"Sure they're armed, they're samurai."

"No arms, not samurai, by God."

Jamie shrugged. "Tell them, but please treat them as nobs, not natives, strange but nobs, important Japanese, they are you know."

"Mister!" the Captain called out. "Send them in!"

Hiraga and Akimoto came in, well briefed by Jamie.

"Which one of you speaks English?"

"I do, Anjin-sama. I Otami-sama."

"Mr. McFay here is guarantor for you, Otamisama, for your good behavior all the way to London. You agree to obey me, to stay aboard if I say so, to go ashore and come back as I say, until London town, obey me as if I was your chief, your daimyo?"

"We agree do what Anjin-sama say,"

Hiraga said carefully.

"Good, but no arms while aboard. I want all swords, guns, knives. They'll be returned to you." Twomast saw the flash of anger and marked it. "You agree?"

"But if men attack us?"

"If my men attack you, use your fists till I arrive. They'll be warned, fifty lashes for each man if they start it. You don't start it, understand?"

"No, so sorry." Jamie explained how the seamen would be tied to the rigging and flogged for disobeying. Appalled by the cruelty, Hiraga passed this on to Akimoto, then said, "But, Anjin-sama, you no fear? If man free on ship, after such insu'rt, no afraid this man assassin you?"

Johnny Twomast laughed. "He'd hang, sure as God made little apples.

Mutiny's punishable by death. I'll order the crew not to pick on you, you don't pick on them --that's important too, understand?"

"Understand, Anjin-sama," Hiraga said, understanding only partially, his head aching.

"Any trouble come to me. No fighting unless you're attacked. Your weapons please."

Reluctantly Hiraga gave over their bundled swords. And the derringer. "Mister!"

The cabin door opened. "Yessir?"

"These two'll have the Third Mate's berth, I'll show 'em."

Jamie got up and offered his hand to Hiraga.

"Safe journey, you can write anytime you like, and to Phillip... to Taira-sama. As I told you I'll write you care of my bank, the Hongkong Bank in the Mall. It's all in the papers I've given you along with how to receive or collect mail. Don't expect a reply for four months. Good luck and safe return."

They shook hands, Jamie did the same with Akimoto.

"You two come with me," Twomast said. He led the way down the corridor and opened a door.

"You bunk here and stay out of sight, Mr.McFay doesn't want you recognized. After Hong Kong it'll be easier." He closed the door.

In silence Hiraga and Akimoto looked around. It was more of a cupboard than living quarters. Barely enough room to stand together. A gimballed oil lamp spluttered dully. Two dirty bunks, one above the other against a bulkhead, drawers below. Soiled straw mattresses and wool blankets. Stench. Gum boots, unwashed clothes scattered. Storm mackintoshes hanging on pegs.

"What are those for?" Akimoto asked, numbed.

"Some sort of clothing but so stiff, how would you fight in those? I feel naked without swords."

"I feel like death, not just naked." The deck rolled under their feet and they heard men shouting orders on deck and others chantying, preparing the ship for sea, the engine loudly vibrating the deck and bulkheads, increasing their discomfort. The smallness of the space, and unpleasant smell of coal smoke and oil, stale air and staler bedding bore down on them. Again the deck pitched as she swung on an anchor and Hiraga lurched against the bunks, and sat on the lower one.

"Do you suppose we sleep on these?"

"Where else?" Akimoto muttered.

Sharp-eyed, he moved the crumpled blanket aside. All corners of the mattress were splotched with colonies of bedbugs, alive and dead, the rough canvas streaked with old blood where generations had been squashed. He managed not to be sick. "Let's go ashore," he croaked.

"I've had enough."

"No," Hiraga said through his own dread. "We have achieved a miracle, we have escaped the Bakufu and Yoshi, and we're launched into the enemy's heartland as guests, we can spy out their secrets and learn how to destroy them."

"Learn what? How to flog a man to death, how to live in this cesspit for months? Did you see how the Captain rudely walked off without returning our bow. Come on... even if I have to swim ashore!" Akimoto grabbed the door handle but Hiraga caught him by the shirt and dragged him back. "No!"

Akimoto snarled at him and broke free, to crash against the door, with no room even to struggle, then shouted, "You're not one of us, you're gai-jin infected! Let me go, better to die civilized than to live like this!"

Suddenly Hiraga was petrified. Time stood still. For the first time he completely understood the enormity of what he had launched them into: the outside, the barbarian world, away from everything civilized, leaving everything worthwhile behind, sonno-joi and Choshu and shishi and family, leaving no wife and sons--ah my brave and so wonderful Sumomo how you are missed, you would have made my leaving easier but now...

His limbs began to tremble, heart hammering, breath choking, every part of him screaming at him to flee this hell that represented everything he detested. If London was like this, anything was better, anything.

He shoved Akimoto out of the way and lunged for the door. But stopped. "No," he gasped, "I will bear this! I will! I'll bear it for sonno-joi. We must for sonno-joi, Cousin, we must bear it but whatever happens we will die like samurai, we will make our death poems, that's what we'll do, we'll make them now, now, then nothing else matters in this life..."

Ashore at the jetty the Bosun called out, "Last call for Belle, all aboard!"

"So, good luck, Edward, and a safe return," Angelique said, still consumed with melancholy, but with a little smile that lit up his being. "Take care!"

After leaving Sir William earlier, she had finished her tears in the privacy of her suite-- so much to cry over these days, she thought, where do all the tears come from, and yet, when the heartache has past, clear thinking and clearheaded again. Once more in control she had gone downstairs and, again in privacy, had met Gornt. They had said everything that needed to be said. The strength and confidence and love he radiated had pushed away the bad.

Edward is good for me, she thought, looking up at him--not that he will ever replace my Malcolm, that's different.

"You all right now?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you, my dear. Hurry back."

He kissed her proffered hand. "Take care, Ma'am." His glow made him even more boyish.

"Don't forget." She had asked him to tell Tess that she hoped, one day they could meet as friends. "It's important."

"Yes it is and I won't forget and I'll be back before you know it." For those nearby he added louder, "I'll see that your shopping list is taken care of, never fear." A final little pressure on her hand and he leapt onto the slippery deck without a care, hung on with one hand, last aboard. The Bosun tooted, shoved the throttles Full Astern and backed into the chop.

Gornt waved and then, not wanting to be indiscreet, went into the cabin.

"Pretty girl," Hoag said, thoughtfully.

"Yes, suh, a Belle to end Belles."

Both men watched the jetty recede. "Have you ever been to India, Edward?"

"No, never have. You been to Paris?"

"No, never. But India's the best place in the world, best life in the world for Englishmen, you're mostly that aren't you?" In his mind Hoag could see himself arriving at her family house that was behind high walls, brown and dusty outside but inside cool and green, the sound of the water fountain mingling with laughter that permeated the main house and the servants' quarters, together with friendliness and the peace possessed by everyone because of their utter belief in birth and death and rebirth, in never-ending succession, until through the mercy of the Infinite they would reach Nirvana, the Place of Heavenly Peace. Arjumand will be there, he thought, oh how I hope I can find my way there too.