LADY ANN'S FOLLY: Chapter Twelve - Part Two

Elizabeth had never been so despondent. The rest of the picnic was like an afternoon inside the gates of Hell. 

Without Howard or even the false Countess there to intercede on her behalf, and following the terrible wrath of Patrick, her new “father,” she was terrified to put a foot wrong.

She sat as quietly as she could, eating the food presented to her, while the adults ignored her. The time in her life when she had been a child was thankfully just a distant memory. All her remembered life she had enjoyed respect and high esteem. She had been a well behaved young woman and an admired and powerful woman. It was a painful difference now: this state she found herself in.

Her frame of reference was so low down now – her new body was so diminutive. She hated to see her short limbs as she reached for food, her chubby little hands and fingers. Worse; whether it was the fact she wasn’t used to her new limbs or that some habits of her new body were influencing her; she found that her coordination wasn’t what it should have been. When she put food in her mouth she found it hard to insert it carefully. Over and over again she found herself carelessly smearing the food around her lips, just like the real Reggie would.

It made her worry that her body wasn’t the only thing that had changed. She was pint-sized now; her head and her brain were smaller. Could it be that her mind had been transformed too; that she had Reggie’s brain now? It beggared her mind to imagine the repercussions of that. The brain stored all the memories and knowledge of her person. If her brain changed into Reggie’s then she might lose all her adult knowledge, her education. That was a grisly thought, though she consoled herself that she still retained her own memories. Her theory couldn’t be correct... unless the transformation somehow wasn’t complete; unless it was going to continue until she really only had the knowledge and education of a six year old.

Patrick and Geraldine chatted about the workings of Patrick’s mine in Blacklake. Elizabeth had never been that interested in such conversation but she felt even less inclined to listen now. She worried that it was because she was becoming more childlike so she did her best to pay attention but her mind kept wandering.

Felicity started pulling faces at her. The little girl was sitting with her back to her parents and she poked her tongue out, crossing her eyes. Elizabeth scowled and looked past her at Patrick. Patrick was going over the difficulties of transporting the freshly mined coal. Elizabeth concentrated, telling herself she was a grown-up on the inside, but Felicity was mouthing words now and Elizabeth’s eye was caught. She lost the thread of what the adults were saying. She scowled at the little girl.

Felicity was mouthing the words “Stupid little boy,” over and over again, making enough of a whisper for Elizabeth to be sure that was what she was saying.

She tried to ignore the girl but the taunting went on and on. Elizabeth’s ears grew hotter and hotter as she glared at Felicity. She was angry at the girl for doing it but the subject of the taunt made it all the worse. She hated being a little boy and she was terrified that she was going to become stupid like a little child. Worse, she simply couldn’t keep track of the conversation the adults were having and that upset her most of all.

“Stop it Felicity!” she snapped suddenly.

“REGGIE!” bellowed Patrick. “For God’s sake, what is it now?”

“Felicity’s making fun of me,” she whined, pointing her chubby hand at the girl and hating how plaintive and childlike her voice sounded; not just the pitch but the inflexion too.

“I’m not father. I’m just trying to enjoy the picnic,” said Felicity in a voice that dripped creepy faux maturity.

“I have had enough of this Reggie,” said Patrick. “Do you want another smack? Is that it?”

“No, but she was really making fun of me,” whined Elizabeth.

Patrick grabbed her by the arm and roughly pulled her to her feet. Elizabeth squeaked in panic, afraid of another gruelling punishment. Instead, Patrick shoved her hard off the picnic blanket. “Go and stand over there by yourself boy,” he said grumpily. “Go on. Over by the water.”

Elizabeth considered trying to explain again who she really was but was afraid of the man enough now to not want to risk it. She did as she was told and stood looking back at them.

“Turn around and face away,” said Patrick. “If you can’t act like a gentleman when you will be treated like a child.”

Elizabeth pouted but did as instructed. She stood there with her hands at her sides feeling ostracised and alone. It wasn’t fair. It was all Felicity’s fault but she couldn’t convince them of that. They thought she was a naughty little boy and that was how they were treating her.

I am just a little boy now, she realised, a gentle buzzing coming from the back of her neck. Until I change back I can’t expect to be treated as anything but.

But the thought of that made her even more despondent. She couldn’t be sure she ever would be able to change back. She might really have to spend the rest of her life as Reggie, growing from little boy to man.