Summary

Chapter 13 returns to the present. Ling and Ah Cheong move around the house, looking for a room for Tatsuji to use as he examines the wood carvings. While Aritomo left a will and enough money to maintain the house and garden, Ling has used her own money to pay the bills in recent years. There are repairs that need immediate attention but she has never thought about selling the property. After seeing to the room, she goes to the garden and sees Aritomo's bow. She thinks about their lessons.

Frederik's gardener, Vimalya Chin arrives one morning and agrees to take on the repairs and changes to Aritomo's garden, though she says she does not see a “unifying theme” for the overall garden (162).

Soon after that, Ling is looking at the letter written by the prisoner who was about to hang. Suddenly, she cannot...