The Scent of Sake (34 page)

Tama bowed toward Rie. “Such an honorable tradition, my father always said.”

“Yes, let’s go down now. Be careful.” Rie continued her instruction as they descended the wooden ladder slowly.

“Be sure their clothing is clean at all times and that they are in good health. We have nineteen men here now. You will get to know their names and faces. Here is where they have their meals.” Rie pointed to a tatami room off the storeroom. “And I have started to teach some of them to read in the evening, when there is time. You may want to take this over later.”

Rie noticed a faint smile on Tama’s face.

“Come, we will return to the parlor. You may ask O-Natsu to bring us tea,” Rie said.

Rie and Tama sat at the low table in the parlor where the instruction had begun.

“So you see what your main responsibilities are, don’t you, Tama?”

Tama bowed.

Rie replaced the comb in her hair.

“I am told you are a good worker. You will need to be. It is no small responsibility, being the wife of the head of the Omura House. I was born here, unlike you, so I was raised with our customs. But you need to learn them all. You can always come to me. I will guide you in the proper course.”

“I will do my utmost for the house,” Tama replied, bowing so that her forehead reached the tatami.

Rie smiled with satisfaction as she glanced at her bowing daughter-in-law. Then she paused, because she knew that Tama, as Yoshi’s wife, meant trouble. For Rie was quite certain she hadn’t heard the last out of Yoshi about Tama and the marriage.

“I have no intention of allowing any of the girls to marry a farmer, which is what the kurabito are most of the year,” Rie said to Yoshitaro. “You know I caught Teru talking to Goro twice.” Rie tapped her fan on the table.

Yoshi had been surly ever since the wedding. Try as she might to appease him, he had not settled in well with Tama. Rie feared that the two might end up like herself and Jihei. She hoped not, but for now she needed to focus on finding husbands for Fumi and Kazu. Then she would deal with Tama and Yoshi.

“Well, I know you will be careful to watch them, Mother,” Yoshitaro replied, employing the barest hint of sarcasm that Rie was determined to overlook.

Because of the house’s indebtedness to Mrs. Nakano, both for the arranging of Yoshitaro’s marriage and for asking her good offices with Fumi and Kazu, Rie dressed with special care for her meeting with Nada’s most sought after go-between.

Rie heard O-Natsu welcome Mrs. Nakano and hurried to the

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parlor. Rie leaned into a full bow. “Our house is forever grateful for your assistance in Yoshitaro’s marriage.” She smiled and motioned Mrs. Nakano to the zabuton backing to the tokonoma.

O-Natsu brought in the finest grade of Shizuoka green tea. As Rie looked at Mrs. Nakano’s dark green kimono and obi she realized she needed more help from Sunao in the selection of her own kimono.

“And how are your other children?” Mrs. Nakano inquired. Rie bowed. “Thank you. As you know, since Yoshitaro’s wedding had to be postponed due to my husband’s passing, Fumi and Kazu have now both reached the age for marriage.”

Mrs. Nakano had not inquired about their health as was customary in an arrangement such as this. She bowed abruptly, then quickly adjusted her plump hands on her lap. “Does this mean that you want two husbands for your daughters, two at the same time?” Her voice rose higher than normal.

“Well, they would not be married in the same ceremony, but I feel they should both be settled this year.” Rie smiled, bowed low, and pushed a plate of two delicate plum-shaped cakes closer to Mrs. Nakano.

Mrs. Nakano looked at the exquisite cakes. “It may be difficult to find two brewers’ sons of the right age this year, for autumn weddings,” she said, no longer smiling.

Rie sat straighter. “In that case we may be satisfied with a wholesaler for one of them, or a shipper. A house related to our business in some way.”

“How old are Fumi and Kazu now?” Mrs. Nakano asked. “Fumi is twenty, and Kazu will soon be nineteen. Just the right

ages,” Rie replied, smiling and bowing.

“I haven’t seen them lately, but I recall at Yoshitaro’s wedding they were attractive, especially Teru, if I may say so.”

Rie bowed, at the same time pressing her lips tighter together

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at the praise given O-Toki’s daughter. “We need not arrange Teru’s marriage for another year or so.”

“Let me see,” Mrs. Nakano began. She lifted her teacup and paused. “Well, there is a wholesaler here in Nada whose son is the right age, the Nagata family. And, oh yes, the Kawano family has a son of that age as well. They are in yeast production.”

“Yes, I know both families.” Rie bowed. “You can be sure that Kazu has had strict training. She’s accustomed to hard work, and will have the best of trousseaus.”

“I am certain,” Mrs. Nakano said.

“We would be grateful if you obtain complete information on the Nagatas. Then we can go ahead with the o-miai soon, if they are agreeable. Yes, I would like autumn weddings for Fumi and Kazu, before the brewing begins.” She paused and bowed again. “Now for Fumi there is a special requirement. I plan to adopt a mukoyoshi for her, train him here, and send them out in a bunke branch, closely connected to the main house.”

Mrs. Nakano hesitated. “A mukoyoshi? But you already have Yoshitaro as house head.”

Rie bowed. “I am sorry to trouble you with this special requirement. Of course we hope to find the most excellent clerk in all Kansai. I have heard that the Ikeda family has a second son who is very skilled.”

Mrs. Nakano cleared her throat. “I will see what I can learn about the Ikeda son.”

“We are eternally obligated,” Rie said, bowing lower than usual as she saw Mrs. Nakano to the door. Rie bit her lip, remembering Mrs. Nakano’s slight shift in manner at the mukoyoshi matter. It would not do to alienate this woman on whom the house relied so heavily. Perhaps it would help to give an extra generous go-between fee for Fumi’s marriage arrangement.

Rie was pleased but not surprised that both the Ikedas and Na—

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gatas agreed to Mrs. Nakano’s request for the o-miai meetings, then for the weddings of the two girls. Lucky days were selected for Fumi’s wedding in early September and for Kazu’s in early November.

Fumi was less than enthusiastic when Rie broached the topic of her marriage. “Not yet, Mother.” She puffed out her cheeks.

Bold girl.

“You know you won’t really be leaving the house. We’ll find a skilled mukoyoshi for you, train him here, then send you out in a branch house. You’ll stay close to the main house that way.” She smiled.

“But how can you do that when Yoshi is house head?”

“It won’t affect his position, you’ll see. And when you have a child, he or she might be able to succeed Yoshi.”

Fumi’s eyes widened. “Really? I’m not sure Yoshi will like the idea. Isn’t it unheard of?”

Rie laughed, enjoying Fumi’s spirited argument. “I’m going to speak to him, don’t worry.” Rie was sure she would not enjoy
Yoshi’s
spirited argument.

At dinner that evening, Rie had her chance to discuss the

matter with Yoshi when the others had left the table.

“Yoshi, you know I think I’d like to keep Fumi here close to the business. I’d hate to see her leave as a bride to another house. I’d rather find a mukoyishi for her, train him here, then send them out in a branch house, close to us.”

Yoshi’s face reddened. “A mukoyoshi! What would his position be here? I’m house head, and I have no intention of retiring. I don’t see what. . . .”

“Calm down, Yoshi. Of course your position is secure. We’ll make it clear Fumi’s husband will not remain here. He won’t be entered in our koseki.” Rie leaned over and poured tea for Yoshi. “You can see that this will help the house, can’t you?”

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“Well, maybe,” he said with an edge of bitterness to his voice. “But why not send Sei out in a branch?”

Rie smiled. “Exactly what I have in mind.”

Rie continued her plans for the two weddings of Fumi and Kazu. “This way we can order all the kimono, linens, and chests for both at the same time,” Rie said to her daughters. “These kimonos will last the rest of your lives,” she added. “And we will give you a sum of cash, Kazu, in the event of divorce by your groom’s family, though of course we don’t anticipate that. You know a samurai bride can be sent away simply by ‘three and a half lines’ if they in any way offend the groom’s family. And they don’t have the protection of their own funds.”

Kazu nodded apprehensively.

Although Kazu seemed uncertain about her impending marriage, Rie was gratified that the plan for selecting Fumi’s husband was going smoothly.

The summer of 1853 was consumed in frantic activity: visits by lacquerware dealers, silk merchants from Nishijin in Kyoto, long sessions poring over designs and hues, and sittings for fittings by kimono seamstresses.

“I don’t have your sense of taste in these matters,” Rie told her cousin Sunao, whom she had invited to stay with her for several days during the selections of kimono and patterns.

The house remained in a continual flutter with daily visits by wedding specialists. Early morning calls of
“gomen kudasai”
at the entrance to the office and house did not end until dusk. Fumi and Kazu were continually suspended between excitement over the impending marriages and apprehension about what lay in store for them with strangers for husbands.

“Be strong,” Rie said to them one evening when they lingered at the dinner table. “Always remember that you come from the House of Omura. Just as you have been trained to uphold the

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honor of our house in your behavior, so also when you are married you will uphold the honor of the Nagata house, Kazu. And Fumi will remain in this house until she and her husband leave in a branch house. This will no longer be your home, Kazu. When you marry, your name will be removed from the Omura register and entered in the Nagata register.” Rie paused and looked from one intent face to the other, sorry to see the sadness there. “So no matter what your husband or mother does, you know you must endure. Even I have had to endure often, though I was born in this house and had no mother-in-law here.”