I'm glad to be back but it's looking doubtful that my medical problems will be resolved by the end of the year. Basically different doctors don't communicate well and they make their appointments months apart. So while I have been suffering for around half a year, nothing moves faster because of that.
But enough of my hatred of the United States' medical system, let's get back to reading The Betrayal by R.L.Stine!
Chapter 3
Edward and Susannah are both extremely afraid. He, not wanting to lose her just yet, holds her hand tightly to show that he still cares. Before both decide on a course of action, they choose to listen to what is actually is going on.
Luckily they do that as people are chanting from some distance away. Both are relieved but Susannah remarks that she is saddened by Abigail Hopping being accused of witchcraft. Edward showing all the empathy of dirt says that if the girl burns then she deserved it.
While Susannah is relieved that nothing bad happened this time, she knows that her mother might start worrying that the Evil One has taken her daughter. I'm starting to wonder if the Evil One is really the Devil because...why not just say his name?
Before Susannah goes she asks if Edward will tell his father about them soon. He answers that he will once the time is right. Just the same sort of thing married cheaters will say to their lovers. So I'm doubting he's being honest...
She doesn't want to leave and as she goes back home the thought of being married to Edward helps her go on. The thought of being married to Edward is so calming to her that she nearly forgets to get the firewood. Oh young love is so sweet at times.
There's a little time jump and now it's dinner at the Goode residence. As they eat dinner, Susannah thinks about how old and worn down her father looks. This makes me think that when push comes to shove, she will choose her family above all else.
One of the big talking points at dinner is the size of the Goode's carrots. They're smaller than average. If I had the mind of a teenager I would make a dick joke. But I'm too mature for such things.
There is also mention that Matthew Fier's carrots are much larger than the Goode's carrots. Which seems to indicate that the Fier family isn't as God fearing as they make themselves out to be. When Susannah suggests that William, her father, should ask for Matthew's secret he is insulted. He insists that he knows everything that there is to know about farming.
Martha brings up the fact that no one knows where the Fier brothers came from. Which also seems to hint at the fact that the Fier family might be in league with the Devil. Excuse me, the Evil One. William considers what his wife said, but believes that since they've prospered in Wickham that they are good people favored by God. I mean by the Maker.
Martha says sorry and that she didn't intend to start a fight. William then says that the carrots are good enough but his expression shows he doesn't like the size of his carrots.
The book then jumps forward in time to after dinner. So any more interesting conversations about carrots are no more.
Martha is annoyed that Susannah seems to be in a faraway place and not focused on the task of cleaning up after dinner. It's very clear that she's thinking about Edward in a very...unclean way. I think the father picks up on that and tells his wife that their daughter can clean later.
Yep, he does know what his daughter is thinking about. It's probably not going to be an easy conversation for him as he's having to prepare a smoke before he starts talking. He frowns when he says he wants to talk about Edward Fier.
Susannah is shocked and frightened when her father mentions her crush's name. All this time she had thought that their relationship was secret from everyone else, especially her parents. If you are going to have a secret affair you really don't want to get your parents involved.
She tries to play it off like she doesn't know that her father knows about her relationship with Edward. But her father quickly dispels any doubts that he, and possibly others, know about the secret affair. He asks her to deny what he knows but she just confirms it.
This conversation isn't easy for him as he's forgetting to smoke while he continues to make accusations against his own daughter. With the truth out of the way, Susannah is now excited to tell her father the news that Edward wants to marry her. The news shocks her mother and makes her father unhappy. Very unhappy.
Is he unhappy because he loathes the Fier family that much? Marrying during these times was a way to gain wealth so being unhappy that your child is to be wedded to a rich family is strange.
Oh, plot twist: Susannah can't marry Edward since he's betrothed to another!
If I was younger this plot twist might have really got me. It also helps cement to me that Edward isn't really a good guy. He's playing with a young girl's heart even though he knows he won't marry her. He's giving her hope when there is actually none. Though another plot twist could be that Edward doesn't know and the news will be a shock to him too. And the reason Susannah will be burned is so his father ensures Edward will marry who he wants him to.
This second plot twist could happen as Susannah's father only found out about it that morning. With how he reacted now, it doesn't fit his character to wait awhile to deliver the news. The downside to this being the case is there will be some time spent with Susannah mourning the fact that she thinks he really doesn't love her.
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