Now let's get back to The Betrayal by R.L.Stine!
Chapter 14
Edward Fier fell violently onto the ground. Is he really dead? Mary continues to scream as Matthew, Benjamin, Rebecca, and Constance come rushing to see what is going on. Will my prayers be answered? Nope, nope my prayers weren't answered as Edward is still alive.
I guess him being injured will have to be good enough for now.
Edward is not totally composed and the first words out of his mouth are about his broken arm. Mary is either stupid or a saint as she does her best to consul her cousin. Everyone, even Benjamin, is concerned about Edward at the moment.
Suddenly conversation changes to the blood all over the front of Constance. It turns out that Mary's shout startled her and she dropped the knife she had been using. While what William Goode is doing is cruel, this part is just hilarious. It reads more like a comedy skit than full out horror.
Mary helps Constance to the kitchen while Matthew and Rebecca help Edward. Edward says that he thinks he can walk. As the family helps their injured members, Benjamin uses their misfortunes as proof that they are cursed.
What if Benjamin being so obsessed with the Fier family being cursed is because he knows what he did in the past was wrong? What if his fear is a form of repentance?
There is a time skip to morning when Mary wakes up as the roosters announce the new day. Instead of being well rested, though, she feels like having a few more hours of sleep. The entire night she was thinking of Edward's and her mother's injuries. She is too kind for the Fier family.
Mary thinks about helping Constance to stop the bleeding even though that hadn't seemed possible. Mary also thinks about Edward being in pain as Matthew helped him. At the time Rebecca didn't know whether to comfort the injured Edward or the traumatized Ezra. Myself, I wouldn't have bothered with easing any of Edward's pains.
As Mary gets dressed she has a feeling that the Fier family is only encountering the first of an endless series of bad luck.
After breakfast Mary returns from the henhouse with eggs. She nearly drops the eggs when someone calls out to her. She turns quickly around to see a young man with blue eyes. You have to be careful with anyone with blue eyes, they could be your true love or your demise. There is hardly ever anything between.
Mary apologizes to him and then realizes she is staring at the attractive young man. Everything about him is too good to be true. But, hey, hormones! The young man says that he is looking for the owner of the farm and she tells him that would be Matthew Fier. She ends up offering to take the young man who doesn't have any ulterior motives to her father. He agrees and also offers to carry the eggs for her.
Even though she protests, Mary allows the young man to carry the eggs for her. She says that they have a lot of chickens and he remarks on the size of her farm. He says that his family totally just moved here and that he has never seen a farm the size of the one owned by the Fier family. She says that Benjamin and Matthew moved to the farm before she was born. She also says that the farm has continued to grow in all that time.
The young man asks Mary her name but Matthew appears before she can give an answer. It is only after he stretches, that Mary's father notices the young man. The young man doesn't react when Matthew rudely asks who he is. We finally get the name of the young man: Jeremy Thorne.
Maybe like a thorn in the side of the Fier family? Hm?
Matthew then rudely asks what business Jeremy has. The young man again reacts calmly and replies that he is looking for work on the Fier farm. Matthew then says that he isn't currently looking for any help on the farm. Edward comes out and points out that with a broken arm, he is little more than useless for farm work. He even points out that Jeremy arrived at just the right time. A little too convenient, wouldn't you say?
No, because then we wouldn't have a story.
When Jeremy gives an entirely true backstory, Matthew states that he doesn't care. All he cares about is that the young man looks healthy enough to do farm work. Mary wants her father to hire the nice hunk of meat, but knows that isn't her place. If Edward is to be believed, her place is in the kitchen. No way can a woman make any important decisions!
Matthew does state that he will hire Jeremy as help on the farm but won't think of the position as anything but temporary for the moment. Jeremy is excited and looks at Mary who is...yeah...'shiver at the back of her neck'. That's where those feelings start. Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.
Mary wants to be in a relationship with Jeremy but knows their union would never be accepted by her father. She suddenly can't stop thinking about him. Even at lunch when the discussion has turned to the events of the night before, she can't stop thinking about the hot young thing. Totally normal. Nothing suspicious about that especially as a dark magic practitioner who is seeking revenge is nearby.
Constance asks what Mary is thinking about. But the daughter says she's not thinking about anything and blushes. Her new obsession is so great that she hasn't eaten anything. Constance than reprimands Mary for being distracted as she only has one usable hand currently. Mary then says that her mother should rest and she'll take care of the kitchen duties.
After finishing with the dishes, Mary goes to pick vegetables for dinner. On pure instinct, Mary rushes for the well when she sees a sweaty Jeremy. She thrusts a mug full of water to the young man. As he drinks the water, his eyes stay on her. They both laugh when he pours the rest of the water over himself.
Mary finally gives her name to Jeremy and says that he's a hard worker. What specific part do you want to be hard, Mary? He replies that he thinks a job should be done well and that his family has always been poor. Mary says that she's a hard worker since there is a lot of work to be done on the farm.
When Jeremy compliments the farm, Mary admits to the place being extremely lonely. He asks about friends and she admits that she has none. Her family are the only people she knows. When Mary makes excuses why it's okay that she doesn't have any friends, Jeremy calls her pretty. I really feel for her and am also suspicious about why he's asking about her friends. Seems more like a way to see how likely he's to be caught than genuine care for her. Though I'm hopeful.
Mary notices that Jeremy's going to kiss her and is frightened for a moment but then stops trying to get away. She wants the young man to kiss her. But before that can happen someone cries out her name. It turns out to be Rebecca who is trying desperately to get Mary's attention. Upon noticing the interruption, Jeremy rushes to the toolhouse.
Mary asks Rebecca what has happened. Instead of giving a straight answer, Rebecca just asks if the young woman has seen Matthew and Edward. When Mary continues to ask questions, Rebecca just says to follow her.
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