The Gilded Fan Part 6

It was his turn to frown. 'Why?'

She shrugged. 'I don't know. Perhaps he had a grudge against Ichiro, although more likely he was paid by someone else to spy on us. At least he's dead now, so there's no immediate threat to my brother.'

'Well, whatever the case, you will stay in your cabin until we sail,' he ordered.

Midori bristled at his peremptory tone even though she saw the sense in this command and had been intending to do so in any case. 'Very well. How many members of your crew know that I'm here?'

'Only a handful.'

'We must hope they've kept their mouths shut then.'

'I've made sure of it.'

'Have you?' she challenged and saw his mouth tighten. She wondered how trustworthy his men really were and whether they always obeyed their captain.

'Yes.' His reply was curt and Midori thought it best not to anger him further. Captain Noordholt was silent for a moment before asking, 'Why does the Shogun hate foreigners so much?'

'He believes us to be a threat to his regime. Because of the Christian faith.' The captain looked confused, so she elaborated. 'The Christian G.o.d claims that he is to be obeyed before everyone else. Naturally the Shogun can't allow such a thing; he's the absolute ruler of j.a.pan. So we must go.'

'And if you convert back to ... whatever religion you have?'

'I have no need to convert, I was never a Christian myself. It's just that they wouldn't believe me. I tried to tell them.' She shuddered as she remembered the cold stare of the rodent-like man. He had wanted her dead, had relished the prospect, she was sure, and wasn't prepared to listen to anything she had to say.

'I see. I take it none of this applies to visiting merchants like myself? I'm only asking in case I have to come back at some point, you understand.'

'No, I don't think so. Foreigners are safe so long as you stay on Dejima.'

He looked away for a moment, as if pondering her words, before returning his gaze to her. 'You were wrong, you know,' he said gently, a strange look in his eyes.

'About what?'

He opened his mouth to reply, then appeared to think better of it and shook his head. 'Nothing,' he snapped.

And with that, he was gone.

'd.a.m.n her!'

She was definitely a complication he could well have done without. And he'd almost told her she was beautiful enough to tempt any man. Even me. No, especially me!

Nico sat in his cabin, staring out of the windows into the darkness of the night while the ship gently rode the waves of the harbour. Lights flickered along the sh.o.r.e as people made their way home carrying lanterns, but apart from that nothing stirred. Except her.

He could hear her moving around in the little cabin below his and he could picture her getting ready to bed down for the night. She would shed the mannish clothing which gave away the contours of her body as no female apparel ever would. Then she'd lie down in the bunk and close those magnificent eyes and spread the fan of her dark eyelashes against her soft cheeks ... Nico swore again at the image he was creating in his mind and tried to will away his body's reaction to them.

'By all that's holy,' he muttered. If he couldn't even keep from l.u.s.ting after her himself, how was he to stop the rest of the crew from having similar thoughts? And acting on them?

'I can't afford to waste time like this,' he grumbled to himself. So why then was he sitting here thinking about her?

She was just another woman. The world was full of them. He'd make sure she reached England safely, then he could put her out of his mind, secure in the knowledge that he'd done his duty as a gentleman.

'But why the h.e.l.l was she sent to plague me of all people?' he grumbled.

There had been at least three other Dutch ships that had sailed to j.a.pan this year alone; why couldn't she have asked for pa.s.sage on one of them? He sighed and drew his fingers through his hair, ma.s.saging his scalp to soothe the ache that had begun to build there.

And yet, he knew she was probably safer with him than she would have been with any of the other captains of his acquaintance. Most of them would have considered her fair game once the ship was under way. They would no doubt have protected her from the common sailors, but that wouldn't have precluded them trying to seduce her themselves, despite the fact she was a lady of high status. Nico had given Ichiro his word he would protect her as best he could, and he'd meant it.

'As if I don't have enough trouble with my crew already.' But he was fairly sure he could keep them in check, if only he could rule by example. And that, he now realised, was going to be the hardest thing of all.

By the time Midori woke up the next morning, the ship was already far out to sea. Her cabin had two tiny portholes, but when she looked out all she could see were the frothing waves caused by their progress and a dark shape in the distance. She swallowed hard and decided it was probably for the best that she hadn't seen the coastline disappear.

A knock on the door drew her thoughts back to the present. Her heart thumped uncomfortably as she asked, 'Yes, who is it?' Visions of coa.r.s.e crew members come to hara.s.s her rose in her mind, but she pushed these thoughts away.

'Jochem, mistress,' came the reply in a voice that sounded young and far from threatening. 'Captain said as how I was to fetch you sea water every day.'

The door had a stout bar, and she lifted it out of the way before admitting a gangly youth. 'Thank you, Jochem. That's very kind. If you could put it over there, please?' She pointed to a corner and he carried the pail carefully over to where she had indicated. 'You speak English, then? I thought most of the crew were Dutch.'

'I'm a Dutch citizen, mistress, but my parents were English, same as the captain's. My father was in the wool trade and there's a fair bit o' trade between our countries. He decided to settle in Amsterdam and stayed till he died a couple o' years ago. My mother's still there.'

'I see.' Midori hadn't known anything about the captain's parentage and it had never occurred to her to wonder where he'd acquired his knowledge of English. She supposed she should have asked about his background and credentials before approaching him, but at their first meeting nothing had seemed important other than to secure pa.s.sage on his ship.

'Can I get you anythin' else, mistress?' Jochem's large, brown puppy-eyes were open wide, as if he were drinking in the sight of her, and Midori had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. No one had ever gazed at her adoringly before, but that seemed to be the case now. She decided to pretend she hadn't noticed.

'The captain mentioned that you could obtain something for me to drink. I a.s.sume everyone receives a ration every day?'

'Of course. Right away.' He bowed himself out, still staring at her, but stood up too soon and banged his head on the low lintel. 'Ouch! Sorry.'

Midori hid another smile. The last thing she needed was for him to knock himself out in his eagerness to please. No doubt the captain would put the blame squarely on her if his cabin boy became incapacitated.

He returned not long after with a tankard. Midori accepted it gratefully and took a sip, but almost spat it out again. 'Ugh, what is this?'

'Small beer, mistress.' Jochem looked anxious. 'Y-you don't like it?'

'Well, I ... You're sure there's nothing else?'

'That's what we all drink, but I suppose you could have just rainwater as long as we don't run out.'

'Thank you, I'd like that. I could use it to make o-cha green tea. Although I suppose I ought to become accustomed to your beverages.' Midori sighed. 'Is this what you would drink in your country?'

Jochem nodded, still looking uncertain, and shifted from one foot to another.

'Then I shall have to learn.' She gave him a wide smile to put him at ease again, and he blinked. 'For now, however, I'd be very grateful for some plain water.'

'Yes, mistress. I'll fetch it now.'

She didn't see anyone apart from Jochem for several days and the monotony seemed endless. Even talking to Jochem, who wasn't the brightest boy she'd ever met, became a highlight, and she almost started to contemplate venturing up on deck to alleviate the tedium of life on board ship. The captain's warnings about his unruly crew, however, still rang in her ears and she managed to restrain herself. Instead, she tried to occupy her time by writing poems, as well as keeping herself and her little cabin meticulously clean and tidy.

In order to stay fit and healthy she also exercised as best she could in the tiny s.p.a.ce, honing her skills with the swords. It wasn't easy, and once when she missed and the sword became lodged in the side of her bunk with a thud, the captain came to investigate.

'Is everything all right?' he asked irritably, when she opened the door to his furious knocking.

'Yes, I'm just practising.' She swished the blade around in a series of movements which had the sword whining through the air within inches of his nose. He took a step backwards and frowned at her.

'In here? Are you out of your mind? There's no room!'

'Nevertheless, I have to try. How else am I to keep my skills? You did say you weren't sure you could defend me, so I must be on my guard.'

He opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again with a snap and walked away without a word. Midori frowned after him.

'I'm very well, thank you for asking,' she grumbled at his retreating back.

'Sword practice? Whatever next?' Nico muttered, although why he felt so aggrieved, he had no idea.

He ought to be pleased she wasn't completely helpless or defenceless, but the thought of a woman wielding a sword as sharp as that made his insides tighten. What if she hurt herself? Or someone else, like the cabin boy, by mistake?

Admittedly, he'd seen her defending herself the first time they had met and it did look as though she knew what she was doing. Still, it didn't seem right, and he couldn't stop the worries from niggling at him.

d.a.m.n, but she was magnificent, fighting like a fury, her beautiful hair flying out behind her like rippling silk. He'd like to spar with her himself, learn a few of her techniques and then show her that not all foreigners were as easily beaten as Barker and his cronies. But I can't spend time with her and she's better off staying in her cabin.

'A pox on it!'

He had to stop thinking about her at all or he'd never get this ship home safely to Amsterdam. Let her play with her swords, what did he care?

I'm going to stay the h.e.l.l away from her.

Chapter Nine.

Nico's resolve not to talk to Midori or even go near her lasted two days, then something occurred which made him forget all about it. On the third day he paused for a moment by the ship's railing, leaning his elbows on it to gaze out to sea. Some people found the vastness of the ocean intimidating, but to him the endless horizon represented freedom, and he never tired of looking at it. At the moment the surface of the water was fairly calm, the north-easterly breeze blowing in exactly the right direction to take them towards Java. Nico drew in a deep breath of salt-tinged air, then frowned. He could smell smoke.

Bending over the railing, he looked right, then left and noticed puffs of smoke wafting out of two portholes not far below him. It didn't take him long to realise whose cabin it was. Midori!

'What in Hades is she doing playing with fire on a ship?' he muttered and set off towards the hatch at a run. Had she set her bedclothes on fire? No, that's impossible. The candle of her lantern would never last all night. What then?

He found Jochem sitting cross-legged outside her door, mending a sail while whistling softly. Nico's sudden arrival had the boy scrambling to his feet, blinking. 'I-is everything all right, Cap'n?'

'No, can't you smell it? Her cabin's on fire!' Nico rapped on the door, shouting, 'Midori? Midori, can you hear me?' He felt his stomach muscles clench. What if she'd been overcome by the fumes already? Of all the stupid things ...

In the next instant, the door opened, however, and Midori stood there regarding him with slightly raised brows. 'Of course I can hear you, Captain. I should think most of the ship's crew could as well. What's the matter?'

Nico peered into the tiny s.p.a.ce behind her and saw smoke curling upwards from a low wooden table. Understanding dawned, but although his anxiety lessened, anger coursed through him instead. 'What on earth do you think you're doing? You brought a hibachi?'

He stared at the little j.a.panese brazier, which looked like a boxy table with a square, copper-lined cavity in the middle. He hadn't thought to check her belongings when they were carried on board, but realised now he should have done.

Midori's eyes narrowed a fraction, but she stayed calm. 'My brother and I thought it would be best if I cooked some of my own food. You did say you would have trouble making the ship's rations last the entire journey, didn't you?'

Nico scowled at her. 'Every captain has the same problem. That doesn't mean I want my pa.s.sengers cooking for themselves. It's not safe, you could easily start a fire and the whole ship would go up in flames. The only place where fire is allowed is in the cook room, which has a brick floor.'

'I a.s.sure you I'll be very careful. Look,' Midori pointed at the hibachi, 'I use only a few pieces of charcoal each time to grill fish, which Jochem has been kind enough to obtain for me from your cook, or to heat some water for rice or soup.'

'And if the ship pitches violently, what then? You'll end up with burning coals all over the floor, which, in case you hadn't noticed, is made of wood. Or you'll scald yourself. I'm sorry, but it's out of the question.'

'If the waves are high, I won't cook anything,' she insisted.

'I don't want you cooking at any time!' Nico felt his jaw tightening as he held on to his temper by a thread.

She squared up to him. 'This is my cabin, paid for with enough silver to make it my business what I do in here-'

'And this ship is under my command,' Nico interrupted, his voice rising now. He saw Jochem stealthily making his way towards the stairs. 'Stay!' Nico barked at the youth. 'I want you to remove the brazier this instant.'

'No.' Midori crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. 'I refuse to eat that disgusting mess your cook serves up until I have to.'

Nico was just about to argue back, when he noticed her expression soften. She put out a hand and placed it lightly on his arm, the gesture making an unexpected jolt shoot through his veins. At the same time she looked up at him with those beautiful cat-eyes, so large and luminous in the light reflected from the sea. He felt his antagonism melt away as he drowned in their green depths.

'Can't we come to some agreement?' she asked, her voice low and persuasive. 'If I swear on my honour never to use the hibachi in bad weather, surely you can allow me to keep it? I'm not a fool, Captain. I won't go risking my own and everyone else's lives on purpose.'

She held his gaze and although Nico tried to hang on to his anger, somehow he couldn't. He knew she wasn't an imbecile. She'd shown herself to have both intelligence and integrity. And from his short acquaintance with the j.a.panese, he was sure if she swore something on her honour, she would stick to it.

He capitulated. 'Oh, very well, but if I send word that you're not to use it, you will obey instantly, understand? The weather can change very quickly.'

She nodded and gave him a beaming smile that had his senses reeling. 'Agreed.'

'Good. Well, er ... I'll just ... Good.' He stomped off towards the hatch and up the short flight of stairs, cursing under his breath. 'I should never have let her on board,' he muttered, but deep down he knew the cause of his anger wasn't so much her use of the brazier as the way she fired his blood.

He'd wanted to s.n.a.t.c.h her up and kiss her senseless.

Midori stared at the haiku poem in front of her, then threw down her calligraphy brush in frustration. It didn't sound right. There was something vital missing, but for the life of her she couldn't think what it could be.

O distant sh.o.r.eline Rocky, unforgiving, hard, Welcome me back soon 'Help me, Father,' she whispered, looking round for guidance. Her father had been a master at poetry, writing an entire collection dedicated to Midori's mother, and he'd tried to teach his daughter to follow in his footsteps. No inspiration or help from the spirits was forthcoming at the moment, however, so she had to give up in disgust.

There was a knock on the door and she went to open it. 'Who is it?' she asked, her thoughts still on poetry.

'Jochem,' came the m.u.f.fled reply and she lifted the heavy bar with a smile. Someone to talk to at last.

Jochem wasn't alone, however, and she barely had time to see his frightened eyes before the boy was shoved roughly aside, his head smashing into the nearest wall. Taking the youth's place in the doorway was Barker, the man she'd fought at Dejima. There was no mistaking the large, porous nose and the leering expression. The welcoming smile died on her lips.

'So I was right then,' he murmured. 'The cap'n's been keepin' you all to hisself. That don't seem fair to me. Share and share alike, is my motto. Least when it comes to wh.o.r.es.'

Midori took a step backwards and glared at him. 'I'll have you know I'm a lady. And I don't belong to the captain; I'm merely a pa.s.senger on this ship. Kindly leave my cabin.'

'A likely story,' Barker scoffed. 'And still as hoity-toity, are ye? You'll soon change your tune.' He grinned at her and just before he advanced, she noticed most of his teeth were missing. She tried to duck and reached for her swords, but she wasn't fast enough and he had her pinned to the wall in no time. 'Now then, let's start where we left off, eh?' He imprisoned both her hands with one of his, while his other hand began to grope its way along her body none too gently.

Midori fought back, twisting and turning and trying to kick his private parts, but all to no avail. He may be useless with a sword, but at close quarters he was much stronger than her. She cursed. She had mistakenly thought any attack would come at night, if at all, and had let down her guard. And now she would pay for it. She let out a blood-curdling scream, more furious with herself than afraid. At the last moment, she turned her head to the side to avoid the disgusting mouth which was coming towards hers.