A Devastating Discovery.

Anna went for a ride, going farther than she had ever gone before, even into the next county, but her mind had been on other things. She rode across the river and then, minutes later, turned to go home, crossing it once more, followed by her dog. She rode into the stable-yard almost three hours after she left, then learned that she had been gone not just three hours, but more than two weeks. Impossible! She recollected none of that. Surely, they were mistaken. They pointed out strange things about her she had not noticed. She was dressed differently than when she had gone out on her ride, and much more fashionably. She was wearing jewelry that she could not remember and that did not belong to her; even a large ring, as though she were married. She was also riding a different and much more notable horse; not Peony, her mare that she had gone out on, but a jet-black gelding, Tornado, and she now had a large dog, Samson, that refused to leave her side and was defensive of her. She noticed other changes; changes in herself. She felt more assured, decisive, and outspoken where she had always tended to be cautious before, even shy of putting herself forward and often taking too long to mull things over in her uncertainty. Those were not the only surprises, but it took several weeks for her to learn the rest of it when she came down sick, one morning. She was pregnant? She had no recollection of anything happening to her like that, and she was sure she would have. Gradually, the memories began to return, but there was no memory of this unknown man who haunted her mind and filled her every dream, coming to her as she slept, but gone, when she awoke.