Tessa's Truth

Tessa woke in a strange room, nothing was familiar.  It was decorated in red and black, Tessa had never liked loud or dark colors, this just was not hers, she knew that, but where was she.



Slowly she sat up, swung her legs over the side of the bed, to find she needed a step to get down from high old fashioned bed.  A robe lay across the arm of a chair, it was a deep maroon with a black design that matched the nightgown she was wearing, once again she felt like a stranger not just to this place but to her own body.



Slipping her feet into the soft soled black house shoes she crept softly across the heavy black carpeting.  She gripped the door knob and turned experimentally, just as she feared it was locked! She was a prisoner, but who would want to keep her a prisoner.  More important why would anyone want to keep her a prisoner. She moved silently back to the chair beside the bed, sat down and wept softly.



Suddenly she was aware that someone was standing over her.  With fearful eyes she looked into a pair of coal black eyes, set deep in a darkly tanned face with full lips and hair as black as the eyes were.  The overall appearance was frightening enough, but then he spoke and his voice was like thunder, booming and overpowering.  She cowered, covering her head with her arms to protect herself.



Why do you cower from me?  Have I hurt you in any way? the booming voice inquired. Tessa shrank further into herself in fear.  Suddenly strong dark hands were gripping her arms, lifting her up to look into his face.  With a shudder she fainted and slumped against his chest.  He gently picked her up and returned her to the bed.



Tessa did not know how long she was unconscious as she slowly opened her eyes, but someone was pulling the heavy maroon drapes back to allow the bright sunlight into the room.  It didn't seem so fearsome in the bright sun.  The dark shadows of the night before were all dispelled and the corners filled with light.



Suddenly a wonderful smell accosted her senses, bacon, suddenly she realized she was not just hungry but ravenous.  She followed her nose to the source of the smell, a tray set up on a small table with a chair.  She removed the warming cover and sat down to eat.  She ate as iff she hadn't had food in years.  Using her bread to get the last of the bacon drippings and egg yolk off the plate.  She sat back sated and satisfied. She closed her eyes and dozed in the warm sun.



Tessa! Wake up. the sound of the voice penetrated her dreams and she came full awake with a start.  There stood the man with the black eyes, even though he was not so fearsome as he was in the dark he still had a aura of mystery about him.



Who are you and why have you made me a prisoner here? she asked softly.



You are not a prisoner here. he said in a deep throaty voice.



When I find myself in a room behind a locked door, I consider that to be imprisonment.



That was never my intentions, I just didn't want you to get up and wander around a strange house in the dark and possible fall down the stairs or over the balcony and be injured. came his reply.



Then I am free to go when I want. Tessa asked.



Well, not exactly, but you have full access to the house, but you must not go outside, it is far to dangerous.



Dangerous? Why is it dangerous? Who are you anyway, that you presume to make a prisoner of me?



That can wait for a later time, right now we must see to your wardrobe, if you will follow me.



He strode to the door and held it open for her to pass, timidly she walked past him into the brightly lit hallway.  It was long with many doors opening into it, it was a soft mauve that didn't seem so oppressive as the dark maroons in the bedroom. He led the way down to hallway to a room at the end, he opened the door and ushered her into what appeared to be a sewing room.  At a sewing machine sat an older woman busily sewing together a garment of dark emerald green.



Maraih this is Tessa, she will be needing a complete wardrobe, see to it. With that statement he turned and left the room. Tessa stood stunned by all that had happened and by what she saw around her, walls covered with bolts of cloth in every color and kind imaginable.  She had never seen so many fabrics in her life. She grew up poor and had a dress for everyday and a dress for church and social gatherings, but nothing so fine as these fabrics.



Maraih spoke with a little laugh in her voice. The master wants me to make you a wardrobe befitting a lady does he now. Well you do have nice curves and a tiny waist, you will look good in anything I put together for you. Choose the fabrics you fancy and then look at my fashion book and choose the styles you want.



I don't have money to pay for clothes, how dare he presume to order me to buy more clothes.



Milady you do not understand, you are not going to pay for these clothes, the master is.  He wants his wife to be dressed as a proper lady.



Wife, what are you talking about, I am not nor will I ever be his wife. Tessa huffed.



But Milady, you and the master were married in the great hall Sunday afternoon, you are his wife already.



Tessa began to feel sick and the room started to swim, had not Maraih not caught her she would have crumpled in a heap on the floor.  She was revived by the stinging of smelling salts being waived under her nose.  Coughing violently from the strong fumes she pushed the bottle away.



If I had married anyone I would have remembered it, as surely as my name is uh uh. With huge eyes of fear Tessa realized she didn't know who she was or where she was. Maraih who am I, what is my name?



I've always called you Miss Tessa, but now I guess I will have to call you Lady Trulane.



Lady Trulane, what was my name before.



Tessa Wilshire. Maraih responded.



That name is no more familiar to me than Lady Trulane is.  Why can I not remember any of this?



You had a fall from your horse and a pretty good knock on you hear by a rock when you hit the ground.  You were unconscious for four days, he was beside himself with worry never leaving your room, not even to eat or rest. Mariah explained.



Do I have any family? A father, mother, brother or sister? Tessa asked in desperation.



None that I know of Milady, you grew up here at the manor, you and the master played together as children.  His father took you in when your parents died.  As you grew into such a beautiful woman his father's one wish was that you would be his son's wife.



Did I fall in love with the, what is his name, I do not even know my husband's name.



His name is Gilmore Arlane Wilshire mam.



Maraih, my next question is even more troubling to me, who am I?



Tessa Shalene O'Connor, your father was an Irishman and your mother was one Master Gilmore's cousins.



So I am related to my husband? Tessa gasped.



About six generations removed mam. Maraih comforted.



Maraih, what am I going to do when I don't even know who I am much less the man that I am married to. Tessa asked starting to sob uncontrollably.



Maraih sat and held Tessa until she had cried herself out.  Now Milady you must get a cold cloth to those eyes before the master returns and realizes you have been crying.  Maraih walked to the pitcher and bowl on the dressing table, poured water into the bowl and immersed a towel into it and wrung it out.  She folded it neatly and handed it to Tessa who applied it to her puffy tear swollen eyes.



Now go downstairs and don't let your husband know you have been crying.  Just tell him what you told me that you don't remember anything before today.



Gil was patient with Tessa, never pushing her to remember anything, letting it come as it would.  He set about making Tessa fall in love with him all over again.  He brought her flowers daily, they took long walks along the river bank, sat in the swing hanging from the huge tree outside Tessa's window. 



Gil, why do we never go to the stables?



I will never take you near a horse again, if we didn't need them to pull our carriages I would not even have any of the evil beast on my property. Gil breathed with anger in his voice.



Gil, don't blame the horses for what happened to me, it was my poor horsemanship not the horses fault,  You told me that the horse was very gentle and did not throw me I just simply slipped from my saddle because I didn't have a proper grip with my legs. I want to learn to ride properly and again ride across the fields of heather with you.



Never! Gil ground out.



Gil, I have never heard you be so unforgiving.  I want to ride again, I love horses and it is not fair to blame the horse for what happened to me.



Months went by and they remained at a stalemate about the horses.  Slowly Tessa wore away the anger and brought Gil around to her way of thinking.  Finally he was going to let her go to the stables again and maybe even let her ride another horse.



As they approached the stable a gentle white mare nuzzled Tessa from the back, turning she saw a beautiful snow white mare.  She is yours. Gil said softly. Tessa threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.



Together they took a picnic basket and rose across the field to a spot by the lake under an old oak tree.  There they shared a picnic lunch and made love in the shade of the old tree.  It was the most wonderful day that Tessa had ever had. She cherished the memory of that day above all their other days together.



Tessa sat up, violently ill, jumping from the bed she ran to the chamber pot and retched until her ribs hurt.  She crawled back into her bed sweating and weak.  She fell back into and exhausted sleep and when she woke she felt wonderful. She got dressed and went about the house singing all day long.  Gil came home and she grabbed him and they swung around in a happy dance.  Gil couldn't understand it but he enjoyed every minute of it.



The next morning Tessa awoke with the same violent retching and collapsed into an exhausted sleep again to wake with the happiness and energy once more.  This strange ritual continued for a week, when suddenly Tessa knew what it was, she could hardly wait to tell Gil.



They rode out to their special place taking a lunch with them. As they sat under the shade of the old tree Tessa asked Gil. How do you feel about having children?



Ecstatic if it ever happens, I want a huge family, maybe six boys and six girls.



Whoa there, since I am the one who has to carry and deliver all these babies maybe we could keep it down to two or three.  Right now we only have to worry about the one that will arrive in February.



Gil was singing softly under his breath and for a moment did not seem to understand what she was saying.  Suddenly he jumped up grabbed her arms pulling her to her feet he grabbed her around the waist and spun her in a circle shouting. I am going to be a father. Tessa gasped as she became violently ill, as she stiffened Gil realized something was wrong. As he sat her on the ground she ran behind the tree and retched violently.



Gil was terrified. What have I done my love?



Nothing Gil darling, just the spinning made me very ill, but that is to be expected when you are expecting. She laughed.



Gil breathed a sigh of great relief. Now he became all concern, gently seating her on the blanket and giving her a cup of tea.  The full impact of what was happening finally came home to Gil, He WAS going to be a father for real.



It was an idealic time of loving and waiting and watching Tessa's waist expand as the baby grew inside her.  Finally the day came when the pains started.  She did not tell Gil, but secretly sent Maraih for the doctor. One of the handmaiden's went up to prepare the room for the birth.



When she could no longer hide the pains of labor she told Gil that this was the day their baby would arrive.  Gil reacted just as she had expected he began running around the room trying to decide what needed to be done first.



Relax my love, this is all natural and I have taken care of everything, your job is to walk the floor and wring your hands while I do all the work of bringing our child into the world. Now scoot I must get ready for the doctor.



Gil walked the floor for hours as the moans of pain filtered through the door.  At the end Tessa was screaming, he tried to enter the room but the midwife would not allow him to enter.  He continued to walk the floor wondering if this night would ever end. Then everything went very silent for a second before the piercing cry of a baby followed the resounding slap on the behind by the doctor.



The doctor came into the hall. You have a healthy son, Gil. Congratulations.



How is Tessa doctor? Gil asked brushing the doctor's statement aside.



She is tired, but she is fine, she is sleeping now, she needs to rest she has done a hard day and nights work.  You may step in and sit by her bed for awhile and hold your son so you can get acquainted with each other.



Gil slipped through the door, sat in the chair by the bed taking Tessa's tiny hand in his huge one and kissing it gently so as not to wake her.  She roused slightly, Have you seen him? she asked him softly.



Yes, my darling he is beautiful, you have created a masterpiece my dear, no artist could create anything that could compare to him.



The baby was a month old and the doctor finally let Tessa get out of bed.  They had named him after Tessa's father and Gil's father Michael Allen.  He was healthy happy and rosy.  Tessa sat and watched as Gil held his son in his arms. This was what she was made to do.



THE END