Young Samurai _ The Way Of The Dragon - Chris Bradford [90]
‘I will not lie to you, Jack Fletcher. You’re clearly resourceful to have survived this long on your own in Japan.’
Resting his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers, Father Bobadillo continued. ‘As an Englishman and Protestant, you’re an enemy of my country and the Brotherhood. But given your age and willingness to fight for his lordship, I wish to make a proposition. If you do not cause me any trouble, then once this war is over I’ll personally guarantee your safe passage back to England. That’s what you really want, isn’t it?’
Jack was taken aback. He was being promised the one thing he’d desired above all else these past three years. But he was being offered his dream by a Portuguese Jesuit priest, his country’s arch-enemy. ‘How can I trust you?’
‘I swear upon the Word of God. I have ships at my disposal and will seal a letter with my insignia to ensure your safe return.’
Jack found himself nodding numbly to the proposal.
‘Good. It’s decided. You will not speak about this conversation to anyone and if you should meet his lordship, or one of his retainers, you will not discuss the conflicting religion or politics of our countries. Understood. You may now leave.’
In a daze, Jack got up from his chair, bowed and turned to depart. As he did so, his eyes passed over the bookshelf and there was a flicker of recognition.
He looked again. Among the leatherbound tomes, there was a Bible, a collection of sermons and, nestled between them, Father Lucius’s dictionary.
39
THE ENEMY
‘I’m certain it was the same dictionary,’ said Jack as he sat with Akiko and Yamato in the star-studded darkness of the barracks’ garden.
The three of them had slipped out of the hall and found a secluded spot to talk. The moonless night was silent save for the trickling of the stream beneath them. In the distance glowed the lanterns of the keep and the silhouettes of soldiers patrolling the battlements.
‘You only caught a glimpse of it,’ said Akiko. ‘How can you be so sure?’
‘I’d recognize that binding anywhere. It’s exactly like my father’s rutter.’
‘But couldn’t this just be another dictionary, compiled by one of his priests?’
‘No, Father Lucius said his book was unique.’
‘Perhaps Dragon Eye, having stolen the wrong book, got rid of the dictionary and Father Bobadillo acquired it by fortune,’ she suggested.
‘Then why didn’t he say he had it?’ Jack countered. ‘Father Bobadillo wasn’t concerned about the dictionary’s theft because he’s already got it! Which means he might have my rutter too.’
‘That’s absurd!’ exclaimed Yamato. ‘Are you seriously suggesting a key retainer of Hasegawa Satoshi and his spiritual adviser is responsible for hiring Dragon Eye to steal your father’s rutter and murder you?’
‘Yes,’ stated Jack emphatically.
‘But he’s a priest. Aren’t stealing and killing against his religious vows? I know Jesuits are your country’s enemy, but he’s on our side. You even said he’s promised to help get you home. He seems to be a compassionate man, not a thief or a murderer.’
Jack sighed with exasperation. It was all so clear to him. ‘Remember when Father Lucius was on his deathbed, he’d asked my forgiveness, saying that it had been his duty to tell someone but he hadn’t realized they’d kill for it? He must have been talking about the rutter and his superior, Father Bobadillo.’
Akiko gazed thoughtfully at the sky, the starlight sparkling in her eyes. ‘You cannot accuse his lordship’s adviser of theft or hiring an assassin without proof. We need evidence. First, we must confirm that the book you saw was Father Lucius’s dictionary –’
‘What are you suggesting?’ interrupted Yamato, worried where the conversation was leading. ‘That we simply march up to a heavily guarded keep, walk into the priest’s room and take a look.’
Akiko smiled. ‘That’s exactly what we’re going to do.’
It was a full week before the three of them had an opportunity to attempt the break-in. An afternoon