Read Online Red Chrysanthemum by Laura Joh Rowland - Free Book Online Page B

fathering a child.”
    Reiko turned to face Lord Mori. “But you are.” Her voice turned husky and seductive; her hand fondled his genitals.
    Flattered, he laughed. “Yes, I am virile, with you.”
    Lady Mori had longed to bear him a child and believed that the fact that she’d been unable was his fault, that he was sterile. After all, she had Enju. But he’d impregnated Reiko. That proved he was potent and Lady Mori was to blame for failing to conceive, for years of regret. Now Reiko would bear him the child that Lady Mori couldn’t. Lady Mori wanted to scream, fall on the ground, and claw herself to bloody shreds.
    “I think the baby is a boy,” Reiko said.
    “Good,” said Lord Mori. “I’ve always wanted a son.”
    New revelation horrified Lady Mori. She’d believed he thought of Enju as his son. Now it was obvious that he cared more for his unborn flesh and blood than for the stepson who’d loved him these sixteen years. Reiko’s child was a betrayal of Enju as well as Lady Mori herself.
    Lord Mori pulled Reiko on top of him. She sat upright with his body between her knees, his hands on her middle. He said, “Imagine, a son of mine growing up inside Edo Castle. If Chamberlain Sano manages to hold onto his power long enough, my son will become a top official in the regime.”
    “What an honor for you.” Reiko laughed. “And what a fine joke on my husband!”
    Lady Mori was forced to acknowledge that her perfect marriage had been an illusion. Yet she still loved her husband; she still wanted him back. She could no longer tolerate the pain of his infidelity, and she couldn’t just wait passively for his affair to run its course. She must take action.
    Her first thought was to tell Chamberlain Sano about the affair between Lord Mori and Reiko. Surely Chamberlain Sano would put a stop to the affair and punish his adulterous wife. But he would also punish Lord Mori, strip him of his fief, or even put him to death. Lady Mori devised a better plan.
    The next day, she walked into Lord Mori’s office, where he was poring over account books. Trembling with nerves and fright, she said, “I-I have something to tell you.”
    “Very well,” he said grudgingly. “Be quick about it.”
    “You must stop this affair with Lady Reiko,” she burst out. Tears welled in her eyes. “You must honor your vow to be a faithful husband to me.”
    He gazed at her in contempt and scorn. “I will not. I’m in love with Reiko. I don’t care about you. And how dare you tell me what to do?”
    “If you don’t give her up, I’ll tell my brother how badly you’re treating me.” Lady Mori’s brother was the
daimyo
of a fief near Lord Mori’s. He and she had been very fond of each other since childhood.
    He’d arranged her marriage to Lord Mori, uniting their clans, sealing a treaty of peace and mutual support between them, but he would take personally any offense to her. He would retaliate against the offender, and no treaty would stand in his way.
    Lord Mori blenched. “You wouldn’t tell him.”
    “Do right by me, or I will,” Lady Mori said, emboldened by the fear in his eyes. “And my brother will declare war on you. His army will invade your provinces. He’ll have your head as a battle trophy.”
    Staring at her with amazement, he shook his head. “You would instigate a war to separate me from Reiko? You’re mad!”
    “Make your choice,” Lady Mori said.
    “This is just a foolish woman’s bluff. No matter how much your brother cares about you, he’s too smart to risk everything he has to avenge you!”
    “We shall see.” Lady Mori walked toward the door.
    Before she reached it, Lord Mori called, “Wait.”
    Lady Mori turned. Her husband sat behind his desk, shrunken by cowardice. “All right,” he said with bitter resentment. “I will end the affair.”
    Lady Mori experienced a sad triumph. “You’ll never see Lady Reiko again? You’ll tell her it’s over?”
    He expelled his breath. “Yes.”