Jack was at a loss as to what to do. He was flagging and on the verge of losing. He couldn’t be defeated. He had to force Sir Toby to surrender, to give up what he knew about Jess. Suddenly, Jack remembered how Akiko had beaten him every time in training. With a quick adjustment to his grip, Jack pommelled his rapier. A moment later, he spotted a gap in Sir Toby’s defence and stabbed for his opponent’s face. The sudden extended reach took Sir Toby off guard …

In a miracle of reaction he turned his cheek at the very last second and the rapier tip missed him by a mere whisker.

Beating away Jack’s rapier, Sir Toby snorted a laugh. ‘Don’t go thinking Signor Horatio’s underhand tactics will outwit me. He may have got away with it once, but never twice!’

Sir Toby now went on the offensive, driving Jack down the gallery with a relentless flurry of jabs and thrusts.

Jack was out of ideas. Sir Toby was wise to all the tricks and techniques of fencing Jack knew. His opponent couldn’t be fooled or faked, and Jack realized it was only a matter of time before he would be run through with Sir Toby’s blade. How he wished he could wield his katana now! That would at least give him a different edge over his opponent. He could do Flint-and-Spark strike … Autumn Leaf … or even Mountain to Sea. Then Jack recalled how similar the parry and riposte technique was to Masamoto’s Flint-and-Spark strike. What if I use an unfamiliar Two Heavens technique with the rapier? he thought. East meeting West. A fusion of style and weapon.

As Sir Toby thrust for his heart, Jack retaliated with an Autumn Leaf strike. Surging forward, he hit Sir Toby’s rapier twice in quick succession with his blade. To Jack’s delight, the sudden and deft double strike knocked the rapier from Sir Toby’s grip and it clattered to the floor. Sir Toby stared aghast at the surprise disarming. With only a parrying dagger to defend himself, he was unable to match the speed of Jack’s follow-up attack – a deceptive and unpredictable thrust upwards that finished with the tip of the rapier up his nose!

‘I bet you’ve never seen that move before!’ said Jack, lifting the blade slightly and forcing Sir Toby on to his toes. A snigger of amusement rippled through the gathered guests as Sir Toby danced at the end of the blade.

‘Now tell me,’ hissed Jack, ‘where’s my sister?’

Sir Toby glared defiantly back. ‘I’ve told you – I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Perhaps this will jog your memory.’ With a light flick of his wrist, Jack withdrew his rapier and sliced through the end of Sir Toby’s nose. A thin stream of blood ran from his nostril.