The Harris family waved at them from the platform as they boarded the train
that would take them out West.
As they followed the porter in, they both ignored the curious stares of the other passengers in the first-class car. It wasn't everyday that people in this part of the country saw people from the Orient, or such an imposing pair. She chose to simply close her eyes and move as proudly as she could towards a table, while his frown caused them to look away. But as soon as she sat down in her seat across from him, he noticed that proud demeanor slip entirely as she concentrated hard on looking out the window as the train left the station.
When she finally looked back at him, he noticed her expression was rather subdued.
"Tired?" He asked, knowing full well that she was, but allowing her to say more if she wished to.
"Wouldn't you be if you spent the last three days packing, shopping, and paying calls to everyone amongst your acquaintance?"
"I suppose." The truth was, he had accompanied her along many of those errands, with the exception of the times he had to make the travel arrangements and the times he was pulled aside by the gentlemen of the Harris household, who insisted that he not be abused by the women, who would have otherwise dragged him along on every shopping trip and made him carry all that they bought. Actually, he should have been more tired than the doctor - but he decided to not say anything.
"Sitting here after all that seems odd, don't you think?" She said with a wry smile as she looked out the window. "And for the next four days," she yawned. "Whatever are we going to do for four days?" She gave one of her trademark foxy laughs then. "I suppose you'll meditate the whole time?"
He nodded slightly.
"You're not serious are you?" She frowned, thinking perhaps that he had no intention of having any conversation whatsoever.
He said nothing for a moment, but noted that she was starting to look a bit non-plussed by his silence. "You have not mentioned what you will do when you get to Tokyo."
She looked a bit startled. Whether it was from the fact that they were having a conversation, or that he had chosen to skip the small talk entirely, he couldn't tell. But she closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"I have been so busy the past few days that I haven't given much thought to what happens when we get there. Or maybe, I'm just a bit too nervous to start thinking about that."
He raised his eyebrow. Megumi Takani had the courage to stand up to a number of intimidating people in the past and to withstand some strange situations. And now she was nervous?
"I like children," she opened her eyes and looked down at the table where her fingers were tracing small patterns on the burgundy tablecloth. "I have taken care of quite a few of them occasionally. But to suddenly go from being on my own to having another person to care about all the time is a bit overwhelming." When she saw his eyes look at her curiously, she suddenly realized how selfish she sounded. "-- Not that I regret having Meg-chan to care for or am having second thoughts!!"
He had not thought that at all. When it came to friends, she had always been more than dutiful. He suspected with family, she would far exceed even what others expected. "It is different," he said thoughtfully, "but one does adjust."
She hesitated for a moment, "Were things like that with Misao?"
He nodded. Misao was a strong, happy child despite the loss of her much loved father. He was not a warm person then by any means, but she still managed to put on a smile whenever he would ask her how she was doing or allow her to tag along with him and his men.
"How is she?" she added quietly. "You haven't said much of her yet."
"She's well," he tapped his fingers on the table, "at least from what she writes."
"From what she writes?" Megumi gave him a puzzled look. "I thought that she would -"
"You thought she would be at the Aoiya?" he finished her question for her. "She's been gone for a while now. Ever since Okina was attacked-"
"Attacked?" She said a bit too loudly, drawing a glare from the person sitting behind her. She lowered her voice, "Is he alright?"
"He's fine now," he sighed, "At least well enough to be scheming behind my back."
She gave him a look that told him that she expected nothing less from that old man. "What did he do?"
"He allowed Misao to go off with Soujiro Seta in hope that something would happen. He tried to get Hiko Seijuro to come out to the Aoiya by ordering large quantities of his pottery, and when that failed he tried to set up Omasu and Okon with Shiro."
Megumi shook her head, "That man never gives up does he? So Misao is with Soujiro then?"
He nodded. "And Cho Sawajego. They are on assignment . . . for the man we know as Inspector Fujita."
She made a face as he referred to Hajime Saitoh. "My favorite person, of course. And you're alright with all of this?"
"Misao is happy," he said impassively. "That is all that matters."
"I see," she said a bit uncertainly. For some reason, the topic of Misao seemed awkward to her. Somewhat abruptly, she smiled at him as she leaned in conspiratorially, "And knowing Okina, who did Okina think to set you up with?"
He looked back at her, wondering how she would react. "A certain doctor who kept refusing the old man's offers."
He expected her either to laugh or angrily denounce the old man then, but instead she looked down and blushed.
"You are not surprised?"
She wouldn't quite raise her eyes to meet his. "It seems that explains something. I wrote Kaoru a few months ago to let her know where I was. And she wrote back asking me about you. I thought that Okina's antics might have something to do with it- -"
"Okina sent a matchmaker after you."
"--To the Kamiya dojo?" she looked mortified. "He didn't!!"
When he folded his arms over his chest, she put her hands over her face, "So Kaoru thought something had happened that day we came back from Tokyo."
"Do not worry. I explained to the Himuras that it was Okina's joke when I returned to Tokyo with your brother's daughter. However, Sagara hasn't returned since the incident with the matchmaker."
"Sanosuke?" she looked startled. "Was he there?"
"He is one reason the matchmaker was particularly upset at Okina."
She slumped further down her seat. "Why do I feel like I'm being punished for some unknown reason? * I have Kaoru and Yahiko thinking that I'm yanking around two men like some sort of hard-hearted fickle -" her voice trailed off as she realized that one of the men in question was sitting across from her.
"I would not be so concerned," he picked up a book he had been carrying with him. "There has been no misunderstanding on our part, and I am certain Sagara will understand as well." She and Sagara were, after all, from all appearances on good terms when she had left Tokyo.
She opened her mouth then, but then shut it, changing her mind about saying anything further. She turned her head away and glared out the window.
Aoshi retreated to his book.
~
Megumi was too embarrassed to talk to him after that conversation. And so for the next four days, she chose to not make trivial conversation. It did not appear to bother him.
The train to San Francisco reached its destination one day before their steam cruiser was due to depart. Knowing that there would be three weeks of isolation to the boat, Megumi left Aoshi to his own devices and took an opportunity to see what she could of the city. She made a point to visit some of the few Japanese merchants in the area who served the growing community of Japanese immigrants.
She had been traveling in her western clothes, which she found rather confining and heavy, only because she thought it best to try to blend in as much as she could on the journey. But on the steamship bound to Yokohama, she would be joining in with many Japanese businessmen and travelers who would not bat an eye at the sight of a kimono.
She also spent time looking for something to give to little Meg-chan. She hadn't admitted it up to this point, but she was extremely nervous about meeting the little girl. Despite Aoshi's assurances that the girl was in fact looking forward to seeing her, she had no idea what to say or do. She desperately wanted the girl to like her.
As a result, she ended up returning to the hotel with more things than she had intended to buy. Aoshi had said nothing about what the little girl had liked, perhaps because he had failed to observe anything other than she was an ordinary girl. She had first bought a book of pictures to show her, but then worried she'd find it boring and bought a handful of toys. and then sweets that were made by local confectionaries. then a dress . .. and so on and so forth.
She was exhausted from her day, and arrived somewhat flustered at the front of the hotel the next morning. It did not help that she moved awkwardly in her kimono, which was still stiff with its newness and made her move clumsily as she shamefacedly had to face him with additional parcels and boxes.
He raised his eyebrow when he saw her. "I see that you were busy yesterday."
She squared her shoulders. "Well, I didn't know what Meg-chan would like and I thought to just bring her as much as I could. I know it means extra luggage for myself, but I'll be happy to pay the additional fine."
He took them from her and handed them to the porter, who arranged them on the carriage top. "I'll add them to my own allotment. I did not bring much."
She could have sworn that he was teasing her, for he indeed only carried one suitcase, but his expression had every appearance of looking sincere. "Thank you. I know it's too much, but I have to make up for years of lost time with her."
He shook his head and then helped hand her into the carriage.
"What?" She asked, wondering what the meaning was behind that expression.
"Feelings of guilt are a poor substitute for love," he said finally as their carriage began heading towards the port.
She wondered at that statement. She did realize that she had to focus more on the future with her niece, and that she couldn't dwell on regretting the past and what she hadn't done for the girl. But there was something else to his words that spoke for personal experience. Was he somehow referring to Misao in his words as well? He seemed to be aware somewhat that Misao had feelings towards him, but then very coolly had mentioned that she was now off with Soujiro, and apparently with his blessing.
His attention was again somewhere else, and so she bit back the desire to ask him more about what he meant and ask more about Misao.
He spoke again only as they neared the port. "The Liberty is a first- class steamship. Much better than the usual mail ships that carry things back and forth between here and Yokohama. You will have a lot of room to move about this ship, and will meet all sorts of fellow travelers."
She nodded. She was glad to hear that. Three weeks was a rather long time to be in one place, and Aoshi wasn't much for entertainment. She rather looked forward to a new mix of people.
"You should be careful, however," he gave her a stern look. "I obtained a copy of the passenger list and determined that there are, in addition to a number of normal businessmen, professionals, researchers, and families on board, that there are some rather questionable merchants en route to Japan and to Hong Kong. I placed you in the quarters next to mine for that reason."
When she looked as if she were about to balk, he silenced her with a gesture of his hand. "You haven't traveled alone outside Japan before. Last time you passed this way you had the protection of a large ensemble of Americans. This time, you appear on the list as a single woman traveling alone. Any unscrupulous person who would take an interest in you would be after you in a minute."
"Fine." What he proposed made sense, so there wasn't much she could do to protest.
It would be a fine dance of sorts, to stay close enough to one another to discourage any troublemakers, but to avoid the appearance of something completely inappropriate. She and he were amongst their own society now, which was less forgiving of too much familiarity between two unmarried persons.
But they managed at least to board the boat safely and settled in without attracting too much attention.
Megumi's only regret though was that Aoshi's presence seemed to intimidate all persons from making friendly overtures. The first day they had dined with other passengers in a somewhat awkward dinner before taking in some fresh air on the deck above and returning quickly to their quarters.
But unlike Aoshi, she began to chafe at the quiet, particularly as they moved further out into the open sea and there was nothing to do except look at the ocean which was most always the same. One evening after dinner, she had suddenly decided that she was rather curious about the lounge onboard. Quietly she changed and left her room for the lounge where, she had been informed by one helpful crew member, many of the passengers would be milling about in conversation, listening to the entertainers or participating in a game of cards.
As soon as she entered, she noted that several pairs of male eyes had turned upon her, and immediately debated the wisdom of coming here. Wishing to blend in better, she had purposely abandoned her kimono for something more suited to the evening atmosphere here. Now it appeared that it seemed to invite even more attention than she had wanted.
"Excuse me," a female voice laughed behind her, "But do you intend to block the door all evening?"
"I'm sorry," Megumi gasped out in startled English at the foreigner.
"First time here?" the woman winked as Megumi turned around. "My name is Penelope Brown from good ole Kansas."
"Megumi Takani," she answered a bit weakly while she bowed. The woman was tall, loud, and extremely colorfully attired. "I'm from Japan."
Megumi found herself being led over to a bartender by the rather forceful woman.
"Gin," Miss Brown sidled up to the bar and flashed a flirtatious smile at the bartender who clearly recognized her and grinned back. "And my new friend will have -- " she paused to look at Megumi who shook her head at the offer of a drink. She shrugged and then winked at the bartender. "Give the lady here water."
Megumi gratefully took the goblet of water.
"I'm off to Hong Kong really." the woman smiled. "I thought it was time I started to travel. I struck it rich in gold in the West you know, and have always been aching to see more of the world and meet new people. What about you?"
Megumi knew that she shouldn't be this forward. Aoshi would have her head for this, but there was something rather likeable about this woman. "I'm actually going back home. I was here studying medicine in Philadelphia, but I received news that my brother passed away and that he left his child to my care."
"Wow." The woman looked impressed. "A Doctor and now a mother? " She gave Megumi a wink, "So tell me, are you doing this all on your own?"
"Well, yes," Megumi said, then remembered that Aoshi did not want her to invite more trouble. "I mean - no. "
"Yes or no?" The woman laughed. "You can't make up your mind can you?"
"I'm not married." Megumi added quickly, "But-"
"Ohohoho!" The woman laughed in a booming voice. "You say that as if that might change. I noticed you looked as if you might be traveling with someone when you boarded the other day. I made a note to myself that you two looked like you were friendly, but then you didn't seem to talk much to him when I saw you at dinner."
When she saw Megumi's face turn red, she grinned. "I guess things aren't so clear are they? I kind of have a knack for reading situations, you know. I'm not trying to be a busybody here, but I haven't been able to get ahead in business myself as a single woman without a good head on my shoulders. And that man you're traveling with seems to be very protective of you."
"I suppose that's a good word for it, "Megumi didn't know whether to burst out in silly laughter or drown her face in her goblet.
"Well, I don't want to jinx this, but that's a good thing to find in a man. It means he cares."
"Does it?" she almost choked on her water.
Miss Brown made some kind of clucking noise. "You look like the suave, knowing type, but you really aren't are you? But I won't scare you anymore. just think about my words and come down and chat with me again sometime. Penelope Brown is always ready and willing to help her fellow women!"
"Th- thank you," Megumi recognized a good opportunity to leave. She politely uttered a good evening, and then found herself suddenly hurrying out. Was it the fear of being discovered outside by Aoshi that motivated her to return to her room or was it that the possibility raised by this strange woman that made her suddenly want to hide?
The woman's words dogged her over the next few days. She found herself carefully analyzing the interactions she had with Aoshi, but could not conclude much of anything. Particularly since he had continued to be fairly quiet.
She continued to slip out after dinner to the lounge for company and whatever amusement she could find. Miss Brown had taken her under her wing and introduced her to other passengers on the ship, many of whom she took a liking to. She was careful though not to stay too long, as to rouse Aoshi's suspicions. If she stayed out only a half-hour or less, she could argue that she had gone off to attend to her toilette or for fresh air.
However, as they reached the half-way mark of their journey she began to grow careless. She had become very intrigued by the parlor games that the westerners liked to play, and they in turn were quite curious about some of the Japanese and Chinese games that she knew of. The fact that she was quite good at whatever she decided to turn her hand to made her a popular player. She found herself being asked repeatedly for her participation in various matches.
She was particularly adept at poker, which Miss Brown seemed to adore. She was ready to unveil her hand, when the other three players at her table suddenly grew quiet.
"Miss Takani," Miss Brown frowned at her across the table, "I think you should fold."
"Fold?" Megumi gave her a sly smile. She laid down her cards then. "Full house."
The sound of a throat clearing behind her told her that Miss Brown's concern had nothing to do with the game.
She turned around, only to find Aoshi giving her a rather dark look. "Megumi-san."
She stood up quickly, sensing trouble. "My apologies," she turned to the players at her table and bowed. "Thank you for a good game."
The players smiled weakly and waved her off. Aoshi then took hold of her elbow and steered her over to a window. He switched over to Japanese. "Do you mind telling me what you are doing here?"
"I'm playing cards," she answered somewhat flippantly.
"I can see that," he answered, aware that she had in fact meant her words to sound insulting. "I told you to be careful about associating with people. and going off alone."
"I'm not alone." Megumi felt her temper flare, but kept her voice low. "These are my friends."
He frowned. "You barely know them. And you're out here at a very late hour."
"I know, I know!" she cried, throwing her hands up in air in complete frustration. "I might run away or get kidnapped and end up where?! The boiler room!?"
He narrowed his eyes. "You are being entirely too flippant about this. You should not be investing so much energy into the affairs of strangers now."
"So do you propose that I simply just sit around in my room?" Megumi glared at him, completely annoyed with the lack of attention or consideration he had paid her the last week. "Or shall I just meditate like you do, Aoshi-san?"
"You're tired," he answered tightly. "Let's go back and discuss this later."
"No," she stood her ground then. "I don't want to have some kind of conversation tomorrow. I want to stay here and sit with people who actually enjoy having a conversation!" With her eyes, she almost dared him to drag her off. Because she was refusing to listen.
After a moment, he simply turned away. "So be it."
And as she watched him walk out, she thought she should feel exultant. This one time, she had managed to triumph over him. She had gotten her way, hadn't she?
Somehow, that thought wasn't very comforting.
= = = = =
*Because this fic-writer is evil. That's why.
Second note: Steam ships sometime late-Meiji could make the trip in 3 weeks. Later Nellie Bly made the journey from Yokohama to San Francisco in about that time as well. However, I suspect that the Oceanic which Nellie traveled on didn't' exist a decade or so earlier. that ship was remarkable for its attention to passengers and luxuries. Blah blah. I digress.
This ship is probably something like a precursor to the Oceanic.
Anyone recognize my homage to Molly Brown? (
Third note: I'm giving you the next part anyways somewhere in the next few minutes to hours. It's pretty much done, so why not? And no. I'm not ending the fic yet. Don't worry. I'll give you a headsup when I think it's getting close, and it's not close.
As they followed the porter in, they both ignored the curious stares of the other passengers in the first-class car. It wasn't everyday that people in this part of the country saw people from the Orient, or such an imposing pair. She chose to simply close her eyes and move as proudly as she could towards a table, while his frown caused them to look away. But as soon as she sat down in her seat across from him, he noticed that proud demeanor slip entirely as she concentrated hard on looking out the window as the train left the station.
When she finally looked back at him, he noticed her expression was rather subdued.
"Tired?" He asked, knowing full well that she was, but allowing her to say more if she wished to.
"Wouldn't you be if you spent the last three days packing, shopping, and paying calls to everyone amongst your acquaintance?"
"I suppose." The truth was, he had accompanied her along many of those errands, with the exception of the times he had to make the travel arrangements and the times he was pulled aside by the gentlemen of the Harris household, who insisted that he not be abused by the women, who would have otherwise dragged him along on every shopping trip and made him carry all that they bought. Actually, he should have been more tired than the doctor - but he decided to not say anything.
"Sitting here after all that seems odd, don't you think?" She said with a wry smile as she looked out the window. "And for the next four days," she yawned. "Whatever are we going to do for four days?" She gave one of her trademark foxy laughs then. "I suppose you'll meditate the whole time?"
He nodded slightly.
"You're not serious are you?" She frowned, thinking perhaps that he had no intention of having any conversation whatsoever.
He said nothing for a moment, but noted that she was starting to look a bit non-plussed by his silence. "You have not mentioned what you will do when you get to Tokyo."
She looked a bit startled. Whether it was from the fact that they were having a conversation, or that he had chosen to skip the small talk entirely, he couldn't tell. But she closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"I have been so busy the past few days that I haven't given much thought to what happens when we get there. Or maybe, I'm just a bit too nervous to start thinking about that."
He raised his eyebrow. Megumi Takani had the courage to stand up to a number of intimidating people in the past and to withstand some strange situations. And now she was nervous?
"I like children," she opened her eyes and looked down at the table where her fingers were tracing small patterns on the burgundy tablecloth. "I have taken care of quite a few of them occasionally. But to suddenly go from being on my own to having another person to care about all the time is a bit overwhelming." When she saw his eyes look at her curiously, she suddenly realized how selfish she sounded. "-- Not that I regret having Meg-chan to care for or am having second thoughts!!"
He had not thought that at all. When it came to friends, she had always been more than dutiful. He suspected with family, she would far exceed even what others expected. "It is different," he said thoughtfully, "but one does adjust."
She hesitated for a moment, "Were things like that with Misao?"
He nodded. Misao was a strong, happy child despite the loss of her much loved father. He was not a warm person then by any means, but she still managed to put on a smile whenever he would ask her how she was doing or allow her to tag along with him and his men.
"How is she?" she added quietly. "You haven't said much of her yet."
"She's well," he tapped his fingers on the table, "at least from what she writes."
"From what she writes?" Megumi gave him a puzzled look. "I thought that she would -"
"You thought she would be at the Aoiya?" he finished her question for her. "She's been gone for a while now. Ever since Okina was attacked-"
"Attacked?" She said a bit too loudly, drawing a glare from the person sitting behind her. She lowered her voice, "Is he alright?"
"He's fine now," he sighed, "At least well enough to be scheming behind my back."
She gave him a look that told him that she expected nothing less from that old man. "What did he do?"
"He allowed Misao to go off with Soujiro Seta in hope that something would happen. He tried to get Hiko Seijuro to come out to the Aoiya by ordering large quantities of his pottery, and when that failed he tried to set up Omasu and Okon with Shiro."
Megumi shook her head, "That man never gives up does he? So Misao is with Soujiro then?"
He nodded. "And Cho Sawajego. They are on assignment . . . for the man we know as Inspector Fujita."
She made a face as he referred to Hajime Saitoh. "My favorite person, of course. And you're alright with all of this?"
"Misao is happy," he said impassively. "That is all that matters."
"I see," she said a bit uncertainly. For some reason, the topic of Misao seemed awkward to her. Somewhat abruptly, she smiled at him as she leaned in conspiratorially, "And knowing Okina, who did Okina think to set you up with?"
He looked back at her, wondering how she would react. "A certain doctor who kept refusing the old man's offers."
He expected her either to laugh or angrily denounce the old man then, but instead she looked down and blushed.
"You are not surprised?"
She wouldn't quite raise her eyes to meet his. "It seems that explains something. I wrote Kaoru a few months ago to let her know where I was. And she wrote back asking me about you. I thought that Okina's antics might have something to do with it- -"
"Okina sent a matchmaker after you."
"--To the Kamiya dojo?" she looked mortified. "He didn't!!"
When he folded his arms over his chest, she put her hands over her face, "So Kaoru thought something had happened that day we came back from Tokyo."
"Do not worry. I explained to the Himuras that it was Okina's joke when I returned to Tokyo with your brother's daughter. However, Sagara hasn't returned since the incident with the matchmaker."
"Sanosuke?" she looked startled. "Was he there?"
"He is one reason the matchmaker was particularly upset at Okina."
She slumped further down her seat. "Why do I feel like I'm being punished for some unknown reason? * I have Kaoru and Yahiko thinking that I'm yanking around two men like some sort of hard-hearted fickle -" her voice trailed off as she realized that one of the men in question was sitting across from her.
"I would not be so concerned," he picked up a book he had been carrying with him. "There has been no misunderstanding on our part, and I am certain Sagara will understand as well." She and Sagara were, after all, from all appearances on good terms when she had left Tokyo.
She opened her mouth then, but then shut it, changing her mind about saying anything further. She turned her head away and glared out the window.
Aoshi retreated to his book.
~
Megumi was too embarrassed to talk to him after that conversation. And so for the next four days, she chose to not make trivial conversation. It did not appear to bother him.
The train to San Francisco reached its destination one day before their steam cruiser was due to depart. Knowing that there would be three weeks of isolation to the boat, Megumi left Aoshi to his own devices and took an opportunity to see what she could of the city. She made a point to visit some of the few Japanese merchants in the area who served the growing community of Japanese immigrants.
She had been traveling in her western clothes, which she found rather confining and heavy, only because she thought it best to try to blend in as much as she could on the journey. But on the steamship bound to Yokohama, she would be joining in with many Japanese businessmen and travelers who would not bat an eye at the sight of a kimono.
She also spent time looking for something to give to little Meg-chan. She hadn't admitted it up to this point, but she was extremely nervous about meeting the little girl. Despite Aoshi's assurances that the girl was in fact looking forward to seeing her, she had no idea what to say or do. She desperately wanted the girl to like her.
As a result, she ended up returning to the hotel with more things than she had intended to buy. Aoshi had said nothing about what the little girl had liked, perhaps because he had failed to observe anything other than she was an ordinary girl. She had first bought a book of pictures to show her, but then worried she'd find it boring and bought a handful of toys. and then sweets that were made by local confectionaries. then a dress . .. and so on and so forth.
She was exhausted from her day, and arrived somewhat flustered at the front of the hotel the next morning. It did not help that she moved awkwardly in her kimono, which was still stiff with its newness and made her move clumsily as she shamefacedly had to face him with additional parcels and boxes.
He raised his eyebrow when he saw her. "I see that you were busy yesterday."
She squared her shoulders. "Well, I didn't know what Meg-chan would like and I thought to just bring her as much as I could. I know it means extra luggage for myself, but I'll be happy to pay the additional fine."
He took them from her and handed them to the porter, who arranged them on the carriage top. "I'll add them to my own allotment. I did not bring much."
She could have sworn that he was teasing her, for he indeed only carried one suitcase, but his expression had every appearance of looking sincere. "Thank you. I know it's too much, but I have to make up for years of lost time with her."
He shook his head and then helped hand her into the carriage.
"What?" She asked, wondering what the meaning was behind that expression.
"Feelings of guilt are a poor substitute for love," he said finally as their carriage began heading towards the port.
She wondered at that statement. She did realize that she had to focus more on the future with her niece, and that she couldn't dwell on regretting the past and what she hadn't done for the girl. But there was something else to his words that spoke for personal experience. Was he somehow referring to Misao in his words as well? He seemed to be aware somewhat that Misao had feelings towards him, but then very coolly had mentioned that she was now off with Soujiro, and apparently with his blessing.
His attention was again somewhere else, and so she bit back the desire to ask him more about what he meant and ask more about Misao.
He spoke again only as they neared the port. "The Liberty is a first- class steamship. Much better than the usual mail ships that carry things back and forth between here and Yokohama. You will have a lot of room to move about this ship, and will meet all sorts of fellow travelers."
She nodded. She was glad to hear that. Three weeks was a rather long time to be in one place, and Aoshi wasn't much for entertainment. She rather looked forward to a new mix of people.
"You should be careful, however," he gave her a stern look. "I obtained a copy of the passenger list and determined that there are, in addition to a number of normal businessmen, professionals, researchers, and families on board, that there are some rather questionable merchants en route to Japan and to Hong Kong. I placed you in the quarters next to mine for that reason."
When she looked as if she were about to balk, he silenced her with a gesture of his hand. "You haven't traveled alone outside Japan before. Last time you passed this way you had the protection of a large ensemble of Americans. This time, you appear on the list as a single woman traveling alone. Any unscrupulous person who would take an interest in you would be after you in a minute."
"Fine." What he proposed made sense, so there wasn't much she could do to protest.
It would be a fine dance of sorts, to stay close enough to one another to discourage any troublemakers, but to avoid the appearance of something completely inappropriate. She and he were amongst their own society now, which was less forgiving of too much familiarity between two unmarried persons.
But they managed at least to board the boat safely and settled in without attracting too much attention.
Megumi's only regret though was that Aoshi's presence seemed to intimidate all persons from making friendly overtures. The first day they had dined with other passengers in a somewhat awkward dinner before taking in some fresh air on the deck above and returning quickly to their quarters.
But unlike Aoshi, she began to chafe at the quiet, particularly as they moved further out into the open sea and there was nothing to do except look at the ocean which was most always the same. One evening after dinner, she had suddenly decided that she was rather curious about the lounge onboard. Quietly she changed and left her room for the lounge where, she had been informed by one helpful crew member, many of the passengers would be milling about in conversation, listening to the entertainers or participating in a game of cards.
As soon as she entered, she noted that several pairs of male eyes had turned upon her, and immediately debated the wisdom of coming here. Wishing to blend in better, she had purposely abandoned her kimono for something more suited to the evening atmosphere here. Now it appeared that it seemed to invite even more attention than she had wanted.
"Excuse me," a female voice laughed behind her, "But do you intend to block the door all evening?"
"I'm sorry," Megumi gasped out in startled English at the foreigner.
"First time here?" the woman winked as Megumi turned around. "My name is Penelope Brown from good ole Kansas."
"Megumi Takani," she answered a bit weakly while she bowed. The woman was tall, loud, and extremely colorfully attired. "I'm from Japan."
Megumi found herself being led over to a bartender by the rather forceful woman.
"Gin," Miss Brown sidled up to the bar and flashed a flirtatious smile at the bartender who clearly recognized her and grinned back. "And my new friend will have -- " she paused to look at Megumi who shook her head at the offer of a drink. She shrugged and then winked at the bartender. "Give the lady here water."
Megumi gratefully took the goblet of water.
"I'm off to Hong Kong really." the woman smiled. "I thought it was time I started to travel. I struck it rich in gold in the West you know, and have always been aching to see more of the world and meet new people. What about you?"
Megumi knew that she shouldn't be this forward. Aoshi would have her head for this, but there was something rather likeable about this woman. "I'm actually going back home. I was here studying medicine in Philadelphia, but I received news that my brother passed away and that he left his child to my care."
"Wow." The woman looked impressed. "A Doctor and now a mother? " She gave Megumi a wink, "So tell me, are you doing this all on your own?"
"Well, yes," Megumi said, then remembered that Aoshi did not want her to invite more trouble. "I mean - no. "
"Yes or no?" The woman laughed. "You can't make up your mind can you?"
"I'm not married." Megumi added quickly, "But-"
"Ohohoho!" The woman laughed in a booming voice. "You say that as if that might change. I noticed you looked as if you might be traveling with someone when you boarded the other day. I made a note to myself that you two looked like you were friendly, but then you didn't seem to talk much to him when I saw you at dinner."
When she saw Megumi's face turn red, she grinned. "I guess things aren't so clear are they? I kind of have a knack for reading situations, you know. I'm not trying to be a busybody here, but I haven't been able to get ahead in business myself as a single woman without a good head on my shoulders. And that man you're traveling with seems to be very protective of you."
"I suppose that's a good word for it, "Megumi didn't know whether to burst out in silly laughter or drown her face in her goblet.
"Well, I don't want to jinx this, but that's a good thing to find in a man. It means he cares."
"Does it?" she almost choked on her water.
Miss Brown made some kind of clucking noise. "You look like the suave, knowing type, but you really aren't are you? But I won't scare you anymore. just think about my words and come down and chat with me again sometime. Penelope Brown is always ready and willing to help her fellow women!"
"Th- thank you," Megumi recognized a good opportunity to leave. She politely uttered a good evening, and then found herself suddenly hurrying out. Was it the fear of being discovered outside by Aoshi that motivated her to return to her room or was it that the possibility raised by this strange woman that made her suddenly want to hide?
The woman's words dogged her over the next few days. She found herself carefully analyzing the interactions she had with Aoshi, but could not conclude much of anything. Particularly since he had continued to be fairly quiet.
She continued to slip out after dinner to the lounge for company and whatever amusement she could find. Miss Brown had taken her under her wing and introduced her to other passengers on the ship, many of whom she took a liking to. She was careful though not to stay too long, as to rouse Aoshi's suspicions. If she stayed out only a half-hour or less, she could argue that she had gone off to attend to her toilette or for fresh air.
However, as they reached the half-way mark of their journey she began to grow careless. She had become very intrigued by the parlor games that the westerners liked to play, and they in turn were quite curious about some of the Japanese and Chinese games that she knew of. The fact that she was quite good at whatever she decided to turn her hand to made her a popular player. She found herself being asked repeatedly for her participation in various matches.
She was particularly adept at poker, which Miss Brown seemed to adore. She was ready to unveil her hand, when the other three players at her table suddenly grew quiet.
"Miss Takani," Miss Brown frowned at her across the table, "I think you should fold."
"Fold?" Megumi gave her a sly smile. She laid down her cards then. "Full house."
The sound of a throat clearing behind her told her that Miss Brown's concern had nothing to do with the game.
She turned around, only to find Aoshi giving her a rather dark look. "Megumi-san."
She stood up quickly, sensing trouble. "My apologies," she turned to the players at her table and bowed. "Thank you for a good game."
The players smiled weakly and waved her off. Aoshi then took hold of her elbow and steered her over to a window. He switched over to Japanese. "Do you mind telling me what you are doing here?"
"I'm playing cards," she answered somewhat flippantly.
"I can see that," he answered, aware that she had in fact meant her words to sound insulting. "I told you to be careful about associating with people. and going off alone."
"I'm not alone." Megumi felt her temper flare, but kept her voice low. "These are my friends."
He frowned. "You barely know them. And you're out here at a very late hour."
"I know, I know!" she cried, throwing her hands up in air in complete frustration. "I might run away or get kidnapped and end up where?! The boiler room!?"
He narrowed his eyes. "You are being entirely too flippant about this. You should not be investing so much energy into the affairs of strangers now."
"So do you propose that I simply just sit around in my room?" Megumi glared at him, completely annoyed with the lack of attention or consideration he had paid her the last week. "Or shall I just meditate like you do, Aoshi-san?"
"You're tired," he answered tightly. "Let's go back and discuss this later."
"No," she stood her ground then. "I don't want to have some kind of conversation tomorrow. I want to stay here and sit with people who actually enjoy having a conversation!" With her eyes, she almost dared him to drag her off. Because she was refusing to listen.
After a moment, he simply turned away. "So be it."
And as she watched him walk out, she thought she should feel exultant. This one time, she had managed to triumph over him. She had gotten her way, hadn't she?
Somehow, that thought wasn't very comforting.
= = = = =
*Because this fic-writer is evil. That's why.
Second note: Steam ships sometime late-Meiji could make the trip in 3 weeks. Later Nellie Bly made the journey from Yokohama to San Francisco in about that time as well. However, I suspect that the Oceanic which Nellie traveled on didn't' exist a decade or so earlier. that ship was remarkable for its attention to passengers and luxuries. Blah blah. I digress.
This ship is probably something like a precursor to the Oceanic.
Anyone recognize my homage to Molly Brown? (
Third note: I'm giving you the next part anyways somewhere in the next few minutes to hours. It's pretty much done, so why not? And no. I'm not ending the fic yet. Don't worry. I'll give you a headsup when I think it's getting close, and it's not close.
