Nadine stripped down to her black undergarments without a second thought and dove into the ocean. There was no time to go for help, and a man's life was at stake.
She was a great swimmer, and he wasn't far off. She was certain she could reach him. The merciless ocean played with the idea of her failure as it managed to both push her away, and pull the man farther into its maw.
She managed to make it to him. She grabbed the almost rotten peice of wood and held herself afloat with its help. Upon seeing him she realized a couple things. One, the man had tacked himself to the wood by his thick coat. Two, he was injured and bleeding into the water; in fact it was a miracle the razor toothed beasts had not eaten his flesh clean from his bones. Last, he was quite heavy.
The final realization noticed immediately after she pulled the large stake from the poor battered wood and pushed off with his large body gripped in the small encumbrance of her arms. His head fell below the water plenty times and she prayed he would not drown in the time it took her to carry them to shore. The storm thankfully wasn't getting much worse, and it made her feel as if she'd been smiled upon.
That was until she reached the shore and the water pushed her into the sharp rock on the bank. With two arms full of man there was little she could do to artfully avoid the cuts and bruises she earned dragging them both over the sharp rocks and out of the water. She heaved his body until his feet were inches from the tide and collapsed. Panting heavily for a minute before placing an ear to chest. Annoyed, she worked open the fasteners of his thick jacket and pushed the sopping heavy fabric aside. His heartbeat was faint.
He wasn't breathing, but he was alive barely and not for long if she didn't intervene. She placed her hands on his chest and rhythmically pushed with all her strength. Afterall, she was very petite.
She grasped the man's scruffy, although clearly once clean shaven jaw and forced his serious lips apart.
Breathing air into him a while before pumping his chest. She brushed the tendrils of wet hair from her face while leaning forward again to hastily claim his mouth again. Her fingers flying quickly to choke his nasal passage, and finally, she felt his body respond. He pushed her to the side and leaned away to retch the waves back onto the gravelly rocks of the beach. The stranger leaned back heavily onto his forearms and looked at her with a hooded gaze.
"Where am..." His eyes rolled back and he collapsed back onto the gravel.
She jumped up and hastilly dawned her clothing before running for the manor.
"Ivan! Donavon!" She called for the only two men in the house. The doctor who would be delivering her baby and a boy who helped out in the kitchen. Donovan poked his head around the corner eyes widening as he took in her appearance. She motioned him to her breathlessly. "Get Ivan and quickly. A man has washed up on shore and needs to be brought in."
She didn't wait for his response as she flew down the back hall to the maid's quarters.
She almost crashed into a maid with raven black hair and porcelain skin.
"Marie, find Jennie and Elizabeth. Tell them to bring blankets to the main room. Stoke the main harth, and bring a scissors, Ivan's medical bag, and fresh pair of men's clothes, large."
Marie looked uncomfortable.
"The only large men clothes in the manor are.. Master Boren's clothes my lady."
Nadine looked at her sharply.
"Be quick as you can. Find a warm and comfortable pair."
She again didn't wait for a response before heading back down the hall.
She ran back out through the kitchen without stopping to talk to the cook and she looked after her wide eyed.
Nadine picked up her heavy silk skirts and made her way back to the beach.
Ivan and Donavon appeared at the main door just as she made it back to the man and began to pull the sleeve of his heavy coat.
Ivan, the middle aged doctor didn't even glance at the man before he grasped her shoulder.
"Mrs. Nadine, the master of the house was very clear that no man was to enter the manor, besides him and the manor staff."
"Even Boren wouldn't leave him here to die. Besides that, I won't, and he's not here." She challenged as the wind whipped around them and she met his gaze fiercely.
He didn't say anything for a minute as he gave her an unsure look and then he nodded quietly, releasing her, he grabbed an arm and nodded to Donovan to grab the other.
By the time they entered the main room the maid's were bustling to be out of the men's way as they looked at the half drowned man with large surprised stares.
Nadine cleared her throat and the maid's looked at her, blushing for being nosey.
They made to leave.
"Marie, please bring some soup from tonight's dinner. Make sure its hot."
"As you please Mrs."
She smiled grateful and began to help Ivan, who was the only other conscious person in the room now.
"We need to warm him up. His heart and lungs are sounding good." He peeked at her between his ministrations.
"You did good my dear."
"I'm glad." She said relieved.
She grabbed Ivan's medical bag and set it on the small oak side table. Heading for the scissors as he grabbed his gloves and a needle. She went to work on his shirt. It was destroyed anyway. She pulled his laces from his boots and then the boots themselves. The doctor grabbed her hand as she began to work his belt.
"Mrs. Nadine..."
She glanced up realizing his meaning.
"Ivan, I'm pregnant. and I'm married."
The words were cold and bitter. Her tone unwavering laced with equal parts sarcasm and venomous disdain. She held up her ring finger as if to remind him.
"He needs out of his wet clothes and into dry. I'm invested in his care, and I'm seeing this through. Now release me. There's work to be done."
Whem Marie came back with the soup Donovan carried a warm half barrel of steaming water and a rag.
While cleaning his leg she noticed it looked off.
"Ivan."
Ivan had found a knife wound in his should and side. The one on the shoulder far worse.
He looked up from his medical bag to inspect the leg.
"It's broken. Seems to be clean,"
she nodded.
They both worked in silence as she cleaned his body of the blood and pulled fresh sweats over his hips with effort. Careful to avoid further injury to his calf.
After Ivan sewed the wounds shut. Nadine wrapped him while the doctor cleaned his needle and other utensils.
The doctor set up the splint at which point the man seemed to almost wake from the pain before returning to his unconscious state. When it was done she pulled a heavy pair of woolen socks over his feet leaving one just to ankle length as the doctor secured a large bandage over each of the wounds. She pulled a heavy blanket over him as Ivan packed away his bag.
"He should do just fine now. Thanks to you."
She smiled tiredly, "When will he wake?"
"It's hard to say, but I would think he could wake at any moment."
She looked at him curiously. His strong jaw leaned into the crimson sofa. Shadows beneath dark lashes. Blond hair lay tangled over the small cushion. His arms limp with exhaustion.
Who was he? Where did he come from? And How did he end up in the ocean like a barnacle on an old piece of driftwood.
Fantasies swirled in her mind like playful fog. Pirates, captains, and Tradesmen at the front of her curiosity.
When he woke she'd have her answers.