Edith and the Mysterious Stranger (12 page)

“Yes, but only as a friend, so far. I’ve
enjoyed our communication and it’s been fun. After Melinda has her
baby, I’ll be heading back home.”

Martha nodded. “It’s been grand having you
here. I’ve missed having you around.”

Edith smiled. “Me, too, Mama. I’ve really
enjoyed being with you and talking so much. By the way, I’m real
sorry for my ornery attitude when I first arrived.”

Martha kissed her on the cheek. “Think
nothing of it.”

Edith sighed. Then she picked up a knife and
began peeling potatoes.

She gave her mother a sidelong glance and decided to
ask a few questions about her mysterious friend. Perhaps she could
worm some information out of her mother.

“I’ve got it narrowed down to someone.”

“What?”

“The man I’ve been writing to.”

“Oh?”

“I think it might be Henry.”

She carefully watched her mother’s eyes and actions
to see if anything would give her a clue. She didn’t believe for a
second it was Henry. She was trying her old tricks by watching her
mother’s reaction.

Martha smiled. “How do you know that?”

“Well, he’s from over the mountain and plays the
harmonica.”

“You don’t think it could be someone you haven’t
met?”

Edith’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought of
that.”

“There are plenty of single men in the county.”

“County? That covers a lot of territory.”

Martha smiled knowingly. “It sure does.”

Edith narrowed her eyes as she looked at her mother.
“Did you tell him to write to me?”

Martha smiled with humor dancing in her eyes. “Oh
my. Sweetie, I can’t answer any questions. He asked me as a favor,
including that one.”

“So, someone else told him to write me?”

Martha hesitated and then slightly nodded her head
in the affirmative. “I can’t tell you a thing. So, don’t ask any
more questions.”

Edith grinned. “You’re so easy to get information
out of, Mama. Just like Christmas, you always let the cat out of
the bag, so to speak, and I would figure out what you were giving
me each time.”

She touched her mother’s hand. “I understand. I
won’t ask any more questions because he trusts you. At least I now
know that you didn’t put him up to it.”

“Thank you, my dear. I really appreciate it.”

“How about papa? Is it papa?”

All was silent. There was no answer to that
question. Just a knowing smile.

Edith froze in her tracks as she rounded the
corner. Henry was standing at the steps of her home. He had just
kissed Martha on the cheek, and was holding a piece of paper in his
hand. She quickly ducked behind the lilac bush, watching and
listening.

“Thanks, Martha. I’m forever in your debt,” he
said as he waved the stationary in the air.

“It’s my pleasure, Henry. Let me know if there’s
anything else I can do.”

What was that all about? What was he holding,
and why was he thanking her mother? The paper was decorative like
the ones she had written to her secret friend. Was Henry the
mysterious stranger? Had her mother given Edith’s reply to him? No,
he just couldn’t be. She and Henry had become good friends but
nothing more. It could never be more.

“Oh, by the way, Martha. How long do I bake
them?”

“About twelve minutes. When you smell the
cookies baking, that’s a sign they’re done.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate this recipe,”
Henry said as he stuffed the instructions in his pocket and headed
for the road.

Edith breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother
had given Henry one of her cookie recipes. She now remembered that
he had once asked for it when he came by to visit. She stealthily
inched her way around the bush so Henry couldn’t see her and then
stood very still, not making a sound. She wasn’t in the mood for
chatter, and Henry was the biggest gossip in town.

Edith felt a hand touch her shoulder. She
gasped. Her heart flip-flopped as she jumped a few inches from the
ground. Hearing a soft chuckle, she quickly turned around. Joseph
was standing behind her, grinning from ear to ear.

“Joseph!” she said with exasperation. “What
are you doing here?”

He held a basket of vegetables in his hand
as he replied, “Delivering red potatoes, zucchini, Hubbard squash,
and delicious red tomatoes to your mother. She told me that you’ve
been eating her out of house and home. So, I’m replenishing her
stock.” Joseph raised a curious eyebrow. “So, what were you doing?
Spying on your mother?”

Edith’s eyes widened as she realized that he
had been watching her. Not only that, he was right. But she
couldn’t admit it.

So she blurted out, “Of course not. I’m
just…uh…just…”

“Waiting for Henry to leave?”

Involuntarily, Edith drew a
sharp breath at his truthful question. How
long
had he been standing behind
her? She was speechless and couldn’t think of a decent reply in her
defense. She felt like a willful child caught with her hand in the
cookie jar.

When Joseph noticed her startled look, he
realized that he had embarrassed her, so he changed the subject.
“Hey! Do you like fried zucchini?”

“Fried zucchini?” she asked, bewildered.

“Yup. Fried. I don’t much care for it
steamed. I just slice a zucchini, dip it in a beaten egg and then
dip it in some finely crushed breadcrumbs and fry it. You need to
put salt on the breadcrumbs or in the egg for flavor. I tell ya,
you’ve got yourself the most delectable meal ever. Try it.”

Edith was relieved by the change of subject
and at the same time was impressed by Joseph’s culinary advice. Of
course, he was a bachelor, so why wouldn’t he know how to cook?

“Thanks, Joseph. I think I’ll try it.” As
she waved her hand toward home, she said, “Shall we?”

Joseph smiled and gave a nod. As they
meandered toward home, he talked about the vegetables he had raised
that summer and how huge the banana squash had grown.

“Edith, it was really a sight. You should
have seen them. The vines began climbing up the apple trees and
were hanging over the branches. They blossomed and turned into the
largest banana squash I’ve ever seen. The largest one measured just
over five feet long. I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re
dangling over the branches, dozens of long golden squash.”

“No! Are you exaggerating?”

“Nope! You’ll have to come over and see
them.”

“Did you measure them?”

“Sure did. I wanted to know how long they’d
grown so I could brag a little.”

Edith laughed. “Brag a little?”

“Of course. Men need a little something to brag
about. It’s in our nature. You know what I mean? We brag about how
big a fish we caught, how large a buck we shot, how many head of
steer Gilbert raised this fall, not to mention the shooting
competition we men have between us. Then we brag about how many
times we got a bull’s-eye.” He chuckled with a bit of merriment in
his eyes.

Edith grinned and said, “Women brag a little
differently. We brag about a bargain we got at the store, a
fantastic meal we cooked, and about our children and their
accomplishments.” Then she laughed as she said, “And how about that
apple pie! Wasn’t it the best one ever?”

Joseph burst into laughter. “Hey, did you hear that
I’m the best bronco rider in town? Little John told me so.”

Edith giggled. “He did, eh? Well, that little man
sure knows what he’s talking about. It just has to be true. In
fact, he told me that I was the best nurse in town.”

Joseph grinned. “Okay, how did you get him to say
it? Did you hold him over a water trough like I did?”

She burst into laughter. “Really? Did you really do
that?”

H nodded. “It’s a game we play. He throws a pebble
at me, I act furious and chase him, and then he hides under the
haystack in the barn. After I catch him, he has to tell me what a
great bronco rider I am. So far, I’m the best in the country.”

“Oh my!” she said as she held her sides from
laughing. “All I did was tickle him. He loves to be tickled.”

Joseph smiled as he watched her laugh.

When they reached the house, Edith opened the door
and called, “Mother! You’ve got company. Joseph is here to
replenish your stock of food that I’ve been eating since I
arrived.”

Martha peeked around the corner from the kitchen and
smiled. “Come on in, Joseph. I was expecting you.”

Martha took the basket from his hand with a sly
smile. “I’ll give it right back. Just wait for a moment while I
empty it.”

Martha walked into the kitchen while Edith
headed up the stairs, calling over her shoulder, “Thanks for the
recipe on zucchini, Joseph. I’ll try it tonight.”

When Martha returned, she handed him the
basket as she winked. “Thanks, Joseph. I really appreciate it.”

Joseph grinned. “Me, too, Martha. Me,
too.”

Then he turned and meandered out the door,
feeling lighter on his feet than usual. Being with Edith always
brightened his day and made his heart flutter with joy. Whether or
not she felt anything for him, he definitely knew he was becoming
quite fond of her. In fact, he knew that his relationship toward
her was changing to something deeper than friendship. But how did
she feel about him?

***

Martha went to Edith’s bedroom and stood
beside her door. “Want a tomato sandwich? We have some fresh ones
just waiting to be cut.”

Edith was cleaning and arranging her room,
as she said, “Yum! I’m trying a new recipe tonight, one that I got
from Joseph.”

Martha smiled knowingly. “You like him,
don’t you?”

Edith turned toward her mother and shook her
head in denial. “We’re just friends, Mama. Don’t make something out
of nothing.”

“But I see something in your eyes that’s
new, Edith. I’ve never seen you like this before. You seem to be
happier lately.”

Edith smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. “I
know. But it’s not because of Joseph. Did you send my letter
off?”

She nodded. “Yes, I did. Yesterday.” Then
she held up a letter and grinned. “And I received this sometime
today.”

Edith’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the
envelope. Before Martha could blink, Edith had it in her hand and
was sitting on the bed opening it. Edith’s heart was racing, and
her countenance was glowing with undeniable joy.

Then she glanced up at her mother and said, “I’ll
tell you what he said later. I need just a little privacy right
now, Mama.”

Martha couldn’t help but notice the brilliance in
her daughter’s smile. She had a lilt in each step and her attitude
was more positive than the day she arrived. She even found Edith
humming as she did the dishes and folded the clothes. This man, who
was writing to Edith, was gradually changing her daughter’s outlook
on life. She was much happier. She was her old self again.

This change was refreshing, but she hoped it
would last once she found out who the mysterious stranger was.
Edith was sticking to her guns about what kind of man she wanted to
marry, and that worried Martha. She wondered if her daughter would
ever listen to her heart.

Edith heard a rap at her bedroom door and slowly
rolled over on her side, groaning. Wearily, she answered, “Yes?
What do you want?”

William opened the door and peeked in. “Hey,
sleepyhead, you’re wanted for an emergency.”

“Emergency?” she moaned slightly, her voice
barely audible.

William’s voice was sober as he answered, “Yes.
Emergencies even happen early in the morning before the sun is up.
One of Gilbert’s ranch hands is badly hurt. An angry bull gored him
this morning, and the doctor is out of town. He’s gone fishing for
the weekend.”

Edith’s eyes widened as she sat up in bed. “I’ll
be downstairs in a few minutes, Papa.”

William smiled, “That’s my girl. I’ll have a
buggy ready and waiting for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll hurry.” Before he shut the door,
Edith asked, “Oh, Papa?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know who was hurt?”

“No, dear. I didn’t ask. Why?”

“Oh, just wondering.”

After William left, Edith kicked off the
blankets, hopped out of bed and washed her face. The cool water
quickly woke her up. As she patted her face dry, anxiety grabbed at
her heart as her thoughts strayed to Joseph and David, hoping
neither of them had been hurt.

She quickly dressed and secured her hair
into a soft chignon. After brushing her teeth, she grabbed her
black medicine bag and headed downstairs. Waiting in the living
room was a lean, tall man standing motionless with his back toward
her, looking out the window.

When she approached him, he turned around.
His eyes were creased with worry as he asked, “Are you ready?”

“Joseph!” she blurted out, relief spreading
through her as she looked into his eyes. “I was so worried it might
have been you that was hurt…” she stopped, feeling embarrassed by
admitting her feelings.

Joseph saw the relief in her face and
smiled. “No, I’m fine. It was Sam. Gilbert sent me to get you. He’s
hurt bad…in the stomach.”

Joseph quickly strode toward the door and
held it open. As he led her to the buggy, he explained, “All of us
were herding the cattle to another pasture this morning, and an
ornery old bull took his anger out on Sam. He didn’t even know what
hit him. Gilbert took him home and sent me to get you.”

Joseph took the medicine bag from Edith’s hand
and helped her into the buggy. After handing her the bag, he
climbed in. “I’ll leave my horse here and get him later.”

Joseph whipped the reins and yelled,
“Hee-ya!”

The horse responded instantly and galloped
toward the outskirts of town. Anxious about Sam’s condition, Joseph
whipped the reins once again, ignoring the rough road as the buggy
jolted from side to side.