I bucked wildly, lunged from side to side, attempted to kick him, but the way he was pinning my front to his, there was no way out.
I felt the second man come up behind me, calmly and systematically undoing the laces of my gown.
An alarm blared inside me and I struggled even harder, my eyes wide with fear. "No! Don't touch me! Stop!" My gaze met that of The Warden's over the first man's shoulder. He stared back with cold brown eyes, all effort to appear friendly gone.
Cold air drifted over my back and my heart almost exploded out of my chest. "Okay!" I shouted. "Okay, I'll put on the damn gown!"
The two men paused, looking to their boss.
The Warden took a step forward, a soft smile tilting up the edges of his thin lips. "You see what all your fussing causes?"
"I'm sorry," I whispered. The room suddenly seemed very small, very still, and it sent chills up and down my spine.
"I understand your initial hesitation," he said, his attempts at sympathy coming across as mockery. "But I cannot condone it. Go on, gentlemen."
"What—no!" I heard my beautiful ball gown tear as the man forced the fabric off my shoulders and down to my feet. Then more laces were undone and my corset with thrown to the floor, leaving me in nothing more than my chemise.
A bizarre feeling filled my body. It was as if I was completely present in the moment, yet completely separate from it.
Because surely this couldn't be happening to me. I was Elizabeth Gallagher, daughter of the sixth Earl of Sulhall. I was not about to be stripped in front of three men in the office of the most notorious mental institution in England.
Tilting my tear-filled eyes up to the man holding me captive, I begged softly, "Please."
The hint of a tiny grin danced across his mouth. He wasn't going to help me. Neither was his partner. Or The Warden. Or Carter, or Nathaniel, or anyone. No one was going to help me.
The back of my chemise tore and the man holding me captive against his body spun me around, facing me to his partner. The partner didn't even pause as he jerked the straps of my chemise down and let my last piece of armor fall to the floor.
The man holding me captive refused to let me lift my arms and cover myself. I shuddered, utterly exposed. Tears dripped off my chin and the edges of my jaw, splattering on the infuriating white floor.
The Warden came forward, not even attempting to hide the way his eyes leisurely strolled up my nude body, stopping when he met my gaze. "You are no longer in the royal court, Miss Gallagher. You are no longer under the protection of your father or your friends or even your king," he told me. "Now, you belong to me. And when I ask you to do something, you will do it. Do we understand one another?"
Shakily, I nodded, my throat too dry to even attempt to form words.
"Since I do not believe you were listening the first time I explained this to you, allow me to tell you what your life is going to be like from here on out." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Your bed is located on the second floor. Curfew is set strictly at ten o'clock. By then, you will be in your bed." He pointed a finger at me, like a father disciplining his unruly child. I only nodded.
The Warden went on, "All doors in the facility will be locked until the morning. Tomorrow, you will be awoken for your appointment with Dr. Peterson. He will evaluate your mental condition and prescribe which treatment he sees fit. You will be served your typical three meals a day. Otherwise, you are free to do as you wish. You may roam the grounds, relax in the common room, or go to sleep. Your choice. You are entitled to outside visitors for one hour once a week." He lifted his chin. "Have you any questions?"
I shook my head quickly.
"Very well." He gave a single nod to the man holding me. I was immediately released and my arms snapped up to cover my body.
The Warden tossed the miserable white dress at me, and I snatched it from the air, pressing it to my chest. The Warden smiled. "You will put it on now."
I didn't want to remove the fabric shield from in front of me, but I was terrified of what these men would do to me if I had the nerve to argue again. Quickly, I jammed my arms into the gown, forced my head through the fabric, and pulled the dress as low as it would go, straining it to go down past my knees.
Taking several deep breaths, I kept my eyes fixed on my hands, knuckles turning white from how tightly I grasped the hem of the gown.
The Warden watched me the entire time, his eyes burning into the side of my face. When I couldn't take the uncomfortable feeling anymore, I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Better?" he asked pleasantly.
Swallowing hard, I nodded.
"Excellent. Floyd, show her where she will be staying."
The man who had me pinned to his chest took hold of my arm again and shoved me in the direction of the door. I grunted as I stumbled.
The Warden held the door open for me, a bright smile twisting over his face. "Welcome to Bedlam, Miss Gallagher."
Chapter 1
Start from the beginning
