Tess is a story that makes me so angry in so many ways: the fact that society and even her own mother basically blamed her for what was well-beyond her control just leaves me fuming! I think Tess is a truly wonderful character with so much more courage than many of us could ever have so I thought I'd give her a couple of people who support and don't blame her! This is based off the 2008 television series more than the book.
The girls were settling down for the night in the corner of the barn where they took residence as far away from the others as possible.
"Tess?" Izz Huett asked.
"Yes?" The maiden replied. Izz paused for a moment, thinking of the right words.
"What really went on between you and Mr Clare? And who is the stranger who keeps coming to see you?" She finally asked, but with much caution.
"Mr Clare had to go away. To Brazil." Tess explained vaguely, trying to brush the matter off quickly.
"And the stranger?" Marion butted in.
"Why, you speak as if the two incidents in some way are connected. Well I tell you they are not and what has passed is in the past." She said rather coldly.
For a short while, no words were exchanged between the three of them, however the silence was uncomfortable.
"They've not passed though, not when you have come to this fate through Mr Clare's neglect. You are better than this, Tess." Marion insisted, determined not to let the matter rest.
"I am not." Tess asserted, almost cutting Marion off. "Believe me, this is far more than I deserve. Mr Clare is more than I deserve and I was dishonest to him, that's the real reason for his leaving."
"Dishonest? Dishonest, how?" Izz questioned. "It's to do with that other gentleman, isn't it? There is a connection."
"He is no gentleman." Tess laughed icily. "He is nothing short of a monster."
Izz and Marion exchanged glances of both confusion and concern.
"Why do you say that?"
"I say that because it is the truth. We have been previously acquainted, a long time ago now." Tess was persistent with trying to get the other girls to drop the matter.
"Tell us, Tess, please." Marion pleaded kindly. "We would like to try and aid you in fixing your troubles, isn't that right Izz?" She asked, only for her friend to nod in agreement.
The maiden turned slightly away to compose herself before telling her friends the sorry tale of her bygones.
"One day, a few years ago now, my father came across some news that our family are of rich descent, the D'Urbervilles. I was sent to visit the family over in Trantridge and to request work, that's when I met that man, his name is Alec D'Urberville."
"Go on." Izz urged, softly.
"Look, I don't know why I'm telling you this, what went on cannot ever be undone, I have to live with it for the rest of my life." She argued.
"There may be reasoning for your dishonesty to Mr Clare in your tale. Please, carry on." Marion retaliated.
Tess sighed hopelessly before continuing.
"About a week or so later, I got a letter offering me a position of work at the house. Anyway, I accepted and despite being apprehensive at first grew to like my job. The people there were unlikeable though. Mr D'Urberville took a liking to me and the other girls grew jealous, saying that I were his favourite. One night, we all went to a dance and on the way home, there was a disagreement and I got caught up in the middle of it. He happened to be riding past and offered me to go with him. The way the others looked at me, the disgust on their faces. I suppose I went with him just to get away from their hatred. I wish I hadn't now. I fell asleep and when I woke we were deep in the woods. Lost he told me! He went to go and find a route out whilst I slept amongst the trees. It were misty and dark…" Tears began to roll down the girl's cheek and she tried to stifle her sobs of pain before finishing her tale. "He came out of nowhere. I awoke and he were on top of me, there was nothing I could do. The pain." She spoke through gritted teeth. "The agony! Then he just got up and walked off, like nothing had happened! I couldn't bear it working there anymore, I ran away and went home. My family asked if I was going to marry him. I hate him, I would never, ever marry him but my mother said I should've been more careful if I had no intentions of marrying. I was a child, I'd had nobody to tell me of the dangers of men. A few weeks later, I found I was having his child. Sorrow, I called him, my Sorrow. I loved him, adored him, so innocent. He fell ill and died only weeks after being born. I didn't tell any of this to Angel until after we were married. I am spoiled, ruined. Are you satisfied now you know of my sins?" She finished harshly, between sobs.
The girls were shocked by what they had heard over those past few minutes.
"Oh Tess, dear, dear Tess. You have not sinned but fallen prey to a sinner. You should not be punished or judged for that, not by us, not by God and certainly not by Mr Clare." Marion reassured the girl, taking her into her arms and holding her close.
"Please, promise me you won't speak a word of this to any other soul on this earth?" Tess sincerely begged.
"No, no of course we would not dream of doing such a thing." Izz reassured her. After a few seconds, she spoke up again. "Mr Groby, does he know?" Tess nodded in shame. "And that's why he treats you worse than he treats the rest of us?"
"He knows the family, so he knew what had gone on. He doesn't treat me any better than I deserve to be treated." She explained downheartedly.
"Tess, no-one deserves to be treated that way. You were abused as an innocent, unknowing child. None of that leaves you to blame. It is that Mr D'Urberville that is to blame and all those who scorn you for being taken by him." Marion told her firmly.
Tess stood up and moved over to her makeshift bed.
"Yes, well, that's not what people believe. Like I said, that was in the past and I want you both to forget about it too." She announced before getting into bed and rolling to face the tin walls of the barn.
"We're here for you Tess, no matter what." Izz whispered.
Tess, though pretending to be asleep, was both grateful and relieved and blinked away a few tears of relief before closing her eyes.