Was the emphatic denial a stall to buy Lord Niu time to recover his wits? Sano thought perhaps he could goad the daimyo's son into an unguarded revelation.

"Noriyoshi had ties to another member of your family besides Yukiko," he said.

But Lord Niu had regained his poise. Instead of acknowledging the question, he said to Eii-chan, "Return to the funeral. I think Yoriki Sano can find his own way home."

Eii-chan turned and walked down the steps without a word. To Sano, Lord Niu said, "If you come near our estate or near any member of our clan again, I cannot guarantee your safety. Eii-chan and our other retainers take an unfavorable view of those who trespa.s.s on our property or persons."

He delivered the words casually, but with a malevolent glow in his feverish eyes. Sano recognized the tacit threat: if he approached the Nius again, he would be killed.

"I see that you understand my meaning," Lord Niu said. "Perhaps you're not as stupid as I thought. Just foolhardy, but decidedly capable of learning your lesson." A contemptuous smile twisted his mouth as his gaze held Sano's. "Farewell, yoriki. I trust we won't be seeing each other again." He pushed himself away from the post and started slowly down the steps, his head high and his body rigid.

That's what you think, Sano silently told Lord Niu's retreating back. Resentment and humiliation burned dully in his blood like bad wine. His hand moved to his sword, gripping its hilt with all the force of his anger against Lord Niu, who had given him even more reason to investigate the Nius' role in the murders.

Then Lord Niu turned. "Oh, by the way," he called. "I wouldn't bother trying to see Midori, if I were you. My mother has sent her to the nunnery at the Temple of Kannon in Hakone." His laugh rang out as he continued on his way.

Sano watched Lord Niu rejoin the mourners at the funeral pyre. The flames had died down, although smoke continued to rise from the smoldering embers. As he started back toward the city center, a heady excitement stirred beneath his initial disappointment. Attending the funeral had endangered him, but not, perhaps, to no avail. Midori was in Hakone, a long, arduous journey west along the Tokaido-the Eastern Sea Road that linked Edo with the imperial capital in Kyoto. This was bad news, but at least he knew where to find her. It wouldn't be easy to justify a five-day leave of absence to Magistrate Ogyu; still, he could operate more freely once outside Ogyu's domain.

Besides, the Nius' continuing resistance to his investigation confirmed his suspicion that they wanted the mystery of Noriyoshi's and Yukiko's murders to remain unsolved. And their abrupt removal of Midori from Edo meant they were afraid that she might tell him why.

Chapter 13.

Sano had departed from the Tokaido's starting point at the Nihonbashi Bridge at daybreak. Dressed in his winter traveling clothes-a wide, circular wicker hat, heavy robes, trousers, shoes and socks, and his warmest hooded cloak-he'd ridden southwest out of the awakening city. Now, as the sun burned the last of the dawn's shimmering pink radiance from the sky, he approached Shinagawa, second of the fifty-three stations that marked the highway between Edo and Kyoto.

The wide, sandy road, banked in the middle and bordered on each side by regularly s.p.a.ced tall firs, narrowed and began to climb. Sano could see ahead of him the many bent figures of pedestrians toiling toward Shinagawa. To his right, the land rose steeply toward the forested hills. On his left it dropped sharply away below a line of fishermen's shacks to the sea. Small boats crowded the harbor. The faint shapes of larger ships floated on distant deeper water, against a hazy horizon. Seabirds wheeled and soared, filling the sky's high blue bowl with darting wings and the air with their sharp, plaintive cries. The sibilant lap of the waves made a constant, gentler music. The clean, fresh salt breeze invigorated Sano, renewing his optimism and confidence. His journey was going to be a success. When he got to Hakone, Midori would give him proof that Noriyoshi and Yukiko had been murdered, and maybe even tell him the ident.i.ty of the killer.

"Wait, Yoriki Sano-san! I have to stop!"

The shout that came from twenty paces behind him shattered Sano's mood. With a sigh of irritation, he reined in his horse and looked over his shoulder. He watched as a smiling, wheezing Tsunehiko, mounted on a huge black steed, bounced up to him. For one blessed moment, he'd completely forgotten his traveling companion.

Tsunehiko scrambled off his horse. "I'll be quick, I promise." He hurried to the roadside, hiking up his cloak.

Shaking his head, Sano leaned over to grasp the reins of Tsunehiko's horse before it could wander away. He watched his secretary urinate against a tree, wishing he were traveling alone and blaming himself for the fact that he wasn't.

After Yukiko's funeral yesterday, he had gone straight to Magistrate Ogyu's mansion. He'd wondered whether he should wait awhile to ask for a leave of absence. If Ogyu had seen him at the funeral, it would be better to allow the magistrate's anger time to cool. But a growing sense of urgency made Sano reluctant to postpone his journey. If he didn't solve the mystery soon, he feared he might never do so.

He'd waited until after dark. At last two bearers rounded the corner with a palanquin. Magistrate Ogyu stepped out at the gate.

Sano greeted his superior, who, to his relief, didn't mention the funeral. Then he said, "Honorable Magistrate, I must beg you to allow me a five-day leave of absence. As you know, my father is not well. His doctor has advised me to make a pilgrimage to the shrine at Mishima to pray for his recovery."

Fabricating an excuse had presented him with a moral dilemma. He hated lies and subterfuge, but for the past few days, he'd dealt constantly in both. Now he'd come to realize that his investigation was compromising not only his career, but also his principles. He tried to justify the lies by telling himself that small truths must fall sacrifice to his pursuit of a larger one. Justice-for the murder victims, as well as for Wisteria and Midori and others who had loved them-must take priority. Still, he felt a deep unhappiness that he couldn't deny. His personal quest was carrying him into a disturbing and unfamiliar world, away from the radiant path of duty, obedience, filial piety, and integrity defined by the Way of the Warrior. Finally he'd settled on the pilgrimage story after discarding several others, because it was plausible and contained elements of truth. He would go to Mishima, which was the station just after Hakone. If spies at the highway checkpoints reported his movements to Ogyu, he would at least appear to be doing exactly as he'd proposed. A doctor had recommended the pilgrimage, and Ogyu, always a champion of duty, couldn't refuse to let him go.

Ogyu stroked his chin thoughtfully. "A pilgrimage on your father's behalf. Such an admirable expression of filial piety. Of course you may have your leave of absence, Yoriki Sano. When do you propose to begin your journey?"

"Thank you, Honorable Magistrate. Tomorrow morning, if I may." Sano bowed, surprised that Ogyu had conceded so easily. Did the magistrate really believe his story? Maybe Ogyu was just ready to seize any chance to get rid of him for a while. He wondered whether Ogyu knew about Midori and saw that his sudden need for a pilgrimage coincided with her departure from Edo. If so, did Ogyu not care if he visited the nunnery? Perhaps he'd wrongly imagined a criminal collusion between the magistrate and the Nius.

"I am much obliged for your kindness," he added, telling himself he was lucky to get a leave of absence at all, whatever the reason.

Then Ogyu said, "You will, of course, take your secretary with you." His tone made it not only an order, but a condition of Sano's leave.

Sano felt his mouth drop open in dismay. Tsunehiko! What a terrible enc.u.mbrance! The secretary was no horseman; he would make the journey last even longer. And how could Sano afford to feed him for five days? There would be other expenses, too: lodging, stable fees, tolls at each of the ten checkpoints between Edo and Hakone.

"I value your advice, Honorable Magistrate," Sano faltered, "but I shan't require a secretary's services."

Ogyu dismissed his objection with a shake of his head. "A traveling companion is necessary for a man in your position," he said sternly. "Do not worry about the cost."

Then Sano understood. Ogyu was sending Tsunehiko along to spy. Now his suspicions about the magistrate's motives returned, and he regretted revealing his travel plans. But it was too late for regrets.

"Please come inside, Sano-san," Ogyu said with a benign smile. "I will write up two official travel pa.s.ses and distribute to you the funds to cover your secretary's expenses. Then you had better go directly to his home and tell him to prepare for the journey."

Now Sano controlled his annoyance as Tsunehiko remounted the black steed. The secretary put his foot in the stirrup and heaved himself up, wheezing as he arrived, belly down, on the saddle.

"Easy." Sano calmed the horse as it began to buck. He held the reins firmly until Tsunehiko could sit up. To Tsunehiko, he said, "If you didn't drink so much, you wouldn't have to stop so often."

The reproach didn't bother Tsunehiko. Beaming, he said, "But Yoriki Sano-san, riding makes me thirsty. And hungry, too." He took another swig of water from his flask, then pulled a parcel of dried plums from his overloaded saddlebag. He began to munch, his cheeks bulging around his smile. "This is so much fun. Many, many thanks for taking me with you!"

Sano hid a smile as they resumed their journey. He couldn't stay angry with his secretary, not when the day seemed so bright with promise. His qualms about the lies he'd told Ogyu bothered him less. He was doing the right thing. Soon his superior would realize it and appreciate his efforts-if, of course, Ogyu was not deliberately concealing a crime but merely trying to spare the Nius what he deemed undeserved pain. The memory of his confrontation with Lord Niu lost some of its power to disturb Sano. He began to enjoy Tsunehiko's lighthearted company; he even joined in when the boy began to sing. This wasn't so bad after all. He had no doubt that he could manage to keep Tsunehiko from finding out the real purpose of the journey and from accompanying him to the Temple of Kannon.

Although the Tokaido boasted less traffic now than in spring or summer, he and Tsunehiko had plenty of company. They pa.s.sed two heavy ox-drawn carts full of lumber, property of the government, the only wheeled vehicles allowed on the highway because the Tokugawas wanted to discourage the transport of arms, ammunition, and other war supplies. Peasants scurried about collecting leaves, branches, and horse dung for fuel. An occasional wealthy pa.s.senger swayed and bobbed in a kago, a basketlike chair borne on the shoulders of brawny louts whose kimonos hung open to display magnificently tattooed chests and legs. Peddlers, their merchandise heaped on their backs, plodded doggedly along. A group of religious pilgrims sang and clapped as they marched toward some shrine or temple. Beggars played their wooden flutes to entice donors. Several times Sano and Tsunehiko exchanged greetings with other samurai, who either rode as they did at the moderate pace that a long journey required, or galloped past on some shorter mission.

In Shinagawa, the roadside inns, teahouses, and restaurants were doing a brisk business. Cooking odors drifted from behind curtains into the street. Tsunehiko greeted the sights and smells with a cry of rapture.

"Please, can we get something to eat, Yoriki Sano-san?" he begged.

"Later." Sano, having watched the secretary eat almost nonstop since the onset of their journey, knew he was in no danger of starving. They could have a meal at the next station, while the horses rested and fed. He wanted to cover as much ground as possible before dark. He led the way to the checkpoint, where the low plaster post house stood well back from the road.

In front of the post house, a line snaked toward the window where station officials registered the travelers, checked their doc.u.ments, and either granted or denied further pa.s.sage. A nearby stable offered packhorses for hire. As Sano dismounted and took his place in line beside Tsunehiko, he heard drunken laughter coming from beyond the stable. There the local kago bearers sat around a fire in their encampment of flimsy shacks, drinking sake while they waited for customers.

After a few moments, Tsunehiko said impatiently, "What's taking so long?"

Sano stepped out of line to look. A gray-haired woman and her two male escorts stood at the window. The official was sorting through a pile of papers, pausing now and then to question the woman.

"I don't see why they have to bother about some old lady," Tsunehiko complained when told. "They shouldn't make us wait. We're in a hurry!"

Sano resisted the impulse to tell him that they would have made better time if he hadn't stopped so often. Tsunehiko's obvious pleasure in the trip and his pride at traveling with his superior were rather endearing.

"The government can't afford to let the daimyo smuggle their women out of Edo," Sano said, taking the opportunity to teach his ignorant secretary. "With the hostages safe in the provinces, they would be free to express their anger toward the shogun's taxes and restrictions on their freedom by launching a rebellion."

Finally the woman followed a female official into the post house to be examined for the identifying scars and marks specified on her travel pa.s.s. Sano wondered how the Nius had arranged a pa.s.s for Midori so quickly. Those prized doc.u.ments required many signatures and could take months to get. The Nius must have paid a fortune in bribes. Although they could well afford the expense, surely this meant they had strong reason to want Midori away from Edo.

When he reached the head of the line, Sano presented their pa.s.ses and paid their tolls. He and Tsunehiko helped the searchers turn out their saddlebags to check for smuggled gold, foreign goods, and firearms. As government officials, they pa.s.sed the inspection without difficulty. But as he prepared to depart, Sano experienced an uneasy, p.r.i.c.kling sensation.

Someone was watching him. He could feel eyes trained on him, boring into his back with malicious intent.

He pretended to recheck the fastenings of his bags. Then he turned quickly. Several more travelers, including some mounted samurai, a few peasants, and a religious pilgrimage, had arrived since he'd last noticed. The few faces that looked back at him showed no more than ordinary interest. He saw no one he recognized.

"What are we waiting for, Yoriki Sano-san?" Tsunehiko sat astride his horse. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing." Sano didn't want to alarm Tsunehiko. He mounted his own horse, taking one last glance around as he led the way back to the road. The metsuke-government spies-kept a watch on all comings and goings along the Tokaido. Probably one of them, disguised to blend with the crowd, had chosen that moment to observe him. That was all.

But Sano's uneasiness persisted. As they continued toward the next station at Kawasaki, he caught himself looking backward with increasing frequency. Were those three samurai or that peddler following them? The highway curved through a patch of woodland, and for a moment he and Tsunehiko had it to themselves. Tsunehiko stopped to urinate again. While he waited, Sano gazed into the pine trees that met overhead to form a canopy through which patches of blue sky showed. An excellent spot for soldiers to take cover from enemy arrows and bullets during war, he thought. And an equally excellent place for evildoers to hide. Every year, countless travelers were robbed and murdered on the Tokaido.

Horses' hooves clopped on the road behind Sano. He peered back toward the curve, waiting for the rider to pa.s.s. Then the hoofbeats stopped. The morning was still, except for the twitter of birds and the rustle of the boughs overhead. Its silence, made ominous by that watching presence, unnerved Sano. His hand went to his sword. Did he dare shout, "Who goes there?" or ride around the curve to look? He had no desire to face an unknown a.s.sailant in this deserted place.

"Hurry up, Tsunehiko," he called instead.

He was relieved when they emerged from the woods into open s.p.a.ce. Then, to his frustration, he saw a serious obstacle to a quick escape: the Tama River. Several swimmers were fording horses across the smooth, sparkling water; others waited on the rocky bank. Ferrymen were helping pa.s.sengers into flat wooden boats. The Tokugawas and their efficient peacekeeping tactics! To restrict troop movement along the Tokaido, they'd destroyed most of the bridges.

In his haste to be gone, Sano didn't bother to negotiate fares with the river men. He paid the high prices they asked and helped Tsunehiko unload the horses. He hurried his secretary into one of the boats, threw their bags in, and jumped inside after them. The ferryman began to row them across the river with infuriating slowness, while two pairs of swimmers guided the horses carefully between hidden underwater rocks and logs.

Tsunehiko stuck his hand in the water and immediately pulled it out again. "Oh, it's cold!" he exclaimed. To the swimmers, he called, "How can you bear it?"

The swimmers laughed, their tanned, grinning faces bobbing in the water beside the horses. "We're tough!" one of them answered.

Sano listened with half his attention. He squinted across the water to the receding sh.o.r.e. Although he could see no one lurking among the trees, his sense of impending danger did not diminish.

From his hiding place behind a clump of firs, the watcher stood and gazed toward the river as the ferryboat carried Sano Ichiro to the opposite bank. The yoriki kept turning around to peer at the woods. He obviously knew he was being followed. Maybe he'd guessed as far back as the post house, but certainly when the watcher had almost come upon him on that deserted stretch of road.

But the watcher kept his position, unworried. He could tell by the way Sano's puzzled gaze had darted from one person to another on the road-and the way it now swept the woods-that Sano didn't know who was watching him, or from where. The watcher knew that he was a superb spy. He'd had plenty of experience with disguises and hiding. His drab hat and cloak had allowed him to blend first with the other travelers, and now with the landscape. And he knew how to conceal his thoughts and intentions so that no one noticed, let alone suspected him. People-Sano included-looked straight through him as if he wasn't there. He hadn't had to take to the fields yet, as he might when they got farther from Edo and the traffic thinned. And he didn't much care that the yoriki was on guard. Anxiety would eat away at him. It would reduce him to helplessness by the time the watcher was ready to make his move.

Still, one thing disturbed the watcher. Not the smells of woods and water or his need for secrecy, which all vividly reminded him of the night he'd dumped the bodies in the river. The brilliant sunlight did much to banish any similarity between then and now. And the pa.s.sage of time had allowed him to recover from the worst of his fear. His nightmares had stopped. He no longer awoke, sweating, heart pounding, from dreams of his own arrest, torture, and execution.

No-it was the young samurai traveling with Sano that bothered him. He'd expected Sano to be alone, and he didn't like surprises. Then he told himself that the boy's presence had its advantages. Sano made slower progress than he would have otherwise. Two men were easier to track than one. The watcher could lag far behind and still keep them in view, still catch up with them at every station. And the boy would distract Sano, making him less observant, less cautious.

The ferryboat reached the opposite bank. Sano and his companion stepped out and began unloading their bags. Their horses splashed ash.o.r.e. Anxiously the watcher waited as his quarries dried, loaded, and mounted their horses and disappeared over the wooded bluff beyond the river. His eagerness nearly sent him rushing after them, but he fought it. Patience, he told himself. They couldn't escape.

He made himself wait a few more heartbeats. Then he whistled softly to his horse. She'd been waiting obediently down the road and now trotted up to meet him. The two of them descended the slope to the river, where the ferrymen and swimmers waited to convey them to the opposite sh.o.r.e.

He had plenty of time to choose his moment, and night would offer better opportunities than day.

Chapter 14.

Sunset had turned the western sky to a clear, lavender-streaked gold by the time Sano and Tsunehiko reached the inland village of Totsuka. Although Totsuka was the sixth Tokaido station and the usual stopping place for travelers who had left Edo in early morning, Sano had hoped to push on farther. He wanted to shake their still-unseen pursuer, if indeed one existed. But night was fast approaching, wrapping the land in its chill darkness. He and Tsunehiko were cold, tired, and hungry; the horses, too, needed warmth, rest, and food.

"We'll spend the night here," Sano said after they'd cleared the checkpoint at the entrance to Totsuka.

Tsunehiko, who had turned glum and silent from fatigue, smiled again. "Oh, good, Yoriki Sano-san," he said with a heartfelt sigh of relief.

Totsuka's thatch-roofed inns, restaurants, and teahouses stood side by side along the Tokaido. Lanterns burned cheerily against the encroaching night. From the doorway of each establishment, pretty "waitresses"-the illegal and officially nonexistent village prost.i.tutes-beckoned to the travelers. Earlier arrivals carried baggage into inns and drank in the teahouses. Medicine sellers hawked their salves and potions. A band of pilgrims peered into a religious-supply shop. s.n.a.t.c.hes of song and music burst from fenced courtyards, where the inns' customers had already begun their parties. Surrounding the commercial district, the villagers' houses nestled cozily among the trees.

Sano and Tsunehiko rode up the street in search of lodgings. They bypa.s.sed the stately, templelike edifices reserved for daimyo and court n.o.bles. Near the middle of town, they found a small, modest inn whose front door opened directly onto the street. Its cylindrical orange lanterns bore the name Ryokan Gorobei. Signs advertised low prices for room and board; but the building seemed tidy and in good repair. The floor of its entrance way was swept clean, and its back wall was decorated with a shrine to Jizo, patron G.o.d of travelers and children. The fat little G.o.d sat on his shelf, surrounded by rice cakes, cups of sake, and burning oil lamps.

"This will do," Sano said, dismounting.

Before he led the way inside, he looked backward. Was it just his imagination that made him think the watcher pursued them? He saw the familiar faces of travelers they'd met on the road, but none with whom he could a.s.sociate that malignant presence. Trying to shed his anxiety, he told himself that soon he and Tsunehiko would be safe within four walls.

"Welcome to the Ryokan Gorobei, welcome!" The smiling innkeeper rushed out of his living quarters in back of the entrance-way to greet them. Short, bald, and rotund, he looked a bit like Jizo himself. He bowed and said, "Thank you for choosing my humble inn. I am Gorobei, and I will do everything in my power to make your stay a pleasant one."

He brought them a register to sign, then called to the stable boy, who ran out to take charge of the horses. Then he picked up one of Jizo's lamps and led Sano and Tsunehiko into the storage room. They left most of their baggage there, keeping with them only the things they would need that night. Tsunehiko hung his swords on the rack with those of the other guests, but Sano hesitated, his hand on the scabbard of his long sword. What if the watcher should make an appearance tonight?

"You need not worry about leaving your weapons, master," said the innkeeper. "Very, very safe here. Ryokan Gorobei has its own night.w.a.tchman."

"No reflection on your establishment, but I'd rather keep them with me," Sano told him.

Gorobei led them across a small but pretty garden to the guest quarters. Climbing the steps of a narrow veranda, he slid open a door. The room, just large enough to sleep two men, was bare and clean. Its only furnishings were the tatami mats, a charcoal brazier, and a wall cabinet to hold bedding and the guests' personal items. Gorobei lit the brazier and the lamps that stood beside it. Then he smiled and bowed.

"I hope these poor lodgings will serve, masters. The bathhouse and privy are that way." He pointed."Please let me know if there is anything you need. " With another bow, he bustled off toward the entranceway, where voices indicated that another party had arrived.

Once bathed, dressed in a comfortable robe, and enclosed in the warm, bright little room, Sano felt his tension melt away. Physical comfort made all threats seem distant and unreal.

"I'm starving," Tsunehiko announced, wheezing as he knelt beside the brazier. "When do we eat?"

As if in answer to his question, the door slid open. A maid entered on her knees. She bowed, then gave them two trays that held generous portions of fish, rice, vegetables, and soup. Sano, weary of scrutinizing every face he saw, was glad that inns had no public dining rooms and guests ate in their own quarters. The maid poured the tea and sake, then withdrew.

"Good stuff," Tsunehiko mumbled, his mouth full.

Sano nodded in agreement. The rice was fragrant, the vegetables and soup well seasoned and savory. Ryokan Gorobei offered good value for its prices. He must remember to leave a generous tip. The knot of worry in his stomach loosened, releasing a voracious hunger. He ate almost as much as Tsunehiko, leaving only a portion of untouched radish pickle for his disappointed secretary to finish.

"My, it's noisy," Tsunehiko remarked as they finished their last cups of sake. "What are they doing over there?"

He leaned over and started to slide back the window panel.

"Don't-" Sano flung out a hand to stop him.

Tsunehiko looked around in surprise. "Why not?"

Sano dropped his hand. "Never mind," he said. He didn't want to reveal their whereabouts, but he couldn't resist looking outside. Maybe this time he would see the watcher. "Go ahead."

Tsunehiko opened the window. The laughter and music that had grown steadily louder during their meal rushed in on a cold gust of wind. Sano looked across the garden toward the other guest rooms. Through the open window of one, he saw a group of samurai. A woman in bright kimono, probably the inn's "waitress," knelt in their midst, playing the samisen. One of the samurai struck a clownish pose and began to sing in an off-key voice. The others roared with laughter. In another room, two priests chanted sutras. Sano turned his gaze to another wing that stood a little apart from the rest. Was the watcher one of those shadowy forms silhouetted in flickering lamplight against the translucent windows? Or was he staying at another inn, ready to pick up their trail in the morning? Maybe he lurked somewhere in the darkness beyond the village. Safe within his own cozy room, listening to the ordinary noises, Sano could almost believe that the watcher posed no danger to them.

Almost.

Tsunehiko yawned. "I'm so tired," he said.

Sano yawned, too. His body's need for sleep was fast overcoming his mind's desire to stay alert. When the maid returned to fetch the trays, he asked her to set out their bedding. Then he put on his cloak and swords.

"I'm going out for some fresh air," he told Tsunehiko. He didn't want to frighten his secretary, but he wanted to take one last look for the watcher, and a.s.sure himself that they would be safe for the night.