The odd sound of tinkering could be heard if one put their ear to the door. And there was an ear to the door. Maid Milly, who had been passing the doctor’s office numerous times with linen and bed clothes to take to the wash room, could not get over the strange sounds that the Doctor was making. With a wide eyed expression, she could be seen – dressed in her customary black dress with white blouse beneath and frilly maid hat, straining to hear the next curious sound.
“Milly gal, what ya be doin’ eaves droppin’ on the Doctor?”
It was Mrs Marsh, the cook who was tapping her foot with folded arms – a frown on her face.
“Can’t you hear that? Sounds like he is building a train set.” The young maid said, hearing another steam blast come from within the room. Mrs Marsh blinked, and she too then leaned up to the door to listen. Both women glanced at the other, when they heard a chuckle and then more tinkering from within. The tapping of a hammer on metal, and then the whoosh of steam, along with….pistons? “Isn’t he a bit old for trains?” Mrs Marsh whispered, whereas Maid Milly thought it was cute. “Every man needs a hobby, and what with the death of the lady of the ‘ouse, he does need something to do.” Both women shrugged and continued to listen in.
Suddenly, the door flew open and the Cook along with Maid Milly both fell through the door. Landing with a loud thump and crash, Doctor Bianchi was shocked to see his hired help sprawled on the floor. Groaning, with her hat now crooked, Mrs Marsh tried to push herself up, but Maid Milly was partly ontop of her. “Get off me!” The Cook blurted, while Maid Milly was trying to get up on her own.
“Ladies..?” Johnathon was surprised that they came tumbling through the doorway like that. He reached down to help up Milly then Cookie. “There is such a thing as knocking.” Righting themselves, the Doctor tilted his head, as he asked.
“Care to explain?”
Maid Milly stuttered and blundered while Mrs Marsh took the heat. “We heard you were making something and…we…were trying to hear better.” Not much of an excuse, but it was the only one she had. The Doctor couldn’t fault them for curiosity, it was part of human nature. “Ah, well let this be a lesson, that eaves dropping can get you in strife.”
Looking past the Doctor, Maid Milly saw a table that had on it a small steam powered machine. It was still whistling and steaming as the small pistons were moving back and forth. It certainly wasn’t a train set. “Doctor, what is that?” The maid pointed at the contraption with a quirked brow and questioning expression.
Doctor Bianci looked back and then took out a rag to wipe his hands.
“That…is the answer to my biggest dilemma.” Johnathon said with something of grin.
“I thought your biggest dilemma was Mrs Peabody.” Maid Milly said, Cookie nodding in agreement.
“Oh..she is, and this is going to help me deal with her more effectively. Last time, she kicked out so hard it knocked me off my feet. Not to mention the strain on my right wrist.” The two women glanced at each other, then at the machine. They had not seen anything like it before, and were both curious as to how it works. Doctor Bianchi watched both ladies with something of a smug look.
“Would either of you care to be my experimental patients for this procedure? Rather not test it on the primary patient. It’s not quite right.” That didn’t sound encouraging, but both women were always keen to help the Doctor…for science.
Mrs Marsh contemplated this for a moment, while Maid Milly blushed the colour scarlet. “But Doctor, I’m still a……a…” That counted her out. The Doctor shook his head and patted her shoulder gently. “That means Cookie gets to be my little guinea pig.” Mrs Marsh was lost for words, but Maid Milly was encouraging. “I’ll hold your hand.” Cookie wasn’t too sure, but the Doctor made a pleading face. “Please?” Milly pipped in. “Think of it like this…if the Doctor pulls this off, you could be famous. The first woman to be pleased by a machine.”
“Since you put it that way. I admit, Mr Marsh hasn’t pleased me since…since…come to think of it, he hasn’t ever.”
“It’s your lucky day then.” MIlly giggled, as she led Cookie into the treatment room.
The Treatment Room
Maid Milly helped to get Cookie up on the observation table, which had stirrup for her ankles, and a delicate rose colored tent that covered her more private areas from view. In the background, Doctor Bianchi was trundling in the machine that was still on the workstation trolley. It really was a work of art. A large cylinder for the water, and then a motor that looked much like a steam train’s engine, with pistons and wheels. It was fascinating, as it was intimidating. There was a special wooden attachment, that the Doctor was greasing up with Oil of lily and Musk oil. This was applied liberally to the surface and then the Doctor wound the wooden attachment into the holding chamber – locking it into place.
“How are we going there, Cookie?” The Doctor asked, as she was spread eagled beneath the tent.
“Nervous, just…take it easy. Please?” She looked a little pale, probably from nerves.
The Doctor lined up the appendage and then opened the small flap of fabric to the tent that protected Cookie’s lower area.
“Milly come start the engine please?”
Milly trotted over and saw the on switch, flicking it as the steam valve whistled and it slowly started to turn the pistons. A whistle and the Doctor placed the appendage up to Cookie;s opening.
“And here we….go.” He turned up the speed slowly, and suddenly Cookie let out a squeal.
“Oh…my!”
Milly was like a cat on a hot tin roof, running back and forth, as the Doctor watched the clock, and started to increase the friction gauge.
“Steady she goes..”
~VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!~
“OOOOOOOOOOOOHHH MYYYYYYYYYYYYY” Cookie let out a roar as she gripped the tent sheet and her head lolled back and forth. Doctor Bianchi started taking notes, while Milly looked stunned by Cookie’s reaction.
“Never seen her go this pink before.”
“Indeed. Bit more power, Cookie?”
“TALLY HO!…FASTER!”
“Right…bit more speed.”
“YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! OH YESSSSSSSSSSSS!”
“She sure is happy, Doctor.”
“Indeed. More power.”
“GOD…JESUS…MARY……LORRRRRRRDDDDDY!”
-Clock is ticking.~
Maid Milly wipes Doctor Bianchi’s brow.
“More power Cookie?”
By now the pistons are going full bore and Cookie is thrashing about wildly.
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”
The machine couldn’t go any faster, but by the look of Cookie, she had reached nirvana.
“Oh…oh…oh…oh…” She was going crosseyed and the thrashing subsided. The Doctor turned off the machine, and then smiled as he took more notes. Cookie had a smile on her face, that you could not wipe off.
“I think it’s a success, Doctor.”
“Indeed.”
<3>
