Akitada looked at Ayako. “What do you think?” he asked softly.

She lifted her chin and met his eyes squarely. “I think you are right about the monks and Father is wrong,” she said. “If you will leave my sister in peace, I’ll help you investigate the monks.”

Akitada laughed and bowed. “I admire your spirit. If your father permits it, it’s a bargain.” Turning to Higekuro, he asked, “Will you trust me with your daughter?”

Higekuro stroked his beard and looked from Akitada to Ayako and back again. “Ayako does not need my permission for anything she chooses to do. You may trust her. She knows her way about and is as useful as any man in a tight spot. Tora told us that you take an interest in stick fighting. Why not let Ayako give you a bout?”

Akitada glanced at the girl and thought he caught a look of distress, but she smiled and asked, “Are you willing, sir?”

Amused and intrigued, Akitada rose. “It would be an honor.”

Taking up an oil lamp, Ayako led the way into the dark practice hall and lit the oil lamps attached to supporting beams. The hall sprang into an eerie, shadowy existence. The flames flickered in unseen drafts and familiar objects took on mysterious and threatening forms.

“Make your selection,” Ayako said, pointing to a rack of staves.

Feeling a little foolish, Akitada removed his outer robe and fastened his full trousers around his knees. Then he found a weapon that felt comfortable and turned around.

Ayako had taken off her robe and wore only a pair of trousers. As he stared, she bent to tighten the strings around her knees. He had seen peasant women in the fields work bare-breasted, but that this beautiful young woman should do so in front of him shocked and flustered him.

“Do you teach your lessons like that?” The words were out before Akitada could stop himself.

She straightened up slowly and looked at him. Her body was magnificent. She was as slim and muscular as an active boy, with a boy’s long torso, but high, softly rounded breasts, a flat stomach, and hips tapering to slender, firm thighs. The full fabric of the trousers partially hid the shape of her lower body, but her movements left little to Akitada’s imagination and he swallowed.

“No,” she said coldly and turned away to reach up for a sleeveless shirt hanging on a nail. “Men dislike fighting a woman. I wear a shirt and trousers, like one of the porters on the street, and they pretend I’m a boy. Would you prefer not to engage in a bout with a female?”

“Not at all. I’m ready.” Akitada hoped the uncertain light hid his flushed face.

If he had thought to prove his masculine superiority by humoring this girl fighter, he was sadly disappointed. Perhaps he had angered her, because Ayako attacked with a speed and ferocity that saw him disarmed in a minute. Wordlessly, she bent and tossed him his stave, and they began again. This time Akitada was more careful, but he lost his weapon once more. Again she threw it to him, saying, “Your technique is good, but you have been taught to attack. When you are forced to receive an attack, you have no notion how to defend yourself. This time I’ll let you force me back. Watch how I counter your strikes.”

Akitada bit his lip and did his best. To his surprise, even his hardest hits and quickest lunges were parried. He was about to give up before he disgraced himself completely when Ayako disarmed him for the third time.

He stood staring at his stave on the floor between them and shook his head. “You are a superb fighter,” he said in awe.

“Thank you.”

Her words sounded muffled, and he looked up. She had her back to him and was hanging the shirt back on its hook. Her long, slender back glistened with a sheen of perspiration that moved in patterns of light and darkness across the flexing muscles. This time she did not turn around until she had put on her long robe and tied her sash. When she faced him in the flickering lights, he thought he saw tears in her eyes.

“I expect you want to make a clandestine visit to the temple,” she said, avoiding his eyes. “We could go tonight if you like.”

“Yes.” He agreed almost without volition. Putting on his robe, he wondered how this strange girl could have disturbed him so powerfully and why he wished to prolong their time together even at the cost of a night’s sleep.

They rejoined the others. Otomi had returned, looking pale but much calmer, and was gathering up her paintings.

Akitada said to Higekuro, “Would you ask your daughter if I might purchase two of the scrolls? The dragon scroll and the mountain landscape?”

Higekuro spoke to Otomi, who nodded and brought the pictures to him. “They are a gift,” her father said, extending them to Akitada.

“No.” Akitada was firm. “I will pay the top price she has been getting.” He looked at Ayako.

“Two bars of silver apiece,” she said, tossing her head.

Higekuro drew in his breath. “Ridiculous! You know very well that was the price of a commissioned mandala with three hundred figures of saints.”

“Four bars of silver it is,” said Akitada recklessly, remembering Motosuke’s gold. “The price is reasonable for good work. I will pay your daughter tomorrow.” Turning to Tora, he said, “Miss Ayako has offered to take us into the monastery tonight. It means postponing the search for your friend until tomorrow.”

“What’s so hard about getting into a temple?” Tora asked with a disdainful look at Ayako.

“This temple is not like others, Tora, and Miss Ayako has been there before. You and I have not.”

“You will need to change clothes,” Ayako said to Akitada.

“Then we’ll stop at the tribunal.”

“We don’t need Tora.”

Tora’s face stiffened. “I’m going!” he snapped.

Akitada hesitated, then told Ayako, “There may be trouble. Tora will be useful.”

Ayako whirled to face him, her eyes fierce. “I can handle any man,” she said. “What else do you want me to do to prove it to you?”

Akitada stepped back. “I did not mean ... It was not meant as an insult. But there are so many monks there that even Tora and I...” Seeing the flash of anger at his use of the word even, he said quickly, “If we are discovered, three have a better chance of escaping. Two of us can hold off the enemy while one runs for help.”

“If you’re careful and don’t do anything stupid, we won’t be discovered.” She turned away and ran up to the loft with the smooth, long strides of a large cat.

Akitada told Higekuro, “Thank you for making me as welcome as Tora. I hope he has behaved himself.”