Levi tilted his head slightly and had to fight back laughter at the look of elation on Mrs. Peabody’s face. Finding his composure, he was able to look quite serious as he held his father’s tea. With his free arm, he draped it across the front of his body and used his other hand to hold the tea close to his face to obstruct the view of her nether regions.
“Dear Lord… and of course it is black tea.”
He continued to watch in fascination as the woman seemed to be quite close to ecstasy. His father’s procedures weren’t always orthodox but it seemed to keep his patients happy. Business seemed to be good, in any event. He almost jumped as the woman began to shout, a chuckle managing to bubble free from him. As his father retrieved his hand and began to wash it, he raised his eyebrow at the woman. Levi was beginning to see why she was a regular.
Looking back at his father, Levi followed him out of the observation room and passed off his tea while responding “You may find it curious that this woman lives alone at The Luxembourg Hotel. Angel, Demon, or Human, it is not safe for her to be alone if she truly has anything to do with Selene.” He stared at his father in hopes that he understood what his son was trying to say. “I think it would be wise if you went alone to investigate. I shall stay behind and see to it that there is a room arranged for her so that we may get to know her better. We wouldn’t want her to fall into the wrong hands.”
Levi looked at his father’s arm and began to chuckle. Reaching out, he clasped his father’s shoulder and pulled him closer “If I were you, I would have her start buying you drinks first. Or at least give her husband a call and offer some professional tips.” He smiled boyishly and winked at his father. Levi was finding quite a bit of humor in his father’s work.
Saffron lay in bed perfectly straight, her hands folded over her stomach. She was nude underneath the sheets, and she was feigning sleep. She’d been up for hours, but she didn’t want to speak with anyone. Finally, she opened her eyes, sighing slightly as she got out of bed. She put the sheets back to where they had been and walked over to the wardrobe, standing in front of it for a moment. The servants were ordered never to help her dress unless there was an event. In fact, they didn’t help her do anything unless there was an event. She sighed once more, grabbing one of her husband’s coat and slipping it over her form. Her hair was messy but in an what some might say attractive way. She ran a hand through the ginger locks before fastening the coat so she wouldn’t have to hold it. She left the bedroom and headed for the stairs, knowing where her husband would be almost intuitively.
Doctor Bianchi’s Office – Ground Floor
Milly ran after her as she entered Johnathan’s office, her bare feet making not a single noise on the floor.
“Mrs. Bianchi, the doctor is working-”
“I know.”
“See, he’s-”
“I know.”
“Well, you might not want to-”
“Milly.”
The maid girl stopped, panting slightly as Saffron turned and settled her delicate hands on the girl’s shoulder. “Mrs. Peabody is here. I know.” The girl curtsied but had managed to get Saffron to stop in the outer area of the office, where she stood and waited with the maid.
Johnathon didn’t seem to be either amused or bothered about Mrs Peabody, aside from getting a sore wrist. She did come about once a week for his treatments, and the entire staff knew of her antics. However, it paid well considering, and not only that, Mrs Peabody being such a gossip was sure to tell the ladies at her bridge club about how the Doctor treated her with such care and….warm hands.
Levi was amused by the situation, and found himself unable to let it go without comment and a cheeky wink.
“If I were you, I would have her start buying you drinks first. Or at least give her husband a call and offer some professional tips.”
“If her husband was a professional, then she would have no need to see me, Son.”
The Doctor had a point, and walked around his desk, taking a seat, where he had the files of the murder cases he had been brought in on as a specialist scattered. Levi’s information about this girl that had the likeness of the Saint Selene, couldn’t have come at a worse time. Considering the number of women that had been murdered in the past three months, any woman that was caught on their own at the wee hours, was at risk. Taking up his pipe, the Doctor started to pack it with tobacco, as he listened thoughtfully to his Son.
“I think it would be wise if you went alone to investigate. I shall stay behind and see to it that there is a room arranged for her so that we may get to know her better. We wouldn’t want her to fall into the wrong hands.”
Striking the match and then placing the pipe between his teeth and taking a few puffs, he narrowed his gaze at the black and white autopsy pictures that was sitting on the top of the pile. He knew that it was not their hands that a woman needed to worry about, but the weapon used by the attacker or attackers. What kind of fiend, rips the very heart from a woman, and then leaves her corpse for the rats of the night? It was indeed troubling.
“Good thinking Son. That is if I can locate her at the location you mentioned.”
He was about to reach for his cup of tea, when the door to his office Milly knocked upon the door.
“Enter”
“Doctor Bianchi, your wife is up and wishes to join you.” She dropped a curtsey on seeing Levi again. “Sir.”
“Ah yes, Mrs Bianchi. Do let her in.”
The maid smiled and then opened the door fully, so that Saffron could enter, as Mrs Peabody was leaving the observation room from a side door. She looked almost in a dream state and simply handed over the wad of pounds to Milly, singing softly to herself as she swanned out of the foyer, and out the front entrance door. When the door closed, Milly rolled her eyes, and went off to the kitchen to tell Cookie about the frightful sounds that came from the observation room earlier.
“Anyone would think the Doctor was strangling a cat, by the sound of that horrid woman’s voice.”
Back in the office, the Doctor stared at his wife, who was wearing one of his coats, and her hair looking unkempt.
“Did Mrs Peabody’s singing wake you? If so, I am terribly sorry, but I did make enough money for you to enjoy a night at the music hall this weekend.” He gestured for his wife to sit, as he picked up the autopsy photograph, and puffed on his pipe.
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