LADY ANN'S FOLLY: Chapter Ten - Part Ten

Elizabeth scowled up at the man she thought was her husband. “You should have told her you didn’t know where I— where Reggie was.”

Geraldine turned the door handle outside the room and found it locked. “Can I come in Howard?”

Hattie and Elizabeth shared a look. Elizabeth was becoming increasingly panicked.

“That’sh Mama,” said  Reggie. “We should let her in or she’ll get crossh.”

“No,” said Elizabeth. “She can’t see me like this. She can’t see Reggie in my body. You have to keep them out.”

Hattie folded her arms, enjoying the situation. “I don’t think that’s possible Elizabeth. We can’t hide in here. We need to open the door and play it out. When we work out the best way to change you back then we will do so. In the meantime you’re going to need to pretend to be Reggie.”

“No!” she hissed. “I can’t! I can’t act like a child. It will be humiliating!”

“Nobody will know that it’s you unless you tell them. Just keep your mouth shut. You look exactly like a little boy. Nobody will suspect.”

“What about me?” asked Reggie.

Hattie went to him, amazed by the transformation she had witnessed but still finding it hard to believe. “You will need to pretend to be your aunt Elizabeth Reggie. Can you do that?”

He nodded. “Yesh. That’ll be fun!”

“Howard please,” said Elizabeth, tugging on Hattie’s trousers. “Don’t do this, for goodness sake.”

Another knock came at the door. “Howard? Are you coming out?”

“Yes, replied Hattie. She strode to the door.

Elizabeth saw this and fell apart. “No Howard! Don’t do it! Please!” Tears started streaming down her face and her voice rose in anguished pitch. “Don’t let them in!”

“You’re Reggie now,” whispered Hattie harshly. “Don’t give the game away.” Then she unlocked and opened the door.

Elizabeth was still wailing. Geraldine, Reggie’s mother stood waiting, and approaching behind her was her husband Patrick. Both of their faces darkened when they saw what they thought was their son throwing a tantrum.

“Howard,” said Patrick. “What the devil’s going on with Reggie? What’s he done now?”

“He, uh, doesn’t want to go to the picnic,” replied Hattie, relishing the interaction ahead of her, “and he’s got himself in a tiz.”

“Well I’m quite sick of this behaviour Reggie,” snapped Patrick, striding in through the door. “Either you start acting like a young gentleman or you’ll have to be taught proper manners.”

Elizabeth was inconsolable. She couldn’t believe she had found herself in this impossible situation, surrounded by scowling adults who were treating her as though she really were a child. And she couldn’t understand her husband’s diabolical treatment of her. Nothing was how it should be. She couldn’t stop wailing and as Patrick reached for her she struggled, screaming hysterically.

“Alright my lad, I’ve had just about enough of this.”

He hefted her up under one arm and walked to the closest sofa. Mind white with panic, Elizabeth thrashed and kicked, trying to get free and cried out even louder as he sat and bent her over his knee.

Suddenly her trousers were whipped down to her knees and even in her hysteria she realised what was coming.

“No!” she cried. “Please, don’t!”

WHACK!

Patrick’s hand slapped her hard on the rump. Elizabeth gasped from the impact and tremendous pain.

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

Patrick lifted her again and tossed her onto the sofa, red bottom still exposed.

Elizabeth lay there, whimpering, unable to comprehend the sequence of terrible events that had unfolded.

“You will act with decorum at all times from now on boy,” declared Patrick. “I won’t have you embarrassing your mother and me. Is that clear?”

Elizabeth didn’t reply. She could hardly breathe.

Patrick grabbed her by the arms and lifted her in front of his face, her little genitals and aching bottom still exposed. He shook her rigorously. “I said is that clear?”

Terrified of further violence, Elizabeth nodded her head desperately. “Yes. Yes. I’m sorry.”

Patrick stood and tossed her onto her back on the sofa where she lay, winded. He looked to the current Earl and Countess and said, “Apologies for that. You know boys. They get the idea that they have some control in their lives. From time to time they have to be taught that they have none.”

Elizabeth quietly sobbed, looking up at the towering adults.

“Sometimes a good sound thrashing is needed to teach them a thing or two and to be perfectly honest it does a man good to mete it out every once in a while.”

Hattie grinned back at him, her moustache curling up, and said, “I couldn’t agree more.”