Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka

frowned. If Genji walked, he was more vulnerable to assassination. If he didn’t, the woman would display herself among the Okumichi samurai for all of Edo to see. There was no good choice, only one less bad. It would be easier to protect Genji than to live with the ridicule. “Yes, that is the best solution.”
    While Genji and his aide talked, Emily glanced at their host’s small troop of samurai. They were all staring at her, their faces seeming to register varying degrees of distress. She quickly looked away, her heart racing. Perhaps it was not her they found distressing, but Zephaniah or Brother Matthew, or the difficulties their arrival had caused. She should not let her hopes rise only to be dashed. She told herself to leap to no conclusions. Not yet. But, oh, could it be? Yes, it could. It could.
    Cromwell said, “Emily, I believe Lord Genji is offering you the use of his palanquin.”
    “How can I accept, Zephaniah? Surely it is four times more evil to be held aloft by four slaves than to be pulled along by one.”
    Cromwell looked again at the bearers. “I doubt these are slaves. Each man carries a sword at his waist. No armed slave would be permitted to be so close to his master.”
    Emily saw that Zephaniah was right. The men were armed, and they held themselves as proudly as the samurai. It was probably a position of great honor to serve as bearer to their lord. She noticed that these men, too, were staring at her, aghast. Despite her caution, she felt joy welling in her heart. “Still, I would not be comfortable, Zephaniah, to be carried while you walk. That would be unseemly and most unwomanly.”
    Genji smiled. “Palanquins are apparently also a religious issue.”
    “Yes, lord,” Saiki said, but his attention was on his men. “Control yourselves! Your thoughts are naked on your faces.”
    Emily knew the fierce one had said something about her because all of the samurai now affected bland expressions and avoided looking in her direction.
    “I cannot disagree with you, Emily. But in the circumstances, it might be best to acquiesce with good grace. We must adapt ourselves as we can, insofar as our morality allows, to the customs of this country.”
    “As you wish, Zephaniah.” Emily curtsied to Lord Genji and obediently stepped up to the palanquin, where she was immediately stymied. The entryway was exceedingly small. She would have to engage in a sequence of unladylike contortions to pass through it. And once inside the compact box, her thickly padded coat and voluminous skirt and petticoats would consume all the space not taken by her body. There would be almost no breathing room.
    Zephaniah said, “Let me take your coat, Emily. The palanquin will keep you from the cold.”
    Emily clutched the coat possessively to her chest. “I prefer to wear it, thank you.” It was another layer between her body and the world. The more layers the better.
    “She doesn’t know how to get in,” Saiki said. “Her intelligence matches her appearance.”
    “How would she know?” Genji said. “She’s never done it before.” He bowed politely to her and went up to the palanquin. He took off his swords and placed them inside. Then he bent his body, and as he entered, turned, so that when he completed the movement, he was properly seated. To exit, he first brought his legs outside, then followed with the rest of his body. He made every move with deliberate slowness, so Emily could clearly observe. As he stood, he smoothly placed the swords back into his sash. His demonstration complete, he bowed again and gestured for Emily to board the palanquin.
    “Thank you, Lord Genji,” Emily said, genuinely grateful. He had saved her from making a disgraceful spectacle of herself. She followed his example and boarded the palanquin without incident.
    “Can you carry so huge a creature?” one of the samurai said to the bearers.
    “Hidé!” Saiki said. “You’re on stable duty for one month. Are there any other