Riley felt the tension leave his muscles as he sank into the hot bath, letting the servants scrub him clean. He felt confused by what had transpired between himself and Mitsuko. He could not explain it, and remarkably felt no need to try.
Once he had soaked and been scrubbed sufficiently, he moved to a second tub to rinse. When he emerged, he found that his clothes had been taken for cleaning. He wrapped himself in the formal silk robes proffered by the maidservants.
“Stuart-san,” one of the women spoke. “You have a visitor. Masuda Yoshi awaits you in the front room. He wishes to share tea with you.”
“Very well,” Riley answered. He entered the front room and saw a man waiting there, seated patiently. The man was stockily built and looked to be in his forties.
“Good evening Masuda-san,”
