Through Each Other's Eyes

by Aleena Ashe

  Through Each Other’s Eyes

  By:

  Aleena Ashe

  Chapter 1

  Elizabeth

  Elizabeth couldn’t take it anymore. Tonight was supposed to be perfect. She would dance with Wickham, Jane would dance with Bingley, perhaps he would even propose. But no, her family chose to seize every possible opportunity to look ridiculous! Mr. Collins had stepped on her toes several times almost ruining her slippers, her mother was crass, her two youngest sisters had clearly been drinking and flirted openly with everyone officer they saw, Mary exhibited her ‘talent’ on the pianoforte for far too long, and then, as if that were not enough, her father chose to remove Mary in such a way that it was obvious to all the world that she was humiliated.

  Only she and Jane had behaved themselves and if she were honest, Elizabeth had to admit that she had been rude out of spite to both Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy. But who could blame her? Caroline Bingley was pretentious and haughty coming over to give her advice about Wickham. As if she had any right! And Mr. Darcy! What was he about? He asked her to dance, then he had barely spoken - as usual. When he did speak, it was as if he was pained to do so. However, his anger at the mention of Wickham proved that she had hit the mark! He clearly did not like being reminded of his misdeeds in that arena.

  Needing air, Elizabeth stepped out onto the balcony and sipping her glass of punch stared up at the night sky. The cool air was refreshing and she felt her temper ebb slightly. Without realizing it her thoughts took her back to her dance with Mr. Darcy. He truly was an excellent dancer. He must have had the finest tutors. In fact, she couldn’t truly think of any faults in his manners, other than at the assembly. Since then, he had not been as amiable as Mr. Bingley but he was not officious beyond what one might expect from his set. However, she couldn’t seem to accurately sketch his character. She heard so many varying accounts. Wickham had told her his tale of woe and she had seen how they acted toward each other that day in Meryton. Would Mr. Bingley choose to befriend a man who could be so cruel as Lt. Wickham had said? The fact that Mr. Bingley’s fortune was from trade didn’t seem to bother Mr. Darcy at all. What did that say about the man? Perhaps he was less stodgy than she thought. Charlotte seemed to think he was perhaps just uncomfortable around new people; that he in fact, liked Elizabeth very much and was unsure how to act around her.

  Looking up at the numerous stars always brought Elizabeth peace. They reminded her how small she was and how her problems meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. When she saw a shooting star she closed her eyes and made her wish: “I wish, just once, I could understand why some people (thinking of Mr. Darcy) act the way they do.” Opening her eyes, she took a deep breath, smoothed her hair to undo any damage caused by the breeze, and returned to the ballroom.

  Darcy

  Darcy just needed to escape the ball for 5 minutes. Then he could trust himself to return and be civil to Bingley’s guests. ‘Why? Why do I have this ridiculous need to gain her approval? Miss Elizabeth Bennet is not for me. Yes, she may be beautiful - not in the classical sense but in an intelligent, beguiling way that I cannot ignore - but her family! Egad, they’re atrocious. Never in my life have I witnessed so many breaches of propriety go unchecked. The mother, the sisters, even tonight her father had behaved in a way I cannot not countenance. As if that were not enough, her smarmy cousin waltzed right up to me and began speaking some nonsense about my Aunt Catherine as if we were old friends. We have not even been introduced! Can you imagine?’

  ‘Despite all that, I want her. I want to know her innermost thoughts, I want to hear her laugh, see her smile, walk with her in the gardens at Pemberley, hold her in my arms and… enough of that. I will not be fit for company if I allow my thoughts to travel that road.’

  ‘Despite my efforts to get to know her by listening to her conversations, our little friendly debates, I feel as though I am no closer to understanding her than when we met. It is as if she rebels against my every attempt to get close to her. I am utterly confounded. Never has a woman even disagreed with me, much less thrown barbs at me as she did tonight. I can only hope Wickham has not gotten his hooks into her. Even if she dislikes me, I could not rest knowing he may do her harm.’

  Staring blankly out the window, he noticed a flash of light. ‘Ah, a shooting star.’ Without really thinking about it, he made a wish. “I wish I knew what makes Miss Elizabeth tick.”

  Hearing the door open behind him, he turned. “Ah, there you are Darcy! Come back out to the ball. I’ll not have you hiding away while I play host!” With a sigh, he rejoined the mass of people crowding the ballroom of Netherfield. “What I won’t do for a friend.”

  Chapter 2

  Elizabeth

  Dawn broke and despite having been up until the wee hours, Elizabeth always rose with the sun. Knowing no one else would be up yet, she determined to dress quickly and make her way to Oakham Mount. However, this morning something felt… different. It took her a moment to realize she was not in her room. “Oh my goodness! Where am I? How did I get here?” Panicked, she wanted to scream but quickly thought better of it. What if she had been kidnapped? She didn’t want to draw attention to herself. Quietly rising from the very plush bed - far better than hers at home - she decided to look around.

  The room was very masculine, mostly dark wood paneling and forest green linens of very high quality. Then she saw them, men’s clothing laid out as if the owner were to come in any moment to dress. She spun around to make sure she was alone. It would not do to be in a man’s room alone, much less in only her night shift. Wait? This is not my night shift, this is a man’s nightshirt. Why am I in men’s clothing? Her head was pounding. What was going on? Did I drink too much wine last night? I only had one glass of wine with dinner. Perhaps someone spiked the punch?

  Deciding that she needed more sleep, Elizabeth crawled back into the large, exquisite bed. Reaching for the covers to pull over her head, she stopped. Her hands looked wrong, manly even. She felt her face… stubble. Her hair was shorter, only just to her collar. She ran to the mirror, saw his reflection, screamed, and - for the first time in her life - fainted.

  She awoke again surrounded by Mr. Bingley, a man Bingley referred to as Davies, and a footman. “Darcy! What happened? Are you alright?” Bingley asked with the utmost concern. “Shall we call the doctor?”

  Elizabeth sat up, utterly confused. How has this happened? WHY had this happened?

  “Mr. Darcy, Sir, I don’t think you ought to get up.” Davies protested as Elizabeth pulled herself off the ground.

  “No, No. I am… fine. I am not sure what happened. I... I …”

  “You screamed like a woman and then we found you out cold on the ground!” Bingley said with a small chuckle seeing that his old friend was going to be alright.

  Attempting to cover up her rising panic and not let on that she was in fact a she, Elizabeth merely grumbled, “I did not scream like a woman. I slipped and must have hit my head.” Why did doing anything ‘like a woman’ have to be an insult? I bet they couldn’t have a baby ‘like a woman!’ she thought to herself.

  “Well, then I will leave you with Davies to get dressed.” Bingley said turning toward the door. “I’ll see you downstairs for breakfast. Now that I am up so early, we should go for a ride before the others wake up.”

  Fresh panic arose. While it was true that Elisabeth was no horsewoman, she knew she certainly was not the accomplished rider Mr. Darcy surely was. Thinking fast, Elizabeth fairly squeaked, “Um, I’m not sure I should with my headache. Another time?” It sounded weak even to her but Bingley seemed to take her at her word.

  “Yes, of course, I should have realized.” And with that she was left alone with
Davies who was apparently Mr. Darcy’s valet. Despite the realization that Davies only saw Mr. Darcy when he looked at her, she could not help being self-conscious. She turned her back to the mirror to avoid seeing more of Mr. Darcy’s nakedness than was absolutely necessary and refused to look down while getting dressed.

  However hard she tried to preserve Mr. Darcy’s modesty as well as her own, the fates had conspired against her for it was not but a few minutes before she realized she had to use the loo. Excusing herself, she made her way into the privy and stood there for a few minutes, trying to decide what to do. “Do I take off the pants entirely and have to redress? Do I open the front flap of his breeches and thereby have to touch… him?” She decided on removing the pants. That way she could avoid touching any private areas directly by sitting and then redressing with care.

  Once that was done, she straightened her clothing with some help from a disapproving Davies, and headed down to breakfast.

  “Ah, there you are! Feeling better? You look a bit out of sorts.” Bingley said looking concerned but nevertheless filling his plate with what appeared to be a second helping of most everything.

  Trying to act as she believed Mr. Darcy would (how would he act when it was just he and Mr. Bingley?), she walked to the sideboard and began to fill her plate. Taking twice what she normally would, she sat down across from Bingley. “I feel much better, Mr…. uh, Charles, thank you.” Quickly changing the subject, she added, “You appeared to enjoy yourself last night.”

  Judging by the surprised look on his face, she had clearly caught Bingley off guard with the statement. Perhaps men did not talk about these things like women did. How odd. Before she thought much more of it, Bingley began, “Darcy, she is an Angel! I know you tire of hearing it but I mean it this time. Jane Bennet is all that is good and lovely!’

  Tire of hearing it? Why would he tire of hearing it? Jane is good and lovely. Ooohhhh, realizing suddenly that Bingley must speak of Jane in these terms quite often, she sighed happily.

  However, Bingley mistook her happy sigh for one of resignation at best and so added, “Now I know you say you cannot tell whether or not she truly likes me or is just following Mrs. Bennet’s direction, but I tend to disagree. I think I detect a real preference.” Quietly adding, “At least, I think I do.”

  Anger burned within Elizabeth! How could Mr. Darcy say such ridiculous things? OF COURSE Jane truly preferred Mr. Bingley! She is shy! However, she could not come right out and say that. How on Earth would Mr. Darcy explain this sudden change of heart and better understanding of the feelings of a woman he did not really know very well? No matter, she must endeavor to reassure Mr. Bingley of Jane’s affections as best she could under the circumstances.

  “Charles, I watched the two of you last night and I think I can now say that Miss Bennet may have true affection for you that is merely covered by an innate shyness. She may - in fact - be guarding her heart as many young ladies are taught.” Seeing the smile spread across Bingley’s face, she knew her words were having the desired effect.

  “You know, Darce, I think you may be correct. Miss Bennet does have a certain shyness about her until she is truly comfortable around someone. In that regard, you two are alike.”

  Before she could respond, Caroline walked in and all conversation about Jane Bennet abruptly ceased.

  Chapter 3

  Darcy

  Darcy, not one to sleep in, awoke early but with a blinding headache. He had imbibed in too much wine last night due to his frustration with what he was now referring to as the ‘Bennet Situation’. It had become quite clear to him that not only was Charles in great danger of making an imprudent match but the longer he stayed in Hertfordshire, he was as well. Elizabeth Bennet was more beguiling every day. Her wit, intelligence, her willingness to challenge him, combined with what could only be described as a very pleasing (although petite) figure drew him further in every time he met her.

  So, rather than rising before the rest of the household, he did something he almost never did (and was sure he’d never hear the end of) he went back to sleep. A few hours later, he woke to the sound of a familiar voice - and not a pleasant one - just outside his door. However, try as he might, he could not place it. Opening his eyes, light flooding the room, he instantly realized he was NOT at Netherfield! Sitting bolt upright in bed he saw her reflection in the mirror across the small room.

  In the name of all that was good and holy, Elizabeth Bennet’s reflection stared back at him and she was in only her night shift with her hair was falling from a loose braid down, around her shoulders. Other than the confused look on her face, she looked exactly how he imagined she would (although he never thought to see her in this state here at Longbourn). He reached his hand up to touch her cheek and groaned. Her skin was so soft. Elizabeth’s reflection made the same movements. Standing, he walked to the mirror and stood there, staring at her. He often stared at her but never so openly. Without meaning to, he noticed that the buttons of her shift had come undone in the night and he could easily make out the swell of her breasts before suddenly realizing to his horror that he was essentially intruding on her privacy and he quickly put on the robe that lay at the foot of her bed. Elizabeth would rightly be furious with him if she knew he had taken even that smallest liberty and he was for the first time in recent memory ashamed that he had let his mind wander so far in that direction.

  Darcy was nothing if not practical and though he could not understand his current situation he began to ponder all daily activities that would require a breach of her privacy and in return, his privacy by her – for she must be similarly… displaced, mustn’t she?. He colored at the thought of her having to dress him, bathe him, and all those activities that were essential but not something one wanted to be witnessed doing. He also began to think on the physical differences each would encounter being suddenly thrown into the body of a member of the opposite sex. For instance, he was certain getting dressed today would require him to put on very intimate apparel. What if he is not returned to his body before her womanly time occurs this month (oh, please don’t let that be the case). How was he to get back into his own body? How did this occur? What if Elizabeth was not in his body but someone else was? And how was he to find out? How could he behave as Elizabeth normally would when he was not acquainted with these aspects of her life? He had no idea how women spoke amongst each other. He could not embroider or paint. As luck would have it, he was musical but not on the same instruments - and though he loved to hear Elizabeth sing - even he would admit to having better technique due to regular practice with Georgiana.

  “Georgiana! What will I do about her guardianship? I trust Elizabeth to make the best decisions she can but there is much she is unaware of and Georgiana is MY sister! That settles it, I must find Elizabeth as soon as I reasonably can without drawing suspicion. In the meantime, how am I to get dressed?”

  As if summoned by her innate understanding that someone was in need, Jane knocked at the door.

  “Good morning, Lizzy. You are not dressed! If you don’t hurry all the strawberry tarts that Hill made will be gone and I know how you love her tarts!”

  With an almost audible sigh of relief, he allowed Jane to pick out a day dress that only required a relatively simple girdle and pantaloons - for which he was much relieved. However, despite his best effort, he was also quite aroused by the whole exercise and was very glad that the only noticeable physical evidence of this was his face and neck being flushed. If Jane noticed anything amiss, she said nothing and they were soon downstairs, joining the others to break their fast.

  As predicted, it had taken longer than usual to make himself presentable and by the time they had joined the others, the strawberry tarts were indeed, gone. However, the many other choices left nothing to be desired (Darcy actually preferred lemon tarts anyway) and he sat down at the only place left at the table.

  Chapter 4

  Elizabeth

  After breaking their fast, Bingley decided
that it was only appropriate to call on his nearest neighbors, the Bennets, to discuss the ball. In truth, he could not resist the chance that he may be able to take Miss Bennet out for a walk with Darcy and Miss Elizabeth acting as chaperones Since Elizabeth was desperate to see Darcy and discover if he was in the same situation as she was, she made no objections. Perhaps then they could figure out how to reverse whatever curse they had fallen under.

  Upon arriving at Longbourn, Bingley stepped out of the carriage. Elizabeth briefly hesitated before stepping down, waiting for the footman to offer his hand before quickly realizing how odd it would appear for the towering Mr. Darcy to wait for assistance from a carriage. It took but a moment before they were shown into the parlor and Elizabeth’s eyes immediately sought out Mr. Darcy’s. How odd to see her person standing across the room, knowing that to everyone else’s eyes, she appeared to be Mr. Darcy. She also noticed that while Mr. Darcy was appropriately dressed, he had hastily arranged her hair and she was immediately embarrassed that anyone should see her in such disarray.

  After several minutes of small talk, Bingley suggested a walk to Meryton. Mr. Collins was suffering from ‘an upset stomach’ and decided to stay ‘home’. Upon hearing this, Mary begged off citing her need to practice on the piano forte but Kitty and Lydia immediately agreed and begged to call at Lucas Lodge to see their friend, Mariah. So it was that they all set out to Meryton together. However, it did not take long for them to pair off with Kitty and Lydia in the lead, Jane and Mr. Bingley next, followed - at some distance - by Elizabeth and Darcy.