The Scent of Sake (50 page)

“We have plans for a great future for you.” Rie paused and took out her fan. She toyed with it in her lap. “Yes,” she continued. “There is a concern for the succession to the main house. You have been trained carefully, and your parents and I feel it is time to find a bride. You will succeed to the main house, Hiro, at the time of your marriage to a bride of our choice.” Rie sat back, satisfied, and glanced at Hirokichi.

He stiffened, his neck and shoulder muscles visibly tensing. He looked down and bowed toward Rie.

“You do me great honor, Grandmother. But I am not ready to marry yet.”

“Well, then, in a year, Hiro,” Fumi said, frowning.

Hirokichi looked straight ahead. “I cannot marry a bride I do not choose,” he said. He bowed again, looking down.

Rie frowned and tapped her fan on the table. “You realize, Hiro, that you have a heavy obligation to the main house. Frankly, you have been trained to succeed. Kinnosuke, and my son too, have taken great care in your training. Now it is only fitting that you marry a bride selected by the main house.”

“But I cannot,” Hirokichi said, frowning.

Rie stared at her grandson, unaccustomed as she was to such open defiance.

“There is no such thing as
cannot
where obligation to the house is concerned. No question, Hiro.” Rie’s voice rose sharply.

Hirokichi stood and bowed. “I am very sorry, Grandmother and Mother. But this is something I can never do.” He bowed again, turned, and left the room.

Stunned, Rie tapped her fan sharply on the table. “Fumi, it is your responsibility, yours and Eitaro’s, to persuade him. It has been our plan, our goal, ever since he was born.”

Fumi bowed. “We will do our best, Mother. But you know how stubborn he is. He has been since he was a baby.”

Rie knew all about stubborn. “And he has so much talent,

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apart from his training. Maybe Kinnosuke or Buntaro could talk to him.”

Fumi shook her head. “If he won’t listen to you and me, I doubt there’s anything Kinnosuke or Buntaro could say that would sway him. And he knows Kinnosuke has always favored Ume.”

“Perhaps we’ve spoiled him, Fumi, as your only son and the eldest boy in his generation. Sei’s son is too young still. Yes, I’m afraid I have spoiled him.” Rie’s mouth turned down at the corners and her whole being seemed to sag. “Well, you and Eitaro will have to persuade him. There is just no alternative.”

Two years had elapsed since Rie first broached the subject of marriage with Hirokichi, but he remained stubbornly opposed. He and Ume were nearly twenty-three and still unmarried. The situation could not be allowed to continue. Moreover, Yoshitaro’s health was declining dramatically.

Rie hurried to see Fumi and Eitaro one morning to try to end the crisis.

“I’m sorry, Mother, but there’s nothing more we can do to persuade Hiro,” Fumi moaned. “We’ve tried everything, but he’s adamant.” She squirmed uncomfortably.

Rie leaned forward, her voice rising higher than normal. “This is unheard of. It’s one thing to be stubborn, but to continue to defy the main house is an outrage. We can’t tolerate it. Ume must be married now. She’s nearly twenty-three, and we’ve been approached by several families. We can’t postpone her marriage any longer.” She looked at Eitaro, then back at Fumi.

“I have no way to apologize adequately, Mother,” Eitaro said.

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“We have done our best for the past two years. We have failed.” He bowed abjectly.

“And Mother, this has created so much tension in our house. Hiro doesn’t stay at home in the evening. He has taken to staying away more and more.”

Rie pursed her lips. “People will think there is something wrong with Ume if she doesn’t marry soon. It’s such a worry. And with Yoshi’s poor health we must settle the succession. I just don’t know what to do. And of course Yoshi expects Ume to succeed with a mukoyoshi.”

Fumi put a hand on her chin. “The trouble is, Mother, there is someone else he wants to marry.”

Rie thought of Saburo, young and handsome, his brown eyes so caring. Then of Jihei. She understood more than anyone would ever guess. But what must be, must be. “Since when do personal wishes enter where marriage is concerned? The house is what matters,” Rie tapped her fan on the table.

“Well, you know how Hiro has always been, Mother,” Fumi said. “How can we change his character now? He knows he is the eldest and most capable of his generation. You have said so yourself. That’s why he is so confident.”

“I intended for him to be twelfth house head, but now I don’t know. Kinnosuke always called him Botchan, and it’s true, he is spoiled. Well, who is this girl he wants to marry?” Rie put down her fan and looked at Fumi.

“I’m not exactly sure, but I’m afraid she may be a geisha,” Fumi said, looking down.

“A geisha! Marry a geisha! Preposterous! No Omura man is going to marry a geisha. Patronizing one is bad enough. Marrying one is out of the question. I won’t hear of it.” She scowled, the corners of her mouth turned down.

“So we’ve told him, Mother,” Eitaro said. “He surely would not have our blessing for such a marriage. We would have to

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consider disinheriting him. I doubt he would go through with it under those conditions. But the trouble is I’m not sure.” He rubbed his nose slowly.

“What a dilemma! And what shall we do about Ume? People are talking,” Rie said.

And that night, she lay awake, tossing and turning.

The next morning Rie hurried purposefully into the office after a hasty breakfast. She was glad to find Yoshitaro alone and sat down opposite him.

“Good morning, Yoshi.” She smiled at him.

Yoshitaro looked up, his face thinner and paler than ever. “Where is Kinno?” she asked.

“In the outer office filling orders,” he said, his voice rasping.

He coughed, a handkerchief to his mouth.

“You know, Yoshi, we can’t delay Ume’s marriage any longer.” Rie twirled her fan on the table.

“I know, Mother.” He coughed again, and Rie noticed spots of blood on his handkerchief. He wiped his mouth and struggled to speak. “We’ve been approached by three families now. Which do you favor?” he asked.

“Of course Hiro was our choice, but he is still being stubborn. Eitaro is threatening to disinherit him if he marries that geisha he told Fumi about.” Rie paused and looked down at her fan. “There’s only one way out, Yoshi.”

He put his handkerchief on his lap. “What’s that?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“Ume will have to marry one of the three, probably the Kuniyoshi son, and establish a branch house. And Hiro will succeed you. We will give him the succession if he agrees not to marry the geisha.”

Yoshitaro’s hands clenched on his lap. “You mean, force Ume out of the main house? Mother, we can’t do that!” His heavy

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brows drew together in a deep frown. He coughed uncontrollably.

Rie sighed heavily. She cared for Ume, yet what else could be done? She heard a rustling beyond the door to the outer office and guessed that Kinnosuke was listening. “It’s not what we hoped for, but it’s the only way out of this impasse, Yoshi. Ume will be set up in a branch. We’ll be generous with her, and I think Kuniyoshi is the best of the three. He’ll do well by us and by her.” She squared her shoulders, then poured a cup of tea and pushed it across the table to Yoshitaro. “You must take better care of your health, Yoshi. Have you seen the herbalist lately?”

“Yesterday,” he replied abruptly, then bent over and continued coughing.

Rie looked in alarm at the crimson spreading in his handkerchief until it was nearly soaked. She stood abruptly and rushed to the kitchen. Tama looked up, startled.

“Quickly, Tama. Take some damp towels to Yoshi in the office.

He’s coughing so badly.”

Tama reached for towels, dampened two in a basin, and ran to the office, Rie behind her.

Tama knelt quickly and began wiping Yoshitaro’s face.

He pushed her hand away. “Don’t get so excited, Mother. I’ve been taking the medicine regularly. But I can’t agree to sending Ume out of the main house. It’s her birthright.” He glared at Rie.

She knelt at the table again.

“Yoshi, dear,” she said more gently, “please be reasonable. It’s not something I want to do.”

“Why not set Hirokichi up as a branch? Or just have him inherit Eitaro’s?” Yoshitaro said.

“I’ve told you, Yoshi, that I think this is the only way to prevent him from a disgraceful marriage that would dishonor the house. And you know how clever he is, Yoshi. He could build White Tiger to the number one position.”

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“I can’t agree.” He bent over and coughed again. “I will only allow it if you promise to disinherit Hiro if he refuses a bride the house chooses.” He looked down glumly. “And it will make Kinno very unhappy to see Ume sent out. He counts on her to succeed. We both do.”

“Yes, you’re right, Yoshi.” She paused. “But he isn’t a member of the house. This is the way it has to be.”
The way it has to be.
How many times had she had to say those words over the years? She put both hands to her face, then rose and left the office.

Three weeks later Rie called a full family council at the main house: Yoshitaro, Tama, and Ume; Fumi, Eitaro, Hirokichi, and Mie; and Seisaburo, Mari, and their children, Masako and Nobuo. Rie took greater care than usual in dressing for the morning meeting in the parlor. Zabuton were arranged around two tables placed together. Yoshitaro sat at the head of the table with Rie at his left, Tama on his right.

Rie and Yoshitaro greeted family members as they arrived at the main entrance. Tama set out the best kutani teacups.

Rie had discussed with Yoshitaro what to say. They were finally in agreement. Well, reluctant agreement.

“Welcome to all of you,” he began, bowing and glancing around the table. “As you know, we have been discussing the question of succession to the main house and the marriages of Ume and Hirokichi. We have sought your guidance in these matters for these past two years and more.”

As he completed each sentence, Rie and Tama both bowed slightly. O-Yuki brought in teapots and poured for everyone.

“Now, as a result of these discussions we have been able to arrive at solutions that will be acceptable to all.” He coughed, his handkerchief over his mouth. Beads of sweat formed on his brow. “First, Ume will marry the Kuniyoshi second son and establish

a branch. We have decided to agree to the o-miai meeting and the wedding soon after.”

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Rie glanced at Ume but could see no sign of emotion on her face. Ume had brought tea to her grandmother several evenings earlier, as had become her habit.

“Sit down, dear,” Rie had said. “There is something I would like to discuss with you.”

Ume had poured tea and listened attentively.

“I know that two years ago, when I mentioned my hope that you would marry Hirokichi, I could see that you were not enthusiastic, though I knew you would do as we thought best.”