“You’re too kind, Lady. Oh, yes, as you’re going to see our Master now, before me, would you intercede for us? We need such a little favor. Neh?”
“I would be glad to.” Mariko thought a moment. “Some favors can be asked but, even so, are not granted.”
Gyoko stiffened slightly. “Ah! You’ve already asked him the . . . asked him to favor us?”
“Of course—why shouldn’t I?” Mariko said carefully. “Isn’t Kiku-san a favorite? And aren’t you a devoted vassal? Haven’t you been granted favors in the past?”
“My requests are always so little. Everything I said before still applies, Lady. Perhaps more so.”
“About empty-bellied dogs?”
“About long ears and safe tongues.”
“Ah yes. And secrets.”
“It would be so easy to satisfy me. My Lord’s favor—and my Lady’s—is not much to ask, neh?”
“No. If an opportunity occurs . . . I can promise nothing.”
“Until this evening, Lady.”
They bowed to each other and no samurai was any the wiser. Mariko got into the palanquin to more bows, hiding the trembles that beset her, and the cortege left. Gyoko stared after her.
“You, woman,” a young samurai said roughly as he passed. “What’re you waiting for? Go about your business.”
“Ha!” Gyoko said disdainfully to the amusement of others. “Woman, is it, puppy? If I went about your business I might have a very hard time finding it, hey, even though you’re not yet man enough to have thatch!”
The others laughed. With a toss of her head she walked on fearlessly.
“Hello,” Blackthorne said.
“Good afternoon, Anjin-san. You look happy!”
“Thank you. It’s the sight of such a lovely lady, neh?”
“Ah, thank you,” Mariko replied. “How is your ship?”
“First class. Would you like to come aboard? I’d like to show you around.”
“Is that permitted? I was ordered here to meet Lord Toranaga.”
“Yes. We’re all waiting for him now.” Blackthorne turned and spoke to the senior samurai on the wharf. “Captain, I take Lady Toda there. Show ship. When Lord Toranaga arrive—you call, neh?”
“As you wish, Anjin-san.”
Blackthorne led the way off the jetty. Samurai were manning the barriers and security was tighter than ever, ashore and on deck. First he went to the quarterdeck. “This is mine, all mine,” he said with pride.
“Are any of your crew here?”
“No—none. Not today, Mariko-san.” He pointed out everything as quickly as he could, then guided her below. “This is the main cabin.” The aft bay windows overlooked the foreshore. He closed the door. Now they were totally alone.
“This is your cabin?” she asked.
He shook his head, watching her. She went into his arms. He held her tight. “Oh, how I have missed thee.”
“And I have missed thee. . . .”
“There’s so much to tell thee. And to ask thee,” he said.
“I’ve nothing to tell thee. Except that I love thee with all my heart.” She shivered in his arms, trying to throw off her terror that Gyoko or someone would denounce them. “I’m so afraid for thee.”
“Don’t be afraid, Mariko my darling. Everything’s going to be all right.”
“That’s what I tell myself. But today it’s impossible to accept karma and the will of God.”
“You were so distant the last time.”
“This is Yedo, my love. And beyond First Bridge.”
“It was because of Buntaro-san. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “That and Toranaga’s decision to surrender. It’s such a dishonorable uselessness. . . . I never thought I’d ever say that out loud but I have to say it. So sorry.” She nestled closer into the protection of his shoulder.
“When he goes to Osaka, you’re finished, too?”
“Yes. The Toda clan are too powerful and important. In any event I would not be left alive.”
“Then you must come with me. We’ll escape. We’ll—”
“So sorry, but there’s no escape.”
“Unless Toranaga allows it, neh?”
“Why should he allow it?”
Quickly Blackthorne told her what he had said to Toranaga, but not that he had also asked for her. “I know I can force the priests to bring Kiyama or Onoshi to his side, if he’ll allow me to take this Black Ship,” he finished excitedly, “and I know I can do that!”
“Yes,” she said, glad for the sake of the Church that he was hobbled by Toranaga’s decision. Again she examined the logic of his plan and found it flawless. “It should work, Anjin-san. Now that Harima’s hostile, there would be no reason why Toranaga-sama shouldn’t order an attack if he were going to war, and not surrendering.”
“If Lord Kiyama or Lord Onoshi, or both of them, joined him, would that tip the scale toward him?”
“Yes,” she said. “With Zataki and time.” She had already explained the strategic importance of Zataki’s control of the northern route. “But Zataki’s opposed to Toranaga-sama.”
“Listen, I can strangle the priests. So sorry, but they are my enemy though they are your priests. I can dominate them on his behalf—on mine too. Will you help me to help him?”
She stared up at him. “How?”
“Help me to persuade him to give me the chance, and persuade him to delay going to Osaka.”
There was the sound of horses and voices raised on the jetty. Distracted, they went to the windows. Samurai were pulling aside one of the barriers. Father Alvito spurred forward into the clearing.
“What does he want?” Blackthorne muttered sourly.
They watched the priest as he dismounted and pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and gave it to the senior samurai. The man read it. Alvito looked up at the ship.
“Whatever it is, is official,” she said in a small voice.
“Listen, Mariko-san, I’m not against the Church. The Church isn’t evil, it’s the priests. And they’re not all bad. Alvito isn’t, though he’s fanatic. I swear to God I believe the Jesuits will bow to Lord Toranaga if I get their Black Ship and threaten next year’s, because they’ve got to have money—Portugal and Spain have got to have money. Toranaga’s more important. Will you help me?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll help you, Anjin-san. But, please excuse me, I cannot betray the Church.”
“All I ask is that you talk to Toranaga, or help me to talk to him if you think that’s better.”
A distant bugle sounded. They looked out of the windows again. Everyone was staring west. The head of a procession of samurai around a curtained litter approached from the direction of the castle.
The cabin door opened. “Anjin-san, you will come now, please,” the samurai said.
Blackthorne led the way on deck and down to the jetty. His nod to Alvito was coldly polite. The priest was equally glacial.
To Mariko, Alvito was kind. “Hello, Mariko-san. How nice to see you.”
“Thank you, Father,” she said, bowing low.
“May the blessings of God be upon you.” He made the sign of the cross over her. “In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Alvito glanced at Blackthorne. “So, Pilot? How is your ship?”
“I’m sure you already know.”
“Yes, I know.” Alvito looked Erasmus over, his face taut. “May God curse her and all who sail in her if she’s used against Faith and Portugal.”
“Is that why you came here? To spread more venom?”