"Really? What does this Madame Sakaki look like?"

"Oh, she's a good looker for all she's not that young any more. In her thirties, I'd say. Kind of slim, but not too slim, if you know what I mean. Nice hair, in a bun. Michiko says she's a fine musician, and the auntie seems to like her. Keeps her on because she's married with children and some aged parents to support. After that I had to leave because that swine of a silk merchant came, and all the women rushed to greet him like he was the emperor himself. He has money to spend and so they all made up to him, especially since he'd stayed away a few days. Rumor is he's so henpecked at home that his wife beats him when she catches him chasing skirts. I hope so. Serves the coward right!"

Akitada was getting impatient. "Could we just have the pertinent facts about the murdered girl without your description of the life of prostitution?"

Seimei snorted.

"Well,"Tora reminded him, "you sent me there yourself. I was just trying to find out stuff for you. Maybe you should go there yourself and get the whole picture. Anyway, I went back to the umbrella maker's. They'd all gone to bed and I climbed into the dead girl's room." Tora described what he had found and produced the brocade card case with a flourish.

Akitada was pleased. "This looks like the same brocade as the sash she was strangled with," he said. "Too fine and expensive a fabric to be anything but a gift from a wealthy man."

"I know," nodded Tora. "That bastard Kurata threw me out of his shop when I tried to buy some for a friend of mine. Seems riffraff like myself can't touch stuff like that."

Akitada raised his brows. "The man was rude. Ignore him." He opened the case and shook out the crimson cards. "Quite good writing," he muttered.

"I couldn't read it," said Tora, who was watching him eagerly. "They look like some of those fancy visiting cards you carry about. I thought they might be her lover's. Can you make out the name?"

Akitada chuckled and, passing the cards to Seimei, said, "I am sorry to disappoint you. I expect you thought you had found the murderer's cards. Actually the girl Omaki used these to advertise her skills as a lute player. She refers to herself as the 'Willow Tree Warbler' and says that she can be reached in the wine house by that name."

Seimei returned the cards. "Very improper for a female, and of that particular class," he said with a sniff. "Such cards are to be used only by gentlemen of rank."

Tora picked up one of the cards and stared at it. "She wrote these?"

Akitada shook his head. "Hardly. The writing is in a scholar's hand and in Chinese. But I must say it was very enterprising of her. Evidently she expected to play only in the best houses. I expect young Nagai wrote them. The strange thing is that they were useless. She lost her job and she got rid of Nagai. I don't suppose you picked up any rumors about marriage?"

Tora shook his head. "Not likely. According to the little maid, the stepmother called Omaki a slut."

Akitada pulled his earlobe pensively. "Why is it that she should have given up her career, her job and a marriage offer from poor Nagai without seeming in the least troubled about what was to become of her?"

Tora nodded. "Me and the auntie wondered about that too. Michiko said Omaki looked really cheerful about something before she died."

"I think," said Akitada, "we must look for the father of Omaki's unborn child. The pleasure quarter is the most promising place. And I apologize for snapping at you. You have done very well. Next time you go there, find out if any of the customers showed a special interest in the girl."

Tora jumped up eagerly.

"Wait!" said Akitada. "There is another matter, and it is more urgent. Do you remember the beggar Captain Kobe arrested for the murder?"Tora nodded. "He has been released, and I am worried about his safety. We must find him and bring him here. They might know where he is at the municipal hall for the eastern city. He visits there."

When Tora had left, Akitada said to Seimei, "I am sorry I complained about a lack of excitement in my life! Suddenly I am involved in three murders without having the least notion of how to proceed in any of them."

Seimei was holding out Akitada's gown for him to slip on. "Three murders? There have been only two: the girl and Professor Oe."

Akitada took off his house robe and put his arms into the sleeves of the formal gown. "You forget Prince Yoakira," he said, tying the sash.

Seimei looked unhappy. "I do wish you'd forget about Prince Yoakira," he muttered. "It is too dangerous. And I see no reason why you can't leave the other two cases to the police."

"At the risk of sounding like one of my more irritating colleagues," Akitada said, "it is a question of the killer's personality. Kobe is simply not interested. I doubt he fully understands what led to Oe's murder. In any case, Nagai has asked for my help and has no one else to speak up for him, so I shall do my best."

Seimei handed his master the hat of stiffened black gauze. "Remember," he warned darkly, "it is said that if you chase two hares, you will lose both."

• • •

At the university, normal activity had resumed in spite of the murder. Hirata was back in his classroom, looking more like himself. Akitada spent the morning teaching, not an easy task because of continuous whispers among the students. He finally dismissed his last class of the morning, hoping to stretch his legs by going home for his midday rice, but when he was putting his books away, he became aware that one of his pupils was still sitting quietly in his place.

"Sadamu?" Akitada felt tentative about using the boy's given name. He was somewhat hazy about the proper protocol under the present circumstances.

But the boy did not seem to mind and bowed.

"Was there something you wished to say?"

"Yes, sir. I wished to thank you for lending me your man. It was extremely obliging. I found him very skillful with kites, and he provided excellent entertainment."

Akitada suppressed a smile at the boy's formal manner. "I am very happy to hear it. Tora has spoken equally highly of you."

The boy's face brightened. "Did he really? I should like to hire him if you can spare him. I expect to get my allowance soon, and he will be very well paid."

Akitada was momentarily taken aback. "You surprise me," he said. "You will have to speak to Tora about this. He is free to choose his own master."

"Yes. I understood him to say that he had come to you only recently or I would not make the offer. He told me how you met." The boy gave Akitada a surreptitious glance and added, "He seems very loyal."

"Tora has many excellent qualities."

"But loyalty is a most important quality in a servant, don't you agree?"

"That and affection."

This thought appeared to be new to the little lord. He pondered it and then nodded. "Such emotions place a master under an obligation," he said. "The obligation to protect his people."

Akitada was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the direction the conversation seemed to be taking. Was the boy reminding him that he was too poor to afford a man like Tora?

But young Lord Minamoto went on in a voice that suddenly shook with passion. "When my grandfather died, that obligation passed to me. How am I to carry out my duty to my people when I am kept a prisoner here without a single retainer or even servant at my command? Not so much as someone to bring me my clothes or my food?" Clenching impotent fists, he cried, "How will I protect my people?"