on purpose.’
She held his gaze and although Nico tried to hang on to his anger, somehow he couldn’t. He knew she wasn’t an imbecile. She’d shown herself to have both intelligence and integrity. And from his short acquaintance with the Japanese, he was sure if she swore something on her honour, she would stick to it.
He capitulated. ‘Oh, very well, but if I send word that you’re not to use it, you will obey instantly, understand? The weather can change very quickly.’
She nodded and gave him a beaming smile that had his senses reeling. ‘Agreed.’
‘Good. Well, er … I’ll just … Good.’ He stomped off towards the hatch and up the short flight of stairs, cursing under his breath. ‘I should never have let her on board,’ he muttered, but deep down he knew the cause of his anger wasn’t so much her use of the brazier as the way she fired his blood.
He’d wanted to snatch her up and kiss her senseless.
Midori stared at the
haiku
poem in front of her, then threw down her calligraphy brush in frustration. It didn’t sound right. There was something vital missing, but for the life of her she couldn’t think what it could be.
O distant shoreline
Rocky, unforgiving, hard,
Welcome me back soon
‘Help me, Father,’ she whispered, looking round for guidance. Her father had been a master at poetry, writing an entire collection dedicated to Midori’s mother, and he’d tried to teach his daughter to follow in his footsteps. No inspiration or help from the spirits was forthcoming at the moment, however, so she had to give up in disgust.
There was a knock on the door and she went to open it. ‘Who is it?’ she asked, her thoughts still on poetry.
‘Jochem,’ came the muffled reply and she lifted the heavy bar with a smile.
Someone to talk to at last.
Jochem wasn’t alone, however, and she barely had time to see his frightened eyes before the boy was shoved roughly aside, his head smashing into the nearest wall. Taking the youth’s place in the doorway was Barker, the man she’d fought at Dejima. There was no mistaking the large, porous nose and the leering expression. The welcoming smile died on her lips.
‘So I was right then,’ he murmured. ‘The cap’n’s been keepin’ you all to hisself. That don’t seem fair to me. Share and share alike, is my motto. Least when it comes to whores.’
Midori took a step backwards and glared at him. ‘I’ll have you know I’m a lady. And I don’t belong to the captain; I’m merely a passenger on this ship. Kindly leave my cabin.’
‘A likely story,’ Barker scoffed. ‘And still as hoity-toity, are ye? You’ll soon change your tune.’ He grinned at her and just before he advanced, she noticed most of his teeth were missing. She tried to duck and reached for her swords, but she wasn’t fast enough and he had her pinned to the wall in no time. ‘Now then, let’s start where we left off, eh?’ He imprisoned both her hands with one of his, while his other hand began to grope its way along her body none too gently.
Midori fought back, twisting and turning and trying to kick his private parts, but all to no avail. He may be useless with a sword, but at close quarters he was much stronger than her. She cursed. She had mistakenly thought any attack would come at night, if at all, and had let down her guard. And now she would pay for it. She let out a blood-curdling scream, more furious with herself than afraid. At the last moment, she turned her head to the side to avoid the disgusting mouth which was coming towards hers.
‘Get away from me! I’ll kill you … swine …
bakajaro
…’
He wasn’t listening and Midori felt the panic build up inside her as the anger subsided and fear took its place. Apart from her short time in prison, she had never felt so vulnerable before. She’d always been able to defend herself, but this man wasn’t giving her a chance. He didn’t fight fair and kept hold of her arms, his big hand a vice
She held his gaze and although Nico tried to hang on to his anger, somehow he couldn’t. He knew she wasn’t an imbecile. She’d shown herself to have both intelligence and integrity. And from his short acquaintance with the Japanese, he was sure if she swore something on her honour, she would stick to it.
He capitulated. ‘Oh, very well, but if I send word that you’re not to use it, you will obey instantly, understand? The weather can change very quickly.’
She nodded and gave him a beaming smile that had his senses reeling. ‘Agreed.’
‘Good. Well, er … I’ll just … Good.’ He stomped off towards the hatch and up the short flight of stairs, cursing under his breath. ‘I should never have let her on board,’ he muttered, but deep down he knew the cause of his anger wasn’t so much her use of the brazier as the way she fired his blood.
He’d wanted to snatch her up and kiss her senseless.
Midori stared at the
haiku
poem in front of her, then threw down her calligraphy brush in frustration. It didn’t sound right. There was something vital missing, but for the life of her she couldn’t think what it could be.
O distant shoreline
Rocky, unforgiving, hard,
Welcome me back soon
‘Help me, Father,’ she whispered, looking round for guidance. Her father had been a master at poetry, writing an entire collection dedicated to Midori’s mother, and he’d tried to teach his daughter to follow in his footsteps. No inspiration or help from the spirits was forthcoming at the moment, however, so she had to give up in disgust.
There was a knock on the door and she went to open it. ‘Who is it?’ she asked, her thoughts still on poetry.
‘Jochem,’ came the muffled reply and she lifted the heavy bar with a smile.
Someone to talk to at last.
Jochem wasn’t alone, however, and she barely had time to see his frightened eyes before the boy was shoved roughly aside, his head smashing into the nearest wall. Taking the youth’s place in the doorway was Barker, the man she’d fought at Dejima. There was no mistaking the large, porous nose and the leering expression. The welcoming smile died on her lips.
‘So I was right then,’ he murmured. ‘The cap’n’s been keepin’ you all to hisself. That don’t seem fair to me. Share and share alike, is my motto. Least when it comes to whores.’
Midori took a step backwards and glared at him. ‘I’ll have you know I’m a lady. And I don’t belong to the captain; I’m merely a passenger on this ship. Kindly leave my cabin.’
‘A likely story,’ Barker scoffed. ‘And still as hoity-toity, are ye? You’ll soon change your tune.’ He grinned at her and just before he advanced, she noticed most of his teeth were missing. She tried to duck and reached for her swords, but she wasn’t fast enough and he had her pinned to the wall in no time. ‘Now then, let’s start where we left off, eh?’ He imprisoned both her hands with one of his, while his other hand began to grope its way along her body none too gently.
Midori fought back, twisting and turning and trying to kick his private parts, but all to no avail. He may be useless with a sword, but at close quarters he was much stronger than her. She cursed. She had mistakenly thought any attack would come at night, if at all, and had let down her guard. And now she would pay for it. She let out a blood-curdling scream, more furious with herself than afraid. At the last moment, she turned her head to the side to avoid the disgusting mouth which was coming towards hers.
‘Get away from me! I’ll kill you … swine …
bakajaro
…’
He wasn’t listening and Midori felt the panic build up inside her as the anger subsided and fear took its place. Apart from her short time in prison, she had never felt so vulnerable before. She’d always been able to defend herself, but this man wasn’t giving her a chance. He didn’t fight fair and kept hold of her arms, his big hand a vice
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