The Scarlet Kimono (Choc Lit)

by Christina Courtenay

  ‘No, no, out of the question. It would be most impolite to the betrothed couple. Go to the kitchen and have Emma brew you a tisane.’ Mistress Marston shooed her daughter away. ‘Hurry, now. Dear Kate is having such a lovely time, I’m sure she won’t miss you for a few moments. And Mr Hesketh will no doubt want to claim another dance.’

  Hannah looked over towards the table where Kate sat with her future husband. She noticed that Henry had placed an arm around Kate’s shoulders, which she was trying to wriggle away from without much success. Hannah saw Kate send an imploring glance to the captain, who was now lounging against the wall just a few feet away. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to come to Kate’s rescue though and shrugged slightly.

  Hannah sighed and made her way into the draughty hall. Here she sank onto the lowest step of the staircase and leaned her head against the wall. She couldn’t bear to watch her sister or the captain for another instant. It would only make her think about their supposed assignation.

  ‘Sorry, lady, you no feel good?’

  Hannah jumped and raised her eyes to look into the face of the Chinaman. She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out.

  ‘You sick?’ he asked again, putting out a hand to feel her forehead. She jerked back and scooted up a step out of his immediate reach before realising that she was acting no better than the people who had made cruel comments about him. She slid back down.

  ‘No! No, I … that is, yes, a little. My, my head hurts.’

  He stepped back a pace and smiled, then bowed politely. ‘No need be afraid, I only want to help.’ Hannah relaxed slightly as he began to rummage in a small pouch hanging off his belt. ‘Ah, koko ni aru. Here.’ He brought out a small phial and held it out. ‘In drink, put three drops, headache gone.’ He smiled and bowed again, offering the phial to her.

  ‘Oh, uhm, thank you, but I’m not sure I can accept this.’

  ‘Please, lady. Will make you better, promise.’ He nodded and bowed yet again. ‘I fetch, yes?’

  Hannah took the tiny vessel reluctantly, then waited while he went in search of a drink. He returned surprisingly quickly with some light ale and administered the dose himself with great ceremony. Hannah didn’t have the heart to refuse to take it and drank it down.

  ‘Good. Now rest, feel better soon,’ Hodgson said.

  ‘Thank you. You’re very kind.’ Hannah looked at him and again she felt ashamed of the way he had been treated earlier. ‘I, uhm, I’m sorry everyone stared at you so,’ she stammered, wanting to make amends somehow. To her surprise his face split into a huge grin.

  ‘Is fine,’ he said. ‘I stare back. Your people – very ugly, but I used to it now.’

  Hannah gasped. He found them all ugly? ‘Surely not?’ she said, then suddenly burst into laughter. Now she understood his earlier amusement. ‘I suppose that makes us even then,’ she said and stood up. Her head had stopped throbbing already and the room didn’t spin quite as much as before.

  He nodded. ‘Yes.’ His eyes were twinkling and she found herself warming to him even more.

  ‘Shall we go back into the parlour?’ she said. ‘Or would you like me to find you something to eat? You missed the meal earlier.’

  ‘Thank you, but have eaten before. Must go. Captain say not stay too long.’

  ‘Oh, I see.’ Hannah wanted to ask him to keep her company for a while longer, but knew she couldn’t go against the captain’s wishes. Hodgson was after all his servant. ‘Very well. Thank you again for coming to my aid.’

  ‘Dozo onegai shimasu,’ he said, which she took to mean ‘you are welcome’. ‘Sayonara.’ With another deep bow he was gone.

  Hannah sat on the stairs for a long time, staring after him and wishing he could have stayed.

  She was called into her father’s counting room the day after the feast and found him behind his desk as usual, with her mother hovering nearby.

  ‘Ah, there you are.’ Hannah noticed her father affected a false cheerfulness, as if it would help to sway her in favour of whatever he was going to say. Since she’d already guessed what that was, this ruse was doomed to failure.

  ‘You sent for me?’ She stopped a few feet away from the desk and clasped her hands behind her back to stop them from trembling.

  ‘Yes, indeed. I have some excellent news. I’ve received a most flattering offer for your hand in marriage and your mother and I have decided to accept on your behalf. Mr Hesketh was here this morning, as I’m sure you know, and we agreed terms. Very generous, I’ll have you know.’

  ‘I see. Don’t I have a choice? After all, I’m the one who’ll have to marry him.’

  ‘Don’t be impertinent.’ Her father scowled at her. ‘You know full well that parents arrange these matters.’

  ‘You’ve always been a great favourite with your younger cousins,’ her mother put in, ‘they adore you. And since Mr Hesketh needs a wife who can take care of his children properly, we all thought you would be ideal.’

  ‘I want children of my own, not someone else’s,’ Hannah muttered.

  ‘You’ll have your own as well. A few more or less makes no odds, surely? Now you know we have your best interests at heart,’ her mother added trying to sound soothing, but she succeeded only in annoying Hannah further.

  ‘My best interests? To marry me to a man old enough to be my father? That’s disgusting!’

  ‘Hannah!’ Her mother looked scandalised, but her father held up his hand to stop her from saying anything else.

  ‘He’s only thirty-two,’ he said, ‘which isn’t terribly old. It may seem that way to you now, but in a few years you’ll think differently. Your mother and I are of the opinion that you need a steadying hand. The fact that Mr Hesketh has more experience of life than you can only be a positive thing. You’re too headstrong for your own good. Don’t think we haven’t noticed you running wild with Edward, even though you’re much too old for such behaviour. You must learn some decorum.’

  ‘I don’t run “wild”, I just …’

  ‘Hannah, it’s simply not seemly for a girl your age. You’re not a child, it is time you acted responsibly. We suspect you need something to occupy you and caring for Mr Hesketh’s children will keep you busy.’

  ‘But I don’t want to marry him! He’s already buried two wives and I’d have five step-children. Five!’

  ‘Nothing unusual in that. The responsibility will help you to mature.’

  ‘I don’t like him,’ Hannah gritted out through clenched teeth. ‘There must be someone else I could marry. Anyone!’

  ‘Don’t be so melodramatic. Hesketh is an excellent fellow. I’ve known him for years. No doubt you’ll become used to him and he’s well able to provide for both yourself and his offspring. Why, he has a fine house and plenty of servants. You’ll want for nothing.’

  Hannah blinked back tears. She wanted to protest further, but she knew it would be no use. Once her parents decided on something, they refused to listen to any arguments to the contrary. From now on, she could fight it all she liked, but in the end they would win. That was always the way.

  She closed her eyes and tried to listen to the voice of reason. Her parents claimed they wanted what was best for her and they had chosen Mr Hesketh. It was her duty to accept their choice with good grace. And Father had said the man was an ‘excellent fellow’. Surely he should know?

  Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  But then why did she feel as if she was going to the scaffold?

  Chapter Six

  Northern Japan, July 1611

  When Taro went to pay his wife an evening visit some days after his conversation with Yanagihara, he was still mulling over the old man’s words. He had decided to try a different tack, which was why he was here. Normally, he would send for her to come to his suite of rooms, but tonight he had thought to surprise her. In his sleeve he had a gift, an exquisite jewelled comb that he’d had brought specially from the capital Edo. He hoped that by giving her such lovely trin
kets, she would soften towards him at last and open up fully, in mind as well as body.

  How could she possibly fail to appreciate a husband who treated her so handsomely?

  Instead of the usual group of serving women, however, he was startled to come face to face with only Reiko in the ante-room to his wife’s bedchamber. Her face lit up at the sight of him, obviously pleased, but try as he might, he couldn’t reciprocate with so much as a smile. He managed to keep the irritation out of his voice as he announced, ‘I’ve come to see my wife.’ He nodded towards the sliding doors. ‘Is she within?’

  ‘I’m sorry, my lord, but my sister is indisposed.’ Reiko bowed low. ‘Was there something I could help you with?’

  ‘What’s wrong with her?’ he asked, frowning at her openly now and ignoring her question. She didn’t look the slightest bit worried, so Hasuko couldn’t be very ill. In fact, Reiko was wearing a smug expression which annoyed him intensely. He wished that he could find some excuse for sending her back to her father, but apparently Hasuko couldn’t do without her sister yet. Or so she said. And true to his character, Lord Takaki hadn’t bestirred himself to find Reiko a new husband. Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps. If only I were that lucky …

  ‘Oh, you know, womanly matters,’ Reiko replied with a coy smile.

  Taro wondered why she was the only person sleeping in the ante-room. There should have been other ladies present, but presumably they had been relegated to different quarters because their mistress was feeling delicate. Reiko was kneeling on her futon and as he continued to stare at her, the sleeping robe she wore slipped down, showing him one pale shoulder. He blinked, sure that she’d done it on purpose.

  What was she up to now? Surely, she wasn’t trying to seduce him within hearing distance of her sister? The walls were paper thin and even the smallest sound would be enough to wake Hasuko. This didn’t seem to deter Reiko though. She moved towards him on her knees and raised her chin to show off the long, white column of her throat. Taro swallowed down an expletive at her provocative pose. He wanted nothing from her. Her body least of all.

  The thought that Hasuko must be colluding with her sister made him clench his fist inside the sleeve of his robe. There could be no other explanation for this strange situation and this made him furious. If they had hoped he would fall for Reiko’s charms and be forced to make her an official consort in this way, they’d thought wrong. He chose his own women and would not be coerced.

  And how could Hasuko tolerate the thought of sharing him with her own sister? There could only be one reason – she didn’t want him herself in the slightest. Yanagihara must have been right, Hasuko desired another man, one she couldn’t have.

  He drew in a deep breath to stop himself from showing any emotion.

  ‘Well, please tell my wife that I wish her a speedy recovery,’ he said and turned to leave. The sooner he was back in his own rooms, the better.

  ‘Wait, my lord, please.’ Reiko got to her feet, faster than he’d thought possible. She reached out to put a hand on his arm to detain him. ‘It may be some days before my sister is well again.’ She slanted him a sideways look that made him feel very uncomfortable and continued, ‘I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to be inconvenienced in the meantime. In fact, she told me so herself and asked me to … entertain you.’

  Taro gritted his teeth. Reiko was either extremely obtuse or very persistent. He didn’t care which. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there and quickly.

  ‘That is very kind of you both, but I’m a patient man and Hasuko is all I need. She is the perfect wife. I can wait. Goodnight, Reiko-san.’

  He hurried out of the door before she could say anything else. Without being impolite, he couldn’t make it any clearer that he didn’t want what she was offering. Yanagihara’s words rang in his mind as he hurried along the corridor, followed by his body guards. ‘Never slight her or her sister,’ the old man had said.

  Well, he’d done his best, but there was only so much a man could take. Reiko was enough to try the patience of the gods themselves and unless she’d taken the hint this evening, he would have to do something drastic.

  The woman was a menace.

  Chapter Seven

  Plymouth, Devon, 28th June 1611

  ‘Jacob! Jacob! Where is he, damn him?’

  Hannah was just coming out of the kitchen a few weeks later when her father emerged from his counting room, shouting at the top of his voice. He fixed her with a baleful look. ‘Have you seen your brother? We have matters to discuss.’

  ‘No, Father, but I would like a word with you, please.’

  ‘Not now, can’t you see I’m busy?’

  ‘But I must speak to you about Mr Hesketh.’

  Since the unofficial betrothal, the man had become a regular visitor to the household, and his attentions to Hannah were increasing daily. She had tried to tell her mother that he was behaving in an unseemly manner, but Mistress Marston refused to listen. ‘Don’t be childish,’ she’d told Hannah. ‘Of course he’s attentive. That’s as it should be. The man’s besotted. Think yourself lucky.’

  Lucky, hah!

  Her father was in no mood to listen either, it seemed. ‘You’re marrying him and that’s that,’ he growled. ‘I won’t hear another word on the subject, is that clear?’

  ‘But Father, really …’

  ‘Here I am.’ Jacob came rushing down the stairs, taking them two at a time and almost tripping on the last set. ‘What’s the matter?’

  Mr Marston senior promptly forgot Hannah’s presence. ‘There you are! We still have much to plan. This is no time to be dawdling in bed.’

  Jacob looked sheepish, but protested, ‘I wasn’t.’

  ‘Well, be that as it may, you’re here now. Let us begin.’

  The two men disappeared into the counting room and shut the door. Hannah hesitated for a moment, then cast a quick glance around the hall to make sure there was no one about. She tip-toed over and put her ear to the keyhole. This eavesdropping was becoming a bad habit and she promised herself it would stop. Soon. For now, however, it was necessary.

  ‘Now you do know speed is essential?’ her father was saying. ‘There must be no detours even if you find profitable cargoes along the way. They can wait for another time.’

  ‘Yes, father, of course I know that, but I still think we should take the normal route and hope for favourable winds.’

  ‘No, you simply must reach the Japans before the East India Company merchants. And as soon as you get there, you have to contact this Mr Adams.’

  ‘But if the Company’s ships sailed months ago, there’s no guarantee we can arrive before them. Faith, they have a head start of more than two months!’

  ‘You can, I’m sure of it. Besides, who’s to say they arrive at all? Anything could happen at sea. We must chance it.’

  ‘But why, father? Surely there are other schemes that would be both safer and more profitable?’

  ‘Don’t argue with me, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be the first Englishman to trade with the Japonish nation and there’s an end to it. There might even be a knighthood in it for me, I can just see it. Are the ships ready?’

  ‘Nearly. We should be able to leave with the tide the day after tomorrow, but what about Kate’s nuptials? She particularly wanted me to attend.’

  ‘Can’t be helped. This is more important. I’ll make sure she understands, you can count on it. She’s a good girl, she’ll listen to her father. Now if only Hannah would do the same …’

  Hannah didn’t stay to hear any more, she had already remained longer than she should have done. On silent feet she retreated towards the back of the house and escaped into the garden.

  Despair engulfed her and she blinked back tears. The memory of Mr Hesketh touching her surreptitiously, as he had done only the day before when her mother’s attention was elsewhere, was enough to make her feel physically sick. But perhaps she was being silly and childish?

  Any man sh
e married would have the right to do whatever he wanted with her. It was a fact of life and one she’d have to accept. Mr Hesketh was simply so eager for the marriage he couldn’t restrain himself. In all honestly, could she blame him for that? Like her mother said, she ought to be flattered he desired her to such an extent. Perhaps no one else ever would? It wasn’t as if she was a beauty like Kate.

  But she wasn’t flattered. Not in the slightest.

  ‘There you are, my sweet. Your mother told me I’d find you out here, basking in the summer sunshine.’

  Hannah stifled a gasp as her betrothed joined her on the bench against the far wall of the garden where she’d been sitting. It was hidden from the house by some overlarge jasmine bushes and she’d hoped to remain undetected for the rest of the afternoon. Obviously that was not to be.

  ‘Yes, uhm, isn’t it glorious?’ she stammered, feeling her face heat up the way it always did when Mr Hesketh was too close. He’d asked her to call him Ezekiel now, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. It seemed too familiar somehow.

  ‘Glorious, indeed,’ he murmured, staring at her the way she imagined a hungry wolf might look at its prey. His gaze travelled from the top of her head down to her waist and even lower, then up again. Those strange moss-green eyes of his were lit by some emotion Hannah unconsciously understood, but shied away from. The intensity of it made her break into a cold sweat.

  She felt her breathing quicken and wondered what excuse she could give in order to flee back to the safety of the house. Before she had time to come up with anything, however, he suddenly put his arms around her and pulled her close. His mouth came down on hers with some force and when she uttered a squeak of protest, he took the opportunity to insert his tongue between her lips. Hannah almost gagged.

  She tried to push him off and managed to twist her face away from his, but he grabbed her chin with one hand in a vice-like grip and turned it back. ‘Don’t fight me, sweeting,’ he whispered. ‘No need for maidenly modesty now, we’re as good as married.’