One way Elizabeth Laird illustrates betrayal is by showing what people can be capable of, good and bad. For example, Maggie, a poor farm girl just trying to survive in the big, scary world almost seems to bring along destruction with her, wherever she goes. It doesn't help when Annie, a privileged servant, always seems to come along with the problems. Annie likes to use her charming and mercy tactics to win people over then turn them against Maggie. And when Maggie and her grandma get accused of being witches and using witchcraft, Annie finds a whole other way to turn against Maggie all over again. It seems like every time Maggie starts to trust and forgive Annie, Annie turns against Maggie once again. A way to show this is a quote from the
