I Parker - The Masuda Affair

Tamako frowned. ‘Is she in danger?’

‘Perhaps, though I don’t think Ishikawa would kill his own mother. More importantly, Sadanori knows that I suspect him.’

Tamako protested, ‘But no one seems to know where she is. Surely you won’t be searching the temples for her?’

Since this had crossed his mind, Akitada said defensively, ‘I thought Tora and I could visit a few near the capital. Most likely she would leave an offering, and those are recorded. We would eventually catch up with her.’

Tamako shook her head. ‘I think getting the child is more important.’

Her sudden, high-handed decision dismayed Akitada, but he called Tora, who arrived looking more rested and cheerful, and explained the situation to him.

Tora glanced from Akitada to Tamako, saw the firm set of his lady’s chin, and said, ‘I bet Ishikawa’s taken his old lady to Uji, to Sadanori’s mother.’

‘To Uji?’ Akitada considered this. ‘By heaven, yes. Why didn’t I think of that?’

‘He has taken his mother to Lady Saisho?’ Tamako asked. ‘But why?’

‘He thinks we won’t look there.’ The more Akitada thought about it, the better he liked it. ‘Tora, you’ve outdone yourself. I should have realized that the pilgrimage story was meant to throw us off the track.’

Tora grinned complacently.

‘We can go to Otsu via Uji,’ Tamako decided. ‘It will make a pleasant journey.’

Akitada agreed meekly.

Uji had long been the refuge of the wealthy and powerful from the hectic life of the capital. The air was clean and pine-scented, and the sun glinted off the burbling waters and gilded the trees. Here and there, a maple already showed the first touch of red, and birds seemed to sing more loudly, perhaps to compete with the roar of the river.

At Lady Saisho’s house, Tamako dismounted before Akitada could assist her and ran to admire the view of the river gorge.

Tora said, ‘It’s not like this at night, sir. It’s dark as hell itself, and that noise gives you gooseflesh. You can’t hear what’s creeping up on you. You couldn’t pay me to live here.’

Akitada watched Tamako. ‘Yours is not a poetic soul, Tora,’ he said. ‘You probably only thought of demons and specters.’

Since this was true, Tora did not answer. Instead he belabored the gate.

Akitada found another reason to be grateful for his wife’s presence. The servant at first refused to admit them, but upon being informed that Lady Sugawara was of the party, he disappeared for instructions. He returned to take Tamako and Akitada to Lady Saisho’s pavilion.

There, the sun slanted in through the open veranda doors and the sound of the river filled the room. Paintings of picturesque trees and rocks, waterfalls, river bends, and steep cliffs mirrored the scenery outside.

Lady Saisho was elegantly and elaborately gowned in multicolored silks and brocade. She had not bothered with screens and was with Mrs Ishikawa, who sat beside her in her customary black and with a distinctly nervous look on her plain face.

Akitada had not met Sadanori’s mother before, but he knew that she had been lady-in-waiting to the emperor’s mother until her marriage to Sadanori’s father. She was still very handsome, though her long hair was white. She studied Akitada and Tamako as she made polite conversation.

Tamako pleased her by praising the view and reciting softly some famous lines from the novel Genji.

Lady Saisho smiled. ‘Yes, I dearly love this place and find the river’s sound soothing, but Lady Murasaki’s hero was troubled by it, I think. There are those who cannot bear the unceasing roar. They claim it is so deafening they cannot sleep.’ She glanced at Mrs Ishikawa, whose face reddened.

Akitada, impatient with pleasantries, said quickly, ‘Mrs Ishikawa and I are acquainted, and I am very glad to find her here. I tried in vain to speak to her a few days ago in Otsu.’

Mrs Ishikawa’s hands clenched, but Lady Saisho was interested. ‘Really? How very auspicious your visit was in that case. Would you like some privacy?’

‘Not at all. I only have a small favor to ask.’ Akitada smiled pleasantly at the ladies. Mrs Ishikawa’s hands relaxed slightly. ‘It concerns a little boy I found near Otsu. He has lost his voice and cannot speak for himself. I’ve been trying to find his family and think he may be the son of a dead woman who had ties to the Masuda family. If so, Mrs Ishikawa can identify the child.’

Mrs Ishikawa cried, ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t. I know nothing of the child. I cannot speak about the matter.’

This astonished Lady Saisho. ‘My dear,’ she said, ‘calm yourself and allow Lord Sugawara to explain. We must try to assist him.’

Akitada told about finding the child, and Lady Saisho was enchanted. Oh, the poor boy. What a very moving tale!’ She turned to Mrs Ishikawa. ‘Why were you told not to speak about this?’

‘I… I m-made a mistake,’ Mrs Ishikawa gasped. ‘It had nothing to do with that boy.’

She was not a good liar.

‘I think,’ said Akitada, ‘that the senior lady of the Masuda household did not wish the name of the boy’s mother mentioned. Her name was Peony, and she was a former courtesan from the capital. Lady Masuda’s young husband kept her in the lake villa.’ He paused. ‘Peony was quite famous in her former life.’

Lady Saisho stared at him. ‘Peony was in Otsu? How old is this child?’

‘I guessed about five, but Mrs Ishikawa will know more precisely.’

They all looked at her. She flushed and cried again, ‘I know nothing. Why ask me? I told you it’s all a mistake. It has nothing to do with me.’

But Lady Saisho grasped Mrs Ishikawa’s arm so firmly that she winced. ‘I think not, my dear,’ she said sharply. ‘You must tell us what you know about this. My son had a connection with this woman. He searched for her for many years.’

Mrs Ishikawa whimpered, ‘My Lady, don’t ask me. Your son would not want to know.’ She burst into a torrent of tears and rushed from the room.

Lady Saisho compressed her lips and turned to Akitada. ‘You must leave this matter to me. She is too upset to talk now. Perhaps you can come back later?’ Akitada hesitated. Leaving the two women at this point was risky. Lady Saisho pleaded, ‘I give you my word that you shall have your answer.’

He rose and helped his wife up. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Please forgive my troubling you with this. We’re on our way to Otsu to get the child and will return this way tomorrow.’

Lady Saisho nodded eagerly. ‘Yes, that is an excellent idea. Please do. I would very much like to see the boy myself

Outside, Akitada helped his wife on her horse. Tamako said, ‘Lady Saisho seems to believe she has found a grandson. Is she short of grandchildren?’

‘Perhaps,’ said Akitada. ‘Sadanori has only a grown daughter, I think.’

They reached Otsu at sunset. To Akitada’s dismay, Tamako insisted on spending the night in the inn where he had been arrested.

The oily host was visibly taken aback when he saw them arrive together. No doubt he was wondering why a man who had preferred the company of small boys in his bed would reappear with a grown woman in tow.

Akitada snapped, ‘Don’t stand there gawking. I need lodging for myself, my wife, and my servant.’ Then he saw a dilemma. Tamako would want her privacy.

Tamako clarified, ‘One large room for my husband and myself, and a smaller one for a retainer.’

The host bowed. He pushed the register across for Akitada to sign and stared at Tamako.

‘Mind your manners,’ snapped Akitada. Turning to Tora, he said, ‘You’d better see the warden and also ask around town in case Ishikawa is here. I don’t feel at all easy about not knowing what he’s up to.’