Nadine sat near the window in the main room a warm steaming cup of tea between her hands. The steam still curled over the lip and danced toward the icy pane before dissipating far from its reach.
Her lower legs wreathed in thin white bandages as she sat staring at the hearth. A knot in the wood caught and snapped loudly. The man jumped within his blanket and groaned. Nadine met his choclate stare from across the room as he froze, propped up on an elbow.
He took in her calm violet eyes and bandaged legs crossed one over the other.
His voice came out rough, "How long have i been out."
She set her mug on the side table and again met his stare.
"It's been three days."
His chocolate eyes boiled and he sighed, "Three days... three days and yet I can still taste the fish piss and salt. Well... seems appropriate for all the luck that seems to be in my possession."
She smirked at his unexpected humor and made her way gracefully to the stone wall by the hearth a second cup sat there and she pored amber liquid from the fresh pot. The steam lightly kissed her hands before she quickly replaced it with the metal can of golden sweetness. It twinkled like molten as she poured it between him and the fire and stirred it with a delicate little wooden spoon.
She brought the cup directly to his hands carefully watching it dissapear behind his grip before releasing her own. The rough calluses brushed her fingertips as she withdrew back to her place by the cold window.
He sipped the cup awkwardly and she called for Marie to bring some fresh rolls from the kitchen.
"Thank you for your hospitality..."
She had to listen closely to catch his quiet murmur.
"Your welcome..."
"Remi."
"Remi, my name is Nadine. Nice to meet you. Although I wish it were within better circumstances."
His cheek tugged at the corner, "Nadine Ravenglass?"
Her eyes widened in suprise.
"I too live across the water. Closer to downtown Reavador. I've heard of your father's shipping business."
She nodded doing her best to relax the tight muscles in her jaw at the mention of her father.
"Nadine Deramus," she cleared her throat and repeated herself to reach his ears, "It's Deramus now. Nadine Deramus." She held up her white diamond to show him. It was the first time she'd said her new name outloud and she felt a little sick beneath the bravado.
"Congratulations Mrs. Deramus."
She gave a quick smile, relieved to walk away at the sight of Marie. She entered the room with a plate of meats and cheeses, and a bowl of steaming sliced potatoes in a blanket of cheesy sauce. A basket of fresh bread hung from the nook of her elbow. The smell of the food wafted into the room and settled in, a tease to the starving man's senses.
While he'd been unconscious Nadine had worked to get a small cup of fresh water into his system, and an even smaller bowl of vegetable soup broth each day. The man could feel his mouth watering at the steaming aroma of temptation itself.
Nadine helped him to a seated position and a small unsteady table was brought to him by Jennie, who tucked away her tight red curls after leaning to unfold the first short table. Elizabeth gracefully took up the rear of the ensemble with cutlery and cloth napkins. It took a while to get him up and at the end of it Elizabeth, who had dropped her portion on the short tea table to help, was smiling at their united efforts. The man who called himself Remi was embarrassed at his weakness and a hand went to the back of his neck and scratched the blond strands of hair.
"Sorry ladies."
Elizabeth waved him off with a smile and went around for the cutlery and cloth on the table.
Jennie had little trouble setting up the taller wobbling table and then they were a flash of maids outfits and quickness as they dressed the table and left quietly. Marie paused at the door.
"Was there anything else Mistress?"
"No Marie, thank you."
She nodded and left.
Remi began eating almost the second he could reach his silverware and Nadine sipped her tea and stared out the window again. It looked as if it might rain.
The room was filled with animal like chewing and the soft cackling of the fire, the occasional sip of tea. Sometimes from her sometimes from him.
Her guest didn't seem at all uncomfortable as he devoured the contents of his plate.
"We'll have fresh meat tomorrow."
He cleared his throat and straightened, sucking in his boddom lip for a small dew of cheese. He raised his cup and answered her before sipping its sweet contents.
"Tempting as that sounds; I must be on my way. I have urgent business to attend to."
She looked at him and quaked a brow.
"On a broken leg? Surely you'll stay at least until you can walk on your own."
He sat up and cleared his throat.
"As I said my business is urgent."
Nadine met his choclate stare without so much as a blink she cut him with a calculated tone.
"After risking my own health and the safety of the staff I can't say I'm willing to help you in the venture of damaging your body further. It should however be interesting to gather the manor to see how you might crawl out. The doctor said it would likely be a week or longer before you can attempt to stand. Surely whatever business you have can wait. Ivan can send a letter from town if need be."
He looked at her curiously. She didn't budge an inch.
A grin spread across his face to reveal a perfect set of teeth. Except-she thought she might have seen a gap just barely in view. As if he was missing a tooth in the back of his jaw. It was very hard to tell.
"I apologize Mrs. Deramus. I can see I've offended you."
He gave her a charming smile, but it wasn't enough to relax the tight muscles in her face.
"Your entirely right. It would be reckless of me to undo all your good work. I will leave only once your doctor clears me to go. Remi of downtown Reavador is the hostage of Mrs. Nadine Deramus's Manor."
He bowed a little at the waist and his eyes sparkled with curiosity at the tiny smirk that graced her lips.
"Shall I call upon Ivan for a trip into town?"
"That'll hardly be necessary. My employer probably believes me dead. He can keep thinking that until I'm ready to depart. Less hassle that way. Don't you think?"
She shrugged.
"It all depends on the nature of your urgent business."
The tension between them could have been cut with a knife.
"Come now, I'm already your hostage, can't a man at least have a little privacy?"
"Can you assure me your secrets hold no danger to anyone beneath this roof?"
"Secrets is a ominous words choice. I prefer business confidentiality."
She glared at him from across the room and he smirked at the way her eyes shone brighter. Like purple flame.
"To answer your question. A dead man presents no danger to you. Which is why I will not be sending a letter out. My "secrets" as you would like to call them, are nothing of consequence to a group of strangers who pulled me from a vast ocean of inconceivable mass, and infinite possibilities. My employer couldn't hope to guess of my whereabouts without any clues and so many options. If you feared danger of information it would be best left unsaid. Don't you think?"
Well he certainly was no pirate, perhaps he was a soldier. It would explain the scars she had seen covering his body, as well as the missing tooth. If he was a pirate his speech was more eloquent than she ever would have imagined.
He took another gulp of his tea. He gripped it with both hands to drain its contents and as he returned it to the table she noted the slight tremor of his hands.
"Perhaps you would like the table cleared away until dinner time. A rest probably would do you some good. We'll talk later."
She rung the bell and Jennie and Elizabeth were quick to follow her instructions. She thanked them as she left the main room and headed for her bedroom. She paced to the bed and sat. She was risking her life by having him here. Even if Boren couldn't touch her. He could have her killed. She had no doubts he was capable and eager.
She pulled out the silky blankets she was working on. A half finished Cresent moon stitched with moonbeam flowers. Her fingers grazed the stitches and she felt tears burn her vision.
She had made all the wrong choices that she possibly could in life. Starting back to when she was young. She had never reported her father when he beat her and so she had never been taken from him. She hadn't been smart enough to go looking for a rich suitor for herself, and so he had one found for her. She had fallen for a man she could never be with.
A tear fell within the cresent shape of the moon. She had nearly gotten him killed when he stopped working, and her father never even cared enough to pay the ransom.
It was her fault her father was able to instill so much pain upon her. Had she been stronger, it never would have happened.
Had she already been married she wouldn't be here destroying herself and her life while holding Edward's heartstrings in her hand like a party favor.
She wiped her eyes. It was likely his heart no longer was within her reach at all.
"That's for the best."
She didn't dare hope that she would live a full life in any way, but at least she had saved one man's life. She just hoped Boren would stay away until he was gone or he would likely teach her that she could never redeem herself. She had no doubt he would kill Ivan, and who knew how the others would suffer.
She stood. It was time to focus on a plan in case the worst possible scenario happened. She splashed her face in the sink and gave a resolved look to the looking glass before sprinting out into the hall.