Chapter 43

Yuta liked Lady Satsuki. While keeping perfectly to the form that decreed that women exercise influence subtly, from behind, always giving outward credit to their husbands, she did not pretend to be a fool, nor was she lazy. She took charge of everything that a woman in her position would be expected to manage. She relieved Lord Eitaro of the burden of doing everything she could do better. The Abbot had known what he was doing when he sent Yuta to Lady Satsuki first.

Satsuki had grasped the importance of the coal deposits immediately. After only a few questions, she sent Lord Eitaro a message that suggested that he might like to see this monk who had information that might prove important to family interests. Yuta read it upside down as she wrote. He found it clever and subtle, and guaranteed to cause what happened: Lord Eitaro burst in and demanded to know what was going on.