5

Tamakazura still felt closer to Yu~giri than to her brothers and sisters. She was a sensitive and affectionate lady and when he came calling she received him without formality. He particularly enjoyed her company because his sister, the crown princess, rather put him off. Higekuro was devoted to his new wife and no longer saw his old wife, Prince Hyo~bu's daughter. Since Tamakazura had no daughters, he would have liked to bring Makibashira into the house, but Prince Hyo~bu would not hear of it. Makibashira at least must not become a laughingstock. Prince Hyo~bu was a highly respected man, one of the emperor's nearest advisers,* and no request of his was refused. A vigorous man with lively modern tastes, he stood so high in the general esteem that he was only less in demand than Genji and To~ no Chu~jo~. It was commonly thought that Higekuro would be equally important one day. People were of course much interested in his daughter, who had many suitors. The choice among them would be Prince Hyo~bu's to make. He was interested in Kashiwagi and thought it a pity that Kashiwagi should be less interested in Makibashira than in his cat. She was a bright, modern sort of girl. Because her mother was still very much at odds with the world, she turned more and more to Tamakazura, her stepmother.