Lady Samurai

Chapter 31

By the time she reached her room, Anna realised what had just happened and that ramifications might follow. Her anger subsided and the rush from finally being able to reveal her true feeling towards Morrison dissipated. She sat down heavily and rubbed her face with a tired gesture. She realised that she must leave now. Immediately! Morrison would not let it rest and he might prove to be troublesome.

In truth, everything was ready for her departure and she could leave at any moment. And now seemed suddenly as good a time as any.

She mixed the concoction that Reiko had sent her and grabbing a simple pair of shears, started to cut her long hair. At some point she winced, thinking of her new appearance, but there was nothing she could do about it. The hair would grow back eventually.

After applying the dye to her now short and choppy hair, she quickly gathered her things. She was forced to leave behind her western clothes, but this also couldn't be helped. She would have no need for them now. She changed into the garment Reiko had sent her and picked up the cuttings of her blond hair. She would have to discreetly dispose of them somewhere.

She had to do just one more thing and she would be ready...

Sunrise was not far off and she had to hurry to leave before first light. But she couldn't leave without saying anything to Norton. He would be the only person worried by her disappearance.

She sneaked into his room and gently shook his arm in order to wake him. He must have had a bit too much saké, because it took a while. But eventually he opened his eyes. He was startled seeing a dark shadow leaning above him.

"It's me, Anna." She whispered to calm him.

"Ms Mitchell." He was still a bit groggy. "Has something happened?"

"Captain Norton, I need you to listen carefully... Can you do that?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I have to leave now... Please, don't interrupt." She stopped his questions. "Do you remember what I'd said about my previous time in Japan?" He just nodded. "I was shipwrecked when I was just seven years old and for the next ten years I lived with a Japanese family. I am going to find them now."

"But it's too dangerous!"

"Staying here is just as dangerous." She briefly told him about the earlier confrontation with Morrison. "I must leave before he will make any more trouble. Perry is leaving later today and this is my only chance to disappear undetected. You must convince the others that I went with the Commodore to help him during his inspection of Shimoda and Hakodate ports... Can you do it for me?"

"But how will you travel unrecognised?"

With a smile he couldn't really see, she took his hand and lifted it to her face. He gasped, realising that she had cut her hair.

"When will you be back?" He asked after a moment.

"I don't know. But I don't expect you to wait. Do not worry, I will be fine." She rose and quietly went to the screen door. "Captain Norton..." She stopped there for a moment.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Godspeed, my dear."

She grabbed her travel bag, resting until now at the entrance and quietly closed the door behind her.

The Captain sat there for a long time, stunned, wondering if he had just dreamed the whole scene.

Anna moved without a sound and nobody realised that she was going out. She sneaked outside and in the pre-dawn gloom she made her way out of the city.

Unseen, neither by her, nor by anyone else, a shadow followed her quietly...