a total loss.’
‘Poor Trouble,’ said Akitada. ‘What a very brave dog he is. Where is Tora?’
‘At his place, looking to see if he can salvage anything.’
Genba joined them, his face a picture in red and black. He was covered with soot and sweat. ‘What happened to you, sir? We were worried. The police finally showed up. After it was all over and we’d driven the bastards away and nearly put out the fire.’
Akitada glanced at the smoking ruins of the stables. ‘Never mind, Genba. We’re alive. Take this fellow to the kitchen, tie him up, and lock him in.’ Turning to Tamako, he said, ‘You and Seimei better stay in the main house.’ He called a couple of the constables and asked them to guard his family.
Then he went to inspect the damage. The stables were gone, along with saddles and feed for the horses. He found Tora on the pile of smoking rubble that had been his quarters. He was kicking charred and smoking timbers aside.
‘I’m very sorry, Tora,’ Akitada called up to him. ‘We will rebuild it. Better than it was. I’m glad you’re safe.’
Tora swung around. He was black with soot. ‘What about My Lady and the little one?’
‘They’re well, the gods be thanked.’ It had been a disastrous night, but at that moment Akitada felt again a relief so great that he seemed to float. ‘Come and leave that for later. We are safe, and that is all that matters. We need a cup of wine and something to eat.’
Tora climbed down reluctantly. ‘I had about ten pieces of gold saved up,’ he said gloomily. ‘First I get robbed, and now this.’
‘Never mind. I caught Tojiro a moment ago. And I had to kill Takeo.’
Tora brightened. ‘Well done! Looks like you got all the excitement. Takeo was a piece of garbage, and Tojiro’s not much better.’
They were crossing the courtyard on their way to the main house when Kobe arrived.
The superintendent paused to shake his head at the devastation, then came quickly to Akitada. ‘I didn’t get your message until a few hours ago,’ he said.
Akitada saw that Kobe looked exhausted and still wore the same clothes. ‘You haven’t been to bed since I saw you last?’
‘No. More unrest in the city, and then an attack on the western jail. Koichi’s friends decided to spring him by setting fire to the jail.’
‘That must be what I smelled earlier, before the fire here. Did anyone get hurt?’
‘Three prisoners died. They were shackled.’ Kobe’s face was bleak. ‘It was terrible, the screaming. I wish I’d retired to my farm last year. What about your family?’
‘We’re safe now, but I had to kill a youth, and another is tied up in my kitchen.’
Kobe’s lips quirked in the briefest of smiles. ‘You’ve been busy yourself. Let’s have a look.’
They stopped first at Tamako’s pavilion. When Kobe saw the dead youth and Akitada showed him the knife he had held to the baby’s neck, Kobe sucked in his breath sharply. Then he examined the body.
‘But he died from a knife thrust into his side,’ he said. ‘Didn’t you have your sword?’
‘I did, but I told him that I would fight him barehanded.’ Akitada realized that this sounded like bragging and flushed. ‘It was the only way he would relinquish my daughter. I was lucky that he was young and naive,’ he added.
Kobe stared at him. ‘It sounds horrible. Let’s see the live one.’
Genba unlocked the door to the small kitchen building. As they walked in, they saw Tojiro trussed up against one of the beams that supported the roof. He looked defeated.
Akitada had promised Fuhito time to arrange his affairs, but Tojiro had changed all that, including the way Akitada felt about his grandfather’s confession. He was convinced now that Fuhito had tried to protect his grandson. Much would depend on Tojiro’s explanations.
Kobe stood over the boy with a frown. ‘You’re the one they call Tojiro?’
Tojiro looked up at him. ‘Yes.’
‘How old are you?’
‘Sixteen.’
Akitada was taken aback. Given the boy’s lifestyle, he had thought the youth to be at least seventeen, if not older. But he was tall and very handsome under all that dirt. No wonder Koichi’s daughter had fallen for him.
Kobe asked, ‘Parents?’
Tojiro hesitated and glanced at Akitada. Then he lifted his chin. ‘My father was Kiyowara Kane. I killed him. My mother is also dead. She was one of his wives.’
Kobe’s jaw sagged. ‘What? Don’t tell outrageous lies. You won’t like the taste of the bamboo whip, my boy.’
Akitada said quickly, ‘He’s telling the truth. He is Kiyowara’s oldest son by a secondary wife.’
Kobe was shocked. ‘You mean the Kiyowara heir is this one’s younger brother? Where did he come from all of a sudden?’
Akitada hedged. ‘I think the story is a little complicated. The point at the moment is that he has just confessed to the murder. I haven’t had time to get details yet, but his grandfather is the Kiyowaras’ major-domo, Fuhito. He also confessed to the crime.’
Kobe gave Akitada a long look, but said nothing. He turned back to Tojiro. ‘Is that true? Did you kill Lord Kiyowara?’
The boy’s chin came up again. ‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
‘He wouldn’t acknowledge me. He was hateful and said things about my mother. I hit him and he fell. He hit his head on the desk, I think. I saw blood and saw that he was dead and I was glad.’ Tojiro spoke quickly, with a passionate sincerity. His eyes shone with pride.
Kobe turned back to Akitada. ‘Can this be? Why did none of the servants report seeing him?’
‘He looks very much like his brother. I think they saw him, but took him for Katsumi.’
A brief smile passed over Tojiro’s face. ‘I got on Katsumi’s horse and galloped out of the gate. Nobody paid attention.’
Akitada was not at all sure what to make of this boy. ‘Did you by any chance run away from Seikan-ji?’
Tojiro flushed. ‘How did you know?’
‘The abbot is looking for you.’
‘Well, he’ll have to manage without him,’ Kobe snapped. Drawing Akitada back outside, he said angrily, ‘I must say, you should have informed me of all this before.’
Akitada felt guilty. ‘I intended to, but I’ve only just realized what happened. Someone delivered a threat here – at least I took it for a threat. Tojiro claims he was warning me – and I postponed reporting to you in order to look after my family. Fuhito confessed late yesterday.’
Kobe mellowed a little. ‘I see. I was fairly busy myself then. Which one of them did it, do you think?’
‘I would bet the grandfather lied to protect the grandson. He loves the boy and feels guilty for what happened to him.’
‘Very well, we’ll sort it out later. The boy will be taken to the eastern jail, and I’ll have my men remove the body from your lady’s pavilion. Then I have to leave. I wish I could offer help with the clean-up, but we’re stretched very thin.’
‘I understand.’ Akitada glanced back over his shoulder towards the kitchen building. ‘You know, I feel there is something not quite right about Tojiro’s confession. I’d like to pay another visit to the Kiyowaras if you will permit it.’
Kobe thought a moment, then nodded. ‘By all means make sure. And collect your fee for clearing them of suspicion while you’re at it.’
A WOMAN’S HONOR
