Free The Samurai's Daughter by Lesley Downer Page B

suspicions for a long time.’ Nobu, Taka and Okatsu sat, unable to move. They’d been caught in the act, no amount of excuses would save them.
    Eijiro lashed out with his foot. The flask that Nobu had collected dew in flew off the veranda and smashed on the gravel.
    Fujino was panting across the tatami behind him, her plump face dripping with sweat, dark stains on the front and under the arms of her cotton kimono. ‘Eijiro, by all the gods … Whatever are you thinking of? You’re a grown man.’
    ‘Aizu dog. You’ve overstepped the bounds,’ Eijiro shouted. ‘I always said we shouldn’t bring people in off the street. We’ve repaid our debt to you a thousandfold. You’re not hanging round my sister a moment longer.’
    Fujino stepped out on to the veranda. As she saw Taka, Nobu and Okatsu sitting together, her eyes widened and her shaved eyebrows shot up. Like all adult women, she shaved her eyebrows and painted her teeth black using a polish made of gallnut powder and iron dissolved in vinegar or tea. It would have been eccentric beyond belief if she hadn’t. That day it was still so early that her maid hadn’t painted her face yet. She was entirely without eyebrows, which made her look even more surprised. She took her fan from her obi and started flapping it very fast.
    Taka was staring down at the floor. She set her jaw. ‘We were just writing our Tanabata wishes, Mother. Nobu rescued us, didn’t he? He’s one of the family. You’re fond of him too.’
    Eijiro snorted. ‘The gods know what you’ve been up to. What will people think? What are we going to do when we need to find a husband for Taka, when people start saying this precious sister of mine spends all her time with a servant boy and an Aizu? We’ll have her on our hands for ever.’
    Nobu bent his head and tried to pretend he wasn’t there. He knew he’d committed an unforgivable offence. Then he realized he was still holding the paper with his wish on it. He crumpled it up as small as he could and furtively tried to slip it into his sleeve. Eijiro must have seen the movement. He grabbed Nobu’s wrist and snatched it from his hand. It nearly tore but he managed to get hold of it. Nobu’s heart plummeted. He wished he could disappear through the floorboards, jump off the veranda and race away and never come back again.
    ‘So the dog can write,’ said Eijiro, unfolding it. As he read it his lips began to curl. A strange look – triumph mingled with glee and contempt – crossed his face. ‘Just listen to this. “May I stay in this house near to Taka-
sama
for ever.”’ Nobu’s face was burning. How could he have been so stupid as to write such a thing? He glanced at Taka. She was avoiding his eyes, gazing studiously at the floor.
    ‘Here’s what I think of that,’ said Eijiro, ripping the paper into pieces and tossing them out into the sweltering heat. ‘You heard, Mother. We have to get rid of him right now.’
    Taka appealed to her mother, her voice rising sulkily. ‘It’s not fair. We’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve been teaching him to read, that’s all. I admit I shouldn’t have interfered with his work, but I wanted to help him. He’s very clever, he shouldn’t be a servant. Don’t blame Nobu. It was my fault, not his. You know Eijiro’s been after Nobu ever since Nobu got here. He’s been looking for a way to catch us out. He’s a trickster.’
    ‘Insolent girl! How dare you speak of me like that?’ Eijiro raised his large hand and gave Taka a resounding smack on the head.
    ‘Children, children. Enough!’ barked Fujino.
    Nobu heard the blow and saw Taka rock on her knees and go pale. She put her hand to her head and tears came to her eyes. She was glaring at Eijiro, her lips trembling.
    There was nothing strange about Eijiro hitting his sister. Women were property, along with servants, and their menfolk could do as they liked with them – punish them, beat them, even kill them. That was the way it had been