Read The Peony Lantern for Free Online Page B

interspersed with shops — which gradually inclined and grew wider. The densely packed houses gave way to walls and gates, and glimpses of roofs surrounded by trees.
    We turned into a narrow street, passing through a guard post. Lord Shimizu stopped to exchange a fewwords with the guard. I noted some maids gossiping near the entrance of one home, heard a tofu vendor calling, saw a young man slouching against a wall as if waiting for someone.
    â€˜Here we are.’ We entered through a wooden gate and found ourselves in a courtyard of raked gravel, facing a large house. There was a smaller building to the right, and I could see hints of a garden to the left. The porters put down our luggage and for a moment there was a commotion as porters mixed with servants from the house. Glancing behind me, I saw a young man across the street watching intently. When he saw me looking he turned his head away abruptly.
    As the porters left and the luggage was carried inside, we walked past the large imposing entrance to the house and continued around the side of the building to a smaller entrance. I guessed that the front of the house would have the formal reception room where Shimizu conducted his business, while we were going to the private quarters.
    A young woman stood alone in the lamp-lit entrance, her hands nervously smoothing the silk of her kimono. Her hair, dark and lustrous, was drawn back into a large roll worn high on her head. Another of the ladies-in-waiting, perhaps, ready to take us to Shimizu’s wife?
    Lord Shimizu started towards her and she bowed.
    When she looked up at him again her eyes were glowing. ‘It’s good to have you home, my husband.’
    For a moment I just stared. This was Shimizu’s wife? I had been imagining someone much older — close to Shimizu in age — but this woman could only have been a few years older than me at most.
    Motioning for us to come forwards, the samurai said, ‘Misaki, this is my nephew Isamu.’
    â€˜Welcome to Edo, Isamu-san,’ she murmured.
    â€˜And this is Kasumi. She has come from the Owari domain to be your churo , a lady-in-waiting,’ Shimizu said.
    Suddenly remembering myself, I kneeled before her and touched my head to the ground.
    When I raised my head she was looking at me curiously and, I thought, a bit hesitantly. I probably didn’t look much like a lady-in-waiting.
    I removed my sandals and stepped up onto the tatami , following the others through a small entry hall — which held a rack on which the two men placed their swords — into a room laid with six mats. I could hear kitchen sounds coming from behind a sliding screen to my right, while to my left was a large reception room of ten tatami mats at least. The tokonoma was in the right-hand corner, and opposite the raised alcove was a gold-lacquered display cabinet with several open shelves and a beautiful blue-and-white bowl sitting on top. Its bottom half had a pair of closed doors painted with a mountain scene.
    â€˜Are you hungry?’ Misaki asked. ‘Please sit and I’ll have Ishi arrange some trays.’
    I hovered uncertainly, not sure if I should be helping her to fetch the food, but she said, ‘You too, Kasumi; you must be tired from the journey.’
    As soon as I sat, I realised that I really was weary.
    Misaki left the room, returning a few minutes later with a small plump woman. They were both carrying trays, which they set in front of the two men. They returned to the kitchen once more and reappeared withtrays for Misaki and me. I assumed the other servants and ladies-in-waiting had already retired for the night.
    I looked at the food in front of me: soup, pickles and small cakes of rice with . . . was that raw fish on top? I glanced at Isamu and saw that he was poking it gingerly with his chopsticks.
    Lord Shimizu laughed. ‘I don’t think Isamu or Kasumi will have seen sushi before.’
    â€˜It’s an Edo