A surprise guest

"I suppose we could... see how it goes," the doctor said. "I'll take this for now."

He lifted the shawl from Kate's chest, very much lessening her relief, but she tried not to react too much. Nothing to delay him from taking the radical step of getting her clothes. maybe she'd even get out of here before her family started worrying, it'd be nice to never have to explain any of this.

He moved closer to the door...

And the door suddenly slammed open, and the doctor slumped, ****, to the ground. Kate gave a strained cry, hopes of being dressed dashed, as a familiar figure walked into the room.

"Well, well, and I thought I was the mad one," Alice said.

Kate blushed. She struggled against the padded cuffs again, failing to get any degree of freedom. Alice sauntered over, looking Kate over with an embarrassing lack of shame.

"Alice," Kate said, as gruffly as she could manage. "What are you doing?"

"Rescuing you of course, dear sister," Alice said. "I can't very well have you in here. Dreadful setting for a tea party. No, I have a much better place picked. Ooh! Now what are these?"

She jumped, clapping her hands delightedly, as she went over to the array of instruments by the wall. She pocketed a couple of the more lethal-looking ones, bizarrely fondly. Apparently she wanted to add to her collection.

Then she spotted something longer, blunter and bulkier. Her eyes lit up.

"And how did you get in here?" Kate said.

"Oh, how ever would I get into Arkham?" Alice said. "Absolutely the last place anyone would ever want me."

Okay. Point taken. She probably could just stroll in and people would assume she was a patient.

Couldn't she have waited until after Kate had gotten clothes?

Alice tapped a button on the long thing in her hands, and a sphere at one end started to buzz. She turned with a slightly manic smile on her face.

"I knew this place was old-fashioned, but wow," Alice said. "Used to treat for hysteria with these. Are you feeling very hysterical, dear sister?"

"I'm feeling annoyed," Kate said. "If you're here to rescue me, which I don't need by the way but feel free to start, uncuff me!"

"Oh, definitely hysterical," Alice said. She moved closer, and Kate suddenly recognized the wand she was carrying.

She'd read about that particularly story online. Apparently Arkham still treated for female hysteria, Kate wasn't sure how she felt about that. She just knew it was rather more embarrassing to have Alice matter-of-factly move the instrument to its intended destination, the vibrating tip buzzing loudly, and absently look Kate in the eyes to talk as if Kate wasn't squirming.

"Soon, dear sister," Alice said. "There's a small, teensy weensy fire on the other site of the site, once all the guards are over there we can get you out of here, and have the bestest tea party of them all. Won't it be grand?"

"Mmm, ahh, ahhh!"

"Exactly!" Alice said. "I knew I'd be able to get along with you sooner or later. Feeling less hysterical?"

Kate cried out, and was still shaking slightly on the bed when, satisfied, Alice returned the instrument to where it was.

"Can we go already?" Kate said, breathless.

That was... more enjoyable than she wanted to unpack just now, and also utterly humiliating. She squirmed against the cuffs again, hoping Alice would help for once. Once she was free, maybe she could at least get the doctor's coat.