Commodore Perry landed in Kanagawa the next day to meet his Japanese counterpart.
Their first meeting was very formal on both sides and Anna had to use all her knowledge, patience and tact in order to satisfy these two very proud, disagreeable and unmanageable men. They met, introduced themselves and stated their credentials, exchanged some pleasantries and... parted.
Commodore Perry returned to his ship, where he decided to stay for the whole time of the negotiations, while Hayashi retreated to his rooms, where he surrounded himself with his advisors.
When they reconvened the next day, Perry submitted detailed American demands and expectations, Hayashi's aids took notes and they withdrew to consider them, consulting the laws and various edicts of the Emperor and the Tokugawa government.
Every day seemed almost the same and soon Anna lost track of how many times she was required to translate the same proposals, the same answers, arguments and counter arguments.
The Americans were pushing for quick results and concessions from the Bakufu, while the Japanese were procrastinating as much as it was humanly possible, refusing to budge.
Every evening, after she concluded her duty and returned to the inn, she sat alone for a long time, trying to meditate in order to release her frustration. Keeping her opinions to herself cost her a lot and only in the confines of her own room could she afford to release the tension.
Every night she dreamt about Hikaru, missing his touch, the conversations and the closeness they shared. Every morning she was forced to gather herself, grit her teeth, compose her face and return to the Lord Matsuda's residence for another tedious day of negotiations.
Things with Commander Morrison were also quite manageable. He accompanied Commodore Perry exclusively now and only rarely they had any chance for a private conversation. Mindful of her plan not to antagonise him any further, Anna forced herself to be polite and civil to him. It was made much easier by the fact that she had shed her Japanese clothing and some of the urgency she had sensed in him before disappeared. Although sometimes she still could see that odd calculating expression in his eyes, which told her that he hadn't forgotten their confrontation...
Days were dragging, turning into weeks and when she thought that it would never end, suddenly the Japanese appeared to give in.
So far Perry adamantly rejected the offer to trade in Nagasaki and eventually the Japanese agreed that ports in Shimoda and Hakodate will be open for American ships to trade in. That was a major concession on their part and the Americans were ecstatic.
To celebrate this achievement Commodore Perry invited the three bankers and Anna for a reception on his flagship. Anna agreed, not wishing to provoke any unpleasantness. Besides, she had to admit that it would be a very welcome change to eat some meat again.
Commodore Perry was in a much better mood than the first time they met and by now quite genuinely impressed by Anna's skills.
"Ms Mitchell." He raised his glass. "I salute your efforts. Without your work and expertise it would have been a much nastier business. To our interpreter!"
"To Ms Mitchell!" They all repeated the toast.
"Thank you, Sir." She smiled modestly. By now she knew that the best approach to any of her companions would be outward humility. No matter what she really thought about them. "I am merely translating what is said. The whole credit surely must go to you, Mr Johnston and your team."
They all seemed very pleased by that statement.
How very vain men really are. She thought, at the same time trying to keep a modest smile fixed on her face.
After the dinner, when the guests were talking, smoking good cigars and drinking the Commodore's whisky, Anna used an opportune moment to sneak out onto the deck and breathe the fresh sea air.
Yet she did not remain alone for long, as only a few moments later Commander Morrison appeared on the deck.
"Ms Mitchell." He nodded, joining her at the rail.
She didn't answer, hoping perhaps that he would take a hint and leave, but he stood next to her without a word for a long time.
"Commodore Perry was right." He spoke eventually. "Without you it would have been much more difficult."
She left this also without a comment.
"You are an exceptional woman, Anna." He looked at her earnestly.
"Oh, it's nothing really." She shrugged, trying to deflect his compliments. "It's much like speaking French."
"No!" He cut in. "It is so much more than speaking French. You know how to speak to them and how to make them do what you want... You are not merely a translator, but also a diplomat."
It was getting far too personal for her, so she attempted to change the subject. "What will you do after the negotiations end, Commander?"
"Commodore Perry will surely want to inspect the ports we were allowed to enter and later... perhaps back to America?"
"Do you have a family there?"
"Yes. My parents live in Boston. What will you do?" He asked.
"After we finish here?" He nodded in confirmation. "I will return with Captain Norton. They owe me a lot of money." She smiled. "And then I will return to England."
"We have a family in England." He mused. "Perhaps we will be able to meet again there?"
This surprised her, but she turned it into a joke.
"I didn't expect you to have so much leave from the Navy."
"I could get it, if necessary." He was looking at her with that intensity again, which made her uncomfortable.
"I think we should return to the reception..."
"Anna!" He stopped her. "You must realise that I... think very highly of you."
"Thank you." She smiled modestly again, keeping an indifferent expression.
"No!" He shook his head. "Please, do not treat me like that. I know that we didn't start on the best of terms. But... I was a fool not to realise straight away how outstanding you truly are."
It might have been nice to hear, if she hadn't known the reasons behind his speech. "Commander Morrison..." She started.
"My name is James. Please, let us become friends."
This was surely getting out of hand. She needed to stop him!
"Sir, it is true that we were both... overzealous." She was choosing her words carefully. "But you must understand that having spent many years in the West, I got used to treating men with a certain... attitude. It was the only way to avoid being perceived by them as an easy trophy. It has become my second nature." She adopted an apologetic expression.
"I can see that now. But let me assure you that there is nothing you need to worry about regarding me. I only wish to get to know you better."
She forced herself to smile, faking satisfaction, while at the same time even a thought of him ever touching her filled her with disgust.
Fortunately, she was spared any more of his declarations by the appearance of Captain Norton, who joined them presently.
"I have to say that eating a proper meal greatly lifted my spirits." He smiled with contentment. "How they can live on rice and fish only is beyond me. Did you not miss normal food, when you lived here?" He turned suddenly to Anna, forgetting his promise never to speak of that.
Morrison looked at her with surprise. "I didn't know you had lived in Japan."
Captain Norton suddenly realised what he just said and his face fell. "I am sorry, my dear." He apologised. "But I am quite sure we can trust Commander Morrison to be discreet."
"Of course." She suppressed her annoyance. "Gentlemen, please forgive me." She bowed and left them.
Norton was mortified at his slip of tongue.
But Morrison saw his chance to learn something more about her. "When was that?" He asked. "When did she live here?"
"I don't know. All I know is that she lived in Japan for some time, despite Sakoku, the official ban of foreigners. I guess she doesn't want to endanger the people who hid her then... Please, do not mention it to anybody. This could be inconvenient for our talks."
"But of course." Morrison was greatly interested in this bit of news.
So she had been here before... But when?... She mentioned travelling in the West for many years, so before then?... She would have been quite young... Did she know HIM then?! He couldn't stop himself from considering Takeda. They would have both been very young. But if they were lovers then, why did he leave her here?.. No, impossible! No man would have waited for so many years just to renew the affair of old!
Would he?..