‘You didn’t fail,’ said Jess in a hoarse whisper. ‘When the ninja broke in, you fought like a warrior, not a monk. He had those horrific weapons –’ she glanced in revulsion at the garrotte and manriki on the floor – ‘and you only had your staff. Yori, you were so brave – so, so brave.’

Yori stopped bowing. ‘Really?’

‘Absolutely.’ Jess smiled, going over to him and taking his hand. ‘Your courage is what saved us.’

Yori looked uncertainly at Jack again, who nodded in agreement with his sister.

‘Without your protection, Jess wouldn’t be alive now,’ said Jack earnestly. ‘You fulfilled your duty in every way. You’re a true samurai. You proved you were willing to lay down your life for my sister. I couldn’t ask for more from a friend.’

Wiping away his tears, Yori replied, ‘The greatest gift in life is friendship. That’s why I treasure yours, Jack … and now your sister’s.’

On an impulse, Jess hugged Yori. For a moment the monk looked startled at the unexpected affection, then he put his arms round her and returned the hug.

Rose coughed politely into her fist. ‘And what about my part in all of this?’ she asked. ‘It was me who had the knife. I struck the fatal blow, don’t forget.’

‘How could we, Rose? You’d never let us forget!’ said Jack with a laugh. ‘Joking aside, though, I’ll be forever in your debt too.’

Rose raised an eyebrow. ‘I wouldn’t be so quick to promise such things. I might ask you to repay it one day –’

She stopped as urgent footsteps pounded towards them along the corridor. Jack grabbed his katana and Rose raised the knife. Yori picked up the remains of his staff and stood protectively in front of Jess. A moment later, a Roman emperor in a bloodied toga burst into the room.

‘Thank God you’re all still safe!’ gasped Signor Horatio, his rapier’s blade slick with blood.

Casting aside her knife, Rose threw herself into his arms. ‘My sweet Horatio, you’re injured! Look, you’re bleeding!’

‘It’s mostly my opponent’s blood,’ said Signor Horatio with a grim smile. He looked over her shoulder at Jack. ‘You are right never to underestimate a ninja, signor. They’ve no honour in a duel!’

‘They live by a different code,’ replied Jack, knowing that not all ninjas acted like the ones they had faced that evening, ‘but in a fight anything goes.’

‘Never a truer word said!’ agreed Signor Horatio. ‘That ninja set fire to the kitchen during our fight. We need to leave, now, before the whole place burns down.’ Wincing from a wound to his side, he began gathering up their belongings. Then he glanced round the room and frowned. ‘Where’s Akiko?’

Jack stopped at the threshold, his heart suddenly sinking like a stone. ‘I lost sight of her while I was fighting Kazuki.’