“Not now,” Sano said.

A nursemaid hurried into the room, murmuring apologies. Reiko said, “Go back to bed, Masahiro-chan, that’s a good boy.”

The maid reached for him, but he scampered away, shrieking, “No! Me stay!”

He stuck his plump little hand inside the container and hurled into the air a fistful of the black and white pebbles used in the game of go. As Reiko and the maid chased Masahiro, begging him to stop, he gleefully pelted them with pebbles. Hirata stepped over to Sano.

“Sumimasen-excuse me, but I think you should meet with Minister Fugatami,” Hirata said in a low voice that the others wouldn’t hear. “If there’s the slightest chance that the Black Lotus set the fire and murdered those people, you can’t afford to disregard the minister’s information until the trial. By then, it will be too late for Haru, if she’s innocent. We must examine all the evidence beforehand.”

Hirata was right, Sano acknowledged with a reluctant nod. In the Tokugawa legal system, most trials ended in a guilty verdict; persons tried were virtually condemned in advance. Even a wise, fair man like Magistrate Ueda wasn’t immune to making errant judgments based on his ingrained faith in tradition. As strongly as he believed her to be the culprit, Sano wanted to ensure a just trial for Haru.

“All right, Masahiro-chan, that’s enough,” Reiko said, lifting her son and hugging him before she handed him to the maid. “Back to bed. Good night.”

Watching, Sano saw another reason to meet with Minister Fugatami. He and Reiko and Masahiro were a family, and Sano must hold them together, even if it meant making a concession.

After the maid had taken Masahiro away, Sano said to Reiko, “I’ll go to the council meeting tomorrow.”

“You will?” Surprise lifted Reiko’s voice as she turned to him. She looked as though she wanted to ask why, but feared that questions might change his mind. Then her face lit up with the lovely, radiant smile Sano had missed. “Thank you,” she said, bowing with dignified grace.

Sano nodded, hiding mixed feelings. Hope for their marriage cheered him, though he feared they would never agree about Haru.

“Hirata-san and I have work to do,” Sano told Reiko. He edged toward the door, eager to leave before another argument could start. Besides, he and Hirata did have to talk about how to identify the spy in their midst. “I’ll see you later.”

“What was that about?” Midori said.

“All is not lost. When my husband talks to Minister Fugatami, I’m sure he’ll come around to my point of view.” Reiko laughed in exhilaration. The world seemed suddenly bright. “There’s still hope of proving the Black Lotus guilty of the crimes.”

Midori sighed. “I wish I had some hope. I don’t think I’ll ever mean to Hirata-san what he means to me. You should have seen him flirting with O-hana just now.” Her voice trembled, and her eyes teared.

Reiko put a consoling arm around Midori. “What about your plan to pretend you don’t care for him? Give it time to work. Don’t follow him around like you just did.”

“It’s no use,” Midori said glumly. “I can’t help myself. Besides, I’m not fooling Hirata-san. When I went into the kitchen, he laughed and said, ‘Why do you try so hard to be aloof? I know you like me. ’ How I wish there were some way to win his love!”

As Midori brooded, Reiko turned her thoughts back to the investigation. “Today Minister Fugatami found many more examples of the Black Lotus hurting people outside the temple,” she said, “But there’s no one to say what goes on inside the temple because the priests and nuns won’t talk. Pious Truth is gone. My husband couldn’t find anything when he was there, and his detectives were caught spying. I’m afraid that unless he gets definite proof of the sect’s wrongdoing, he’ll disregard the accusations against it and continue persecuting Haru. I wish there were some way to see inside the temple!”

“I could go there and try.”

“What?” Reiko stared at Midori, who gazed back at her with eyes now bright with hope. “You?”

“Why not? It would solve your problem, and mine.” Excited, Midori continued, “I’ll hang around the temple and watch the nuns and priests. If I can see bad things happening, the sōsakan-sama will have to do what you want.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t involve you,” Reiko said firmly. “The Black Lotus is too dangerous. I believe they kidnap people, poison, torture, and kill them.” Reiko described what she’d heard in Shinagawa and from Pious Truth. “If they catch you spying, there’s no telling what they might do.”

“Oh, I’d be careful. I wouldn’t let them catch me.” Daring and confidence replaced Midori’s desolation.

“My husband would never allow it,” Reiko said, not wanting to mention that she didn’t think Midori could handle the task.

“He wouldn’t have to know until I was done,” Midori said.

“Hirata-san will get angry at you for doing something his master wouldn’t approve of,” Reiko said.

“Looking pretty and acting aloof has gotten me nowhere with Hirata-san, and I don’t know what else to do.” Midori flung out her arms in a reckless gesture. “What have I got to lose?”

“Your life,” Reiko said.

Hurt dimmed Midori’s expression. “You think I wouldn’t be a good spy, don’t you?” Her voice quaked; tears welled in her eyes. “You think I’m stupid.”

“No, of course not,” Reiko hastened to assure her.

“Then let me spy on the Black Lotus!”

Reiko was caught in a serious dilemma. Refusal would injure Midori’s feelings and ruin their friendship; acquiescence could put Midori in grave peril. Still, Reiko couldn’t help noting the advantage of employing Midori as a spy. She looked so harmless and ordinary; the Black Lotus would never look twice at her, let alone guess that she was spying…

Common sense and concern for Midori prevailed over Reiko’s need to know what was happening inside the temple. “Midori-san, you must promise me never to go near the temple or anyone associated with the Black Lotus,” Reiko said sternly.

When Midori continued pleading, Reiko talked about the sinister people in the sect and all the evil things she believed they had done. At last Midori bowed her head and nodded, stifling sobs. Reiko tasted the bitter knowledge that although she’d made the right choice, the investigation had created bad feelings between herself and yet another person close to her.

A brilliant, clear autumn sky arched over the Zōjō district. The morning sun gilded leaves turning yellow and red in the treetops. The warm weather had brought droves of pilgrims who mingled with nuns and priests in the marketplace. At the gate of the Black Lotus Temple, Midori climbed out of the palanquin that had carried her from Edo Castle. Nervous but excited, she hurried into the precinct, clutching the bulky parcel she’d brought. She paused, beholding the sights.

There were certainly more trees and plants than in other temples, but the nuns, priests, and pilgrims strolling the grounds looked normal to Midori, as did the buildings. Children’s laughter enlivened the quiet. Probably Reiko had exaggerated the danger to frighten her away from the temple, Midori thought. She felt a pang of disappointment because she’d hoped for a little adventure, and a resurgence of the pain caused her by Hirata and Reiko last night. To them she would always be a handy friend but never worthy of Hirata’s love or Reiko’s respect… unless something changed. And Midori intended that it would. She was going to spy on the Black Lotus whether Hirata and Reiko approved or not. Now she marched over to a pair of nuns who stood outside the main hall.