The last of the night's guests were just leaving, and Mika stood by the door, waving an orange silk scarf in farewell. When the guests were gone, Mika headed back inside, closing and bolting the main doors as she went. She headed straight to her rooms, where a servant had drawn a bath for her. Mika carefully removed her makeup, while another servant removed the pins holding up Mika's hair.
Mika gratefully shed her kimono and undergarments before slipping into the warm water. With a sigh, Mika let the warmth envelop her. The young woman ran through the day's events and her immediate and long-range plans as she distractedly washed off the evening's grime. She would have to have a talk with Yuri before that situation got out of hand. There was also the matter of the contract with Howaito & Sons. Mika could not afford to have another late delivery. A lesson was clearly necessary. Perhaps a little accident at their factory by the docks.
Mika chuckled to herself as she slid down and submerged herself completely below the water. Coming back up for air, she concentrated on plans to acquire a new girl. There were a few possibilities, but Kaguya appeared the obvious choice. Not only was she favored by several important players, but she was very bright as well. Yes, Mika would arrange to meet Kaguya for lunch.
Her immediate plans formulated, Mika dipped her left pinky into the water clock and, with a sigh, emerged from the tub. After draining some of the excess water from her hair, Mika toweled herself off. Slipping into a comfortable robe, she allowed a servant to brush out and braid her hair. Mika slipped her mother's bracelt on, stepped into her slippers and headed off to inspect the house.
All of the girls were lined up outside of their rooms and Mika carefully inspected the entire house. Everything must be spotless. Mika had found that everyone slept better if the inspections were done at night and didn't loom over the staff. She was pleased to find everything in its place and after some encouraging words, released the staff for the night.
That chore finished, the young Madam met with the girls in the kitchen. Over tea and light cakes, they discussed the latest intelligence. Uzume had entertained the Minister of War, Lord Takata, who mentioned an upcoming contract for 1,000 rifles and parts. As instructed, Uzume had read Lord Takata's fortune and intimated that the crane was his lucky sign. Asagao had entertained Admiral Yasuko, who let slip that there were plans to build three new thirty-six gun frigates. When everyone had spoken, the meeting broke up and the girls headed off to bed.
Mika headed back to her rooms. After checking the sailing charts for the morning, Mika carefully wrote out two orders in English. When she was satisfied with the orders, she dressed in simple clothing and headed out toward the docks. She wended her way through the dark, narrow streets, avoiding the drunks, guards, and criminals. After half an hour, she came upon her goal, a simple residence overlooking the docks. Ringing the bell, Mika waited for almost a minute until she heard the bolt slide back and a familiar voice said in English, "Sarah, it is good to see you. Please come in."
Entering the small entry hall, Sarah removed her shoes and placed them on the mat by the door. As she slipped on slippers, the young man who had let her in asked, "would you like anything to eat or drink?"
"No, thank you, Miller-san. My master bids me to bring you these orders." Mika bowed and handed the orders to the young man.
The man examined the seals before opening them and scanning the orders. "One thousand rifles within two weeks," he mused. "That should be no problem. As your master notes, those can readily be obtained from Hong Kong." Opening the second order, the man pursed his lips. "One hundred and ten cannon . . ." He allowed his voice to trail off as he drummed his fingers against the table. "Yes, I should be able to get those in time from San Francisco. Now, as to the payment. I will need $1,200 up front."
Mika bowed politely, "My master has authorized me to give you $1,000." With that she pulled a long, wide piece of cloth from the collar of her tunic. Folding it in half and turning it over, Mika removed $1,000 in gold coins from the pockets, which kept the coins from hitting each other and making noise.
Miller gave Mika a look but did not argue. They both knew that this was a fair price and that Mika would not budge. Miller had learned early on that negotiating with Mika was an exercise in futility. However, he also knew that he was always offered a fair price and she always came through with the remainder on time without argument. Smiling, he accepted the coins and wrote out a receipt.
Mika thanked the young American and donned her shoes, before heading back out into the night. While she was in the area, she thought it best to take care of her contractor problem as well. Staying in the shadows, the young woman silently crept through the deserted streets toward Howaito & Sons' warehouse.