Answer:
When Isabel wakes up, she realizes to her horror that she's slept late—and Ruth is nowhere to be found. When she confronts Becky about Ruth's whereabouts, Becky dances around the question until Isabel finally demands an answer. It is as she fears: Madam sold Ruth the night before and has sent her to the West Indies. Becky's theory is that the milk had a sedative mixed in with it to knock Isabel out and keep her from interfering. Ugh.
Isabel confronts Madam about the news. In her anger, Madam grabs a painting off the wall and smashes it over Isabel's head, so Isabel runs out of the house and into the street, not caring about how badly it looks to be a slave running down the street as Madam Lockton chases you.
In her mind, there's only one clear solution to all this: Go to Colonel Regan and demand that he make good on his promise. She goes to his headquarters and shouts the ad astra code until someone lets her in and takes her to the Colonel. Before she even gets a chance to open her mouth, though, Madam barges in and demands to know what's going on.
Madam berates Isabel to Regan for her disobedience, while Isabel begs him to help her. Regan's sentries, though, pressure him against keeping his promise. He tells Isabel that his hands are tied—by law, he can't interfere with Madam's property (that's Isabel, in case you forgot).
In one last attempt at freedom, Isabel runs for an open window and almost makes it out before being pulled back in.
Explanation:
all based on research
