‘What about breakfast?’ Rose asked, hungrily eyeing a stall selling figs, apples and freshly picked blackberries. ‘I’m starving!’

‘That’ll have to wait,’ replied Jack, even though his own stomach cried out for food.

So, fanning out, they headed into the thick of the market. Jack impatiently pushed his way through the throng, his eyes sweeping the multitude of faces for a glimpse of blonde hair, a flash of blue eyes – in fact, any young girl who might remotely be his sister. Akiko and Yori drew many curious stares as they passed through the marketplace, their progress marked by Yori’s strange, jingling shakujō, but no one attempted to stop or question them.

At the top of the street, they regrouped. ‘Any luck?’ asked Jack.

‘Sadly, no,’ replied Akiko with a regretful look.

Jack gave a heavy sigh. ‘It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack!’

‘At least we’ve found the haystack,’ said Yori encouragingly. ‘It’s only a matter of time before we find the needle.’

After a second sweep through the market, they found themselves back at the bridge.

‘Has anyone seen her?’ asked Jack, his tone barely concealing his desperation. His three friends solemnly shook their heads. ‘She has to be somewhere. Look again!’ he urged.

Resuming their search, they went more slowly this time, stopping at each stall. Jack felt his frustration building as the number of people seemed more and more overwhelming. Jess could be but a few metres from him yet he might not spot her.

‘Is that her?’ called Rose suddenly, pointing to a blonde bob in the crowd.

Jack looked keenly. He couldn’t see her face; too many shoppers in the way. He stood on tiptoe, peering over their heads, and caught a glimpse of golden hair. ‘JESS!’ he cried out, his heart lifting.

Several people turned towards the shout, including the blonde bob …

But she proved to be a thin-faced girl with a pinched nose and mud-brown eyes. Definitely not his sister.

His hopes dropped. Then he heard the familiar chime of Yori’s staff as he rushed towards him.

‘Jack! Jack!’ yelled Yori. ‘I just saw Jess!’

‘Where is she?’ he cried, a sudden surge of euphoria raising his spirits again.

‘I spotted her near the flower stall,’ Yori replied, pulling him along. ‘She’s wearing a blue shawl …’

Yori guided Jack over to the flower-seller, collecting Akiko and Rose along the way. A number of women and young women clustered round the fragrant nosegays and posies on display, but none of them wore a blue shawl or even had a wisp of blonde hair.

Jack looked frantically around, but the shifting sea of shoppers made it difficult to follow anyone beyond a few stalls away. Unable to locate his sister, he blurted out, ‘Oh, why didn’t you just go up to her, Yori?’