"Tessibel, oh, my Tess, be kind," he supplicated.
But she'd taken the child's hand and without answering, was making her way swiftly backward to the rock-path.
CHAPTER XLI
TESSIBEL'S DISCOVERY
Frederick stood for one tense minute watching Tessibel hurry over the rocks. Many times he had pictured this interview, ... even framed the sentences in which he would express his remorse and win her forgiveness.
It had never occurred to his brooding thought that the years of absence which had increased his own ardor, might have lessened the squatter girl's regard for him. But the meeting wasn't working out as he'd planned. He'd been almost paralyzed at her coming, speechless except for the few halting words of entreaty. Now, it dawned upon him that she was going away without a word, that she was taking the child with her, and that he might never see either of them again.
"Tessibel," he called hoarsely. "Stop, or ... I'll tell Waldstricker."
His words brought Tess to a standstill. The threat filled her with fear, for well she knew the elder's power. Still keeping hold of Boy's hand, she retraced her steps.
"Why did you come here?" she asked, fear and distaste making her voice cold and hard.
"To see you and ... him." Frederick pointed to the child, who was now hiding behind his mother's skirts.
"Well, now you've seen us."
Frederick stared at the speaker, his lips pursed with surprise. Was this Tess Skinner, the squatter girl? The voice was hers, but its tones were resonant with contempt! Face and form he recognized, but not the new poise, the dignity of her motherhood. The brown eyes he remembered as lighted by love, now expressed unutterable abhorrence.
"Tess, dear Tess," he pleaded, "let me talk to you."
Tess stooped over the child, rearranged his little waist, and pushed back the curly hair.
"Boy go home now, and mother'll come directly."
She kissed the bewildered upturned face. The baby couldn't understand what was going on.... Mummy seemed sad, and the nice man, who was so white and sick looking, had spoken angrily to his beautiful mother.
"I'd rather stay wif you," he lisped.
"But Mummy asks Boy to go," said Tess, and to the dog, "Here, Petey, go home with Boy."
Placing his hand on the dog's collar, the child turned slowly and unwillingly toward the house. He'd taken but a few halting steps along the rocks before Frederick's voice rang out.
"Tess, Tessibel, let me hold him ... kiss him once more. Don't shake your head! Don't say no! I've wanted him so all these years. Oh, Tessibel!"
His pitiful pleading touched the listening girl. At last, face to face with the man whose cowardice and selfishness had brought her so much trouble, her one desire was to escape ... to run away. But he was begging for her to be kind, to allow him to hold her baby!... What right had he to kiss him?... To be sure, the child was his, too, but--but--
"Oh, No! No! I don't want you to!" she cried, protesting. "You can never be anything in his life. Why don't you let us alone?"
Frederick had walked very close to her side by this time, his white face twitching.
"I must kiss him once more," he persisted.
Tess turned to the loitering child. She could see that at a word of assent from her, Boy would rush into the outstretched arms Frederick held toward him. The mother, with a twist at her heart, recognized the tie which drew together this man and her son. A dreadful fear clutched her. Would Frederick do as he had threatened, hoping that he might thus come in contact with his son? Her mind flew to Deforrest Young.... He must never know the name of Boy's father. She could feel the blood coursing madly through her temples, and her head ached dully.
Nevertheless, she went back and took hold of the child's hand.
"You may kiss the gentleman ... good-bye," she said in a constrained voice.
"The pretty man was goin' to be my faver," said the child, pleadingly.
"I want a daddy awful bad."
"Yes, yes, I know," Tess returned tremulously. "Now hurry, dear, and then run home."
Only too gladly did the child jump away and bound into his father's extended arms.
"Mummy says I has to go home," he whispered.
While the tall man silently caressed the dark curls of her boy, Tess of the Storm Country endured such pain as she'd never known before. The mutual attraction between the two, so differently related to her, seemed anomalous and impossible.
Frederick unwillingly allowed the child to slip to the rocks and after Tess'd started Boy and the dog on their homeward way, she stood before him, her lips quivering. She knew he, too, suffered, and she waited quietly as he dried his eyes and recovered his choking breath.
She was sorry he'd come. She'd hoped never to see him again. But, now, she must be assured that he would continue the deception in regard to the past. As anxious as she had once been to have him claim her as his own, to tell the world she belonged to him, she, now, wanted to keep silent.
"It was useless for you to come," she chided presently.
Frederick made an impetuous movement with his hand.
"Oh, no, it wasn't.... Won't you let me atone, let me make up for all the things I've done ... and haven't done? I want--oh, how I want--"
"It's too late," interrupted the girl. "Much too late."
"But, Tessibel, I know you love me. You can't have forgotten. And I'll make the boy love me. He does now! Didn't you hear him call me father?"
"He has no father," she responded coldly. "And I--I haven't any love left for you."
The words were low but distinctly spoken.
"I don't believe it!... I won't!... You shall love me!... I won't have you with Young. ... He can see my boy every day ... be with you hour after hour.... I hate him!"
"You hate him!" Tessibel's eyes burned and flashed with indignation.
"When you should be grateful, because he's done everything you should've done.... You've said all you can. You can't make up to us ... the baby and me.... Won't you please go?"
Frederick felt he was losing his reason. The love he'd nursed in secret, the passion that had wasted him away, shook his frail frame. He wouldn't be denied!
"God help me, I won't go!" he gritted, the words carrying on his thought.
With one sweep of his arms, he encircled Tess in a close embrace. She made frantic efforts to free herself, but Frederick, strong under the emotion consuming him, only hugged her closer.
"Let me go!" Tess almost screamed the words. Then, her voice changed to a tense whisper, hoarse with loathing. "How can ... oh, how dare you!"
But she could not protect her face from the searching mouth. Violently, Frederick twisted her around and for one moment his lips fell upon hers.