Victorian Vignette [erotic fiction]

“Can we offer you coffee with your breakfast, ma'am?” You smile at the young waiter, hovering attentively, and nod. “Paper, ma'am?” “Yes please”, you reply, and it's handed to you as your coffee is served on the oak table in a little silver pot. You use the tongs to deliver one sugar lump into your bone china cup, add cream from the jug, and pour your drink. The waiter knows you like your usual paper folded and ironed onto the third page.

You look up from your enjoyment of the news, and glance around the room. It's a large space filled with people, some speaking in low tones, all of whom are relaxed and enjoying the sunday morning at their club. You lean back in the ancient green leather armchair, and adjust your bustle slightly. You have an hour at least, before the demonstration starts. You are looking forward to showing the good works that you've been doing with your husband.

The club members come and go, the room filling and emptying like a wave. Your dress rustles stiffly silken as you lean forward occasionally to take a sip of your coffee and turn the page of the newspaper. Your reading is interspersed by the courteous interruption of your colleagues as they wish you well with your experiment later today. You smile and nod, accepting their praise and excitement at your work gracefully, taking your high standing in the scientific community as your due, knowing the work you have done is making an important contribution to the academic and practical study of hysteria and kleptomania in females.

As the time approaches, you rise and walk through the club's breakfast room, the scents of lilies and coffee permeating . Your heeled and buttoned leather shoes make a distinctive sound as they hit the marble floor of the corridor, changing to a softer click once you reach the large area used for demonstrations and workshops, a balconied space with rich, lustrous rugs carpeting the floor.

A melodiously cheerful voice greets you.”Good morning once again, Mrs Harkness”. The speaker is a tall man, stocky, muscled, well over six foot, with merry blue eyes, a full mouth suggesting sensual depth, and jaunty dark brown hair. “Good morning once again indeed, Mr Harkness”, you say, with an undertone of amusement in your voice as you greet your husband. You indulge your eyes for a moment as you allow them to roam over his well-built frame.”Is the subject ready?” “Yes, she's contained and in position”, he answered. With a little sadness scoring his voice, he adds, “I only wish we could explain to her so that she would understand, this is for her own good. And the work we are doing is so very invaluable to the long term health of our dear nation.” You nod in agreement and walk over to the work table. The room is arranged with the space for the demonstration at the centre, the audience spaced out in a wedge shape rising up to the balconies in front. Your subject has already been prepared by Mr Harkness, his work as careful and meticulous as always. The female subject was selected from a small group under study, all of whom have been identified by you as suffering from hysteria (evidenced by the unreasonable crying and screaming during all of the experimentation so far), and kleptomania (the subject had repeatedly stolen bread and fruit from the marketplace in London near to the slum dwellings she lived in).

Today's subject was fair, slender but of the build of body suggesting this is dictated by lack of food rather than body type. Despite malnutrition, still heavy of breast and buttock. Mr Harkness has prepared the subject for the medical experiment which is to follow, by the use of a dentists chair, all heavy brass, iron and leather. The straps secure the subject at wrist, ankle, chest and forehead, for safety purposes. Wide and frightened eyes meet yours, almost animal-like in their intensity. Of course, the poor young woman can't be expected to understand the benefits to be gained from the development of this new procedure. She has had a minimum of clothing removed, purely to allow access to the necessary parts of her body for the experiment to work, leaving her with an underbust corset, garter belt, stockings, and soft slippers, all in cream, tied by ribbons, hooks and eyes.

As the audience begin to arrive and take their seats in a flurry of fabric - crinoline, whalebone, velvet top hats, wooden walking sticks - you identify several colleagues in the medical and scientific community, as well as friends and long standing supporters of your work, some of whom have donated generously to your research. The husband and wife team you comprise is highly respected and you have published in many journals of note.

Mr Harkness begins the introductory speech, as he explains the purpose of your work and the results so far. He tells the audience that initial findings indicate that the removal of sexual arousal in females suffering from hysteria and kleptomania can treat the symptoms of these diseases. Very few studies of female sexual arousal have hitherto been done, therefore stage one of the research is to explore this in more depth. Stage two is to remove e.g. satisfy the subsequent arousal. This particular female subject is part of the study, and so far, although the hysteria is still acute, during her period of incarceration she has not indicated any kleptomaniac tendencies, indicating further study is appropriate.

Mr Harkness takes your hand and kisses it, introducing you to the audience as his wife and scientific partner. You address the room briefly before moving on to Stage One of the demonstration. You deftly touch the ears, back and neck of the girl, stroking, scratching and stimulating. She has been prevented from disrupting the demonstration with noise by the insertion of a cleverly designed gag in her mouth. However, little noises of protest still escape. You observe and comment on the change in skin colour, and draw the audience's attention to the erect nipples of the girl, holding her breasts in your hands to show how the aureole has deepened in colour and her breathing has sped.

Mr Harkness, meanwhile, takes the electrical stimulator and applies it in rotation to various areas of the subject's body, beginning with her nipples, stroking upwards along the legs and arms, and finally between her legs. You observe and comment on the changes in breathing, as soft gasps issue from the woman. You dig your nails into her shoulders feeling a momentary possession and pride in the success of the demonstration so far, and the subject's clear arousal. You feel an urge to claw her breasts, rolling the nipples sharply between fingers and thumb, and you do this, seeing as you do so that her hips move gently against the leather of the seat. You knead the palm of your hand into her body, feeling the nipples become ever harder, and with your other hand you clasp her throat, filled with the power and the thrill. You could perform violence on this body right now, or you could give pleasure, the choice is yours.

Mr Harkness now shows the audience how visibly the subject is aroused by indicating the wetness flowing from between her legs. He stimulates the area just above this with the electrical device and shudders move through the girl's body. A flush has risen from her chest to her neck and shoulders, and now has reached her face, indicating sexual arousal is at its peak. You and your husband meet each other's eyes and with a silent agreement you move onto Stage Two of the demonstration. Mr Harkness talks the audience through what is happening, as you don a prototype device based on previous models designed to treat hysteria. A wooden rod is attached to a harness, which can be strapped around your corsetted waist. A wetness has begun between your own legs, which you note as an interesting side effect. Mr Harkness appears similarly affected, judging from the glance you cast at him.

Moving between the legs of the woman, you adjust the chair so that she lays back slightly. Her open legs are invitingly spread and you place your hands on her hips to settle yourself comfortably into the movement which is about to begin. Taking the rod in one hand, you use the other to spread her. You put the rod at the entrance to her body, place both your hands on the back of the chair, and lean forward, penetrating her. Mr Harkness' voice continues to explain, discuss, take questions from the audience but the sound recedes as you concentrate entirely on successfully concluding the demonstration. You knead the girl's breasts again and take handfuls of her hair, pulling it sharply, as your hips rock back and forwards, driving the rod in and out of her. Giving in to a sudden urge, you slap her sharply in the face and your own body reacts, a dropping sensation, and warmth spreading through you from the stomach down, becoming an unbearable tingle. You simply have to alleviate this almost painful ache, and just out of sight of the audience, you thrust your hand through the endless layers of petticoats and starched fabric, to rub frantically at the site of your discomfort. As you do this, you replicate the actions on the girl your wooden rod is still penetrating forcefully. Barely have you begun before a growing heavyness erupts inside you and you let out little sounds of delight, noticing on the edge of your consciousness that your subject appears to be undergoing the same experience, judging from the shudders rippling through both your bodies.

As the aftershocks recede, you re-arrange your modesty and lean forward, compelled by compassion to kiss the girl briefly on the mouth, allowing yourself the indulgence of biting her lips momentarily before you turn towards the audience and bow, as thundering applause swells and washes over you.

Another successful experiment, ongoing funding secured, a breakthrough for science and the medical community of England. Congratulations are abundant and well-deserved, as you toast your success before going in to luncheon.