Black Arrow Read Online Free Page A

stole our birds.”
     
    “Ah, I expect people are hungry. From what I have seen, there is a lot of hardship here. The granaries are nearly empty.”
     
    “And now there’s murder, as well,” said Hitomaro. “We ran into some trouble on the outskirts. An innkeeper. Killed by his guests, it seems.” He opened the door and swept the pile of dirt out onto the veranda and from there into the courtyard below. A cold wind caught part of it and blew it back. He muttered under his breath.
     
    Akitada closed the door while Hitomaro wielded his broom again. “Did you investigate?” Akitada asked.
     
    “Couldn’t. Chobei and the judge wouldn’t have it. Their jurisdiction, they said.”
     
    Akitada opened the door again, and this time Hitomaro managed to dispose of the dirt without mishap. He returned quickly. It was as cold inside the hall as in the open but at least there was no wind. He and Tora looked at each other.
     
    “You were polite, I hope,” Akitada said to Tora.
     
    Tora flushed. “They’re bastards, sir, and they’re out to get us.” He told Akitada what the old man in the wineshop had said and showed him the crudely written note that had been attached to the dove. He added, “And I don’t like the way they’re handling the murder. They’re going after three men—an actor, a peddler, and a farmer. I got the notion that they were convenient scapegoats. Can they get away with that?”
     
    “Of course not,” Akitada said firmly. “They may arrest suspects if the circumstances warrant it, but there is the judge, after all. He will investigate the evidence. If he is not satisfied, he will have the suspects released. In any case, trials are public. You can’t simply find people guilty of murder without having convincing proof.”
     
    “I don’t like that Judge Hisamatsu, sir. Can’t you check into it? Or let me and Hito do it?”
     
    “No. Let the proper authorities do their work.”
     
    Hitomaro and Tora exchanged glances again. Hitomaro said, “It looks like people here don’t like their governors, and our constables are poorly trained and uncooperative. They claim to be busy with other chores every time I ask them to assemble for drill.”
     
    “And,” added Tora, “the lazy bastards refuse to help us clean up the place..We even have to feed our own horses. Is it true that one of the governors got murdered?”
     
    Akitada frowned. “A foolish tale. Do the best you can with the constables. We should be able to get more done very soon. I am to meet some of the local dignitaries at Takata.”
     
    “Oh,” cried Tora, “you haven’t heard then? There’s talk in town that the old lord is dying.”
     
    Akitada raised his brows. “It must be more rumor. His son would have canceled the banquet if it were true. No, I must go, but you can come with me, Tora, so get ready.”
     
    As Akitada walked down a narrow, dark corridor, he had to pause for another wave of nausea to pass before entering their private room. He reflected bitterly that the long-awaited invitation from the younger Uesugi was spoiled by this cursed bout of illness, caused, he suspected, by the tribunal cook, either through ineptitude or by intent. Though he had managed to hide his fears from the others, he knew that the local people looked upon him as their enemy. Poison? No, not that. They would not dare raise a hand against a duly appointed official from the capital. With a shiver, he pushed open the door.
     
    His wife, a slender, pretty young woman in a rose-colored, quilted silk coat over full deep-red trousers, was arranging his formal robe over a bamboo stand. Gray smoke curled up in a thin spiral from a censer nearby and filled the air with the exotic scent of sandalwood.
     
    Akitada said peevishly, “I wish you wouldn’t bother! These border warlords are hardly going to be impressed by a perfumed gown.”
     
    Tamako gave him a searching glance and said, “I think you do Uesugi an injustice. The family