A Book o' Nine Tales.

"A Book o' Nine Tales" by Arlo Bates is a compilation of stories from the late 1800s that begins with an enigmatic man discovered injured on a beach with no memory of his life. This story follows Columbine Dysart, a caring young woman, as she helps the amnesiac stranger, revealing themes of identity, affection, and the enigma of one's past. A sick and confused man awakens with no recollections, triggering the tender nurse Columbine to not only look after him but also fantasize about his unknown identity that blossoms into romance, as her patient slowly recovers. As the haze in his mind starts to lift and returns to reason, he questions his existence. The evolving relationship, with the desire to belong and the mystique about the stranger's life are the keys to this collection.