a discount for next year,” said Kin. “Let’s look at the figures.” Kin and Kinnosuke moved to the section of the office where Kin kept the ledgers. Hayami followed them.
Kinzaemon and Jihei walked back to the inner office. Kinzaemon sat heavily and sighed.
“What a disaster,” Jihei said, pulling at his eyebrows. Listening, Rie frowned, pondering what she could do or suggest. She bit her lip, tapped her chin with her fan.
“Brewing is a risky enterprise, as we all know,” Kinzaemon sighed. “This is why we need an equal business in moneylending and gold-and-silver exchange. Without that cushion we might be out of business this year, relying on the two-year wait for the return from our brewing investment.” He ran his hand through his hair.
Rie’s voice came from the hallway, and she hurried into the office. “This is terrible!” She moved a hand up and down her arm. “What do we do now, Father?”
“We haven’t lost our whole shipment, Rie. Please ask for some tea for us.”
82oyce Lebra
Kin came back into the room with Kinnosuke and stood facing Kinzaemon and Rie.
“It’s a loss of one-fifth of the year’s shipment,” he said in a thin voice. “I’m making arrangements to increase our gold-and- silver exchange ten percent over last year. It will be a struggle to make it till next fall.”
Jihei rubbed his hands over his eyebrows. “Other brewers must have lost too,” he said.
Rie turned to Hayami. “What about Yamaguchi? Was he using this ship too?”
“I don’t believe so, no,” Hayami replied.
“Then I wonder,” Rie said, “was it really an accident, or another case of Yamaguchi’s treachery?”
They sat in fraught silence around the table. Monsoon rains pelted against the roof and added to the gloom inside.
Chapter 10
With the death of Hana, the atmosphere and relationships in the house altered. Rie and her father spent more time together, especially in the evenings when Jihei was away. Rie, still protective of her father and wishing to spare him the disappointment of Jihei’s lack of commitment, often made excuses for her absent husband as she sat companionably with her father after dinner. They had weathered the storm of the lost shipments, but only through careful planning and tight control of their finances, no thanks to Jihei who once again was out spending her father’s money.
“Father, I believe Jihei said he was going to a gathering of other brewers, trying to keep up with the latest news, especially now that you are no longer attending the Brewers Association meetings.” Of course Rie doubted Jihei was doing any such thing. More likely, he was spending time at the Sawaraya with that geisha. “I also need to know what is happening with the
84oyce Lebra
business, Father. We don’t want Yamaguchi to take advantage of us, now that it’s known you may retire soon.”
Kinzaemon sighed. “Yes, that’s so, Rie. And of course Kin is almost my age, so he may retire soon too. It would be a problem if we both retired at once, a big problem.”
Rie sorrowed to see her father looking older, seeming less resilient after his wife’s passing.
“Kin told me that he would be able to continue for a while even after you retire. And you know Shin’ichi is doing exceptionally well. Kin says we are fortunate to have him. I believe Kin feels Kinnosuke may be able to succeed him one day.” Rie smiled and poured sake as her father held out his cup. “I think Kinnosuke is about fifteen now.”
“You did well, Ri-chan, to recognize his ability even as a young boy.”
Rie nodded and bowed slightly at her father’s compliment. She relished the increased opportunity for her father’s companionship, time he had normally spent with Hana while she was alive.
Early one morning several weeks later, as Rie dressed before going down to breakfast, she sat before the mirror on her mother’s paulownia dressing cabinet. Her thoughts turned to Yoshitaro, now walking and making
Kinzaemon and Jihei walked back to the inner office. Kinzaemon sat heavily and sighed.
“What a disaster,” Jihei said, pulling at his eyebrows. Listening, Rie frowned, pondering what she could do or suggest. She bit her lip, tapped her chin with her fan.
“Brewing is a risky enterprise, as we all know,” Kinzaemon sighed. “This is why we need an equal business in moneylending and gold-and-silver exchange. Without that cushion we might be out of business this year, relying on the two-year wait for the return from our brewing investment.” He ran his hand through his hair.
Rie’s voice came from the hallway, and she hurried into the office. “This is terrible!” She moved a hand up and down her arm. “What do we do now, Father?”
“We haven’t lost our whole shipment, Rie. Please ask for some tea for us.”
82oyce Lebra
Kin came back into the room with Kinnosuke and stood facing Kinzaemon and Rie.
“It’s a loss of one-fifth of the year’s shipment,” he said in a thin voice. “I’m making arrangements to increase our gold-and- silver exchange ten percent over last year. It will be a struggle to make it till next fall.”
Jihei rubbed his hands over his eyebrows. “Other brewers must have lost too,” he said.
Rie turned to Hayami. “What about Yamaguchi? Was he using this ship too?”
“I don’t believe so, no,” Hayami replied.
“Then I wonder,” Rie said, “was it really an accident, or another case of Yamaguchi’s treachery?”
They sat in fraught silence around the table. Monsoon rains pelted against the roof and added to the gloom inside.
Chapter 10
With the death of Hana, the atmosphere and relationships in the house altered. Rie and her father spent more time together, especially in the evenings when Jihei was away. Rie, still protective of her father and wishing to spare him the disappointment of Jihei’s lack of commitment, often made excuses for her absent husband as she sat companionably with her father after dinner. They had weathered the storm of the lost shipments, but only through careful planning and tight control of their finances, no thanks to Jihei who once again was out spending her father’s money.
“Father, I believe Jihei said he was going to a gathering of other brewers, trying to keep up with the latest news, especially now that you are no longer attending the Brewers Association meetings.” Of course Rie doubted Jihei was doing any such thing. More likely, he was spending time at the Sawaraya with that geisha. “I also need to know what is happening with the
84oyce Lebra
business, Father. We don’t want Yamaguchi to take advantage of us, now that it’s known you may retire soon.”
Kinzaemon sighed. “Yes, that’s so, Rie. And of course Kin is almost my age, so he may retire soon too. It would be a problem if we both retired at once, a big problem.”
Rie sorrowed to see her father looking older, seeming less resilient after his wife’s passing.
“Kin told me that he would be able to continue for a while even after you retire. And you know Shin’ichi is doing exceptionally well. Kin says we are fortunate to have him. I believe Kin feels Kinnosuke may be able to succeed him one day.” Rie smiled and poured sake as her father held out his cup. “I think Kinnosuke is about fifteen now.”
“You did well, Ri-chan, to recognize his ability even as a young boy.”
Rie nodded and bowed slightly at her father’s compliment. She relished the increased opportunity for her father’s companionship, time he had normally spent with Hana while she was alive.
Early one morning several weeks later, as Rie dressed before going down to breakfast, she sat before the mirror on her mother’s paulownia dressing cabinet. Her thoughts turned to Yoshitaro, now walking and making
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