Free Edith and the Mysterious Stranger by Linda Weaver Clarke Page A

and
stood at the entrance, watching her walk gracefully toward the
buggy in a brisk manner. Her skirt swayed back and forth in
agitation as she walked, and that made Joseph grin with amusement.
She seemed a bit aggravated with him, he noticed.
    As Joseph watched her intently, he softly said,
“David, wasn’t that the most beautiful voice you’ve ever heard in
your life?”
    “It sure was, Joe. I was speechless. I couldn’t
think of a thing to say.”
    “The words that came to my mind were angelic,
lovely, exquisite, beautiful, enchanting. And I’m not just talking
about her voice, either.”
    David grinned at Joseph. “She is that, I agree.”
Then they turned around and walked back inside the bunkhouse. “By
the way, Joe, thanks for lending me your harmonica. I bought my own
today so you can have yours back.”

Chapter 11
Edith, the Strong Minded
     
    A rap at the door brought Melinda to her feet.
She was sitting on the sofa quietly reading a book. As she opened
the door, she smiled when she saw Edith. They embraced one another
and then walked over to the sofa arm in arm.
    “How are you feeling today, Melinda?”
    “Just fine. I felt movement for the first time
and I was so excited. Not to mention how excited Gilbert was. How
have you been lately? It’s been a week now. Have you heard from
your mysterious stranger?”
    Edith nodded as they sat down side by side. Her
eyes were shining with happiness and Melinda noticed it right
away.
    A lovely smile formed on Edith’s lips as she
said, “I brought the letter with me to read to you. Are you still
interested?”
    “Of course,” she said with enthusiasm.
    “Well, when I asked him about revealing who he
was, he had a very good answer.”
    Edith pulled two letters from her bag, opened
one, and softly read it to Melinda.
     
    Dear Edith, the Confused,
    The Lord said to the Prophet Samuel in the
Old Testament, “Look not on his countenance or on the height of his
stature.” Then he said, “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but
the Lord looketh on the heart.”
    I prefer that you get to know my heart
first. I want you to know what kind of person I am inside and I
want to know what you’re like inside, too. Isn’t it our souls that
must commune first? Let’s not talk of what we do as a living or
boast of our exploits. Let’s speak of our beliefs, our desires in
life, and our goals. Let’s speak from our hearts and what we love
most in life and what makes us happy. Or what saddens us. But let’s
not talk of our everyday labors.
    Sincerely,
    Your Friend
     
    Melinda looked at Edith in amazement. “Oh, my.
He’s romantic, isn’t he?”
    Edith’s eyes were soft as she nodded. “So, what
are you going to do, then?”
    “Well, I started to worry. What if I fall in
love for this man and he doesn’t fall for me? I believe I should
show my real self, right up front. And then if he isn’t afraid of
me, then he’ll continue writing. I’m not going to hide my true
feelings.” She shook her head adamantly. “No, I want him to know
how strong I feel about some things.”
    “Have you written back, yet?” asked Melinda
curiously.
    Edith nodded. “I wanted you to read my response.
It’s quite a strong reply, so don’t get shocked by it, but at the
same time I feel good about it.”
    Edith took the second letter and handed it to
Melinda. She unfolded it and began reading.
     
    Dear Friend,
    I understand what you mean and I agree. I
won’t ask you about your personal life. But I will ask you of your
beliefs and dreams. This idea of sharing our thoughts enchants me
and pleases me.
    First, I would like to share just a few of
my feelings with you. I want you to know that I am a person with
very strong opinions, and I’m not easily swayed unless I realize
I’m wrong. I like people who are honest with me. I am a
peace-loving person, but I don’t like being dominated or
intimidated by others. I tend to judge others at first glance. I
know it’s wrong, but I