If I Have To Marry The Duke Ch. 1

Still a Work in Progress. Trying to figure out my direction.

Chapter 1

     The smell of bleach stung the Dukes nostrils as he opened the heavy door and entered The Women’s Institute for the Mentally Ill. The white washed walls blinded him, just as the sun had done as he left his townhouse just a few moments earlier. Women in their white nurses’ outfits carrying charts and assortments of sheets, trays, and cups walked by all smiles for him.

     "Good morning, my lord." An elderly woman in her late 50s greeted him as she rushed forward. Richard, the duke of Canterbury, bowed gracefully to the women out of respect. His mouth was set in a firm line while his eyes looked cold as steel. "Whom do we owe our thanks to, my lord, for having you set foot in our fine establishment?" the nurse asks as he begins walking farther into the hospital, with the elderly women quick on his heels.

     "I’ve been asked by a friend of mine to check on his sister." He said, "He recently wed and is off on his romantic honeymoon, thinking I am suitable for such a task." Richard added, the sound of impatience and sarcasm laced in his voice. The nurse bit her bottom lip and set her self for the rage that was bound to come from what she would report.

     "I’m sorry my lord, but only family is allowed past that door." She told him, pointing to the said door through which all the patients could be found. The cold gaze he directed towards her sent an unnerving chill up her spine.

     "Well I believe if you send for the women who actually runs this facility we could work something out." He said, his face never seeming to relax. The nurse, realizing an argument could lead to her dismissal, bows quickly before scurrying off. Richard took a moment to look around and decided that if the patients were not mentally undone before coming into the building the white walls would drive them over the edge. No color was observed at all. Even the workers wore white. White, White, and more White. As the thought was played over in the Dukes mind another women approached him.

     "My lord," she bowed gracefully, "Mrs. Jane Etherbaum at your service my lord." She introduced herself. Richard in turn returned the bow with his own. She waited for him to rise completely before speaking again. "I understand you have come to visit a patient?" Mrs. Etherbaum asked.

     "You are correct, madam." Richard replied. "My friend, Rhett Johnson, asked me to step in for his usual visit with his sister." Richard told her. Mrs. Etherbaum nodded with a frown.

     "Yes, I do believe I had spoken with Mr. Johnson about the matter." She said, "Unfortunately as I recall you have never visited with any of our patients. The girl would not know you." She told him. Though Richard was aware of this particular matter he had given his word he would go.

     "As I said before, madam, my friend asked it of me. Now if you please?" He motioned with his hand for her to continue. She looked at the door then back at him. He could see the matter weighing in her mind. "Mrs. Etherbaum, you have already said my friend spoke to you about the matter. You know as well as I that he wants this and has expressed his feelings quite passionately to myself." He said, pushing the answer.

     "Yes alright then if you will follow me please." She said. Richard nodded and she continued to the door. After unlocking and walking through Richard followed noticing something different. The walls were the same white as the waiting room but it seemed dimmer. Little windows sat at the top of the many doors lining the hall. Richard kept track of each turn they took and thought of how like a maze the hospital was. Richard could have sworn that he heard a faint scream but discarded the idea quickly. "Here we are my lord." Mrs. Etherbaum said, finally, stopping in front of one of the white doors. "You will have to forgive the state Miss. Johnson is in, she just returned from treatment." The women stated. She did not see the raised eyebrow of questioning that Richard gave to her back as she turned a key and unlocked the door.

***

     Elaine lifted her head up with much difficulty. She had just came back from her "treatment" and the pain of her body was excruciating. The nurse had come in to give her the prescribed medicine and she had fought back, like she did on most days. They had restrained and forced it in her, but not before gaining a few bruises, and not before bruising her. She was always defeated and after each beating she was worn out and hurt more. Someone was entering her room again, but she had no control to defend herself again.

     "What the hell has happened to her?" A male voice asked in anger from the doorway. Elaine remembered that her brother, Rhett, was supposed to come in today and that the last visit he mentioned something about his friend coming instead. She tried again to look at this "friend" but her head was to heavy. She couldn’t make out the reply from the women, but decided she didn’t care. Her battered and abused body was giving up on her. It had been so long since she had come to the institute, she couldn’t even remember how long. Rhett had come back but he, as well as she, had grown much and Elaine hadn’t even recognized him. He tried to get her to speak to him, but Elaine wouldn’t utter a word. Many long nights she yelled for help, when her mind was nearly, truly gone and her body felt as if it were being ripped in two. She had called but no one came. No one helped. Since then Lainey had learned to control her voice and not make even a sound.

     "Please, my lord, no reason to be hasty." The woman was saying. Lainey could hear the fear in her voice. The little tremble stood out and caught Lainey’s attention. "She has been taken care of in the best place for her." The women rabbles on, "She has no sense of survival. You must take it into consideration." She continues. Lainey finally makes the push to move and succeeds. She is staring at the man, into his handsome gray eyes that connect to hers. Silently Lainey pleads for help. No words uttered only the look.

     "If she has no sense why does she turn her head at the words, madam? Why does she fight with your nurses when they come to help her as you say?" The stranger asks harshly. He looked back at Lainey and her eyes must have portrayed the look of satisfaction they held, having someone say these words that she has attempted to get through to the nurses and guards. The stranger stands in the door. "I want you to have her papers ready when I come back, madam, as well as the doctor who signed them." He says. "I will arrive with my own doctor and he will produce a diagnosis for you on her current health, as well as require an explanation as to why she has been kept here for so long." He adds. A flare of hope goes off in Lainey as he says these words. She is nearly driven to tears as the two depart. If he held true to his word, She may just make it out of this horrid place in one piece as Rhett had said.

Reviews

[ShadowWolf]

This is a very good story! I enjoyed reading it not once but twice. Well written and it moves so smoothly.