Tessa returned something useful (5)
I believe the answer is:
asset
'something useful' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'tessa returned' is the wordplay.
'returned' says the letters should be written backwards.
'tessa' in reverse letter order is 'ASSET'.
(Other definitions for asset that I've seen before include "Useful item" , "Valuable possession, worth having" , "good point" , "- - -stripper" , "Item conferring advantage" .)