"No, fortunately, apart from some valuable pottery and clothes, though it will cost a small fortune to repair the roof and resettle the garden. It's always so expensive to get things done quickly, don't you find?"
"Yes. It's very trying. In Yedo, Mishima, or even in this village."
"It's so important to have tranquil surroundings, neh? Would the client perhaps honor us at the Tea House? Or would he wish Kiku-san to visit him here, if she is available?"
Mariko pursed her lips, thinking. "The Tea House."
"Ah, so desu!" The Mama-san's real name was Heiko-ichi - First Daughter of the Wall Maker. Her father and his before him had been specialists in making garden walls. For many years she had been a courtesan in Mishima, the capital of Izu, attaining Second Class Rank. But the gods had smiled upon her and, with gifts from her patron, coupled with an astute business sense, she had made enough money to buy her own contract in good time, and so become a manager of ladies with a Tea House of her own when she was no longer sought after for the fine body and saucy wit with which the gods had endowed her. Now she called herself Gyoko-san, Lady Luck: When she was a fledgling courtesan of fourteen, she had been given the name Tsukaiko - Lady Snake Charmer. Her owner had explained to her that that special part of man could be likened to a snake, that a snake was lucky, and if she could become a snake charmer in that sense, then she would be hugely successful. Also the name would make clients laugh, and laughter was essential to this business. Gyoko had never forgotten about laughter.
"Sake, Gyoko-san?"
"Thank you, yes, thank you, Lady Toda."
The maid poured. Then Mariko dismissed her.
They drank silently for a moment. Mariko refilled the cups.
"Such lovely pottery. So elegant," Gyoko said.
"It's very poor. I'm so sorry we have to use it."
"If I can make her available, would five koban be acceptable?" A koban was a gold coin that weighed eighteen grams. One koban equaled three koku of rice.
"So sorry, perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I didn't wish to buy all the Tea House in Mishima, only the lady's services for an evening."
Gyoko laughed. "Ah, Lady Toda, your reputation is well merited. But may I point out that Kiku-san is of the First Class Rank. The Guild gave her that honor last year."
"True, and I'm sure that rank is merited. But that was in Mishima. Even in Kyoto - but of course you were making a joke, so sorry."
Gyoko swallowed the vulgarity that was on her tongue and smiled benignly. "Unfortunately I would have to reimburse clients who, I seem to remember, have already booked her. Poor child, four of her kimonos were ruined when water doused the fires. Hard times are coming to the land, Lady, I'm sure you understand. Five would not be unreasonable."
"Of course not. Five would be fair in Kyoto, for a week of carousing, with two ladies of First Rank. But these are not normal times and one must make allowances. Half a koban. Sake, Gyoko-san?"
"Thank you, thank you. The sake's so good - the quality is so good, so very good. Just one more if you please, then I must be off. If Kiku-san is not free this evening I'd be delighted to arrange one of the other ladies - Akeko perhaps. Or perhaps another day would be satisfactory? The day after tomorrow perhaps?"
Mariko did not answer for a moment. Five koban was outrageousas much as you'd pay for a famous courtesan of First Class in Yedo. Half a koban would be more than reasonable for Kiku. Mariko knew prices of courtesans because Buntaro used courtesans from time to time and had even bought the contract of one, and she had had to pay the bills, which had, of course, rightly come to her. Her eyes gauged Gyoko. The woman was sipping her sake calmly, her hand steady.
"Perhaps," Mariko said. "But I don't think so, neither another lady nor another night .... No, if tonight cannot be arranged I'm afraid that the day after tomorrow would be too late, so sorry. And as to another of the ladies..." Mariko smiled and shrugged.
Gyoko set her cup down sadly. "I did hear that our glorious samurai would be leaving us. Such a pity! The nights are so pleasant here. In Mishima we do not get the sea breeze as you do here. I shall be sorry to leave too."
"Perhaps one koban. If this arrangement is satisfactory I would then like to discuss how much her contract would cost. "
"Her contract!"
"Yes. Sake?"
"Thank you, yes. Contract - her contract? Well, that's another thing. Five thousand koku."
"That's impossible!"
