"No," said Frederick, dropping his eyes. "No, of course not!"
Tessibel bent her head to receive the last brutal stroke he had to give. She moved but uttered no sound.
"Well, do you love her then?" demanded Madelene.
And Frederick, not daring to look at Tess, repeated, "No, of course not.... Don't be a fool!"
"Then, what do you want of him, girl?" Madelene cried hoarsely to Tessibel. "You've heard what he said."
Tess thought she was going to die. All the awful hurt which had lain dormant for so many weeks rose up with ten thousand times the vigor. It was as if Heaven had belched out flames to consume her, and she knew there was no escape from this thing that had come upon her. Frederick had not only repudiated his love for her, but his baby too. She threw back her curls with a proud gesture.
"I don't want 'im," she said straight to Madelene. "Take 'im away an' don't let 'im come here any more."
When Madelene started to speak again, Frederick shoved her from the hut into the gray day. He turned once and looked at Tess. She was just where he'd left her, her eyes brimmed with sorrow and her teeth locked tightly together.
Then the door banged shut and she was alone in the kitchen. A little later she heard as in a dream the sound of horses' hoofs retreating far up the lane. Then all the powers of darkness closed in about her, and malicious elfin voices chattered her shame in her ears. Frederick had repudiated her and his child and had gone! Tess staggered forward, and a few minutes afterward, when Andy slipped down the ladder, he found her curled up on the cot insensible, her face shrouded in red curls.