Part 116 (1/2)
”There's no pressure that I can use. So sorry.”
”So sorry too, Lady.”
Mariko put down her cup. ”Then you've decided that some tongues are not safe.”
Gyoko said harshly, ”If I were going to whisper secrets about you, would I tell you to your face? Do you think I'd be so naive?”
”Perhaps you'd better go, so sorry, but I have so much to do.”
”Yes, Lady, and so have I!” Gyoko replied, her voice rough. ”Lord Toranaga asked me, to my face to my face, what I knew about you and the Anjin-san. This afternoon. I told him there was nothing between you. I said, 'Oh yes, Sire, I've heard the foul rumors too, but there's no truth in them. I swear it on the head of my son, Sire, and his sons. If anyone would know, surely it would be me. You may believe it's all a malicious lie-gossip, jealous gossip, Sire....'Oh yes, Lady, you may believe I was suitably shocked, my acting perfect, and he was convinced.” Gyoko quaffed the sake and added bitterly, ”Now we are all ruined if he gets proof-which wouldn't be difficult to get. Neh?” Neh?”
”How?”
”Put the Anjin-san to the test-Chinese methods. Chimmoko-Chinese methods. Me-Kiku-san-Yos.h.i.+naka ... so sorry, even you, Lady-Chinese methods.”
Mariko took a deep breath. ”May-may I ask you-why you took such a risk?”
”Because in certain situations women must protect each other against men. Because I actually saw nothing. Because you've done me no harm. Because I like you and the Anjin-san and believe you both have your own karmas karmas. And because I'd rather have you alive and a friend than dead, and it's exciting to watch you three moths circling the flame of life.”
”I don't believe you.”
Gyoko laughed softly. ”Thank you, Lady.” Controlled now, she said with complete sincerity, ”Very well, I'll tell you the real reason. I need your help. Yes, Toranaga-sama won't grant my request but perhaps you can think of a way. You're the only chance I've ever had, that I'll ever have in this lifetime, and I can't release it lightly. There, now you know. Please, I humbly beg you to help me with my request.” She put both hands on the futons and bowed low. ”Please excuse my impertinence, Lady Toda, but all that I have will be put at your side if you will help me.” Then she settled back on her heels, adjusted the folds of her kimono, and finished the sake.
Mariko tried to think straight. Her intuition told her to trust the woman but her mind was still partially befogged with her newfound insight into Toranaga and her relief that Gyoko had not denounced her as she had expected, so she decided to put that decision aside for later consideration. ”Yes, I will try. You must give me time, please.”
”I can give you better than that. Here's a fact: You know Amida Tong? The a.s.sa.s.sins?”
”What about them?”
”Remember the one in Osaka Castle, Lady? He went against the Anjin-san-not Toranaga-sama. Lord Kiyama's chief steward gave two thousand koku for that attempt.”
”Kiyama? But why?”
”He's Christian, neh? neh? The Anjin-san was the enemy even then, The Anjin-san was the enemy even then, neh? neh? If then, what about now? Now that the Anjin-san's samurai, and free, with his s.h.i.+p.” If then, what about now? Now that the Anjin-san's samurai, and free, with his s.h.i.+p.”
”Another Amida? Here?”
Gyoko shrugged. ”Who knows? But I wouldn't give an eta's eta's loincloth for the Anjin-san's life if he's careless outside the castle.” loincloth for the Anjin-san's life if he's careless outside the castle.”
”Where is he now?”
”In his quarters, Lady. You're going to visit him soon, neh? neh? Perhaps it'd be as well to warn him.” Perhaps it'd be as well to warn him.”
”You seem to know everything that's going on, Gyoko-san!”
”I keep my ears open, Lady, and my eyes.”
Mariko curbed her anxiety over Blackthorne. ”Did you tell Toranaga-sama?”
”Oh yes, I told him that.” The corners of Gyoko's eyes crinkled and she sipped her sake. ”As a matter of fact, I don't think he was surprised. That's interesting, don't you think?”
”Perhaps you were mistaken.”
”Perhaps. In Mis.h.i.+ma I heard a rumor that there was a poison plot against Lord Kiyama. Terrible, neh?” neh?”
”What plot?”
Gyoko told her the details.
”Impossible! One Christian daimyo daimyo would never do that to another!” would never do that to another!”
Mariko filled the cups.
”May I ask what else was said, by you and by him?”
”Part of it, Lady, was my plea to get back into his favor and out of that flea-sack inn, and to that he agreed. Now we're to have proper quarters within the castle, near the Anjin-san, in one of the guest houses and I may come and go as I wish. He asked Kiku-san to entertain him tonight and that's another improvement, though nothing will get him out of his melancholia. Neh?” Neh?” Gyoko was watching Mariko speculatively. Mariko kept her face guileless, and merely nodded. The other woman sighed and continued, ”Yes, he's very sad. Pity. Part of the time was spent on the three secrets. He asked me to repeat what I knew, what I'd told you.” Gyoko was watching Mariko speculatively. Mariko kept her face guileless, and merely nodded. The other woman sighed and continued, ”Yes, he's very sad. Pity. Part of the time was spent on the three secrets. He asked me to repeat what I knew, what I'd told you.”
Ah, Mariko thought, as another clue fell neatly into its slot. Ochiba? So that was Zataki's bait. And Toranaga's also got a cudgel over Omi's head if needed, and a weapon to use against Onos.h.i.+ with Harima, or even Kiyama.
”You smile, Lady?”
Oh yes, Mariko wanted to say, wanting to share her elation with Gyoko. How valuable your information must have been to our Master, she wanted to tell Gyoko. How he should reward you! You should be made a daimyo daimyo yourself! And how fantastic Toranaga-sama is to have listened, apparently so unconcernedly. How marvelous he is! yourself! And how fantastic Toranaga-sama is to have listened, apparently so unconcernedly. How marvelous he is!
But Toda Mariko-noh-Buntaro only shook her head and said calmly, ”I'm sorry your information didn't cheer him up.”
”Nothing I said improved his humor, which was dull and defeated. Sad, neh?” neh?”
”Yes, so sorry.”
”Yes.” Gyoko sniffed. ”Another piece of information before I go, to interest you, Lady, to cement our friends.h.i.+p. It's very possible the Anjin-san is very fertile.”
”What?”
”Kiku-san's with child.”
”The Anjin-san?”
”Yes. Or Lord Toranaga. Possibly Omi-san. All were within the correct time span. Of course she took precautions after Omi-san as usual, but as you know, no method is perfect, nothing is ever guaranteed, mistakes happen, neh? neh? She believes she forgot after the Anjin-san but she's not sure. That was the day the courier arrived at Anjiro, and in the excitement of leaving for Yokose and of Lord Toranaga's buying her contract-it's understandable, She believes she forgot after the Anjin-san but she's not sure. That was the day the courier arrived at Anjiro, and in the excitement of leaving for Yokose and of Lord Toranaga's buying her contract-it's understandable, neh?” neh?” Gyoko lifted her hands, greatly perturbed. ”After Lord Toranaga, at my suggestion, she did the reverse. Also we both lit incense sticks and prayed for a boy.” Gyoko lifted her hands, greatly perturbed. ”After Lord Toranaga, at my suggestion, she did the reverse. Also we both lit incense sticks and prayed for a boy.”
Mariko studied the pattern on her fan. ”Who? Who do you think?”
”That's the trouble, Lady. I don't know. I'd be grateful for your advice.”
”This beginning must be stopped. Of course. There's no risk to her.”
”I agree. Unfortunately, Kiku-san does not agree.”