The Betrayal Read Online Free PDF

and her mother to the door. The baby whimpered in confused fear, one tiny pink hand breaking free of his mother’s grasp and thrashing the air wildly.
    As Susannah and her mother were pulled out the door, Benjamin Fier stepped back to watch. His eyes gazed hard at Martha Goode, then lingered for a long while on Susannah.
    He didn’t smile. His face was set in rigid coldness.
    But Susannah thought she caught a gleam of merriment in his dark eyes.
    Just then their neighbor, Mary Halsey, attracted by the commotion, appeared at their door.

    â€œPlease take the child,” Martha pleaded, and handed the baby to Mary. “Keep him safe.”
    The baby’s whimpers turned to frightened cries.
    As the two men dragged Susannah and her mother away, Benjamin Fier followed close behind, his eyes on Susannah all the while.
    This is not happening, Susannah thought, her heart pounding, the blood pulsing at her temples. This cannot be happening to us.
    She heard surprised murmurs as they passed through the commons. Whispered questions. Muffled cries of surprise.
    The prison loomed ahead, a low clapboard building behind the meetinghouse.
    â€œWhy are you doing this to us?” Susannah cried, the words bursting from her throat. “Why are you dragging us from our home?”
    Benjamin Fier stopped on the path. His voice was low and steady. His eyes locked onto Susannah’s.
    â€œYou two witches will burn before the week is out,” he said.

Chapter 6

    Torches were hung on the meetinghouse walls. Their flames flickered and threatened to go out every time the door was pulled open, allowing a gust of wind into the hot room.
    In the prisoners’ box at the front of the court, Susannah gripped her mother’s hand and stared at the flames. Her mother’s hand felt so small, like that of a cold, frightened animal.
    Without realizing it, Susannah had nervously started chewing her lower lip. Now she felt the bitter taste of blood in her mouth.
    They burn witches,
she thought, staring at the torchlight.
    They’ve burned three already.
    Her entire body convulsed in a shudder of fear. She squeezed her mother’s hand tighter. Even thoughwitches in other parts of Massachusetts Colony were hanged, Benjamin Fier believed that burning was the only way to punish a witch.
    But I am not a witch!
    Surely if there is justice in Wickham, I will not be found guilty.
    The long, low-ceilinged room was filled with shadows. Solemn faces flickered in the orange torchlight. Eyes, dozens of eyes, peered at Susannah and her mother.
    The rows of wooden benches stretched to the back of the long room. People crowded quietly into them, the frightened citizens of the town, whispering their fears, staring at Susannah and her mother with curiosity and surprise and pity.
    The whispers and hushed voices grew louder, until Susannah wanted to cover her ears. “Mother, why do they stare at us like that?” she uttered in a frightened voice, leaning so close she could feel her mother’s trembling. “They know us. They know who we are.”
    â€œSome believe they are staring into the faces of evil,” Martha Goode replied, squeezing her daughter’s hand.
    â€œBut they
know
us!” Susannah repeated shrilly, her heart thudding in her chest.
    â€œOur innocence will soon free us,” her mother replied softly. Her words were brave, but her entire body shook with fear.
    Edward, where are you?
Susannah wondered.
    Have you spoken to your father? Have you told him about us?

    â€œEdward will not let us burn,” Susannah said out loud without realizing it.
    Her mother stared at her in surprise. “What did you say?”
    Susannah started to reply, but someone in a front bench cried out loudly.
    Susannah heard a flapping sound and felt a cold ripple of wind close to her ear.
    Startled voices called out.
    Susannah heard the flapping again, like the beating of wings. A shadowy form darted overhead.
    â€œA