Anna woke up, feeling refreshed and relaxed. Nothing and nobody disturbed her during the night and after a proper rest she was in a better mood.
Yesterday, after her return from the garden, she was met yet again by the doctor, who waited to change her dressing. He frowned at the wet clothes, but he left it without any comment. He bathed the wound in some type of herbal potion and put on a new bandage. After that he bowed and announced that his services would not be necessary anymore and, unless Anna aggravated it, the wound would heal soon.
After he left, Anna said also a good-bye to Reiko, begging her to return to her home. With some reluctance Reiko agreed and departed. Her own family taking precedence.
Finally, Anna was left alone, as the servants came and went, without disturbing her. She spent some time writing in her notebook, describing the latest events and trying to organise her conflicted thoughts with regards to Lord Takeda and... Commander Morrison.
Until recently, she hadn't had any real opinion about the soldier. He was rash and rude, so there were no chances for them to become friends, but now she felt a definite dislike. She agreed with the Lord and Reiko that he would take what he wanted without much regard for anybody. That was for anybody, who was not his superior. But he had never considered Anna as equal. To him she was just a lonely woman, unprotected by her family or the social convention. She was his for the taking, if he wanted. And he definitely wanted her. The look in his eyes was unequivocal.
But luckily, Anna wasn't a defenceless damsel in distress. Morrison probably had no previous experience with women who lived by their own rules and knew how to defend themselves.
He would soon learn that Anna... No! Not Anna... That Charlotte à lverstrand, she corrected herself, for the first time in a long while using her real name, ... was not someone you could just disregard as a person...
So she had enjoyed the whole day by herself. Doing nothing, dozing and cleaning her guns.
But that was yesterday. Today she felt a little restless.
After the morning meal she decided to go out and visit Reiko in her shop.
From a servant she got the directions and set out without any delay. Thankfully, Lord Takeda had called away his samurai and she could walk without the 'entourage'.
The locals still gawped at the woman Gai-Jin, but that was to be expected. None of them had ever seen a white person. She just pulled the hat lower over her face and ignored them.
However, soon after leaving the inn she became conscious of a stare boring into her back, as if somebody was observing her with malice. Yet every time she turned around, the street seemed to be just full of locals, going about their business, and nobody stood out from the crowd. But this unpleasant feeling lingered. She tried to persuade herself that nobody had any reason to follow her and that she was most probably a little paranoid, but it certainly didn't feel right.
Anna found the shop that Reiko had told her about so much and went inside. She introduced herself and asked to see the owners.
Reiko didn't run the business, but notified immediately, she arrived after a short while and greeted her guest with a true pleasure. "Ana-San, what a pleasant surprise! Please, come in."
"Reiko-San, I wished to thank you for your company and your help during those first days." Anna bowed deeply, knowing that it would please Reiko.
"My Lady." Reiko also bowed. "It was an honour to assist you and get to know you. But now, please, let me take you to my house. I will be honoured to show you our modest garden and have a cup of tea with you."
"Thank you, Reiko-San. That will be a true pleasure."
They walked the short distance to Reiko's house. While the tea was being prepared, they had a pleasant stroll in the garden. After that they settled on the veranda and drank tea in a companionable silence.
Anna thought suddenly that it would be nice to have a house and just sit like that every day, admiring the garden, in peace and tranquility. But almost immediately she rebuffed herself for the wishful thinking. She could never have a house like that! She was a nobody here. And she had nobody to care for her...
Reiko noticed the sudden sadness that showed on Anna's face and wished she could somehow help.
"Ana-San, has anything happened?" She put her cup down. "You seem sad."
How is it that everybody have been asking me the same question recently?
"Thank you, Reiko-San, but I'm fine. I just..." How could she find the words to describe to Reiko everything she felt at this moment? "Of course, I wanted to see you and to thank you, but there is another reason I called on you. Since I left the inn, I have had a very unpleasant feeling that somebody is following me." She was suddenly embarrassed. "I realise how it must sound to you, because there is no reason for anybody to think me important enough, but... That feeling of being spied upon is so strong! And I am by now well used to trusting my instincts."
"My Lady, if you wish, I will accompany you back to the inn."
"No!" Anna stopped her. "If I am right, there is no need to endanger you. If I am wrong, that will be unnecessary."
"But if you ARE right, you might be in real danger." Reiko persuaded.
"But why would anybody want to cause me harm?"
"Ana-San, you have saved the life of a powerful DaimyÅ." Reiko lowered her voice. "And even if it isn't a common knowledge, the instigators know what happened. Perhaps they will want to exact revenge on you for foiling their plans? Or they will want to kidnap you, sure that Lord Takeda will be honour bound to rescue you?... You should not take any risks."
"Do you really think they would go that far as to kidnap me?!" Anna was shocked by that suggestion, as until that moment she hadn't even considered Lord Takeda's position. She only thought about herself.
"I think we should send a note to Lord Takeda and ask for his advice."
After some hesitation and with serious misgivings Anna finally agreed to that plan. She was reluctant to let somebody... anybody assume control over her life.
*
While they waited for the Lord's instructions, Reiko called for a light meal. Soon her two daughters and her husband joined them on the veranda and Anna spent a lovely afternoon in their company. The girls were so shy and awed by the presence of the golden-haired Gai-Jin that they only looked at her with huge eyes and didn't say anything.
Soon after the meal a message arrived from the Lord. "Takeda-Sama is sending a palanquin, which will take you to safety." Reiko relayed the content of the message, because, despite her knowledge of the language, Anna couldn't read it. "He is sending a servant girl, pretending to be a Lady customer. You will take her place. You will have a suitable guard, so nothing will threaten you on the way back."
"I still think it is unnecessary." Anna was embarrassed by all this cloak and dagger fuss. "But on this occasion I will submit to your plotting." She smiled to Reiko and then to her daughters, who still looked at her as at an unearthly visitor.
Reiko helped her to wrap a kimono over her clothing, they embraced briefly and Anna took her place in the palanquin.
Her view was blocked by the thick curtains and nobody would be able to guess who was sitting inside. She allowed the guards to take her back to the inn. However, after some time she thought that it was strangely quiet around. The streets she walked on before were teeming with people and activity. Besides, it shouldn't take so long to take her back. Alarmed by all that, she pushed the curtains back a little and took a peak outside.
They were in a different part of town. A part that was unfamiliar to her. A thought that she had been kidnapped suddenly struck her as a very real possibility. It was actually very easy. Her captors could have simply intercepted her note to Takeda, then just forged the reply and sent this palanquin as a trap. And she allowed them to take her wherever they wanted without any resistance. Like a complete cretin!
She was in the process of swearing at her own stupidity when the palanquin stopped. She shrugged off the tight kimono that was restricting her movements and grabbed the gun, determined to defend herself. She decided to save the bullets and just whack the first person who tried to get to her with the butt of her gun. She took a mighty swing and... only with a great effort avoided maiming Lord Takeda, who opened the curtains.
"What the hell is going on?!" She exclaimed angrily, forgetting all manners. The relief was making her dizzy.
He only raised his eyebrow, not betraying that he understood English. She realised there was a possibility a spy might be hiding among his retinue.
"My Lady." He spoke politely and bowed. "Let me welcome you in my house. I am honoured by your visit." He extended his hand to help her get out of the palanquin.
"My Lord." She returned the bow, still brandishing the gun in her hand.
Then she realised with a start that his personal guards stiffened suddenly, seeing a weapon drawn in the presence of their Lord. As if following some internal command they simultaneously reached for their swords, but one gesture from Lord Takeda reassured them there was no danger. Anna quickly holstered the gun, to avoid any further uneasiness, but was very impressed with this show of alertness.
She looked around. There were samurai on guard everywhere and she guessed that nobody could hope to penetrate their defences to sneak inside. After the attempt on the Lord's life the guards must have been doubled at least.
"Please, let us go inside." He invited pleasantly.
"My Lord?" Anna was a little confused. "I should return to my companions. They will surely feel concerned by my prolonged absence."
"I have already sent a message." He assured.
"But they will not understand."
He leaned towards her and whispered quietly in English: "Trust me." Again he motioned for her to go inside and she followed him. They stopped on the veranda, where she removed her boots. He led her into his private rooms, in the centre of the big house. The doors were guarded by his most trusted samurai.
"Ana-San." He invited her to sit, when they were left alone and could talk freely. "Please forgive me for bringing you here, without first consulting the matter with you, but there was no time for that. I decided that only here I can guarantee your safety."
"But I can't stay here... Takeda-Sama." She bowed. "I am deeply grateful for your concern..."
"Ana-San." He stopped her. "Anna..." He repeated with some difficulty. "Please, for a moment let us forget the titles and the etiquette."
She looked at him with a mixture of surprise and anger. And truly, she didn't know what to say to that. "My Lord, I can't stay here." She repeated eventually, with intensity.
"Why is that?"
"What will people say?!"
"Is the thought they will take you for my concubine that repulsive to you?" He looked at her with some amusement. "A few days ago it was merely a reason for a smile."
"I don't care what they will think about me. But I have to consider the reputation of my companions. A couple of days ago it was only idle gossip. Staying here would only confirm that. Regardless, I am almost sure I was in no real danger. I am tired and Reiko is a little overprotective."
"Ana-San." His tone was serious enough for her to stop. She sat down and listened, suddenly scared. "Your instincts were absolutely correct. I left one man behind to guard you... But he has disappeared."
In the first instance she felt relief - it was only a bodyguard. But after his last words, she became confused. "I don't understand." Anna rubbed her forehead in a gesture he started to recognise as a sign of her distress.
"After I got the message from Reiko, I ordered to recall him. Only after a long search my people found his body... He was stabbed in the back... I am not telling you this to scare you, but to make you understand the seriousness of the situation. Somebody killed your guard and took his place, following you with bad intentions."
"But why?!"
"There are many possible reasons..."
"All connected with you!" She cut him off with a sudden flash of anger. "If you didn't show me so much attention, nobody would have even noticed me! I could have moved freely and unobserved."
"I fully accept my guilt." He bowed. "But believe me, when I say, that you would never be able to go anywhere unnoticed." His eyes sparkled. "But that doesn't change our current predicament. Your life is in danger and I am obliged to protect you."
"Go to hell with your protection!" She exploded, jumping to her feet and turning away from him.
At the same moment the screen door opened and a few samurai rushed inside, with their swords at the ready. He stopped them with a single gesture. They bowed and left as swiftly as they came in.
She was now more angry than scared by the whole situation. All this commotion complicated her already difficult position.
"Ana-San..." The Lord gently touched her arm.
He is most definitely not used to being yelled at! She thought with grim humour.
But he wasn't even thinking of that shocking lack of respect. What he saw in her in that moment was a flash of pure fire. And that fire was drawing him in.
She turned to him, her face now composed. "Takeda-Sama." She bowed ceremonially. "I am greatly honoured by your generosity. But now I MUST..." She stressed that word. "...return to my companions."
"I can't allow that." He replied with an equally stony face.
"I don't understand."
"I can't allow you to leave my residence."
"So, I am your prisoner now?" She drawled out.
"You are a highly esteemed guest." His smile was ironic. So different from his usual open smile.
"I am curious to know how you are planning to stop me from leaving?" Her voice was dangerously low. She was not afraid of him and she demonstrated it, gently caressing the handle of her gun.
"One word from me will mobilise the whole household." He said slowly. He really didn't like where this conversation was going.
"Is that a threat?!" She spat, angry again.
"Anna, I am not your enemy." He took her hand. "I am only trying to protect you."
"I am not a delicate lady in distress, who will swoon in the face of danger." She pulled her hand free. "I can protect myself. I have been doing it my whole life!"
His eyes shone with intensity. He had once again just glimpsed a tiny shard of her true self. Behind all this confidence and the good manners there was a deep pain inside her. "I understand that. And I admire your independence."
Anna thought for a second that he was trying to charm her again, but his next words denied it.
"You are an extraordinary woman. Unlike any woman I have ever met before... Perhaps that is why I seek your company. I appreciate the character and intelligence in people, regardless of their position. But you must understand that it's not only your life at stake here. If my enemies kidnapped a woman, any woman from my close household, but especially the one who saved my life, my honour would compel me to do everything in my power to rescue her. That would give them a power over me. And I can't allow that."
Anna calmed down almost completely. "So you are going to keep me in seclusion?"
"Only until the ShÅgun's men arrive."
"And then I will not be your responsibility anymore?"
"After that you will be safe, because I will leave to return to my domain in the north. There will be no reason to attack you then..." He stopped suddenly, as a new thought appeared to him. "I hope you are not afraid that I will try to force myself on you?"
She only snorted with disdain, leading him to understand that, in that case, he should be the one to be afraid. "My companions will not be pleased with that!" She finally assented.
"You must write to them and explain."
"They will never understand."
"Hm, you are an independent woman, after all. Simply tell them that I have invited you for a few days and you have accepted."
"Shall I tell them that I've become your mistress?!" Her blood boiled again. Quite irrationally.
"Why not?" He replied calmly. "It would certainly cause less interest than the fact that you haven't." This time he smiled mischievously.
She looked at him for a long while with wide open eyes and couldn't find any appropriate words to express her indignation. But after a few moments her face changed and she burst out laughing. Her anger disappeared and she now saw the irony of the situation.
"No woman has ever resisted you, right?" He didn't reply, but there was no need. His gaze shifted and lips twitched in suppressed smile. "My Lord." She continued in a much lighter tone. "I am enormously flattered that you consider me worthy of your attention and you do not despise me as Gai-Jin, but know that: I have absolutely no intention of becoming your concubine."
"Don't you see that this is about your protection?!" He exclaimed. But even in his own ears it sounded a bit hollow. "Of course, you are an attractive woman. Intelligent. The woman who is able to decide about her own life and is not afraid of that. I admire that. Naturally, I am drawn to you, but not like that soldier. Not as to a thing I desire! I would like to get to know you and be able to talk freely to somebody who is able to understand me."
"Because I am Gai-Jin and can't betray you?"
"Perhaps..." He agreed.
"But have you ever stopped to think that all of this," She made an expansive gesture, encompassing the town, "could be a very sophisticated plan to plant a spy in your household? The spy you like and who you think you can trust?"
"I will not deny that I've considered it. But after thinking about it, I discarded that suspicion. It could only be the ShÅgun, who wanted to spy on me, but there was no possibility for him or for his people to recruit you. Anyway, why would you do that? Besides, my instincts are telling me I can trust you."
She sighed deeply. "It looks like I have no choice in this matter anyway... I will need a pen and paper. It will be a hell of a letter to write." It wasn't easy to write English letters, using ink and a thin brush the Japanese used for their calligraphy, but she managed it. "You should be prepared for their visit." She warned the Lord after the message was sent.
He acknowledged that with a nod.
Afterwards Lord Takeda led Anna to the other side of the house. "These were my wife's rooms on the occasions she came with me south. The servants will take a good care of you, but please let me know, if you need anything. Perhaps you should rest now, My Lady. You must be tired." He just bowed and left her alone, without even a backward glance.
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