Page 2 of The Tainted and the Tamed
Slate step stones wound under and around the crooked pine. When Murasaki bowed her way under the tree, it brushed the bun at the top of her head.
Mr. Uno waited at a dip in the garden. The mist swirled in an eddy there, making it appear as though the scarlet rails of a bridge grew from the clouds and reached heavenward.
“Just a bit farther,” Mr. Uno said. “You can see the castle now.”
At first, Murasaki thought her eyes were not strong enough to make out the house. Then she recognized a corner of it through the parted fog. The space under the eaves was decorated with elaborate wooden carvings.
She had lived so long with modern things, Murasaki was not sure how life in a historic home would feel.Ifshe got the job—no,when. Shewillget the job.
She had to.
The low clouds parted as they neared the bridge. The breeze delivered a faint whiff of sulfur.
She heard the clunk of Mr. Uno’s sandals as he stepped onto the arching bridge. Moments later, she joined him, clinging to the rail.
Murasaki was no fan of heights. Swallowing a sulfur-scented breath of air, she decided to be brave anyway, peering over the rail. She expected to see little but the mist below.
A mineral stream ran a dizzying distance below them, the plumes of steam rising off it marking it as volcanic. Yellow patches, bright as a canary, lined the stream. The bridge ran across a geologic fissure.
Mr. Uno tapped the painted wood. “Not to worry. This bridge is as solid as the day it was constructed.” He offered her a smile. “You’ll get used to it. You see that building, near the end of the ravine? That’s the bathhouse, open to the servants when not in use by his lor—Chairman Asami. Forgive me. The new ways are somehow still difficult for me to adjust to.”
As they stepped onto solid ground at last, Murasaki breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, the sight unveiled by the mist stole again stole her breath.
“House” was not a suitable word for the place. Nor was mansion anywhere near grand enough. For some reason, the sight of it cast a chill down the back of Murasaki’s neck.
I have my work cut out for me with this place.
The doors were open to the garden, revealing the wooden hall and tatami-matted rooms beyond. Everything was dim, as if the house was not fitted for electricity; she could barely make out the paintings on the doors beyond.
It felt empty, as though everyone was out and had forgotten to close the sliding doors. Not even a servant passed through the halls in the time it took Murasaki to hobble into the servant’s entrance to the house.
Finally removing her geta was a relief. Murasaki flexed her toes, feeling the pain shoot through the balls of her feet. She was certain now that she’d developed more than one blister on each foot.
The moment she lifted her chin again, she nearly stumbled off the step into the house. A woman in a tidy olive and gold kimono had appeared in the doorway, wringing her hands.
“Is this Ms. Mukai?” she asked Mr. Uno, who was still removing his sandals.
“It is. Mukai Murasaki, this is Tanabe Yukiko, the housekeeper. She’ll be interviewing—”
Ms. Tanabe cut him off, “That won’t be necessary. Ms. Mukai, are you able to begin work immediately?”
Stunned, Murasaki bowed, “Of course, Ms. Tanabe. If you’ll have me.”
“Good. I’m afraid you’ll have to change out of that beautiful kimono.” She eyed Murasaki’s outfit appreciatively—almost enviously. “I’ll need to get you into a uniform right away.”
“Why all the haste?” Mr. Uno asked, stretching as he entered the hall, the dark wooden floor creaking. “I thought the officials for the chamber of commerce were visiting today. Is the chairman expecting overnight company?”
“Nothing so unusual.” Ms. Tanabe shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting toward Murasaki. The floor cried out beneath her tabi socks, as if she was squeaking a loose floorboard intentionally.
“What, then?” asked the butler.
Ms. Tanabe stepped closer to him to speak, but Murasaki heard her anyway.
“One of the girls is missing.”
Chapter 2
Murasaki
