The Infernal Devices Reimagined

Dishonor and Disgrace

In the failing light of the sunset, sleep loosened its grip on Tessa. A quick glance upwards confirmed that Nate was still in the land of sleep. Groggily, Tessa pushed herself into a standing position. Dinner would be soon, and the household would be horrified to look upon Tessa as she was now. She sought out Sophia and asked her to draw a bath.

Stripping off the gown, Tessa shuddered at the knowledge that she had worn it for so long. The gown was beautiful - once. It had been a long sleeved green silk gown with golden accents. All the heavy skirts collected together at her back to form a long train. Lady Belcourt must have looked radiant in it. Alas, now the magnificent train was in tatters, and after the ordeal with Mr. Herondale and the holy water, there were generous dollops of blood all over the front, too. Though she doubted that it would do much to restore it to its former glory, Tessa asked Sophia to have the gown washed and mended.

Tessa gently lowered herself into the bath. She had asked Sophia to make it blistering hot and was glad that the girl had listened. The intense heat and steam coming off the water relaxed Tessa in such a way that she had to fight to stop herself from falling asleep once again. Tessa scrubbed herself until her skin grew raw, determined to rid herself of the grime and gunk of de Quincey's estate.

Sophia helped Tessa into another borrowed dress from Ms. Lovelace and grimaced as the pale blue corset constricted her rib cage further and further. As Sophia brushed her hair, Tessa looked at herself in the mirror. This new dress had a neckline that was perhaps a bit more risqué than Tessa would have chosen for herself, and the creamy white lace that fell over her shoulders did nothing to prop the dress up. The skirt was the color of a lapis lazuli, with floral embellishments along every tier. It was quite exquisite - and heavy, of course - but Jessamine Lovelace didn't strike Tessa as the kind of woman who cared about the practicality of things.

After brushing Tessa's hair so much that it shone, Sophia excused herself to go help Agatha with dinner, and Tessa was alone and idle once again. Tired of being inside the house, Tessa threw a feathered hat on her head and headed out. I'll just wander the grounds, she told herself, going too far away might be dangerous. Tessa recalled how some vampires had escaped the estate - god knows how, the sun was shining - and they probably weren't too pleased with her.

No sooner had Tessa stepped foot outside that a strange rustle snaked within the brambles, sending her mind whirling through grotesque possibilities. Don't be daft, she told herself, most likely, it's the groundskeeper wondering why you're such a dunce. Thrusting her head into the sky, Tessa strode into the garden, but all her bravado melted away when the rustling persisted. Tessa forced the words "Thomas? Is that you?" out of her throat, and was answered by silence.

Now her fears didn't seem so foolish. But the vampires wouldn't be so foolish as to come up to the Institute itself, would they? It was the home of the Nephilim, after all. She said all these words to herself, but they did nothing to calm her racing heart. The crackling traveled through the bushes and seemed suddenly to surround Tessa. She spun on her heel, searching for a way to escape, but found none. When had she wandered so far into the grounds?

Wretchedly, Tessa ravaged her clothing for some sort of weapon, even a spare pin, but to no avail. With no means of defending herself, Tessa saw no reason to put the confrontation off for any longer. She threw herself onto the ground and pronounced that she was "their's to do as they pleased to, lest any harm comes to the Institute and its people!"

Tessa looked up to see the eyes of a squirrel looking down on her.

Getting onto her knees, Tessa looked around to see that an assortment of confused woodland creatures had answered her passionate cry and felt quite ridiculous. Laughing, Tessa returned to her feet, but there was no point in doing so when the shadow pinned her back onto the grass.