Chapter 3
Miss Mae Peterson wasn't surprised to see Tessie walk into the foyer, what surprised her was the sleeping two and a half year old boy in her arms. Tessie walked to the plush red velvet sofa and sat down gently, careful not to wake the sleeping Michael. "His name's Michael." she told Miss Mae quietly, "What am I going to do with him?" "He'll sleep with you tonight." Mae said "We'll figure out something in the morning." "He can stay here with me can't he? I've got to take care of him now" "Why not take him to his father?""No." Tessie said firmly, "He's not going to have anything to do with that man. He's mine Miss Mae, for better or worse. I've got him and I've got to figure out what to do with him." "A child isn't like a dog or a cat Tessie. This isn't a place for a child. You wouldn't be able to watch him all the time, you have your job to do. You don't want to give him away, I can see that. I think you did before but you don't know." Tessie nodded, "I'm gonna be his mother now Miss Mae, I won't let anyone take him away from me. I won't let Trask take him from me."
"We'll do the best we can for him then Tessie. When he's old enough he'll go away to school, people won't know he grew up here. He'll grow up to be a doctor, or a lawyer and know one will know about his parents. Yes, he can stay here Tessie, though heaven knows how we're going to take care of him." Mae said, and that was that. Tessie could keep her Michael with her, and she vowed to be the best mother she could for him.
Most people are lucky to have one mother figure in their lives, Michael now had 6. Tessie was his 'Mama', with Miss Mae and the rest of the girls being 'aunts' to the little boy. They cuddled him and fussed over him, they bought him sweets and clothes and toys. Late at night when all the men had gone home he slept with Tessie in her room, but during the day he played in the room Miss Mae referred to as her office and took his meals in the kitchen. He was a beautiful little boy, with dark hair and eyes, like Tessie. It was completely believable that he could be her actual son. Although all the girls knew he was her brother, they referred to her as his mother. The less he knew about his former life, the better was Tessie's way of thinking and all the girls agreed. They knew all about Gregory Trask and what he had done to Tessie and her mother. With his sunny smile and adorable charm it was inconceivable that this could be the offspring of Gregory Trask. So he simply wouldn't be.
Michael never wanted for anything, Tessie made sure of that. Her stash of money once saved for the purpose of clothes to attract Quentin now went toward Michael. In fact she almost forgot about Quentin altogether, almost. She would marry Quentin one day, she decided. He would ask her to be his wife and she would accept, and the rest of the Collins' be damned. They would be married and Quentin would raise Michael as his own son. They would live up in that big house on the hill and have all they money they'd ever dreamed of. The only man Tessie would have to sleep with would be Quentin, and it would be for pleasure not profit. It was a lovely daydream, and it just had to come true now that there was a rumour Edward had kicked his wife out of Collinwood. Maybe she'd go back to Egypt. Well that would suit Tessie just fine, good riddance to her. Now if only Quentin wasn't still with that Beth, as it seemed he must be since he hadn't been in lately. Then Tessie would have him all to herself. Ah, what a lovely, lovely dream.
A month or so after Michael had joined their family the house was hit with more bad news. It appeared that there was a wild animal loose around Collinsport. Dorcas Trilling, a teacher at Worthington Hall, Trask's school had been discovered dead. The newspaper account didn't go into much detail except to say that she was been attacked by a savage animal and died of excessive blood loss.
"I don't want any of you out at night for any reason. Is that clear?" Mae told the girls. They nodded, they all understood. Collinsport was getting less and less like the quiet, safe little town they'd all grown up in. It was becoming a very dangerous place to live. "Do you think it's the same animal that got Evie?" Lily asked. "I don't know, possibly." Mae answered. "But nobody out at night, and travel in pairs during the day just to be on the safe side if you're going out. Now, go freshen up girls, we'll have company any minute." and no more was said of the mysterious animal for the time being.
Tessie went by Miss Mae's office and checked in on Michael. He was playing quietly on the carpet with some wooden blocks. She closed the door quietly and went to go freshen up. Emmaline Stanford knocked at Tessie's door a short time later. She was wearing a new violet coloured dress her husband had just bought her. "Hello Tessie, how are you? How do you like my new dress? A present from Clive, come help me take it off." Tessie liked the pretty brunette even if she did like women. She would make small talk with the girls before her peculiar style of love making. Tessie rather liked it, the difference between being with a man and being with a woman was that a woman knows exactly what you like. She knows what's pleasurable because it's the same for her. After helping Emmaline remove her clothes, Tessie removed her own and the girls mutually touched and pleasured each other. Tessie had just brought Emmaline to her release when the door opened, and the girls gasped in surprise and stopped what they were doing as they looked to see the ugly face of Clive Stanford looking at them. "So, you're 'shopping' are you my dear?" Clive asked in his equally ugly nasal voice. "By all means, don't stop what you're doing. I'd like to see what's always got you running off to go 'shopping'. Miss Mae appeared behind him "Mr Stanford I-" He waved his hand to cut her off and pulled out a stack of folded bills which he handed to her. "Leave us Mae." he commanded and she did so. "Please, continue." he told the still shocked women as he closed the door behind him. "Mr Standford," Tessie began, "The customer is always right, isn't that the saying? I believe I am your customer now Miss Kincaid and unless you want to lose a very large commission as well as being punished by your employer, which I assure you, you will be if you don't do as I say, I suggest you do exactly as I tell you. Now, continue what you were doing." Tessie had done many things before, her body bared before many men, but this was something the likes of which had never happened to Tessie before. "He wants a show." she told herself silently, 'He wants me to put on a show, that's all it is. No need to feel shamed, no need to be embarrassed, I can do this. I'll give him a show." She spread Emmaline's legs as she had before and continued to stroke her most intimate region, to simulate love making with her fingers, to do as the other woman had taught her to do and to do it damn well. If Clive Stanford wanted a show, then he'd get a show!
The other woman moaned helplessly, though she tried not to. Faster went the rhythm of Tessie's fingers, deeper. Louder moaned Emmaline, feeling herself getting closer to her release. Out of the corner of her eye Tessie noticed Mr. Stanford had undone his trousers and was now stroking himself. "I must be doing a good job." Tessie thought, "Let's see what he thinks of this." While still pleasuring Emmaline, Tessie closed her lips over one of the other woman's taut nipples. She licked and sucked and pulled at the beaded flesh with her teeth, making Emmaline moan all the louder and her husband even moaned himself. "Mr. Stanford," Tessie called over her shoulder, "Come, take me while I pleasure your wife." and Mr. Stanford was only to happy to do so. With him behind her she wouldn't have to look at the ugly little man and his exceedingly ugly (and rather small) organ, and by bringing him the utmost pleasure, she could be assured of a very generous session's pay. Emmaline cried out her release and Tessie called out to her husband, "Take her Mr. Stanford!" Emmaline shot her a dirty look before Tessie pinched the tiny pleasure center hidden in her damp folds, causing her to cry out in pleasure. Mr Standford would think it was because he'd entered her, but really, Tessie doubted if he could bring any woman pleasure. He certainly had never brought Tessie any. She'd learned long ago that you had to put on a show if you wanted men to think they'd get their money's worth. Some men were so stupid they didn't know the difference. She never had to put on a show for Quentin. Oh here she was thinking about Quentin again. Luckily Mr Standford spent his seed inside his wife rather quickly and was satisfied with the women's performance as he re fastened his breeches and helped Emmaline re don her clothes rather soon afterward. Tessie supposed Emmaline would be angry with her after she left with her husband, but really what else could she have done? The man was absolutely loaded with money, and with little Michael to take care of, Tessie found herself thinking about money more and more lately. "Any mother would do the same." she told herself silently, "Any mother would do all she could to keep her child well fed and clothed and happy." Even make that hideous Mr. Stanford think he was a good lover. Tessie laughed out loud at the thought.
There was a knock at the door. "Enter." Tessie called still giggling. The door entered and Quentin Collins came into the room. "What's so funny Tessie?" he asked. "I could really use a good joke right now." "Quentin!" Tessie squealed and flung her arms around him. "I haven't seen you in ages! Oh! Quentin, what's wrong? You look horrible!" "Do I?" He asked as he helped himself to the decanter of brandy on the small table. "I feel horrible. You have no idea what I've been though Tessie, no idea at all." "Well," Tessie purred as she sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her invitingly, "Why don't you come over here and tell me all about it?" "I really wish I could." Quentin said as he looked at her. "Make the world go away Tessie." he said as he threw back the remainder of his brandy, "For a while at least." Tessie was sad when he left her, she wouldn't see him again til a few months later. A lot of things had happened in that time. Laura Collins had mysteriously left Collinwood. That made Tessie very happy. She caught a glimpse of her once before she left, "The rumours about her and Quentin must have been wrong." Tessie thought, "I don't think she's pretty at all, and she acts like she's Queen Victoria herself. I don't see what Quentin could see in her, she's as stuffy as Edward. That must have been the attraction for him. Well I'm glad she's gone, good riddance." While the exit of Laura Collins may have been a happy occasion for Tessie, the mysterious death of Quentin's younger brother Carl was not. Carl was childish, a bit obnoxious with his love of practical jokes, but his death was mourned at the house. It most have been about a month or so after Carl died that Tessie saw Quentin again. If it was possible for Quentin to look worse than he had the last time she'd seen him, he certainly did. It was just her luck that the other girls were busy when he came. Even when he was drunk as a skunk Quentin was a good lover, and he was certainly drunk now. "Tessie...." he murmured as he entered her room and practically collapsed on the bed. "Tessie, fix me a drink will you?" "Now Quentin, you don't really want a drink do you?" she said as she ran her fingers up and down his chest. "Damn it Tessie! I said fix me a drink!" he exploded. He must really need a drink, Tessie thought nervously, he's never yelled at me before. She shakily poured him a glass of brandy and watched as he drained the glass in one swallow. "Aww Tessie," he said softer now, "Did I scare you? I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to do anything...." he trailed off. "Or did I? Did you know that my brother Carl is dead Tessie? Of course you did, everyone does. You have no idea what my life has been like these past few months, there's no way you could know. " "You know what I need Tessie?" he asked her, "a good fuck to take my mind off my troubles!" he gave a little bitter laugh and threw his empty glass against the wall, shattering it before he grabbed her roughly to him and spread her legs. "Make me forget Tessie." He said with a rough passion in his voice, "Make me forget I'm Quentin Collins, make me forget my cursed existence. Make me forget what I did to Carl." Tessie was starting to get scared. He couldn't mean that he'd murdered his brother could he? No, not Quentin. Not her Quentin. She shouldn't feel scared, not when she had him to herself for the moment, not when he was driving himself into her like a madman. Not when he curled up like a small child with his head in her naked lap and fell asleep after. He looked so peaceful when he slept. If only he could be so peaceful all the time. "Oh Quentin," she whispered to his sleeping form as she gently ran her fingers through his hair, much like she did with Michael, "I'd do anything to make you feel the way you did before. To make you happy, oh I'd make you so happy." Quentin had just begun to stir a short time later when Tessie's door, which hadn't been all the way closed, was pushed open and Michael came toddling into the room. "Mama!" he squealed and tried to climb up onto her bed. "Who's that mama?" he asked pointing to Quentin. Quentin looked at the child and then at her. "Mama? Tessie you're a mother?"He looked sad for a moment looking at Michael. Lily came running into the room looking apologetic. "I'm so sorry Tessie, he got away from me." She quickly led the boy out of the room and shut the door behind her tightly. "I, well sort of." Tessie explained all about Michael to her. "So, he's Trask's child?" Quentin asked incredulously, "Who'd want to copulate with him? Oh, sorry Tessie. Look, I hate Trask as much as you, Hell possibly more. The man's my brother in law now. I want him out of my house, out of this town. If only there were some way we could run him out of town." "A ha!" he shouted, "I've got a perfect idea. It won't be too nice for Judith, but as long as it gets that hypocrite out of Collinsport I'm all for it." "What is it?" she asked eagerly, she was willing to do anything to get rid of Trask, to make him pay. "Alright, here's the plan. I'll take you into Collinwood the back way and sneak you into Trask's room. Then all you have to do is climb into his bed and look like you're waiting for him when I arrange somehow for Judith to come in and discover you. He'll be out of our lives quicker than you can count to three. Especially when I threaten to expose him and embarrass Judith. Oh, she won't stand for that. What do you think my dear? Is it a plan?" "It's a deal." she agreed, and they sealed the deal the only way they knew how.
A month or so after Michael had joined their family the house was hit with more bad news. It appeared that there was a wild animal loose around Collinsport. Dorcas Trilling, a teacher at Worthington Hall, Trask's school had been discovered dead. The newspaper account didn't go into much detail except to say that she was been attacked by a savage animal and died of excessive blood loss.
"I don't want any of you out at night for any reason. Is that clear?" Mae told the girls. They nodded, they all understood. Collinsport was getting less and less like the quiet, safe little town they'd all grown up in. It was becoming a very dangerous place to live. "Do you think it's the same animal that got Evie?" Lily asked. "I don't know, possibly." Mae answered. "But nobody out at night, and travel in pairs during the day just to be on the safe side if you're going out. Now, go freshen up girls, we'll have company any minute." and no more was said of the mysterious animal for the time being.
Tessie went by Miss Mae's office and checked in on Michael. He was playing quietly on the carpet with some wooden blocks. She closed the door quietly and went to go freshen up. Emmaline Stanford knocked at Tessie's door a short time later. She was wearing a new violet coloured dress her husband had just bought her. "Hello Tessie, how are you? How do you like my new dress? A present from Clive, come help me take it off." Tessie liked the pretty brunette even if she did like women. She would make small talk with the girls before her peculiar style of love making. Tessie rather liked it, the difference between being with a man and being with a woman was that a woman knows exactly what you like. She knows what's pleasurable because it's the same for her. After helping Emmaline remove her clothes, Tessie removed her own and the girls mutually touched and pleasured each other. Tessie had just brought Emmaline to her release when the door opened, and the girls gasped in surprise and stopped what they were doing as they looked to see the ugly face of Clive Stanford looking at them. "So, you're 'shopping' are you my dear?" Clive asked in his equally ugly nasal voice. "By all means, don't stop what you're doing. I'd like to see what's always got you running off to go 'shopping'. Miss Mae appeared behind him "Mr Stanford I-" He waved his hand to cut her off and pulled out a stack of folded bills which he handed to her. "Leave us Mae." he commanded and she did so. "Please, continue." he told the still shocked women as he closed the door behind him. "Mr Standford," Tessie began, "The customer is always right, isn't that the saying? I believe I am your customer now Miss Kincaid and unless you want to lose a very large commission as well as being punished by your employer, which I assure you, you will be if you don't do as I say, I suggest you do exactly as I tell you. Now, continue what you were doing." Tessie had done many things before, her body bared before many men, but this was something the likes of which had never happened to Tessie before. "He wants a show." she told herself silently, 'He wants me to put on a show, that's all it is. No need to feel shamed, no need to be embarrassed, I can do this. I'll give him a show." She spread Emmaline's legs as she had before and continued to stroke her most intimate region, to simulate love making with her fingers, to do as the other woman had taught her to do and to do it damn well. If Clive Stanford wanted a show, then he'd get a show!
The other woman moaned helplessly, though she tried not to. Faster went the rhythm of Tessie's fingers, deeper. Louder moaned Emmaline, feeling herself getting closer to her release. Out of the corner of her eye Tessie noticed Mr. Stanford had undone his trousers and was now stroking himself. "I must be doing a good job." Tessie thought, "Let's see what he thinks of this." While still pleasuring Emmaline, Tessie closed her lips over one of the other woman's taut nipples. She licked and sucked and pulled at the beaded flesh with her teeth, making Emmaline moan all the louder and her husband even moaned himself. "Mr. Stanford," Tessie called over her shoulder, "Come, take me while I pleasure your wife." and Mr. Stanford was only to happy to do so. With him behind her she wouldn't have to look at the ugly little man and his exceedingly ugly (and rather small) organ, and by bringing him the utmost pleasure, she could be assured of a very generous session's pay. Emmaline cried out her release and Tessie called out to her husband, "Take her Mr. Stanford!" Emmaline shot her a dirty look before Tessie pinched the tiny pleasure center hidden in her damp folds, causing her to cry out in pleasure. Mr Standford would think it was because he'd entered her, but really, Tessie doubted if he could bring any woman pleasure. He certainly had never brought Tessie any. She'd learned long ago that you had to put on a show if you wanted men to think they'd get their money's worth. Some men were so stupid they didn't know the difference. She never had to put on a show for Quentin. Oh here she was thinking about Quentin again. Luckily Mr Standford spent his seed inside his wife rather quickly and was satisfied with the women's performance as he re fastened his breeches and helped Emmaline re don her clothes rather soon afterward. Tessie supposed Emmaline would be angry with her after she left with her husband, but really what else could she have done? The man was absolutely loaded with money, and with little Michael to take care of, Tessie found herself thinking about money more and more lately. "Any mother would do the same." she told herself silently, "Any mother would do all she could to keep her child well fed and clothed and happy." Even make that hideous Mr. Stanford think he was a good lover. Tessie laughed out loud at the thought.
There was a knock at the door. "Enter." Tessie called still giggling. The door entered and Quentin Collins came into the room. "What's so funny Tessie?" he asked. "I could really use a good joke right now." "Quentin!" Tessie squealed and flung her arms around him. "I haven't seen you in ages! Oh! Quentin, what's wrong? You look horrible!" "Do I?" He asked as he helped himself to the decanter of brandy on the small table. "I feel horrible. You have no idea what I've been though Tessie, no idea at all." "Well," Tessie purred as she sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her invitingly, "Why don't you come over here and tell me all about it?" "I really wish I could." Quentin said as he looked at her. "Make the world go away Tessie." he said as he threw back the remainder of his brandy, "For a while at least." Tessie was sad when he left her, she wouldn't see him again til a few months later. A lot of things had happened in that time. Laura Collins had mysteriously left Collinwood. That made Tessie very happy. She caught a glimpse of her once before she left, "The rumours about her and Quentin must have been wrong." Tessie thought, "I don't think she's pretty at all, and she acts like she's Queen Victoria herself. I don't see what Quentin could see in her, she's as stuffy as Edward. That must have been the attraction for him. Well I'm glad she's gone, good riddance." While the exit of Laura Collins may have been a happy occasion for Tessie, the mysterious death of Quentin's younger brother Carl was not. Carl was childish, a bit obnoxious with his love of practical jokes, but his death was mourned at the house. It most have been about a month or so after Carl died that Tessie saw Quentin again. If it was possible for Quentin to look worse than he had the last time she'd seen him, he certainly did. It was just her luck that the other girls were busy when he came. Even when he was drunk as a skunk Quentin was a good lover, and he was certainly drunk now. "Tessie...." he murmured as he entered her room and practically collapsed on the bed. "Tessie, fix me a drink will you?" "Now Quentin, you don't really want a drink do you?" she said as she ran her fingers up and down his chest. "Damn it Tessie! I said fix me a drink!" he exploded. He must really need a drink, Tessie thought nervously, he's never yelled at me before. She shakily poured him a glass of brandy and watched as he drained the glass in one swallow. "Aww Tessie," he said softer now, "Did I scare you? I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to do anything...." he trailed off. "Or did I? Did you know that my brother Carl is dead Tessie? Of course you did, everyone does. You have no idea what my life has been like these past few months, there's no way you could know. " "You know what I need Tessie?" he asked her, "a good fuck to take my mind off my troubles!" he gave a little bitter laugh and threw his empty glass against the wall, shattering it before he grabbed her roughly to him and spread her legs. "Make me forget Tessie." He said with a rough passion in his voice, "Make me forget I'm Quentin Collins, make me forget my cursed existence. Make me forget what I did to Carl." Tessie was starting to get scared. He couldn't mean that he'd murdered his brother could he? No, not Quentin. Not her Quentin. She shouldn't feel scared, not when she had him to herself for the moment, not when he was driving himself into her like a madman. Not when he curled up like a small child with his head in her naked lap and fell asleep after. He looked so peaceful when he slept. If only he could be so peaceful all the time. "Oh Quentin," she whispered to his sleeping form as she gently ran her fingers through his hair, much like she did with Michael, "I'd do anything to make you feel the way you did before. To make you happy, oh I'd make you so happy." Quentin had just begun to stir a short time later when Tessie's door, which hadn't been all the way closed, was pushed open and Michael came toddling into the room. "Mama!" he squealed and tried to climb up onto her bed. "Who's that mama?" he asked pointing to Quentin. Quentin looked at the child and then at her. "Mama? Tessie you're a mother?"He looked sad for a moment looking at Michael. Lily came running into the room looking apologetic. "I'm so sorry Tessie, he got away from me." She quickly led the boy out of the room and shut the door behind her tightly. "I, well sort of." Tessie explained all about Michael to her. "So, he's Trask's child?" Quentin asked incredulously, "Who'd want to copulate with him? Oh, sorry Tessie. Look, I hate Trask as much as you, Hell possibly more. The man's my brother in law now. I want him out of my house, out of this town. If only there were some way we could run him out of town." "A ha!" he shouted, "I've got a perfect idea. It won't be too nice for Judith, but as long as it gets that hypocrite out of Collinsport I'm all for it." "What is it?" she asked eagerly, she was willing to do anything to get rid of Trask, to make him pay. "Alright, here's the plan. I'll take you into Collinwood the back way and sneak you into Trask's room. Then all you have to do is climb into his bed and look like you're waiting for him when I arrange somehow for Judith to come in and discover you. He'll be out of our lives quicker than you can count to three. Especially when I threaten to expose him and embarrass Judith. Oh, she won't stand for that. What do you think my dear? Is it a plan?" "It's a deal." she agreed, and they sealed the deal the only way they knew how.