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

still do. I am stubborn by nature and
outspoken, which frustrates my mother to no end. I have a strong
belief in God, and that is very important to me. I enjoy sharing my
inner most thoughts with those who I’m close to.
    Now for the unimportant or minor things: I
enjoy walking in warm rain, reading, picnics in the woods, and
taking nature walks. I feel that I’m a romantic person by nature.
If at any time you feel inclined to stop writing, I won’t be
offended.
    Sincerely,
    Edith, the Strong Minded
     
    After reading the letter, Melinda was
speechless. She looked up at Edith with an open mouth and wide
eyes.
    “What?” asked Edith naïvely. “Why are you
looking at me that way?”
    “Edith, do you realize how strong your letter
sounds? It sounds as if you want to end this relationship even
before it begins.” She sighed. “Why?”
    “Because I don’t want to get hurt. That’s
why. If he knows what kind of person I am up front and continues
writing to me, then I’ll be pleased.”
    Edith looked out the window for a moment and
then continued in a softer tone. “Let me put it this way, what if
he finds out what I’m really like after many months of writing, and
then he stops writing to me all together. Understand?”
    “Yes, I do. I see your reasoning. It’s best
to be honest up front before it’s too late. But, if a man truly
falls in love with a woman, wouldn’t he accept her strong feelings
just because of his love for her?”
    Edith hesitated before answering. “I don’t
really know. I just don’t want to take a chance of being hurt.
That’s all. Now, all I have to do is wait and see what his response
is.” She paused and then looked down at her fidgety hands. “I’m not
going to hold my breath, if you’re wondering.”
    Melinda took Edith’s hand in hers, caressed
it tenderly and smiled. She agreed, but in another way, she was
worried that Edith’s letter was too strong.
    During courtship, a person doesn’t usually come
right out and tell someone his or her strongest feelings. At first,
anyway. Usually it’s a gradual process, but then writing letters
wasn’t the usual courtship process, either.
     

Chapter 12
A Prima Donna
     
    As Edith headed down the road in her buggy,
she noticed Joseph standing next to some pastureland mending a
fence. She reined in the horse and came to a stop. As she watched
Joseph work, she noticed how tall he was. He wasn’t as muscular as
Gilbert and had narrow hips with rugged features. There was
something about this man that intrigued her. Perhaps it was the way
he caressed the strings of his guitar and filled the air with
pleasant sultry music. She believed that music could bring joy to
the soul. That was why she loved singing.
    When she remembered Joseph’s words, her brows
furrowed. He had simply told her that she sang “nice.” His comment
came matter-of-factly as if he were uninterested. She might as well
have sung to the cattle in the field. They would have at least
appreciated it more than he did. And another thing, it infuriated
her the way he was looking her up and down, appraising her value
like a head of cattle being taken to market. Why was she even
sitting here watching him in the first place? The thought of the
other evening aggravated her to no end.
    Just as she took the reins firmly in her hands,
Joseph turned around and noticed her. A broad pleasant smile came
to his face, and he waved to her in a friendly manner. His smile
was charming and her irritation subsided. She waved back out of
politeness and smiled.
    Joseph motioned for her to come toward him. She
looked at the tall field grass and then down at her dress and
shoes. She didn’t see any dirt or mud where he was working, so
perhaps she would see what he wanted. She lifted her skirts and
carefully stepped down from the buggy.
    As Joseph watched her, he noticed how graceful she
was. She had such poise and elegance, not to mention beauty. Her
song the other night was breathtakingly