It’s exciting to find out about relatives that you didn’t know you had. It’s even more exciting to find out that they have dark secrets; secrets that go back almost two hundred years.
Tessa was on a vacation road trip with her family. This year they were zig-zagging across the country visiting various distant members of their family. At one stop in a rural area they found out about the “black sheep” of the family.
While having lunch with a cousin of a cousin of a cousin named Rebecca Johnstone many blank spots were filled in on the family tree. Just as they thought they were finishing Rebecca’s grandmother took a look at it. She picked up the pencil and drew another branch on the tree; a branch close to the bottom. It was a branch that connected to the branch of Tessa’s family. It was a branch that ended abruptly. She wrote the name Sykes on it.
She explained that she was Johnstone by marriage but her family name was Sykes. They were the shame of the family and had been ignored for so long that they were almost forgotten. Many years ago the Sykes family was partners with their neighbors, the Henderson's, in a saw mill. A river ran between their properties and the mill was built on the river and used a water wheel to run the saws. The mill was in the family for several generations.
The families got along quite well and were not only business partners but also the closest of friends. But that was only six days a week. On Sundays they would have nothing to do with each other. One family was Catholic and the other Protestant. It was a time when religious differences were important and wars were even fought over them.
Religion was never mentioned and the families got along well until the inevitable happened. As the children became old enough they quit school to work in the mill. Boys and girls from both sides grew up side by side. Then a girl from the Sykes side fell in love with a boy from the Henderson side. They kept it secret hoping to someday have enough money to get away and leave their families behind.
It was only matter of time before they were found out. Suspicious behavior and mother’s intuition betrayed their illicit affair. Tempers flared and hostilities broke out. The mill shut down as the families battled; first with words and then physically. The boy was beaten up by the girl’s brothers. The boy’s family struck back.
One night in a rage fueled by alcohol the Sykes family attacked the home of their former friends. Shots were fired, people were hurt and some died. What had been seen as a simple disagreement in the community now came to the attention of the authorities. Arrests were made and children were taken away.
Tessa was fascinated by the story and was amazed to find out that this was the Sykes house that she was in. The river was a short walk away and the dilapidated old mill was still standing. As the conversation moved off in a different direction Tessa went to talk to Emma’s grandmother. She found out that behind the barn a trail went through the woods to the mill. Tessa had to see it.
It was several hours until supper so she had time to explore. She found the trail and was soon walking through the woods. In the distance she could hear the roar of the river as it spilt over the dam that held back the water for the mill pond.
When she came out of the woods it was one of the prettiest sights she had ever seen. The lazy blue river roared to life as it tumbled over the top of the stone dam. The old water wheel had stopped turning long ago but it had yet to fall apart and looked like all it needed was a push to get it going again.
The cedar shingles on the roof were green with moss and the old boards of the sides still showed traces of red paint. A door dangled crookedly from one hinge inviting her to enter. Over the door a faded sign read “SYKES & HENDERSON MILL”.
Tessa was cautious about falling through an old rotten floor but was delighted to find that the thick planks had aged well and they were still as sturdy as they were many decades ago. Soft sunbeams filtering through dirty windows gave a gentle glow to the dusty interior.
The mill had been closed in a hurry. Tools sat on the benches waiting to be used again and coats hung on hooks. Tessa walked around looking at her family’s history. She turned suddenly when a floorboard creaked.
Standing there was a handsome young man, about twenty or so; tall and muscular. He wore faded jeans and a blue plaid shirt with a red bandanna around his neck. Shiny black cowboy boots were lightly covered with the dust he had stirred up. A black cowboy hat sat crooked on his head. Tessa thought he looked really good except for one thing. In his hands he had a rifle.
‘What are you doing here?’ he asked ‘No one is supposed to be in here.’
‘I just came to have a quick look’ answered Tessa ‘I only just found out about this place today and I had to see it. It is part of my family’s history.’
‘So you’re from the Sykes side’ he said with a sneer ‘I’m a Henderson. You’re standing on the Henderson side of the mill.’ He pointed to the floor. A faint line of paint could be seen through the dust. It ran right down the middle of the mill. Knowing the family history she knew that line was significant. She was on the wrong side.
‘I’m sorry’ she apologized ‘I didn’t know. I’ll get back on my own side.’
Before she could move he said in a menacing tone ‘Anything on this side of the line belongs to the Henderson’s and that includes you’. He leveled the gun at her.
Tessa froze. She wasn’t sure if he was serious or joking. Either way anything she said could provoke him.
‘Stand over there’ he told her, motioning towards a dusty workbench with the gun. She moved over. He put the butt of the rifle on the floor and leaned the barrel against the work bench. Among the abandoned tools was a coil of rope.
Tessa looked at the doors. The closest one was on the Henderson side and he was between her and it. The door on her side was bit farther away and she didn’t think much of her chances of out running a bullet. He pulled a hunting knife out of a sheath on his belt and cut the rope into several lengths.
He went around behind her and pulled her arms around her back. He tied her wrists tightly. He placed his hands on her shoulders. He stroked her long hair. He fondled her neck. Tessa was horrified at his touch. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Tessa tried to wiggle away but he held on tight. He pressed his hands against her tummy and then slid them up to her breasts.
‘Please don’t do this’ she begged. He pulled off his bandanna and gagged her with it. It wasn’t a very effective gag and she could have screamed if she had wanted to but she didn’t. The gag was his way of telling her not to say anything. She remained silent not wanting to aggravate him. He put his hands back onto her breasts.
She tried again to pull away. He spun her around and gave her a kiss, long and hard, through the gag. He pulled her tight to his body, her breasts flattened against his muscular chest. His crotch pressed against her and she could feel his erection growing. It disgusted her. She was tempted to give him a knee to the balls but was afraid of how he might retaliate.
Suddenly he stopped. He was mumbling to himself and she couldn’t understand what he was saying. Then he pointed to an old chair. ‘Sit down’ he demanded. She sat.
He came around in front of her and dropped to his knees. He tied her ankles and her knees. He stared at her legs for a moment and then reached out with one hand. He put it on her calf. He began to stroke her leg. She twisted to get away from him. He roughly pulled her back again and glared at her. He said nothing but his threatening look told her he wasn’t pleased.
He began to stroke again, working slowly up towards her knee. He softly touched the back of her knee with his fingertips. A shiver went through her body. Tessa had to close her eyes and concentrate. She didn’t want to feel pleasure, not under these circumstances. She liked to be tied and she liked to be touched while she was tied but she wanted it to be her choice. Being taken by force was not something she welcomed.
He rubbed his hand along the outside of her thigh. Then he slipped his hand over and slid it between her legs. Tessa’s fear turned to anger. She squeezed her thighs tight on his hand to stop it. He glared at her with fury but Tessa did not back down and matched his gaze. She wanted him to know she was angry.
Then, for the second time, he stopped abruptly. He pulled his hand out and stood. He went around to the back of the chair again and started to wrap rope around her tying her to the chair. He was muttering again but she still couldn’t make out any words.
He came back around in front of her, sat on the floor and stared at her. Now he spoke loudly and clearly.
‘Our families were once like one family. This mill was their pride and their joy. Those were happy times. Then one of yours seduced one of ours. They knew that it shouldn’t be, couldn’t be, but they did it anyways. They defied the rules and destroyed everything.’
The anger in his voice scared Tessa. She twisted and turned testing her bonds but to no avail. There was no escape.
‘It was an old union of a Henderson man and Sykes woman that ruined everything but it will be a new union of Henderson and Sykes that will make this mill live again. When we get married our families will forget their differences and come together again just like it used to be.’
Now Tessa was very scared, this guy was crazy. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before she was missed. Hopefully Grandma Johnstone would remember their conversation and send people to the mill looking for her. He sat and stared at her. She knew that look. He was in love with her, a sick sort of love, a love that he had created in his delusions.
He rambled on about rebuilding the mill, having children and hiring family. Tessa barely listened; she had more important things to consider. Would he keep her here until her family came looking for her or would he take her away? If they came would they be walking into danger, the rifle was close at hand.
She lost track of time. Had he talked twenty or thirty or forty minutes? She had no way to know. Her hands were going numb from lack of circulation. Her ass was sore from the hard chair.
Then he shifted around, rising up to one knee in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees and looked into her eyes. ‘Will you marry me and be my bride?’ he asked.
What could Tessa do? She was bound and gagged at the mercy of an armed crazy man. She nodded her agreement. He smiled and stood. He kissed her on the gag. He moved around behind her and began to untie the rope that held her to the chair.
‘It’s time to go tell my father the good news’ he said. Then he gave a loud yelp in pain.
He fell against the back of the chair almost tipping it and Tessa over. He ran past her towards the rifle. She could clearly see a boot print on the seat of his pants where someone had solidly kicked him. As he turned with the gun a flying wrench caught him on the side of the head. His hat tumbled off and the gun dropped to the floor. He sank slowly down into a crumpled heap.
Blood oozed between his fingers as he held his head. He curled up into a ball and began to sob. A man, a much bigger man, walked over to him and kicked the gun away. Then he turned to Tessa. He was old with a grizzled beard and crooked teeth and a spark of intelligence in his eyes.
He began to untie her.
‘I’m sorry for that, I hope he didn’t hurt you’ he said in a deeply apologetic voice. ‘He’s my son and he’s a bit simple, sometimes he doesn’t make good choices. We’re the last of the Henderson's and he’s got it into his head that he needs to get himself a wife to keep our bloodline going. I usually don’t let him go far, I’m afraid of what he might do. When I saw that the gun was gone I came looking for him, I don’t like to let him go hunting by himself.’
Tessa shook off the last of the ropes he had loosened, stood up and removed the gag. She was trembling and still couldn’t speak.
‘Please accept my apologies and do what you have to do. Call the police if you must. Tell your family that nothing like this will ever happen again. I know now that I can’t watch him every minute of every day. We’re going to move somewhere that he can get the help he needs.’
‘Tell your family that if they want to buy my land I’ll give them a very good price.’
Tessa tried to speak but nothing came out. She was grateful but she had no words to express it and she had no voice to say them. She gave him a hug and left.
At the door she took one last look back. He was kneeling on the floor cradling his injured son in his arms. They were both crying.