"Hearn,.Lian.-.Otori.02.-.Grass.For.His.Pillow.v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hearn Lian)

“Lord Arai, tomorrow I will leave for Shirakawa. I would be very
grateful if you will provide men to escort me home.”

“I would prefer you to stay in the East,” he said, slowly. “But that is
not what I want to talk to you about first.” His eyes narrowed as he
stared at her. “Otori's disappearance: Can you shed any light on
this extraordinary occurrence? I believe I have established my right
to power. I was already in alliance with Shigeru. How can young
Otori ignore all obligations to me and to his dead father? How can
he disobey and walk away? And where has he gone? My men have
been searching the district all day, as far as Yamagata. He’s
completely vanished.”

“I do not know where he is,” she replied. “I’m told he spoke to you
last night before he left.”

“Yes,” she said simply. “He must have explained to you at least—”

“He was bound by other obligations.” Kaede felt sorrow build within
her as she spoke. “He did not intend to insult you.” Indeed, she
could not remember Takeo mentioning Arai to her, but she did not
say this.

“Obligations to the so-called Tribe?” Arai had been controlling his
anger, but now it burst fresh into his voice, into his eyes. He moved
his head slightly, and she guessed he was looking past her to
where Shizuka knelt in the shadows on the veranda. “What do you
know of them?”

“Very little,” she replied. “It was with their help that Lord Takeo
climbed into Inuyama. I suppose we are all in their debt in that
respect.”

Speaking Takeo’s name made her shiver. She recalled the feel of
his body against hers, at that moment when they both expected to
die.

Her eyes darkened, her face softened. Arai was aware of it, without
knowing the reason, and when he spoke again she heard
something else in his voice besides rage.

“Another marriage can be arranged for you. There are other young
men of the Otori, cousins to Shigeru. I will send envoys to Hagi.”

“I am in mourning for Lord Shigeru,” she replied. “I cannot
consider marriage to anyone. I will go home and recover from my
grief.” Will anyone ever want to marry me, knowing my reputation,
she wondered, and could not help following with the thought:
Takeo did not die. She had thought Arai would argue further, but