Kitty had been at Dona's house for some weeks now and she was starting to get bored. Two of Dona's friends had arrived, twins the same age as Kitty but they only seemed to speak French and all four went out together most days leaving Kitty behind and feeling glum.
One morning they were all seated around the dining table having breakfast while Dona opened letters. "Ah," she exclaimed, "Debutante time at last! Listen mes filles we have a candidate for hysteria treatment coming tomorrow. Fun n'est pas?"
Rose translated to the twins who giggled together but Kitty's question ended with an "Oh nothing dear," from Rose.
Kitty sighed.
#
Kitty had explored most of the hidden passages in the house but not the hysteria rooms and later after the others had gone out she went for an explore. The hysteria treatment room had a front entrance to the street, locked of course, and another entrance from Dona's study, also locked so Kitty had to roam around the passages in that part of the house looking for egress. Eventually, after much prodding at the walls, she found it – a passageway that lead to a small room looking into the treatment room with a dust-encrusted camera. Some button-pushing on the wall opened into the treatment room.
It was well-appointed, like a doctor's surgery lounge with a chaise longue, comfortable chairs, tables etc., all very civilized. In a cupboard she found boxes of business cards one for the treatment centre saying "Hysteria Treatment for Young Ladies, Debutantes a speciality," with Lady Dona's name on it and one for "Ladies' Maid Training and Recruitment," with an address just outside town and two names on it Lady Dona and a Lord Grey.
Rummaging around further she found a strange device under the table. It had some kind of foot pump attached to a tube which ran to she knew not what, some odd device. In the cupboards nearby she found boxes of these things and one of the leaflets that came with it "Ladies' Hysteria Relief," it said.
Looking out of the door she saw an oddly long corridor to the treatment centre's office which had little interesting in it but tables and chairs, the locked door to Dona's study and the locked street entrance. Walking back along the corridor into the treatment room she noticed the treatment room's walls weren't papered. They were more like cushions with thick material studded into the wall like maybe someone didn't want sound to travel outside. Very strange Kitty thought.
Kitty took one of the business cards with her as she left and ran a finger through the dust on the camera, Dona's husband she thought but a long time ago.
#
After exploring she laid back on her bed frustrated. She'd always been overheated and the suggestive art in Dona's house was making it worse and on top of that now she was also curious about the treatment room.
The bell from the servant's quarters tinkled three times. It was a signal from the maids. It had taken her a while to understand what it meant but now she knew. She slipped out of her room and knelt behind the plants on the landing. Soon after the two maids arrived on the landing below and she watched them pleasure each other with her hand under her dress.
#
The next day her companions at breakfast all seemed excitable, chattering away in French as Kitty prodded away at her breakfast feeling excluded.
"It's time ladies," Dona said and they all trooped off.
Kitty waited a while for them to get away and then scampered after them to Dona's study and knelt and peeked through the keyhole to the treatment office. She couldn't see but heard someone say "Lady Catherine has been getting very excitable and rebellious recently." Kitty saw a young and pretty but grumpy-faced debutante in a chair next to Dona listening grumpily.
"Her mother thought your treatment centre might help."
"Certainly, you've seen all our recommendations?"
"Her mother has yes."
"Perfect, well one of my companions will wait with you here while we apply the treatment - help yourself to cake," said Dona.