Madness Read Online Free Page B

demanded, taking in her dishevelled appearance and white face.
     
    “Never mind me, Antony. Lucinda’s been cruelly abused. The baby--”
     
    He immediately went over to the prone woman’s side, and demanded of the still glaring attendants that they get help.
     
    “We’re in charge of this prisoner,” one of them rumbled, pointing at the tall man still shivering against the wall weakly.
     
    Dr. Herriot shot them a lethal look of his own. “There are no prisoners here. Only patients. He looks to be fine. This one on the wall, however, is evidently a danger to all concerned, and must be subdued at once. At once, do you hear?”
     
    “You can’t order us--”
     
    “No, I can’t. But if you want to keep your job, you’ll follow Dr. Herriot’s orders. He is after all a very good friend of Alistair Grant the barrister, and the Duke of Ellesmere,” Gabrielle said coolly.
     
    For all they knew, she could have been bluffing, but their posture changed completely. The man's silent comrade gave him the nod, and they went off without another word.
     
    Antony heaved a sigh of relief and turned his attention back to Lucinda. “God, he really savaged her.”
     
    “I know. I tried to stop him, but-”
     
    Then she had noticed her companion sliding down the wall and slumping to the ground behind her.
     
    “Thank God. You’ve come for me. Thank God.”
     
    She stared at him in confusion. “I don’t understand. Come for you? No, you came to help us. But-”
     
    “I’m not mad. I’ve never been mad. They know I know things. They’ve left me here to rot. Couldn’t kill me in case they needed me. Please, I have to-” He clutched his head in agony now, and began to gurgle and choke.
     
    “Antony! What do I do?” she shouted in alarm as her enormous helper lurched forward and fell to the ground trembling.
     
    “Looks like a epileptic fit. Grab a spoon out of my bag and depress his tongue, then just stay with him.”
     
    His whole body began to buck and jolt under her as though charged with electricity, and she could see froth fleck his lips. She dived for the bag and the spoon, and managed to do as Antony had instructed her.
     
    “Are you all right?”
     
    “I’ve got him. I’ve got him,” Gabrielle insisted, waving her cousin away. “See to my sister.”
     
    “Are you sure?”
     
    “Aye. Make sure the baby isn’t harmed. And I want to see about getting her a private room. I don’t care if they are at a premium, or what it costs. Lucinda’s husband is going to pay if it’s the last thing he does.”
     
    His expression was grim. “You know he’s notoriously cheap.”
     
    “True, but also excessively concerned with what people think of him. He’ll pay, or face the prospect of a scandal. With him trying to win himself a name in the House of Lords, I think we can convince him to part with some of my sister’s dowry to provide better than a cot in the common ward.
     
    "My God, they don’t even divide the genders in here. Half of them are swiving, and the other half are abusing themselves right out in public!”
     
    “Or bloody killing each other,” Antony grumbled as a new fight broke out in the corner. Screams could also be heard echoing from the tiled bathroom.
     
    “Where the hell are those attendants?”
     
    “Evidently not wanting to have to wrestle with this beastly chap dangling here.”
     
    “But still, where the hell is everyone?”
     
    “Now, now, language, my dear.”
     
    “Don’t give me that, Antony! I can’t stand it when you become all protective and missish on me.”
     
    “Maybe if you were more missish, I wouldn’t have to be so protective,” he rejoined with a small smile.
     
    She glanced up at him, her expression serious. “I was a self-centred little belle until you took me in. Began to teach me. I don’t want to go back to that life. So please stop treating me like I'm made of fluff.”
     
    “I’m only sorry you didn’t come to me sooner.