Mansion House, Dublin

The doors opened and the men dragged her out. She was blinded by the light at first, but soon saw that she was being dragged through the large double doors of a mansion house. They opened into a large hall with a high ceiling and bare brown walls upon which hung dirty oil paintings of monks and nuns. The men dragged her in roughly by the ankles and as the doors were slammed shut behind her, tossed her down on the floor. "Take her to the dining hall Brother Arnold." "Yes, Father." Brother Arnold grabbed Maria's wrists and hauled her through the hall and down a corridor, then he flung open a door and threw her into a room full of men sitting at long trestle tables. They all wore brown robes with loose, brown cords tied around their waists. Father Thomas came into the room and stood at the door. "This child needs some intensive training, Brothers. She has found too much pleasure in our punishment and she has to be ready for the Mistress soon. I implore you to help her expel her dreadful fantasies, to make her ready to serve as a slave and bring her to salvation." "Ah, a muddy slave to be sure," said one. "Filthy little slut!" said another ...»