nodded towards the sliding doors. ‘Is she within?’
‘I’m sorry, my lord, but my sister is indisposed.’ Reiko bowed low. ‘Was there something I could help you with?’
‘What’s wrong with her?’ he asked, frowning at her openly now and ignoring her question. She didn’t look the slightest bit worried, so Hasuko couldn’t be very ill. In fact, Reiko was wearing a smug expression which annoyed him intensely. He wished that he could find some excuse for sending her back to her father, but apparently Hasuko couldn’t do without her sister yet. Or so she said. And true to his character, Lord Takaki hadn’t bestirred himself to find Reiko a new husband. Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps. If only I were that lucky …
‘Oh, you know, womanly matters,’ Reiko replied with a coy smile.
Taro wondered why she was the only person sleeping in the ante-room. There should have been other ladies present, but presumably they had been relegated to different quarters because their mistress was feeling delicate. Reiko was kneeling on her futon and as he continued to stare at her, the sleeping robe she wore slipped down, showing him one pale shoulder. He blinked, sure that she’d done it on purpose.
What was she up to now? Surely, she wasn’t trying to seduce him within hearing distance of her sister? The walls were paper thin and even the smallest sound would be enough to wake Hasuko. This didn’t seem to deter Reiko though. She moved towards him on her knees and raised her chin to show off the long, white column of her throat. Taro swallowed down an expletive at her provocative pose. He wanted nothing from her. Her body least of all.
The thought that Hasuko must be colluding with her sister made him clench his fist inside the sleeve of his robe. There could be no other explanation for this strange situation and this made him furious. If they had hoped he would fall for Reiko’s charms and be forced to make her an official consort in this way, they’d thought wrong. He chose his own women and would not be coerced.
And how could Hasuko tolerate the thought of sharing him with her own sister? There could only be one reason – she didn’t want him herself in the slightest. Yanagihara must have been right, Hasuko desired another man, one she couldn’t have.
He drew in a deep breath to stop himself from showing any emotion.
‘Well, please tell my wife that I wish her a speedy recovery,’ he said and turned to leave. The sooner he was back in his own rooms, the better.
‘Wait, my lord, please.’ Reiko got to her feet, faster than he’d thought possible. She reached out to put a hand on his arm to detain him. ‘It may be some days before my sister is well again.’ She slanted him a sideways look that made him feel very uncomfortable and continued, ‘I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to be inconvenienced in the meantime. In fact, she told me so herself and asked me to … entertain you.’
Taro gritted his teeth. Reiko was either extremely obtuse or very persistent. He didn’t care which. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there and quickly.
‘That is very kind of you both, but I’m a patient man and Hasuko is all I need. She is the perfect wife. I can wait. Goodnight, Reiko- san .’
He hurried out of the door before she could say anything else. Without being impolite, he couldn’t make it any clearer that he didn’t want what she was offering. Yanagihara’s words rang in his mind as he hurried along the corridor, followed by his body guards. ‘Never slight her or her sister,’ the old man had said.
Well, he’d done his best, but there was only so much a man could take. Reiko was enough to try the patience of the gods themselves and unless she’d taken the hint this evening, he would have to do something drastic.
The woman was a menace.
Chapter Seven
Plymouth, Devon, 28th June 1611
‘Jacob! Jacob! Where is he, damn him?’
Hannah was just coming out of the kitchen a
‘I’m sorry, my lord, but my sister is indisposed.’ Reiko bowed low. ‘Was there something I could help you with?’
‘What’s wrong with her?’ he asked, frowning at her openly now and ignoring her question. She didn’t look the slightest bit worried, so Hasuko couldn’t be very ill. In fact, Reiko was wearing a smug expression which annoyed him intensely. He wished that he could find some excuse for sending her back to her father, but apparently Hasuko couldn’t do without her sister yet. Or so she said. And true to his character, Lord Takaki hadn’t bestirred himself to find Reiko a new husband. Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps. If only I were that lucky …
‘Oh, you know, womanly matters,’ Reiko replied with a coy smile.
Taro wondered why she was the only person sleeping in the ante-room. There should have been other ladies present, but presumably they had been relegated to different quarters because their mistress was feeling delicate. Reiko was kneeling on her futon and as he continued to stare at her, the sleeping robe she wore slipped down, showing him one pale shoulder. He blinked, sure that she’d done it on purpose.
What was she up to now? Surely, she wasn’t trying to seduce him within hearing distance of her sister? The walls were paper thin and even the smallest sound would be enough to wake Hasuko. This didn’t seem to deter Reiko though. She moved towards him on her knees and raised her chin to show off the long, white column of her throat. Taro swallowed down an expletive at her provocative pose. He wanted nothing from her. Her body least of all.
The thought that Hasuko must be colluding with her sister made him clench his fist inside the sleeve of his robe. There could be no other explanation for this strange situation and this made him furious. If they had hoped he would fall for Reiko’s charms and be forced to make her an official consort in this way, they’d thought wrong. He chose his own women and would not be coerced.
And how could Hasuko tolerate the thought of sharing him with her own sister? There could only be one reason – she didn’t want him herself in the slightest. Yanagihara must have been right, Hasuko desired another man, one she couldn’t have.
He drew in a deep breath to stop himself from showing any emotion.
‘Well, please tell my wife that I wish her a speedy recovery,’ he said and turned to leave. The sooner he was back in his own rooms, the better.
‘Wait, my lord, please.’ Reiko got to her feet, faster than he’d thought possible. She reached out to put a hand on his arm to detain him. ‘It may be some days before my sister is well again.’ She slanted him a sideways look that made him feel very uncomfortable and continued, ‘I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to be inconvenienced in the meantime. In fact, she told me so herself and asked me to … entertain you.’
Taro gritted his teeth. Reiko was either extremely obtuse or very persistent. He didn’t care which. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there and quickly.
‘That is very kind of you both, but I’m a patient man and Hasuko is all I need. She is the perfect wife. I can wait. Goodnight, Reiko- san .’
He hurried out of the door before she could say anything else. Without being impolite, he couldn’t make it any clearer that he didn’t want what she was offering. Yanagihara’s words rang in his mind as he hurried along the corridor, followed by his body guards. ‘Never slight her or her sister,’ the old man had said.
Well, he’d done his best, but there was only so much a man could take. Reiko was enough to try the patience of the gods themselves and unless she’d taken the hint this evening, he would have to do something drastic.
The woman was a menace.
Chapter Seven
Plymouth, Devon, 28th June 1611
‘Jacob! Jacob! Where is he, damn him?’
Hannah was just coming out of the kitchen a
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