As they approached the banqueting hall, they could hear chamber music and lively chatter. With due ceremony the footman swung open the double doors and swept them into a grand room with a high ornate ceiling, a dark polished-wood floor and a magnificent white-plaster fireplace. Tapestries depicting hunting scenes hung from the walls, luxurious Persian carpets were laid out on the dining tables, and expensive silverware gleamed in the glow shed by a dozen candelabras.

‘This is a small party?’ gasped Akiko, gazing around in awe at the throng of elegant guests mingling in the hall. Upon a raised platform there played a quartet of musicians, and some of the guests were already dancing.

‘So this is how the other half lives,’ said Rose, taking Jack’s arm.

As she led him through the room, Jack noticed Akiko lagging behind. ‘Are you coming?’ he whispered.

Akiko responded with a stiff smile and nodded. Yori bobbed alongside her, struck dumb by the sheer extravagance of the event. Servants carrying huge silver platters offered them a bounty of sweetmeats, preserved fruits and floral-shaped marzipan confections.

‘Talk about a banquet!’ said Rose, popping a rose-shaped marzipan into her mouth. ‘I could get used to this!’

Curious and admiring gazes – especially from the ladies at Akiko’s attire – followed them as they wandered through the party. Jack looked around for their host, then noticed Rose taking a more-than-casual interest in the silverware on the dining tables.

‘Rose … we’re guests here,’ he said pointedly, pulling her away.

‘I was only looking,’ she replied, a curl to her lips as she returned the ornate silver spoon to its place setting.

‘Jack!’ boomed the now-familiar voice of Sir Henry. Their pot-bellied host was waving them over to join him and two other gentlemen. ‘So glad you could make it. I was just telling these gentlemen of your fortunate return. Sir Isaac,’ he said, turning to a wizened old man with white hair, ‘and Sir Thomas –’ he now turned to a handsome young man sporting a trimmed goatee beard – ‘this is Jack Fletcher, and these are his guests from the Japans.’

Bows were exchanged and introductions made. Rose offered her hand to the dashing Sir Thomas. ‘I’m Rose,’ she said, surprising Jack by affecting an upper-class accent, ‘London-born and -bred.’

Sir Thomas touched his lips to the back of her hand. ‘A true English rose, if ever I saw one!’ he replied with a grin.

‘That’s a pair of fine-looking swords on your hip, young man,’ observed Sir Isaac to Jack. ‘Are you knighted?’

Jack stiffened, his hand instinctively going to his katana for fear of another confrontation. ‘In Japan I was honoured with the rank of hatamoto,’ he explained, ‘the equivalent of being knighted.’

‘Don’t worry, I’m not questioning your right to bear arms,’ replied the old man. ‘I’m more interested in seeing your swords. May I?’