Elizabeth bennet shapech.., p.1
Elizabeth Bennet: Shapechanger, page 1
Elizabeth Bennet: Shapechanger
Jane Austen
Laer Carroll
Copyright © 2021 by L. E. Carroll
Summary: Jane Austen's books have been adapted to movies, TV, and plays. They've inspired others to retell them in their authors' own unique ways and to create companion books.
Elizabeth Bennet: Shapechanger tries to answer the question: If Elizabeth Bennet had become an immortal shapechanger before meeting Fitzwilliam Darcy, how would the events of Pride and Prejudice be different, how the same?
Disclaimer
All people, places, and events are fictional or used fictitiously. They exist in an imaginary alternate reality, and any resemblance to actual people and events is purely coincidental.
Credits
The background image of the covers was created from several public domain sources. The flying girl is art created by L. E. Carroll using Daz Studio, a 3D digital-image creation computer program. Studio is free. Hair and clothing were purchased from various vendors. All are available through daz3d.com.
All cover art is the sole creation of L. E. Carroll, who retains copyright as of 2021. It may be reproduced for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, but only if reproduced without any change except to increase or decrease its size.
Books
by Laer Carroll
Elizabeth Bennet: Shapechanger
The Eons-Lost Orphan
The Orphan in Near-Space
Voyages of the Orphan
The Once-Dead Girl
The Twice-Dead Boy
The Thrice-Dead Girl
The Super Olympian: Bloodhound
The Super Olympian: Mystic Warrior
Sea Monster's Revenge
Shapechanger's Birth
Shapechanger's Progress
Shapechanger's Destiny (forthcoming)
Dedication
This book is for my daughter in law Clarisa, mother, wife, entrepreneur, and an all-round awesome person.
Act 1 - First Impressions
Chapter 1 - News
Elizabeth Bennet heard a very interesting conversation between her mother and her father while she sat in a swing reading on a midsummer day in 1813.
The swing was suspended from a limb of the old oak tree in the far corner of the rear garden, the nearest outlier of a small decorative wood further from the house. She was over a hundred feet away and they were inside the house, but such was no problem for her. The study was on her side of the house and its windows were open.
Too, she'd fallen from a tree two years ago, thus killing herself, and returned to life. Since then she'd become unnaturally able in many ways.
Her mother was speaking to her father from the doorway into his study.
"My dear Mr. Bennet. Have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
"I confess that I have not."
"But it is, for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
A slight rustle of a newspaper betrayed her father's wish to return to it.
"Do you not want to know who has taken it?!"
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
Further conversation revealed that a rich Mr. Bingley from the north of England intended to take up residence before the end of September. Being single, it was obvious that he should marry one of their daughters. Thus Mr. Bennet must visit Mr. Bingley as soon as possible.
Mr. Bennet was having nothing of such a course of action. He responded with capricious arguments and some sarcasm. Mrs. Bennet tried further arguments, to no avail. Exasperated, she left.
Eliza began pumping up the swing's action, thinking about the changes which would surely take place with such an extraordinary intrusion into the web of local society. Beneficial or not? That would depend on Mr. Bingley's nature and of those he brought with him. Money would flow into the area, exerting its usual magnetic influence on people, both good and bad.
She noticed that she was going quite high. She began counter-pumping to slow her swings. When the pendulum action was much reduced she arched her body and flipped herself out of the swing. She landed smoothly, flexing her legs to absorb her impact and running a few graceful steps.
She wondered if Mr. Bingley had pretensions to reading. Surely a man of much property would have a library superior to the local worthies with similar pretensions. She wondered if his library had books and magazines and newspapers she had not yet encountered.
Sufficient reason for her to urge her father to visit Mr. Bingley. She set off at a smooth stride for the house. Absent-mindedly she lengthened the nails of a thumb and forefinger and sharpened their edges. Thus equipped with natural scissors she sliced through the stems of several flowers to create a bouquet for her father. Perhaps this would sweeten his disposition sufficiently for an effective appeal.
Chapter 2 - A Call Made
Eliza's appeal was to no avail. Mr. Bennet would not visit Mr. Bingley. However, long used to his ways, she noticed that he had left a loophole in his declaration. He had not said that he would NEVER visit Mr. Bingley. She suspected that he would change his mind, being a punctilious and neighborly man, and that he awaited just the right moment to announce this fact.
Besides, Eliza was also long used to returning to the attack on his intentions at a later and perhaps better time. She'd had considerable success with this tactic. She was a clever girl, even cleverer since she had died and returned to life. Her father enjoyed a play of wits and she was well equipped for such duels.
A few days later the family was enjoying an early evening in the parlor, with an excellent day not quite in full slumber and still a bit luminous outside the windows. Mr. Bennet, observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, suddenly addressed her.
"I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy."
"We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes," said her mother resentfully, "since we are not to visit."
"But you forget, mamma," said Elizabeth, "that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him."
"I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no good opinion of her."
"No more have I," said Mr. Bennet; "and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you."
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters, Kitty.
"I do not cough for my own amusement," replied Kitty fretfully. "When is the next ball to be, Lizzy?"
"Tomorrow fortnight. We will have the opportunity to be introduced to Mr. Bingley then, for I'm sure someone will do the office."
"I am sick of Mr. Bingley," cried his wife.
Mr. Bennet said, "I am sorry to hear that, but why did not you tell me that before? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky, but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now."
The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished, that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest. Though, when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all along and went into raptures of praise for her husband.
"Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose," said Mr. Bennet. Then he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.
"What an excellent father you have, girls!" said she when the door was shut. "We will have such a good time. Lydia, my love, it occurs to me that though you are the youngest, I dare say Mr. Bingley will also dance with you at the next ball."
"Oh!" said Lydia stoutly, "I am not afraid, for though I am the youngest, I'm the tallest."
The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon Mr. Bingley would return Mr. Bennet's visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.
Chapter 3 - A Fruitful Dance
During the next several days Mrs. Bennet and the five girls sought of their father a description of Mr. Bingley. However he eluded the skill of them all, even clever Elizabeth. They had to be satisfied with the words of their neighbor, Mrs. Lucas. Those disappointed everyone. They were too effusive and too little specific.
Happily they did get to see him, although from an upstairs window when he returned Mr. Bennet's visit for ten minutes. If he had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had likely heard much, he was disappointed. He saw only the father.
Elizabeth reflected, with some amusement, that there was quite a bit of disappointment going around within the confines of Bennet Manor. At least they had seen that he wore a blue coat and matching other clothing of superfine broadcloth, rode a large horse with gleaming black hair, and was indeed a good looking young man with ginger hair.
The much-anticipated upcoming dance was to be at the town assembly hall of Meryton, a mile and a half distant and the principal town of Hertfordshire county to the north of London. That afternoon the weather elicited much anxiety among the womenfolk of the area, for black and grey clouds and gusts of wind threatened rain. However by nightfall the threatening weather passed overhead with only a few brief spatters of rain which had the happy result of allaying the dust of the streets.
The Bennet coterie arrived an hour past sunset when there was still a faint red and gold tint to the western sky. This was only a bit after the beginning of the ball as Mrs. Bennet wanted to be assur ed of seats across from the open doors of the assembly room. There her five daughters were well displayed to new arrivals. She was only partly successful, as Mrs. Lucas also garnered seats at a nearby table with her two daughters.
This satisfied Elizabeth as she could sit at the end of the long table and talk to her friend Charlotte Lucas, who chose to sit at the end of her own table next to the Bennet's table.
It was a fortunate table in another way. A U-shaped indoor balcony rose above and bordered the assembly hall. At the center of the U an orchestra of a quartet of violins, a bass viol, several flutes, and a portable harpsichord had been seated. The music so played could be well heard at Elizabeth's table despite the dozens of conversations.
By an hour later all the Bennet and Lucas and other women had danced several times. This included a Gallop, where a line of women and one of men mimicking horses pranced toward and through the opposing line and wheeled about for another pass through the enemy line. A more sedate Procession was a walking dance to gentler more melodic pieces of music.
Finally there came a daring Couples dance where the women and men actually touched, an elbow hooked within the other's elbow and circling about each other before detaching and retreating, then to advance to come together once again and swing each other about.
At a little after 9:00, midway through the event, the expected entrance of the distinguished visitors to the area occurred. A Procession was cut short when the music stopped and all eyes turned on Mr. Bingley, a redheaded sister with sultry eyes, his blond sister and her husband Mr. Hurst, and another gentleman. This latter was a dark-haired man with a face well-tanned and perhaps of an Italian cast. He hung back behind the others but it could be seen that elegant clothing well set off his athletic figure.
Sir Lucas quickly greeted the honored guests and escorted them to a table reserved for them in the middle of one of the long arms of the rectangular rooms. This had the happy result that the party had a good view of the Bennet table and vice versa.
Mrs. Bennet made quick use of this proximity and her prior brief acquaintance with Mr. Bingley. She dragged Jane and Elizabeth over to the table. Mr. Bingley rose and greeted her.
Elizabeth, hanging back a bit, immediately saw that he was happy to be afforded a glimpse finally of two of the Bennet sisters. She was well aware of the five sister's reputation for beauty. Since her death and resurrection she'd been able to hear people's unguarded conversation from quite far away.
Congenial Mr. Bingley expressed his pleasure at renewing Mrs. Bennet's acquaintance and meeting her charming daughters. He then introduced his party to the Bennets and made the opportunity to ask Jane for a dance.
One dance later became two. Then he danced with other worthies, older as well as younger.
His companion, a Mr. Darcy, danced only with the two Bingley sisters, redheaded Caroline and Mrs. Hurst, Louisa. For the rest of the time he walked about, speaking to few.
A shame, thought Elizabeth. He was quite handsome, and she suspected a hidden intelligence and capacity for humor.
Her good opinion suffered a bit sometime later when her extraordinary hearing let her overhear a conversation between Bingley and his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy.
"Come, Darcy," said he, "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance."
"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with."
"I would not be so fastidious as you are," said Mr. Bingley, "for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening and there are several of them who are uncommonly pretty."
"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room," said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
"Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down across the room. She is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you."
"Which do you mean?" and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, then back at Bingley.
"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."
"You are an idiot."
"Quite likely," said Darcy, a slight smile upon his face.
"Prig," rejoined the redoubtable Mr. Bingley, a similar smile upon his face as he left to rejoin the dance.
"Strange," thought Elizabeth. "If they were of lesser state they would no doubt engage in fisticuffs and come away with just such good humor. Men really are absurd creatures."
Elizabeth had been annoyed with Darcy when he pronounced her only "tolerable." Since her death she had been enhancing her beauty, already considerable, till she was almost shockingly attractive in the manner of the day.
This had a disturbing effect on men, leading at least one to walk into an obstacle. The strength of this attention she found inconvenient, so she had toned it down, going from the ability (she thought to herself, amused at the conceit) to launch a thousand ships to launching a mere ten.
The amiable end to an unamiable conversation restored her opinion of Darcy and presented her with a puzzle. Why did he act so standoffish? Was it arrogant pride? Or some other motivation? Could he be...shy?
All in all the evening was a success for the Bennet women. Jane had secured an invitation from the Bingley sisters to dine with them. Mary and Elizabeth, being the local scholars, had gotten permission from Mr. Bingley to visit his library at any time. And Lydia and Kitty had danced the entire evening, the only matter that concerned them at parties.
Mr. Bennet looked up from his book when they returned home and joined him in the parlour, at first quite interested. Mrs. Bennet's effusiveness and exhaustive detail on who had danced with whom soon tired him of the topic. As did her descriptions of the women's finery.
The last topic was Mr. Darcy and his shocking rudeness. He lifted a sardonic eyebrow and cut that short with a comment on how limited was the appeal of an income of 10,000 pounds a year.
His confirmation of this amount, previously only bandied about and doubtful, shut up his wife. But only for a moment, causing him to urge the family to retire, a practice he himself immediately put into effect.
Chapter 4 - Afterparty Thoughts
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone Jane expressed just how very much she admired Mr. Bingley.
"He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! So much ease, with such perfect good breeding!"
"He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete."
"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment."
"I expected it. I continue to marvel that you genuinely do not perceive your own attraction."
Jane, combing out some slight tangles in her gleaming golden hair at their shared dressing table, paused and examined her face in the mirror back of the table. She turned it one way and then the other as Elizabeth watched with amusement. Then she looked at the image in the mirror of Elizabeth sitting on their bed.
"I just do not see it."
Her sister laughed and came to take away the brush and finish the process of smoothing Jane's naturally wavy hair. Done, she kissed the top of Jane's head.
At the touch of her lips she sent a message into Jane to sleep well and soundly and made her own way to bed.
It took only a minute for Jane to extinguish the light and take her side of the bed.
"Good night, Lizzie."
"'Night, Jane."
A few minutes later Jane was sound asleep. Elizabeth eased out of her bed, smoothed the covers behind her, removed her nightgown, and bound her midnight locks into a pony tail. Ghosting to the window she opened it to a fuller extent and stood nude and unhumanly still.
The night expanded into her. Hearing became ever more acute till she heard the creaking of the limbs of the trees in the pasture below, the sough of wind in the leaves, crickets in the distance. Scents came into the room: grass, leaves, trees, the organic smells of the barnyard. Light from the setting crescent moon and from the stars brightened the sky till it seemed the land below was lit by two full moons.
