No, gai-jin aren't like us. They almost always favor First Position with Urgency, occasionally Baiting the Hen or Cherry Blossom Time, so allowing me no opportunity to demonstrate my skills, or when, in the light, I would position myself to play with the One-Eyed Monk the many games of uplifting such as Near and Far, Over the Dragon, Springtime Planting, Stealing the Honey that even the most unpracticed youth would require and appreciate, a gai-jin would jerk away, firmly but gently pull me up alongside him, kiss my neck, hold tight and mumble incomprehensibles.
She murmured, "Now I'll massage you to sleep."
"Don't understand. Mess'erge?"
"Massage, Taira-san. Like this."
"Ah now I understand. Massage, thank you."
Her fingers were gentle and wonderful and he drifted away, hardly believing his luck, proud of his performance and that she had ecstatically finished three times at least to his once--and never mind that Raiko had said that tomorrow Fujiko had to visit her village, near Yedo, to see her sick grandfather, "... but only for a few days, Taira-san."
"Oh, so sorry, Raiko-san. Please, how many day 'way?"
"How many days will she be away. Only three."
"Ah thank you. How many days will she be away?" Tyrer repeated--he had asked her and Fujiko, always to correct him.
Three days. That will give me time to recover.
My God, that was the best. Wonder what will happen when the roju get our dispatch. I'm sure my advice's correct and that Nakama is telling the truth--God, I've a lot to thank him for, Sir William was positively beaming and as for Fujiko...
Lulled by her touch, his mind began a jumble of Nakama and her and being in Japan and everything so different and learning Japanese, incessant words and phrases leaping forward untidily. The futons were hard and difficult to get used to but he was comfortable, lying on his stomach, enjoying her nearness. God but I'm tired. Can't stand the idea of "other clients," he thought. Got to make her mine, just mine. Tomorrow I'll ask Andr`e to help me.
Without turning he reached back, put his hand on her thigh. Lovely silky skin.
Where was I? Oh yes, the roju. We'll give the buggers what-for. Bloody awful about the mail ship being fired on--we've just got to make Shimonoseki safe and if the bloody Bakufu won't do it that means taking out those batteries ourselves. Must remember to be careful about that with Nakama, mustn't forget he's from Choshu too.
Could I use him as a go-between? And if the roju won't deal with those Satsuma devils we'll have to crush them ourselves. The bloody effrontery of the daimyo saying that he can't find Canterbury's murderers, the bastards came out of his own ranks for God's sake, I saw them hack off Canterbury's arm and the blood sprayed...
Her fingers froze. "What's the matter, Taira-san?"
Before he knew it he was hugging her, wanting to block out the Tokaido, and then, when the trembling had stopped he lay back, pulling her with him and held on to her, the warm pliant length of her against him, loving her, so thankful to be with her, waiting for the bad to return to its recess.
She lay quiet, also waiting, not thinking about him except that once more gai-jin proved to be curious indeed, beyond understanding. It was comfortable resting against him and she was glad that the first explosion had been achieved properly, that the client was satisfied, so she could safely believe she had earned her extra fee.
When Raiko was assigning all their appointments this morning, the mama-san had told her she was putting up her rate: "with Taira, only, because you will have extra work. Remember he could a big fish for you, Fujiko, a long-term patron much better than Kant-er-bury-san if we're careful and if you please him. Frenchy tells me he's an important official so strive hard to please him. Only speak Japanese, no pidgin, become a teacher, encourage him, and remember he is ridiculously shy and knows nothing and never mention Kant-er-bury. We will pretend you have to go away for a few days--but do not worry, I have two clients for you tomorrow, in the afternoon a gai-jin, a civilized person at night..."
With a generous patron for a year or two I could quickly pay off my debts, and life would be much better than having to take whatever client was available, she thought, then contentedly abandoned the present as she always tried to do when with a client, projecting herself into the future where she lived happily with her rich farmer husband and four or five sons. She could see their farmhouse amid their many rice fields, abundant with green shoots of winter or spring plantings, promising another rich harvest, her mother-in-law kind and pleased with her, a bullock or two tethered to a plow, flowers in the little garden and...
"Ah, Fujiko. Thank you, you are wonderful!"
She nestled closer and said how strong and manly he was.
"What?" he asked sleepily. One of her hands answered intimately and he twisted.
"No, Fujiko, please, first sleep. No ... please later..."
"Ah, but a strong man like you..." she murmured, hid her boredom, and continued dutifully. Ori yawned and took his eye away from the spy hole. "I've seen enough," he whispered.
"Shocking."
"I agree." Hiraga kept his voice down too. "Terrible. Fujiko's performance was the worst I've ever seen. Baka!"
"If I was Taira I would demand my money back."
"I agree. Baka! She won't have him ready for hours and as for him... only First Position once and talk about urgency! Ten thrusts and poof, Over the Moon like a duck."
Ori had to hold his hand over his mouth to stop the laughter then, carefully, he stuck little pieces of paper to cover the holes they had made in the far corner of the shoji screen. Together they slipped away into the bushes, through the secret gate in the fence, and thence to Ori's dwelling.
"Sak`e!"
Half asleep the maid set the tray in front of them, poured and shuffled away, still finding it difficult not to stare at their heads. They toasted each other and refilled the cups, the room small and pleasant, candle-lit, with bed futons already made up in the adjoining room.
Swords were on low, lacquer racks--Raiko had bent the Yoshiwara rule forbidding weapons within the walls because they were shishi, because of Hiraga's portrait and because both had swore by sonno-joi not use the weapons against anyone in the house, or any guest, and only in defense.
"I cannot believe Taira was taken in by her faked Moment with the Gods, Hiraga, one after another like that! Her acting was terrible. Is he that stupid?"
"Obviously." Hiraga laughed and rubbed the back and sides of his head vigorously.
"Eeee, with that sized weapon he should have really made her squeal--are all gai-jin built like that?"
"Who cares--in his case it is wasted."
"No finesse, Ori! Perhaps I should get him a pillow book like a virgin bride, eh?"
"Better we kill him and them and fire the Settlement."
"Be patient, we will, there is plenty of time."
"He is a perfect target, it is another perfect opportunity," Ori said, an edge creeping into his voice.
Hiraga watched him, all warmth gone of a sudden. "Yes but not now, he's too important."
"You said yourself if we could infuriate them enough they'd bombard Yedo and that would be wonderful for our cause."
"Yes, you are right but we have time." Hiraga showed none of his concern, appeasing him, wanting him controlled. "Taira is answering all my questions.
For instance, no one told us gai-jin fight each other like wild dogs, worse than daimyos before Toranaga--the Dutch hid that from us, eh?"
"They are all liars and barbarians."
"Yes but there must be hundreds of bits of information like that, that will unlock the way to play them, and dominate them. We must learn everything, Ori, and then, when we're part of the new Bakufu we will set German against Russian against Frenchman against Ing'erish against American..."