### Clue: Die long time after the Hardy girl (7)
### Answer: TESSERA 
 ### Explanation: Definition: Die
  ERA(a long time period) **placed after**(after) TESS(the girl, heroine, in English writer, Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles)
Defn:  A die (singular),a small piece of bone or wood used in classical times as a token, or counter.