The Cloud Pavilion

Hirata let him go. He knew they would meet again, just as he knew that the matter of when or where wasn't his to choose. The time and place, the weapons and the circumstances, would be the enemy's decision. And then they would fight to the death.

That was their destiny.

"Yanagisawa is right about one thing," Sano told Reiko as they sat in their chamber that night. "He has won this time."

"He did it by fighting dirty." Reiko brushed her hair with hard, angry strokes. "He always does." Sano had told her everything, and she was furious at Yanagisawa. For Sano's sake, she made an effort to smile and look on the bright side of the situation. "This isn't so bad. You always liked investigating crimes better than ru

Sano nodded. But they both knew that things weren't the same as in the past. He'd suffered a tremendous loss of face, a mortal wound to his samurai honor.

"You'll win in the end," Reiko assured Sano.

"I appreciate your faith in me," Sano said wryly. "And I'm not finished yet."

He had to climb back up the ladder of the regime, Reiko knew. Not only did his honor depend on it; people were counting on him to save Japan from Yanagisawa.

"But Yanagisawa is right about something else, too," Sano said.

"What?" Reiko didn't want to hear that Yanagisawa had yet another advantage over her husband.

"We're not just rivals for power in the here and now, but in the future. And maybe the score won't be settled by us." Sano contemplated Akiko playing in the next room with her dolls. "Maybe that's up to our children."

Reiko was dismayed to think the children would inherit the war between their fathers. "How can we protect them? Especially after we're gone?" That time might come sooner rather than later, if Sano didn't regain the shogun's favor. Even if the shogun was on the decline, he still had the power of life and death over everyone.

"It's not too early to think about marriages for Akiko and Masahiro."

Even though Reiko knew Sano was right, she said, "But they're still babies!"

"There won't be any weddings until they're adults. But we could betroth them to members of powerful clans. That's done all the time. It would not only create more alliances for me; it would secure Masahiro's and Akiko's futures."

Reiko sighed; she wished her children could marry for love, not politi cal considerations. But she and Sano had found love in their arranged marriage. Maybe the children would be lucky, too. "A match for Masahiro should come first, because he's the elder."

"Speaking of Masahiro," Sano said. He put a finger to his lips as their son entered the room. They greeted Masahiro, and Sano asked, "What did you do today?"

"I played detective," Masahiro said.

Sano and Reiko exchanged glances. After he'd proved the worth of his talents, they couldn't not let him play his favorite game. Sano said, "I need to ask you a question. How did you know that the shogun's wife refused Yanagisawa's proposal? I thought you said you couldn't hear what Yanagisawa and the ladies were saying."

"I was too far away the first time they met," Masahiro said. "The second time, it was just Yanagisawa and the shogun's wife, and I heard everything because-" He clapped his hand over his mouth.

"The second time!" Shocked, Reiko said, "Do you mean you spied on Yanagisawa again?" Masahiro's sheepish silence was his answer. She turned to Sano. "How did you know?"

"It was something Toda Ikkyu let slip," Sano said. "He wasn't entirely truthful with me, either."

"We forbade you to go spying on Yanagisawa," Reiko reminded Masahiro. "You disobeyed us!"

Masahiro winced. "Am I going to be punished?"

Reiko spread her hands helplessly and looked at Sano.

"You punish him. I don't have the heart," Sano said.

Neither did Reiko, after Masahiro had helped them figure out Yanagisawa's plot. She leveled a stern look on Masahiro. "You were lucky this time, but don't ever do it again."

"I won't," Masahiro said somberly. "I promise."

Reiko heard the echo of her own voice on past occasions, promising Sano that she wouldn't do something or other, all the while knowing that she would. She felt Sano looking at her, obviously remembering that she'd said she wouldn't go to the Kumazawa house again. But Masahiro's actions had made her feel more optimistic about his future. He'd inherited his father's cleverness and her own talent for getting out of as well as into trouble.

"It's time for bed," Reiko told Masahiro.

"Yes, Mother. Good night, Father." Masahiro trotted off before his parents could change their minds and punish him, buying their goodwill for the future.

"If he wants to help with other investigations, how can we say no?" Reiko said ruefully.

Sano chuckled, but his expression turned sober.

"What are you thinking about?" Reiko asked.

"I'm remembering the day Major Kumazawa came to me for help. I thought that all I had to do was find Chiyo. It seemed like the easiest, least dangerous case I'd ever had." Irony provoked a twisted smile from Sano. "Things didn't turn out quite as I expected."

"But you did find Chiyo. You also found the criminals who kidnapped and violated her and Fumiko and the nun." Reiko felt a fierce admiration for Sano. "If not for you, those men would have gone on to hurt other women, and Chiyo and Fumiko wouldn't have gotten their revenge. What happened to you isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair," Sano said, turning philosophical. "I've been lucky until now. I suppose it was my turn for a little misfortune. But I can handle this." He added with regret, "I just wish I could have saved Lady Nobuko and the old woman on the boat."

"The old woman is safe at home with her family. She has you to thank for that." Reiko loved Sano for his confidence, his determination not to complain, and his tendency to think of other people even while he was in trouble. She, too, believed they would weather this crisis as they had others.

"I also wish I could have mended the breach between my family and the Kumazawa clan," Sano said.

Reiko knew that even though Major Kumazawa had treated him so badly, Sano had wanted to re unite the clan for his mother's sake, if not his own. "Maybe you still can."

"That would salvage some good out of everything that's happened," Sano said. "I do have an idea I'd like to try."

Epilogue

The rainy season had ended by the time Sano went to the Kumazawa house again. The mist had evaporated, and the hot summer sun shone above the Asakusa district. When Sano arrived at the mansion, Chiyo greeted him at the door. She was completely transformed since the first time he'd seen her. She'd regained weight and health; her smile was bright. She held her baby while her little boy clung to her skirt and regarded Sano with solemn curiosity.

"Welcome, Honorable Cousin." Chiyo bowed. "A million thanks for returning my children to me."

"It was no trouble," Sano said.

In fact, it had cost him a good deal of trouble. First he'd appealed to Chiyo's husband, but the man still wanted nothing to do with Chiyo and had refused to let her see the children. Hence, Sano had forced a compromise in which the children would live with Chiyo, at her father's estate, every other month. The husband and his powerful associates were now Sano's enemies and Yanagisawa's allies. But Sano thought that was a small price to pay for Chiyo's happiness.

"I'd like to speak with your father," Sano said. "Is he home?"

Chiyo smiled as if she knew a pleasant secret that Sano didn't know. "Yes. Come in."

When Sano walked into the reception chamber, he found a woman sitting in the place of honor in front of the alcove, drinking tea with Major Kumazawa and his wife.