by M.D. James
Chapter 8
As Jonas was being locked in the storage cellar, his long-time best friend was packing to search for him.
“I can give you train fair to get there and back, but you’ll have to be back here within a week,” Ms. Pommeray warned Bartzen.
“I will,” Bartzen promised as he grabbed a couple changes of clothes.
Ms. Pommeray still looked worried. “I don’t know. Maybe this isn’t right. You’re only fourteen.”
“I can do this,” he told her, “And, what’s not right is letting a friend down when he’s in trouble.”
Ms. Pommeray reminded him that they didn’t really know if Jonas was in trouble, but even as the words came out of her mouth she knew it was a lie. She would go and search for Jonas herself if she weren’t so old. Plus, someone had to watch over the other children who also needed her.
“I’ll be fine. I’m a man now,” Bartzen told her. She was proud of the man he had become while in her care. That didn’t stop her from worrying though.
At Aspen Estates, Martin visited Jonas to give him one last chance to sign over his inheritance. Again, Jonas refused.
“You can either sign on the dotted line, or I’ll forge your signature and let you rot in here until you die!” Martin warned his nephew.
“You’ll never get away with this!” Jonas yelled back, trying to put on a brave front even though he was already freezing just from the little time he had spent in the cellar with no food or light.
“Silly boy, I always get what I want, no matter who get’s hurt.”
In the servant, Madeline tried to convince Charlotte to tell her what’s wrong, but even in her weakened state Charlotte was stubborn. “Well, at least let me call in a doctor,” Madeline suggested.
“I’ll be fine,” Charlotte told her, for the millionth time. “I just needs me rest.”
Madeline returned to the kitchen to let Charlotte sleep, but still considered calling in a doctor from town anyway.
“Are you okay?” Elias asked Madeline as she entered the kitchen with a worried expression on her face.
“Yeah. I’m just concerned about Charlotte. She’s been vomiting and is really pale and weak.”
Just as Elias was about to comment back, Kathy entered the kitchen and asked Elias if he’d like to go out sometime.
He wasn’t used to being asked out by anyone, and did have a huge crush on Kathy for the longest time. He was tempted to say ‘yes’, but as he started to answer, he saw Madeline with a sad expression that he recognized as heartbreak.
“No, Kathy,” he finally answered and then directed his attention to Madeline. “I can’t go out with you, because I hope Maddie would do me the honors of being my girlfriend.”
“Her?! Why her?!” Kathy demanded to know.
“Well, for one, she has never treated me like I was invisible,” Elias answered. He went on to say that he knows no one with more kindness who selflessly puts everyone else’s needs above her own.
Kathy stormed off before Madeline told Elias she would love to be his girlfriend.
Just then, the main doorbell rang, and Bruce made his way to the door to answer it.
“I’m here to see Jonas Concord,” Bartzen announced, doing his best to appear brave and self-assured.
