ベイカー寮221B／Baker House 221B

In March 1855, SHIMAZU Nariakira pardons those who were involved in O-Yura Sōdō, an internal trouble in the Shimazu clan and Ōkubo Jiemon returns to his home. Though he is delighted that his children have grown up, the deaths of Saigo Kichibée and Masa makes him feel sorry. And his son Shōsuke who realises that Hisamitsu is interested in foreign affairs borrows some books related to them. Besides, he inserts a letter to thank him for making efforts in pardoning the arrestees of the trouble in one of them.


Atsu hime has lived in edo for two years but the wife of Iesada has not decided yet. Ikushima who doesn't know the truth and distinguishes herself as a wife of a merchant and visits Isodaya to spy the attitudes concerning the marriage of other domains. And she meets Honju-in, mother of Iesada and Utahashi, nurse of Iesada and emphasises that Atsu hime is healthy and has a good luck. Meanwhile Kichinosuke receives lots of money from Nariakira and invites the superior vassals to support making Yoshinobu become next shogun. However, ŌYAMA Kakunosuke and ARIMURA Shunsai suspect him who returns late with the smell of sake but he tells them nothing about it.


Honju-in decides to make Iesada choose his wife. Her maid puts the portraits of the ladies who are the candidates for his wife on the floor and tells him to choose one. However, he points at II Naosuke who stays in next room with ABE Masahiro. Then he goes through the room into the garden and grieves the death of a duck he keeps.
"Why does everybody die before me? I want to have a wife who never dies."(*)
Then Honju-in tells him that everybody has his/her life but he can marry a healthy and lucky lady and show him the portrait of Atsu hime under his foot. He decides to marry her then while Naosuke is dissatisfied with such a method. But Honju-in tells him that he should know his place.


Their wedding will be celebrated next December but Kichinosuke remembers Nariakira's words that will be unhappy.  Atsu hime is informed of the decision and thanks not only Nariakira but Kichinosuke also. After that, Ikushime listens to the conversation of Nariakira and Kichinosuke about the real intention of this marriage. Then she decides to train Atsu hime to make strenuous efforts to support Yoshinobu in Edo Castle. Kichinosuke thinks that she trains her so hard but she ignores him. 


After that Nariakira tells Atsu hime that Iesada it too weak to have a child between her and what she should do is persuading the ladies in Ō-oku to support Yoshinobu for next shogun. She says that she could be an adopted daughter thanks to Nariakira so she will accept her fate for him, for the country and for the people. But in October, a big earthquake (Ansei no dai jishin) hits Edo. Kichinosuke confirms that Nariakira is safe and then visits the room of Atsu hime.


In her room, he saves her from a falling piller. Then Atsu hime asks him to bring her to somewhere and stay there with him with the just two of them. Kichinosuke prepares himself but she knows it is impossible. She just wants to learn whether he minds her or not. Then Ikushima comes there and Atsu hime says to him when she leaves there with her.
"I thank you for having helped me who will be the wife of a shogun." (**)


(*) He survived his two wives and then he married for the third time to Atsu hime.

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