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le； infirmity。 Nicholas initially wondered whether she might be crippled。
Nicholas bent to his task of preparing the tea。 While he did so； he was silent； as was customary； but when they drank； he spoke to her of the sheared azalea and the rocks of the garden； and how only light and the occasional bird were free to move about in it。
〃I suppose this must be difficult for you；〃 Koei said as if she had not heard a word he had said。 She did not meet his eyes。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Being left alone with someone you don't know and being told to entertain her。〃
〃Well。。。〃
〃Especially since Tsunetomo is not someone you can say no to。〃
He smiled。 〃That's right。 But even if he were not oyabun of the Shikei clan； I would have done what he asked。〃 He cocked his head to one side。 〃It's not difficult。。。 or onerous。〃
She was still bent over； her eyes lowered。 When she spoke； she barely moved her lips； and her hair； bound tightly to her head； reflected the fight from the garden as if it were a lantern。 She possessed a kind of ethereal stillness he had only previously seen in acplished sensei； but there was a subtle difference here he could not pinpoint。
〃I do not want to be a burden on anyone。〃
〃What makes you think you would be？〃
〃Who am I？〃 She put her cup back on the table。 〃I am not pretty； or particularly clever。 I cannot imagine why anyone would want to be in my pany。〃
〃But surely that can't be true。 Obviously； Tsunetomo cares deeply for you。〃
She raised her head； her expression a bit bewildered； as if she were a doe caught in the beam of a headlight。 〃Do you really think so？〃
〃Of course。 He invited you here to his tea room。 He doesn't do that with just anyone。〃
〃He invited you here as well。〃 She seemed to bee aware of him for the first time； like a snail emerging from its shell just after a predator has passed close by。
〃Tsunetomo is like my second father。〃 Nicholas told her about Colonel Linnear and his death。 She seemed oddly unmoved； as if he had told her a bird had flown through the garden。
She shivered； said to him； 〃I am unfortable here。〃
Tsunetomo had not yet returned。 Nicholas decided to take Koei home； she seemed so fragile he could not imagine her being able to manage it on her own。 They passed through the layers of bodyguards surrounding the oyabun's pound。 Outside on the street； he discovered a limousine plete with driver and two burly Yakuza waiting for her。 These were not Shikei clan members。 So Koei was the daughter of another Yakuza oyabun。 An old friend； Tsunetomo had said； leaving it at that。
She stood still as stone on the sidewalk； staring into the interior of the limo as if it were an open grave。 〃I don't want to get in there。〃
〃I'll take you home。〃
For some time； she did not move or indicate that she had heard him。 What he liked about her was that she obviously disapproved of what her father did。 When Nicholas was with Tsunetomo and was a beneficiary of his great wit； generosity； and affection； it was impossible to dwell upon his profession。
And； after all； some of the Colonel's closest friends had been Yakuza oyabun。 And yet deep inside him Nicholas heard a voice of warning； felt a hard lump of sin forming like a pearl within an oyster's flesh。 Most days； he ignored both and continued with his life。
Koei lived within a walled pound not too dissimilar to that of Tsunetomo。 Her father； Tokino Kaeda； a saturnine man of prodigious size； was chief underoyabun of the Yamauchi clan； which； since the untimely death of Katsuodo Kozo； had been in turmoil。 Katsuodo's eldest son； Tomoo； who was in his early thirties； was still too inexperienced to assume the oyabun's mantle。 Thus； Koei's father； as the senior of the underoyabun； had been elevated to head the clan until Tomoo came of age。 Until then； part of his responsibilities was to teach Tomoo everything he knew。
Koei's mother was a neat； small woman； nearly as delicate as her daughter。 But she had not aged well。 There were unmistakable lines in her face； her hair was gray； and her eyes were turned inward。 As she served them tea； she spoke of her flowers … she taught ikebana； flower arranging … and how each season was marked by what lived and died。 She seemed neither happy nor unhappy when Koei introduced Nicholas； merely vaguely surprised。 But then； considering Koei's innate shyness； perhaps that was to be expected。 On the other hand； she never directed her words to either of them； but spoke as if into empty air； or to herself。
Tokino Kaeda had the look of a stern disciplinarian。 He returned to the pound with one of his sons。 He glanced at Nicholas and his daughter； handed his briefcase to his son； and told him to take it into his study。 〃Work until you get it right；〃 he said to the young man。 〃If you make another mistake； you'll pay dearly。〃 He never looked at his son as he spoke； but gazed fixedly at the couple having tea。 His wife retired into the kitchen； presumably to make him something to eat。
〃What have we here？〃 Kaeda said； ing toward them。
Koei looked down into her empty teacup and introduced Nicholas。 〃He is a good friend of Akinaga…san's；〃 she added hastily。 〃We met at Akinaga…san's house。〃
〃You are not Yakuza；〃 Kaeda addressed Nicholas。 〃By the look of you； you're not even Japanese。〃
〃I am half…oriental； half…Western。 My father is Col。 Denis Linnear。〃
〃I suppose saying that has gotten you into many a door that should have been closed to you。〃 The big man stabbed a quick glance at his daughter。 〃I am not Akinaga。 It won't do you any good here。〃
Nicholas said nothing。
〃I am cautious about who my daughter spends time with。〃
〃Father …〃
〃I understand；〃 Nicholas said； trying to head off a family argument。 〃Most oyabun feel the same way。 It's part of the territory。〃
〃I am not most oyabun。 And my daughter is special。〃
〃I am only trying to be her friend。〃
The big man grunted； then went into the kitchen。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Koei whispered。 She seemed to be trembling。
〃For what？〃
〃My father's manners。 He was brought up on the street I am his only daughter。 He lives with blood and death all the time and it。。。〃 She broke off； shuddering。 〃It frightens me。 What if he should be killed？ There is so much infighting among the Yamauchi； so much envy and jealousy。 Someone could slip a katana through his ribs and puncture his lung or his heart。 It would be terrible。〃
There was a kind of quickness to her breathing； to the rhythm of her words； that could be mistaken for vibrancy。 Intense fear could do that to a person； Nicholas knew。 It could animate even the half…dead。 He was startled by this thought。 Is that how he thought of Koei？
In the weeks that followed； he saw Koei with increasing frequency； and in that time the only thing he could say for certain about her was that she was a plete enigma。 He was also falling in love with her。 Perhaps that love was not perfect； touched as it was by the intrigue of the unknown； but what young love is without the imperfections of lust and a strong sense of danger？
The truth about Koei was that the longer one spent with her the more beautiful she became。 She was like a camellia that has opened its dew…spattered petals slowly to an