The Scarlet Kimono (Choc Lit) (13 page)

Hannah could have kicked herself. She had forgotten that in Japanese the word ‘
hana
’ meant flower. Besides, she ought to have given him her boy’s name in any case. ‘N-no,’ she stuttered. ‘My name doesn’t mean that in our language, it – it just sounds the same.’

‘Hmm.’ He gave her one more appraising look and Hannah almost squirmed under his scrutiny. ‘Well, to me you shall forever be “Red”, because I have never seen anyone with hair like that before,’ he said. ‘
Sayonara
, goodbye
.
May our paths meet again.’

He bowed slightly and wandered back to the rest of the group.

Hannah watched him go and couldn’t take her eyes off his broad back. She wondered who he was, but doubted she would ever meet him again so the fact that he hadn’t introduced himself was clearly irrelevant.

Still, it would have been nice to at least know his name.

Besides practically forcing the foreigners to part with a lot more presents than they would have liked to, the Lord Matsura outstayed his welcome by several hours. He was royally entertained and Hannah was kept busy helping Hoji to prepare the food that arrived in a steady stream from the quayside. When the interminable meal was over at last, some of the crew members were ordered to play some music and sing for the guests. Hannah made her way up to stand by the railing at the back of the ship, enjoying the entertainment from afar and the slight breeze that cooled her hot cheeks.

Darkness was descending and there were lights twinkling along the shore line. People walked around carrying lanterns and the sound of voices and laughter echoed across the water. The fragrance of pine trees was thick in the air, mixed with the usual tang of brine from the sea. Hannah drew in a deep breath. How wonderful to be so close to land and not in the middle of the unpredictable ocean, she thought.

‘Alone again,
Akai
? Have you no duties to attend to?’

The question made her swivel round, her heart beating rapidly with fright. She stared up at the black-clad Japanese man who had spoken to her earlier.

‘Wh-what are you doing here?’ she stammered, looking behind him to see if he was accompanied by anyone, but there was no one there.

He looked faintly surprised, as if he wasn’t used to anyone questioning him, but then replied evenly, ‘The same as you, I should think, taking a breath of fresh air. The captain’s cabin is stifling and, if you will forgive me for saying so, not entirely fresh smelling.’

‘Oh, of course.’ Hannah understood what he meant. During the journey Hoji’s habits of cleanliness had become the norm for her as well, while most of the other men on board never bothered with such niceties. She had stopped thinking about it and just followed Hoji’s example, although she’d been a bit lax during the last horrendous weeks when they were feeling weak with hunger. She knew everyone else stank to high heaven.

‘You didn’t answer my question,’ he reminded her now. ‘I am curious to know how servants are treated in your country. Or are you treated differently because one of the captains is your brother?’

‘No.’ Hannah bit her lip, not quite sure how to reply. Somehow her brain didn’t seem to function very well whenever this man was around. She shouldn’t have told him about her brother either, and was surprised he remembered this detail as she’d only mentioned it in passing. ‘I usually have plenty of chores to do, but today is special. We are all relieved to have reached land.’ She glanced towards the hatch down to the cook room. ‘I am not normally allowed to go anywhere alone. Hoji-
san
is nearby and in my case it’s complicated. You see, I shouldn’t be on this ship at all.’

‘Why?’

‘I, uhm … I’m afraid I came along without permission.’

She thought she detected another twinkle of amusement in his eyes, but it was becoming too dark to see properly, so she couldn’t be sure. ‘I understand,’ he said. ‘And now you have to work hard as a punishment?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then I had better not keep you from your duties.’ He bowed again and this time she bowed back, lower than him to show deference as Hoji had taught her. Before he left, however, she couldn’t resist voicing the question that had been occupying her mind since their first meeting.

‘What’s your name? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.’

He stiffened slightly, as if she had been impertinent, then replied, ‘Kuma.’

With a swish of silk he was gone as quickly as he had come, and Hannah turned the word over in her mind, savouring it.
Kuma
meant bear. Was that his real name or had he made it up? She had no way of knowing, but it definitely suited him.

Chapter Eighteen

Hoji was very quiet the following morning, but eventually he looked at Hannah and asked, ‘Now what will happen?’

‘I beg your pardon? Oh, you mean to me? I have no idea.’ Hannah had worried about this endlessly herself, but hadn’t been able to come up with an answer. ‘I hope to see something of your country and then I suppose I’ll have to go back to my own.’ She sighed. It wasn’t a thought that appealed to her, but she knew she couldn’t postpone the inevitable for ever. Sooner or later she had to face the consequences of her actions. ‘You’ll be returning too, won’t you?’

Hoji nodded. ‘Yes, I still owe the captain my life. Until I save him, I’m staying.’

‘So I could work with you on the way home again and then …’ Hannah swallowed hard. ‘When we reach England, I’ll have to find work somewhere other than in Plymouth. I doubt my family will want me back.’

‘You will be a
ronin
too,’ Hoji tried to joke and Hannah smiled feebly.

‘Yes, in a way. But let’s not talk about that now. We should enjoy the moment. I suppose everyone will be given shore leave, although I guess we’ll have to take turns. Would you mind if I go with you? Or do you have other plans, now that you’re home?’

‘It’s not really “home” as such, not any more. I have no family and no clan, so I’ll be staying with the captain. But you can certainly come with me if we’re allowed to go to the town.’

‘Thank you. I can’t possibly have come this far and then not see anything. That would be unbearable.’ Hannah could hardly believe that they had reached Japan, the place she had dreamed of seeing for so long. It was inconceivable that she should be prevented from at least exploring a tiny bit.

In the event, their plans proved unnecessary. Rydon summoned Hoji and asked him to arrange rented accommodation for himself and the other higher-ranking members of the crew in the town.

‘He told me he wants me to continue to cook for him while we’re here,’ Hoji reported back to Hannah. ‘And he said to bring you as my helper. Good,
neh
?’

‘Wonderful,’ Hannah agreed. ‘I can’t wait to get off this ship. But why is he shouting again?’ Rydon’s irate tones could be heard from one end of the
Sea Sprite
to the other, but it seemed to be just one long string of expletives, and she didn’t know why he was so angry.

‘Come and look out of the hatch,’ Hoji said, then pointed towards some of the other ships anchored in the harbour.

‘I don’t understand … oh!’ Hannah caught sight of an English flag flying from the main mast of one of the ships. ‘You don’t mean …?’

‘Yes. The English East India Company’s ship, the
Clove
. I heard someone say it arrived here two whole months ago. John Saris, the captain, has already left for the
Shogun
’s court to try and obtain a grant of privileges. We’re too late and the captain is furious.’

‘Oh, dear.’ Hannah remembered her father’s admonition that it was vital they were the first to reach Japan. Their unscheduled stop near the Magellan Straits had obviously scuppered their plan. ‘So that’s why he and Jacob had that heated discussion yesterday after Lord Matsura left. I heard them shouting. But surely there’s room for competition? I mean, can’t we trade with your people anyway?’

‘I don’t know. Captain Rydon is going to try to find this man Will Adams and see what he has to say. There are some Dutch people here too, but the ones he has spoken to so far don’t seem to know much. Either that or they’re not willing to tell him. Now, I’d better hurry and do as he asked, or he’ll be in an even worse temper. You wait here, please.’

Japan was like nothing Hannah had ever seen before and she couldn’t have imagined it if she tried. Hoji had described his homeland to her as best he could, but mere words were not enough to do it justice.

Small houses, built of timber and plaster, lined the streets which were immaculately clean. No refuse littered the well-swept surfaces and Hannah saw several people busy with their brooms outside their own houses. Others were sprinkling the road with water in order to minimise the amount of dust. The waterfront was cobbled and there were people engaged in repairing nets, gutting fish and all the other various trades associated with the sea. Strange, square-looking boats bobbed in the harbour and Hannah thought that their own ships seemed large and ungainly in comparison.

Hannah stared at the people, who stared back. Their eyes opened wide at the sight of her red hair, which had by now grown back down to waist-length. She hadn’t bothered to cut it as several of the sailors on board had equally long hair. Although she had plaited it as best she could, there were still a few tendrils that escaped the leather cord she’d tied it back with to curl wildly around her face. The townsfolk seemed even more surprised if they caught a glimpse of her blue eyes. A few children shrieked with fear and ran off towards the safety of their mothers shouting, ‘
Kami, kami
, she’s come to take us!’

Hannah laughed. ‘They think I’m an evil spirit? Do I look that dreadful?’

‘No, no, it’s your hair. They rarely see anything but black hair,’ Hoji explained. ‘And yours is rather vivid,
neh
?’

‘Yes, it is,’ Hannah chuckled.

She hoped the people of Japan were not superstitious enough to attack her for being different, but trusted that Hoji would protect her if necessary.

‘Is that man wearing pattens? They don’t look much like our kind,’ Hannah whispered to her friend, nodding at a man who was wielding his broom vigorously. The man was wearing what seemed to be a flat piece of wood on each foot with two other pieces of wood attached at right angles to the underside. Hannah thought it was a wonder the man was able to balance on these contraptions.

‘Yes, but we call them
geta
. Like yours, they can be worn when it’s muddy or wet outside. Most people wear straw sandals though. If it’s cold they also put on socks called
tabi
which are split between the largest toe and the next so that you can wear them with the thonged sandals.’

‘I see. It looks very uncomfortable.’

‘You’ll become used to it. I can’t wait to buy a pair.’ Although Hoji owned some English boots, he had preferred to remain barefoot most of the time on board ship, weather permitting.

Hannah looked at her own footwear, which was in a bad way. She had put on her old boots, but the constant presence of salt water had eaten away at the leather. She supposed she would have to adapt to the Japanese sandals too unless she wanted to walk barefoot.

‘So where are we going?’ Hannah asked when Hoji stopped for a moment on a street corner.

‘That way. After you.’ He waved a hand towards the right.

Hannah turned the corner and ran straight into a solid chest. ‘Oh,
sumimasen
, I’m so sorry!’

She heard Hoji’s sharp intake of breath behind her, as if he was horrified by something, but two strong arms came up to steady her and a familiar voice said, ‘
O-hayo gozaimasu, Akai
.’

Hannah looked up into the amber gaze of Kuma and took a step back. ‘Er, good morning.’ She tried to bow and he let go of her and inclined his head. She noticed that this time there were several retainers walking behind him, all of them waiting patiently for him to continue. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here, Kuma-
san
. May I introduce Hoji-
san
, my
Sensei
?’ She bowed properly, aware that her cheeks were flaming yet again and wondering why he had this effect on her. It annoyed her that she felt so flustered around him.

Hoji had fallen to his knees in the dirt and bowed so low his forehead was touching the ground. Hannah wondered if he knew something about this Kuma that she didn’t, but it was too late now. She couldn’t suddenly throw herself down in obeisance when she hadn’t done so before. ‘We were just on our way to a house belonging to Yashi-
san
, which has been rented to us for the time being,’ she said.

‘Then I believe you are going in the same direction as us. If you would care to walk with us, I’ll show you where it is. I have rented it myself on occasion, although this time I am a guest of Lord Matsura.’

‘You’re too kind, my lord.’ Hoji got to his feet, although he was still bent over in a deferential bow. He sent Hannah a warning glance, but she wasn’t sure what it meant. And how did Hoji know this man was a lord? He still hadn’t introduced himself properly. She resolved to ask him later, but for now, she fell into step behind Kuma. Hoji had told her that women always walked behind the men in Japan and although she was supposed to be a boy, she was obviously still this man’s social inferior. She didn’t want to offend anyone so she thought she’d better comply. Perhaps that was what Hoji had been trying to tell her?

To her surprise, however, Kuma stopped and waved her forward. ‘Please walk next to me. I wish to talk with you some more.’

‘What about, er, my lord Kuma?’ She heard gasps of surprise from the retainers behind them, but tried to ignore that. They were no doubt wondering why a foreign boy, and a dirty and dishevelled one at that, should be accorded such a privilege. She couldn’t help asking the same question herself and cringed inwardly at the thought of how awful she must look.

‘Tell me about your journey, please. How far have you come? I understand you are from the same country as
Anjin-san
, the foreigner who is advisor to the
Shogun
.’

‘If you mean Will Adams, then yes, that’s right. It’s called England. We set sail two years ago and thought it would take us about eighteen months to reach your country. Unfortunately we were held up by ice so our journey was considerably longer.’

‘And you suffered much hardship?’

‘Yes. We lost many men to illness and accidents and to tell you the truth, we were beginning to despair of ever arriving.’

‘It seems a long way to come just to trade. Is there no profit to be made closer to your country?’

‘I’m afraid I don’t know much about such matters. As far as I can understand it, the goods available here will make us much more money because they are so unusual. The captains must have thought the risks worth taking.’

Kuma nodded as if he understood their reasoning and agreed with it. ‘It makes sense, I suppose.’

‘You will have to ask captain Rydon if you want further details. I would be happy to translate for you.’ Hannah didn’t know what made her add this offer, especially since she was sure Rydon wouldn’t approve, but she found this man fascinating and wanted to meet him again. ‘Or Hoji-
san
would, of course,’ she added.

‘Thank you, I might do that. Now here we are, your house. I bid you farewell.’

Kuma bowed, although not very low Hannah noticed, and they said goodbye. She heard Hoji let out a long breath, as if he’d been holding it for a while, and she turned to him with a frown. ‘What’s the matter? Did I offend him? I was only trying to answer his questions, but I know I don’t speak your language perfectly yet.’

‘No, you did well and I don’t think you were impolite in any way, but men such as he can be very unpredictable. One moment they’ll be all gracious and forgiving, the next they’ll cut your head off for the slightest transgression. You must be careful, Hannah-
chan
.’

‘Cut off your head? Surely not.’ She shivered at the thought.

‘But of course. He is clearly a powerful man, a
daimyo
or other high-ranking
samurai
no doubt. Didn’t you see his two exquisite swords and his fine clothing? And why else would he be a guest of Lord Matsura and have so many servants following his every step?’

‘Heavens, I had no idea. He just told me his name was Kuma. Not lord anything.’

Hoji shook his head. ‘Honestly, it nearly gave me a heart attack when you walked into him. I thought your last moment had come for sure. He’s obviously humouring you for some reason though, curiosity perhaps. But be on your guard.’