Lord Percival shook his head. ‘Not red ones, that’s for sure.’ He turned to Jack. ‘When I’m back in London, at the royal court, I’ll ask about it for you. Perhaps someone will know what some of it means. In the meantime, would you do me the honour of accompanying us along the road, at least as far as our journeys coincide. Your presence would greatly reassure my wife.’

‘Of course,’ said Jack, realizing that travelling in such noble company would ease their passage through the towns on their way. Collecting their own horses, they left Guy and his gang of thieves bound and gagged in the clearing – Guy hurling muffled insults at them as they departed.

Resuming their journey on the main highway, Lord Percival asked Jack about his adventures in Japan, while Lady Catherine conversed with Akiko, fascinated by her stories of golden temples and samurai warriors. But as they travelled along the road, the sky darkened and ominous thunderclouds loomed on the horizon.

‘This is where we must part,’ said Lord Percival, coming to a halt at a crossroads. ‘Stratford is north from here.’ He looked up at the menacing sky. ‘You’d best make haste to Banbury first, though. It’s the nearest town to here, and you’ll likely reach it before the heavens open.’

‘Thank you,’ said Jack, ‘and safe travels to you.’

‘And to you too, Jack. I wish you every luck in finding your sister. And if I can be of any service, don’t hesitate to call upon me.’

Bidding them farewell, Lord and Lady Percival, and their two manservants, headed west in the direction of Oxford. Jack and his friends took the road north, riding into the gusting wind. The thunderclouds raced to meet them, bringing an iron sheet of heavy grey rain rolling across the landscape to consume every hill and field in its path. Despite galloping their horses flat out, they couldn’t beat the advancing storm and soon found themselves in a torrential downpour. The rain was so heavy they could barely see their way ahead, the highway fast turning into a quagmire.

‘Over there!’ cried Jack, spying the dark silhouette of a barn through the maelstrom of mud and rain.

Soaking and shivering, they dismounted their horses and entered the timber-framed building. The barn was musty and full of hay, but its thatched roof afforded them shelter from the storm. After wringing out their clothes, the bedraggled group each plumped up a mound of hay for themselves and settled down for the night.

Yori was out almost as soon as his head hit the hay, but Jack lay there, listening to the rain drumming on the thatch. They were just one day’s ride from Stratford – little more than twenty miles lay between him and his sister, if she was there. Despite his exhaustion, Jack could barely sleep for thinking about their reunion.