trust her voice, she mustered the best smile she could, for clearly he believed she knew Hiraga was here, and therefore he could, if provoked, put her and the Three Carp in lethal jeopardy. "I will ask my friend if she has seen him, or knows where he is, then we can talk, quickly," she said, voice conciliatory, deciding that it was better to hurry all shishi out of her life as soon as possible. Preferably tonight. "What wonderful information you have discovered, how valuable, how clever to know so much, it will bring some profit no doubt!